Tuesday, August 22, 2006
NDP to lead fight against Harper’s softwood sell-out - Tuesday August 22, 2006
OTTAWA- The Conservatives have surrendered to US interests instead of protecting Canadian jobs and communities by pushing ahead their bad softwood deal, NDP international trade critic Peter Julian said today. He pledged that the NDP will continue to oppose the Harper government’s softwood sell out.
While the government suggests it has the backing of some provinces and some industry, Julian disputed the support for this softwood agreement.
“No one is supporting this deal because they think it is right, they are doing it because the Conservatives aren’t offering any hope of a better deal” said Julian. “Harper is forcing upon Canada a deal that leaves a billion dollars of illegally taken tariffs in the US, will kill 20 percent of forestry jobs in some regions, and allows the Americans to end the deal five months sooner than the original draft. I agree with the many industry sources who have stated that Canada’s negotiators have capitulated on everything.”
Julian said the NDP will redouble its efforts to oppose the softwood sell-out by bringing together those who stand to lose the most with this deal at the softwood public hearings that the NDP secured beginning this fall.
“The Conservatives said they would stand up for Canada, but with this deal they have turned their backs on Canadians instead,” said Julian. “The hearings this fall will force the Conservatives to start listening to Canadians instead of George Bush’s White House.”
Conservatives break public transit funding promise - Tuesday August 22, 2006
TORONTO – NDP Infrastructure & Communities Critic for Toronto Peggy Nash (Parkdale-High Park) and NDP MP Olivia Chow (Trinity-Spadina) today condemned federal Conservative Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s refusal to deliver federal public transit funding he promised for the City of Toronto’s York University subway extension project.
This backtracks from the 2006 federal budget in which Conservatives committed to “provide up to $1.3 billion in support of public transit infrastructure.” Today, the Minister confirmed in the media that “there isn’t any firm money on the table” for Toronto’s public transit system and is now suggesting that funds destined for transit in the 2006 budget may now be diverted into highway construction.
“If Minister Flaherty is concerned with congestion in southern Ontario, then he shouldn’t be reneging on public transit funding that helps alleviate the number of cars on Ontario roads,” said Nash. “Torontonians are familiar with the city’s smog problems and federal funding for public transit are the most needed infrastructure investment our city and the region needs right now.”
“This is another example of the Conservatives promising one thing to this region, but turning around and doing something completely different,” said Chow.
The $1.3 billion public transit investment contained in Conservative government’s 2006 budget consists of funds originally designated in the NDP 2005 budget.
NDP MP Peter Julian wins cross-country hearings on softwood - Monday August 21, 2006
OTTAWA – Today, Peter Julian, NDP MP (Burnaby-New Westminster) and NDP Critic for International Trade received majority support for two motions at the Standing Committee on International Trade hearings on softwood lumber.
Mr. Julian’s first motion requires the Standing Committee on International Trade to hold hearings on softwood in Vancouver. The motion will also allow for hearings in Thunder Bay and Saguenay-Lac-St.Jean. Those hearings will be held upon the return of Parliament in the fall session, and will precede any vote on the issue in the House of Commons.
The second motion calls on the federal government to immediately introduce loan guarantees to assist the Canadian softwood lumber industry.
Julian grilled the Canadian Ambassador to U.S, Michael Wilson, who appeared before the Committee today and who played a key role in the negotiations leading to the draft agreement. The responses given by Mr. Wilson to Julian’s questioning confirmed the major flaws of this draft accord. Mr. Wilson admitted that there were no changes to the running rules, which would hinder the flexibility of the softwood industry by making it difficult to make business plans and predict cash flow. He also had to admit that the ability to terminate has been reduced to 18 months from 23 months.
“Currently, not only is this Conservative government giving $500 million to the U.S Lumber Coalition, the main adversary of the Canadian softwood lumber industry, but Harper’s government is also awarding George Bush a $450 million escrow fund to be spent at his own discretion,” stated Julian.
Representatives of the workers in the Canadian softwood industry have pressed for the development of a softwood fund, a measure that is fully supported by the NDP.
NDP applauds victory for housing groups across Canada - Friday August 18, 2006
OTTAWA – NDP Housing Critic Irene Mathyssen applauded the victory for housing groups across Canada today as Minister for Social Development Diane Finley announced that cuts to federal funding for housing through the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI) have been reversed and the program’s $37 million rollover from 2005-06 will now be released.
“Minister Finley’s announcement comes as welcome news to housing groups across Canada, but there’s still work to be done,” said Mathyssen. “We need to ensure the funds now promised are delivered on time and put to effective use. With only seven months left to spend the 2006-07 funds, housing groups need their support delivered as soon as possible.”
Earlier this month, housing groups in Toronto and Ottawa were informed that federal funding for housing in their communities would be cut by $5.8 million and $1 million respectively. As well, Service Canada recently sent letters to housing shelters in Winnipeg confirming that it “had not received the full budget allocation [from the Conservative government]” it had been promised and would therefore be cutting housing spending.
“I applaud the hard work of housing advocates and organizations across Canada as well as the municipal officials who helped apply pressure on the Minister. The NDP will continue to serve as the effective opposition to any cuts the Harper government imposes in housing or in other programs that benefit our society’s most vulnerable,” said Mathyssen.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Statement by NDP Defence Critic Dawn Black on the deaths of Canadian soldiers - Wednesday August 9, 2006
COQUITLAM, BC– “On behalf of all New Democrats, I would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Master Corporal Raymond Ardnt and Master Corporal Jeffrey Scott Walsh.
“Their deaths are a terrible reminder of the brave work performed by our troops in challenging and difficult circumstances. We commend their courage and their willingness to selflessly serve their country.
“Also in our thoughts and prayers are those soldiers who have been injured, and all members of the Canadian Forces serving at home and abroad.”
“Their deaths are a terrible reminder of the brave work performed by our troops in challenging and difficult circumstances. We commend their courage and their willingness to selflessly serve their country.
“Also in our thoughts and prayers are those soldiers who have been injured, and all members of the Canadian Forces serving at home and abroad.”
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
The history remains the judge of acts of today - Tuesday August 1, 2006
Last on July 24, the NPD made the request to call upon the Standing Committee of the Foreign Affairs and the international development in order to tackle the question of the crisis in the Middle East, which becomes extensive.
The war counters terrorism during last weeks took a new turning which be likely to have consequences for Canada, as much in our adventure in Afghanistan, which new waves on our premises. The preserving government must return towards the principles of equity which characterizes the traditional Canadian foreign politics.
The Lebanese one need a durable help on behalf of the international community. Being given the broadth of the destruction of the infrastructure to Lebanon and Gaza, in addition to the Mediterranean threatened by an ecological catastrophe in tons of fuel, the humanitarian aid will be still necessary good after the end of this crisis.
This week, the government of Canada, via the Canadian Agency of international development (ACDI), will pour 5 million dollars at organizations of UNO in response to this call, and we support this initiative. It is however necessary to avoid such as has to enable to foresee a report/ratio on the humanitarian aid in Canada or more than 33% of the humane funds are empochés by the managers of these organizations is known as not lucrative.
It is with a major sadness which we as learned the week passes as four military observers of the United Nations, of which a Canadian, lost the life at the time of a bombing carried out by Israel on a basis of patrol of UNO which was clearly marked in Lebanon.
Indeed, the secretary general of UNO, Kofi Annan, said himself “shocked” and qualified the Israeli bombardment, Tuesday, counters an observation post of UNO, in the sector of Khiam, in the Lebanon-South, “of act apparently deliberated”.
It should be recalled that Israeli the Prime Minister, Ehoud Olmert, had however ensured that the positions of UNO would not be aimed. The temporary Force of the United Nations in Lebanon (FINUL), on several occasions affirms to have informed, Tuesday, of the Israeli officers of the need for protecting in particular this position from UNO. On its side, the Irish Ministry for Foreign Affairs declared that one of its officers had prevented six times the Israeli forces which they endangered the life of the observers if they continued their strike the town of Khiam.
This situation makes point out the declaration of Louise Arbour, High-Commissioner of the United Nations to the human rights, that the international humane law is clear with regard to the supreme obligation to protect the civil ones during the hostilities and that the international law requires that accounts are returned. These obligations towards the humane laws go in the same way for the Israeli army as for Hezbollah or it will be L `history which remains the judge of their acts made today.
Following the rises of acts of increasing hatred towards these communities, we ask Canadian to show moderation in their speeches, and to make hear their voice in a pacifist way. We tighten also the assistance to these ethnic communities of Low-Laurentides in this difficult moment, while communicating with us for any assistance necessary.
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