Friday, July 28, 2006
Statement by NDP Foreign Affairs Critic Alexa McDonough on the death of a Canadian UN observer in Lebanon - Wednesday July 26, 2006
HALIFAX– “It was with profound sadness that we learned yesterday of the deaths of four United Nations military observers, including one Canadian, killed last evening in an Israeli bomb attack on a clearly marked UN patrol base in Lebanon.
“This tragedy further highlights the need for an immediate ceasefire to be declared by all sides in this conflict.
“Canadians are deeply proud of Canada’s historical and current contributions to the United Nations, to peacekeeping and to comprehensive peace building around the world. The deaths of these four unarmed observers reminds us all of the courageous service, and immense sacrifice of those who offer their lives in the service of peace.
“On behalf of our leader Jack Layton and all New Democrats, I offer our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the four UN observers.”
“This tragedy further highlights the need for an immediate ceasefire to be declared by all sides in this conflict.
“Canadians are deeply proud of Canada’s historical and current contributions to the United Nations, to peacekeeping and to comprehensive peace building around the world. The deaths of these four unarmed observers reminds us all of the courageous service, and immense sacrifice of those who offer their lives in the service of peace.
“On behalf of our leader Jack Layton and all New Democrats, I offer our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the four UN observers.”
Canada’s current humanitarian contribution to Lebanon grossly inadequate - Tuesday July 25, 2006
HALIFAX and HAMILT0N - NDP Foreign Affairs and International Development Critic, Alexa McDonough, MP (Halifax) and NDP Human Rights Advocate, Wayne Marston, MP (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek) today called on the federal government to increase its grossly inadequate contribution to the humanitarian relief efforts in Lebanon.
“The U.N. humanitarian chief Jan Egeland has made an emergency appeal for $150 million in humanitarian aid to help Lebanon through the next three months. As the conflict continues to escalate, the Lebanese people will need the sustained assistance of the international community,” said McDonough.
“The humanitarian needs in the region are immediate and will grow if the conflict continues. Given the extent of the destruction of infrastructure in Lebanon and Gaza where Israel also continues its military incursions and bombardments, humanitarian assistance will be needed long after this crisis passes,” said Marston.
Several countries have responded to the UN appeal; the US ($30 million), Saudi Arabia ($50 million), the United Arab Emirates ($20 million), Kuwait ($20 million) and Morocco($5 million), the latter having a slightly smaller population and a significantly smaller economy than Canada. This week Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay announced a $500,000 contribution to the UN and another $500,000 to the Red Cross.
It is estimated that between 600 and 750 thousand Lebanese have fled from their homes. Several hundred Lebanese and others, including at least eight Canadians, have been killed in the conflict so far.
“Harper and MacKay have been slow to meet the expectations and needs of Canadians in the war zone. Harper and Mackay can avoid compounding one mistake with another by consulting with U.N. humanitarian chief, Jan Egeland, on the amount and type of contribution the UN needs from Canada,” added McDonough. “One thing is for certain, the Conservatives’ current commitment is nothing more than symbolic, and far less than what’s desperately needed,” concluded Marston.
“The U.N. humanitarian chief Jan Egeland has made an emergency appeal for $150 million in humanitarian aid to help Lebanon through the next three months. As the conflict continues to escalate, the Lebanese people will need the sustained assistance of the international community,” said McDonough.
“The humanitarian needs in the region are immediate and will grow if the conflict continues. Given the extent of the destruction of infrastructure in Lebanon and Gaza where Israel also continues its military incursions and bombardments, humanitarian assistance will be needed long after this crisis passes,” said Marston.
Several countries have responded to the UN appeal; the US ($30 million), Saudi Arabia ($50 million), the United Arab Emirates ($20 million), Kuwait ($20 million) and Morocco($5 million), the latter having a slightly smaller population and a significantly smaller economy than Canada. This week Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay announced a $500,000 contribution to the UN and another $500,000 to the Red Cross.
It is estimated that between 600 and 750 thousand Lebanese have fled from their homes. Several hundred Lebanese and others, including at least eight Canadians, have been killed in the conflict so far.
“Harper and MacKay have been slow to meet the expectations and needs of Canadians in the war zone. Harper and Mackay can avoid compounding one mistake with another by consulting with U.N. humanitarian chief, Jan Egeland, on the amount and type of contribution the UN needs from Canada,” added McDonough. “One thing is for certain, the Conservatives’ current commitment is nothing more than symbolic, and far less than what’s desperately needed,” concluded Marston.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Francis Chartrand's statement about Israeli strikes in Lebanon
Like thousands of Canadians, I am pained to note the emplor of strike Israéliennes in Lebanon. These attacks which are always badly justified and which just that with now killed out of the hundreds the innocent ones. At the time to write these lines, seven Canadian appears in the number of the victims. My thoughts, thus those which of my close relations, go to the victims like to their families.
In addition, I am outraged to note the lack of tact and respect shown by our Prime Minister. Whereas it took part in G-8 summit with St.Petersbourg, it began its speech while protesting that these strike were justified and that Israel had the right to be defended. I must myself, by humanism, to condemn the remarks Mr. Harper.
As a citizen, I put myself the following question: At which price blood does have it to run in Lebanon? We recall that the Israélien state justified these attacks under pretext of strike the headquarters of Hezbollah, political movement Shiite having an armed branch which was at the origin of its creation. However, the information transmitted by the media is extremely different. They are paramilitary which are victims, neither of the headquarters of anything, nor of simple terrorists, it is rather the civil population which essuie rain of bombardments, as usual.
Let us establish a parallel with Quebec to illustrate what Lebanon currently saw. Let us imagine in 1970, during the removal of the British diplomat Mr. James Richard Cross (because there are 2 Israeli soldiers of removed at present), that British Royal Air Force decided to bombard some suburbs of Montreal, like Saint-Hubert, Point-Claire, Saint-Eustace or Terrebonne, in order to paralyse and to dismantle the FLQ (like Hezbollah)… Useless to say that more the innocent ones than felquists would have been touched!
Certain images, on CNN (July 17), of a sharp mother burned with her children in a vehicle close to Beirut show us how we are impotent in front of such an atrocity. We must ourselves, as citizens of a country recognized for its missions of maintains peace, to require our federal deputies that Canada have more “spinal column” and that it makes pressure on the international community in order to arrive at a fast outcome of this crisis, because the Security Council of UNO is “washing his hands”.
It is foreseeable that before long, Canada is destined for another mission of peace, and that many Canadian military young people will have to fight the “terrorists” in Lebanon as they make in Afganistan, another conflict where we do not have anything any more foutre. It is not too late to rise and condemn those which attack without reason as those which wash the hands of them. Later, if one asks us, us Canadian, on which side we were, we will answer: “Ours, the peace one.”
With the last news, more than 40.000 Canadian nationals are still in Lebanon. No precise measurement was still revealed on what the Harper government intends to do to repatriate them. Let us recall that the Lebanese community in Canada represents more than 250.000 personnnes, including 50.000 in Quebec.
Mr. Harper, enough it is enough! It is still time to make pressure to NATO and UNO, so that this massacre stops immediately. We will not accept another victim, any victim is a victim of too…
I call upon all the Canadians to make pressure on their federal deputies so that this messacre stops immediately. I call with solidarity at the Lebanese community through Canada. At the Lebanese community of Deux-Montagnes, in my riding of Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, I am interdependent for you.
Francis Chartrand,
Candidate of the NDP in Rivière-des-Mille-Îles
President of the NDP Association of Rivière-des-Mille-Îles
In addition, I am outraged to note the lack of tact and respect shown by our Prime Minister. Whereas it took part in G-8 summit with St.Petersbourg, it began its speech while protesting that these strike were justified and that Israel had the right to be defended. I must myself, by humanism, to condemn the remarks Mr. Harper.
As a citizen, I put myself the following question: At which price blood does have it to run in Lebanon? We recall that the Israélien state justified these attacks under pretext of strike the headquarters of Hezbollah, political movement Shiite having an armed branch which was at the origin of its creation. However, the information transmitted by the media is extremely different. They are paramilitary which are victims, neither of the headquarters of anything, nor of simple terrorists, it is rather the civil population which essuie rain of bombardments, as usual.
Let us establish a parallel with Quebec to illustrate what Lebanon currently saw. Let us imagine in 1970, during the removal of the British diplomat Mr. James Richard Cross (because there are 2 Israeli soldiers of removed at present), that British Royal Air Force decided to bombard some suburbs of Montreal, like Saint-Hubert, Point-Claire, Saint-Eustace or Terrebonne, in order to paralyse and to dismantle the FLQ (like Hezbollah)… Useless to say that more the innocent ones than felquists would have been touched!
Certain images, on CNN (July 17), of a sharp mother burned with her children in a vehicle close to Beirut show us how we are impotent in front of such an atrocity. We must ourselves, as citizens of a country recognized for its missions of maintains peace, to require our federal deputies that Canada have more “spinal column” and that it makes pressure on the international community in order to arrive at a fast outcome of this crisis, because the Security Council of UNO is “washing his hands”.
It is foreseeable that before long, Canada is destined for another mission of peace, and that many Canadian military young people will have to fight the “terrorists” in Lebanon as they make in Afganistan, another conflict where we do not have anything any more foutre. It is not too late to rise and condemn those which attack without reason as those which wash the hands of them. Later, if one asks us, us Canadian, on which side we were, we will answer: “Ours, the peace one.”
With the last news, more than 40.000 Canadian nationals are still in Lebanon. No precise measurement was still revealed on what the Harper government intends to do to repatriate them. Let us recall that the Lebanese community in Canada represents more than 250.000 personnnes, including 50.000 in Quebec.
Mr. Harper, enough it is enough! It is still time to make pressure to NATO and UNO, so that this massacre stops immediately. We will not accept another victim, any victim is a victim of too…
I call upon all the Canadians to make pressure on their federal deputies so that this messacre stops immediately. I call with solidarity at the Lebanese community through Canada. At the Lebanese community of Deux-Montagnes, in my riding of Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, I am interdependent for you.
Francis Chartrand,
Candidate of the NDP in Rivière-des-Mille-Îles
President of the NDP Association of Rivière-des-Mille-Îles
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Stop the Softwood Sell-Out
Top 10 reasons the softwood deal is bad for Canada
- Under this deal, at current market benchmark prices, the Canadian softwood industry will be paying more in tariffs than under the current illegal American punitive tariffs.
- The anti-circumvention clause contained in the deal gives the Americans a veto over Canadian forestry practices.
- This deal allows the US to keep $1 billion of the $5 billion it took from Canadian softwood producers in illegal tariffs, half of which ($500 million) will go to US softwood producers.
- The Canadian taxpayers must front the money that this deal gives to the US and must make up for any shortfall that arises.
- Nothing in this agreement stops the US softwood industry from taking Canadian taxpayers guaranteed money and using it to fight future litigation against the Canadian softwood industry.
- It stops the Extraordinary Challenge Committee (ECC) final appeal that would allow those tariffs to be taken off legally and forever.
- Running rules will apply to tariffs on Canadian softwood only retroactively so that Canadian producers will never again know how much, if any, profit they’ll make on any sale to the US.
- It signs away NAFTA Chapter 19 rights not only for softwood lumber but for any other industrial sector in Canada.
- It eliminates four years of legal victories by a stroke of the pen and starting over again next time the Americans challenge Canada.
- The Americans can terminate this agreement at any time if they feel Canada has not complied with the terms of the agreement, and after 23 months can unilaterally terminate the agreement.
Along with Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, who supports this deal?
- CanFor (Minister of Trade David Emerson’s former company)
- Weyerhaeuser (US headquartered lumber producer)
- Pope & Talbot Inc (US headquartered lumber producer)
(All 3 companies operate in both the US and Canada and stand to gain as recipients on both sides of the border with this bad deal.)
Along with Jack Layton and the NDP, Who opposes this deal?
- Free Trade Lumber Council (FTLC)
- Coast Forest Products Association (CFPA)
- Alberta Softwood Lumber Trade Council (ASLTC)
- Ontario Forest Industries Association (OFIA)
- Canadian Energy & Paperworkers Union (CEP)
- United Steel Workers
- West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.,
- Interfor Ltd.
- Tolko Industries Inc.,
- Western Forest Products Inc.
- Mill & Timber Products Ltd.
- Terminal Forest Products Ltd.
Jack Layton Softwood Tour 2006
To hear first hand how the softwood sell-out will affect forest communities, Jack Layton is on tour across Canada meeting with workers, labour leaders, industry heads, mayors, city councillors and community leaders. Here is the latest tour itinerary:
June 30 Timmins
July 3 Thunder Bay
July 4 Kenora
July 5 Winnipeg & Calgary
July 6 Calgary & Edmonton
July 7 Victoria
July 8 Courtenay
July 9 Nanaimo
July 12 Vancouver
July 14 Castlegar
July 15 Terrace
July 16 Maple Ridge
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Layton calls for immediate recall of Parliament to debate softwood deal - Tuesday July 4, 2006
KENORA - NDP Leader Jack Layton has called on Prime Minster Harper to immediately reconvene Parliament to debate the proposed softwood lumber agreement with the United States announced on Saturday.
Harper is scheduled to visit Washington for a signing ceremony photo-op on July 6.
The call comes as Layton completes a tour of Northern Ontario communities including Timmins and Kenora where there is deep concern that this deal will have a lasting negative impact on Canadian lumber communities.
“Harper’s signature won’t mean a thing if he doesn’t have the backing of Parliament, “said Layton, “and the NDP will certainly not be supporting this deal as it stands. The impact of this agreement will be felt in communities across the country and it is incumbent on the Prime Minister to immediately call Parliament back so the MPs who were elected to represent those communities can debate the contents of this bad deal.”
Over the weekend, industry representatives from Quebec to British Columbia expressed their concerns over the agreement.
“The Conservatives have capitulated on everything” said NDP International Trade Critic Peter Julian (New Westminster-Burnaby). “This deal is bad for BC, it’s bad for our lumber industry from coast to coast and if it goes through, it will declare open season on any Canadian industry the US wants to target with illegal tariffs because they know they’ll be rewarded.
Harper is scheduled to visit Washington for a signing ceremony photo-op on July 6.
The call comes as Layton completes a tour of Northern Ontario communities including Timmins and Kenora where there is deep concern that this deal will have a lasting negative impact on Canadian lumber communities.
“Harper’s signature won’t mean a thing if he doesn’t have the backing of Parliament, “said Layton, “and the NDP will certainly not be supporting this deal as it stands. The impact of this agreement will be felt in communities across the country and it is incumbent on the Prime Minister to immediately call Parliament back so the MPs who were elected to represent those communities can debate the contents of this bad deal.”
Over the weekend, industry representatives from Quebec to British Columbia expressed their concerns over the agreement.
“The Conservatives have capitulated on everything” said NDP International Trade Critic Peter Julian (New Westminster-Burnaby). “This deal is bad for BC, it’s bad for our lumber industry from coast to coast and if it goes through, it will declare open season on any Canadian industry the US wants to target with illegal tariffs because they know they’ll be rewarded.
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