Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The wrong mission in 2009 is the wrong mission in 2007: NDP - Wednesday April 25, 2007
NDP tables opposition motion for safe and immediate withdrawal from Afghan combat role
OTTAWA – The NDP tabled a motion today to put an end to the counter-insurgency Afghanistan mission that the Liberals, Conservatives and Bloc Québécois want to last until 2009.
“The NDP motion, to be debated Thursday and voted on Monday, calls for an immediate safe and secure withdrawal of our troops from the counter-insurgency mission and to focus our assistance, not through counter-insurgency but through development and aid,” said NDP leader Jack Layton. “Both Liberals and Conservatives admit that the conflict in Afghanistan won’t be won militarily. We believe that two more years of participating in the wrong mission for Canada is two years too long.”
The NDP motion is consistent with the party’s position since the counter-insurgency mission began, unlike Liberal leader Stéphane Dion’s recent flip-flop on the issue.
“One year ago, Stéphane Dion voted against extending the mission in Afghanistan, on Tuesday he voted to extend it until 2009,” said Layton. “NDP MPs take their responsibility as Parliamentarians very seriously when we put young women and men in harm's way. The question for the Liberals is simple: If the mission is wrong for Canada, why are they asking our brave men and women to participate in it two more years?”
The NDP’s motion re-iterates the NDP’s support for Canadian troops and calls on Canada to focus its efforts in assisting the people of Afghanistan by re-doubling its commitment to reconstruction and development.
The wording of the motion:
(1) all Members of this House, whatever their disagreements about the mission in Afghanistan, support the courageous men and women of the Canadian Forces; (2) the government has admitted that the situation in Afghanistan can not be won militarily; (3) the current counter-insurgency mission is not the right mission for Canada; (4) the government has neither defined what ‘victory’ would be, nor developed an exit strategy from this counter-insurgency mission; therefore this House condemns this government and calls for it to immediately notify NATO of our intention to begin withdrawing Canadian Forces now in a safe and secure manner from the counter-insurgency mission in Afghanistan; and calls for Canada to focus its efforts to assist the people of Afghanistan on a diplomatic solution, and re-double its commitment to reconstruction and development.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Layton sounds alarm on job loss - Thursday April 19, 2007
OTTAWA – NDP Leader Jack Layton today stood with Canadian workers calling for urgent action to prevent job loss in the manufacturing sector. Layton joined members of the United Steelworkers at a rally to raise awareness about the economic devastation that could result from continued government inaction.
“The Conservatives say they don’t have enough money to invest in the manufacturing sector – but they managed to find eight billion for tax cuts to their corporate friends,” decried Layton.
“Working people and their families needed to see that money go into strategic investments to save jobs; to save livelihoods. This government is completely out of touch with what ordinary Canadians want. Either they just don’t get it, or they just don’t care.”
Since 2002, a quarter of a million manufacturing jobs have been lost across Canada. The NDP has been sounding the alarm on behalf of workers at risk in Parliament. On March 22 in Question Period, Brian Masse (Windsor West) asked the following question about job loss in the auto sector:
“The Conservative government has done nothing and stood idly by as the auto industry has been shedding jobs and losing market shares […] We will continue to see companies restructure, plant after plant closedown and worker after worker told to go home without a job. Canadians and the industry are outraged.
“When will the industry minister introduce a real auto strategy so jobs are made here and developed here, and more important, so we can compete with the world and not turn over hard cash from Canadian people to other people in other countries?”
The auto sector isn’t the only area where Conservatives are failing Canadian workers. Despite the government’s claim that they resolved the softwood lumber issue, U.S. companies have renewed their attacks on Canada’s forestry workers. To add insult to injury, the government is also collaborating with the Liberals to block Employment Insurance reforms that would allow people to access the funds that rightfully belong to them.
“Canadians know that the gap between those that have and the rest is growing, and more and more working families are finding it hard to make ends meet,” said Layton. “People want to work to support their families and they have a right to do so. When will the Conservatives stop ignoring this crisis and start working on a solution?”
NDP MP writes law to ban ATM fees - Thursday April 19, 2007
Wasylycia-Leis will challenge Conservatives and the big banks to support it
OTTAWA – In advance of meeting with Canada’s big banks, NDP MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis announced a proposed law that would effectively ban ATM fees in Canada.
“This isn’t a complicated piece of legislation. It’s a simple fix to a problem facing ordinary Canadians,” said Wasylycia-Leis. “This bill would ban bank fees at ATMs.”
The bill will amend the Bank Act to prohibit banks from charging for the electronic transfer of funds or account information through automated banking machines.
“The Finance Minister has admitted he has the power to put an end to bank fee gouging but refuses to do so,” says Wasylycia-Leis. “He’s been sitting on the fence. This will let Canadians know which side of that fence he’s really on.”
Wasylycia-Leis says ordinary Canadians can’t afford to subsidize banks with ‘loyalty’ fees or ‘convenience’ fees.
“The banks continue to save millions of dollars through reduced personal branch services, yet fees continue to rise and costs are passed on to finance exorbitant profits,” says Wasylycia-Leis. “These fees amount to only 0.2 per cent of bank income.”
Wasylycia-Leis says the banks’ arguments of competition fall flat.
“When the banks introduced automated teller machines they were free. As the bank machines increased in popularity the banks laid off tellers,” said Wasylycia-Leis. “Bank hours are now shorter. Bank branches are closing in countless communities and being replaced by cash gouging machines. The banks claim they are trying to compete. All evidence suggests they simply don’t want to loose the easy revenue they collect by nickel-and-diming regular Canadians.”
Wasylycia-Leis plans to challenge the banks to tell the committee how much they make from ATMs and will push MPs on the committee to support her Private Member’s Bill.
» An Act to amend the Bank Act (automated banking machine charges)
» End ATM Fees Action Centre
Jack Layton on the Liberal – Green deal - Friday April 13, 2007
OTTAWA – The latest deal between Elizabeth May and the Liberals is disappointing news for the voters of Central Nova, Jack Layton said today. The NDP leader said Stéphane Dion and Ms. May have decided to deny ordinary Canadians the fair range of choice available to voters everywhere else in the country.
“This is the kind of backroom wheeling and dealing that ordinary Canadians are fed up with. When the Liberal Party was in power, they generated a lot of cynicism about Canadian politics with their behind-closed-doors ways. It seems not much has changed under their new leader,” said Layton.
Over a month ago, senior New Democrats, including Stephen Lewis, were approached by Ms. May to help broker a backroom deal to not run candidates against one another in certain ridings. Lewis rejected the notion outright.
“New Democrats don’t think that Peter MacKay or any Conservative deserves to go unchallenged. The Conservatives have a lot to answer for,” said Layton.
“The NDP will be running candidates in every riding across the country, because we believe it is up to voters to decide who they can trust, on the environment and on all the issues that affect their daily lives,” said Layton. “Having come second in Central Nova in the last election, the NDP has the best chance of beating the Conservatives this time around.”
Former NDP Leader Ed Broadbent weighed in on the issue as well.
“One voter disenfranchised is one voter too many. May and Dion have ripped away choice from voters in Central Nova,” said Broadbent. “It was utterly irresponsible for Mr Dion, leader of what was once a national party, to abandon voters in any constituency. And it’s equally irresponsible for Ms May to broker this kind of deal."
Layton said Canadians will not forget Dion’s poor environmental record.
“I’m disappointed to see Elizabeth May throw in her lot with a man who was Environment Minister during a period when Canada’s emissions soared by 30%. Now it’s official — she is telling Stéphane Dion that his Liberals don’t need to be held accountable for their dismal environmental record, because she will validate them no matter how much they let ordinary people down.”
» Tired of back-room deals and weak leadership? - Join the NDP.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Elizabeth May and the Green Party show their true colors!
Merry Christmas NDP supporters you have been given an early christmas present by having Elizabeth May corrupting democratic elections with the Liberals. To think that Elizabeth May would allow Stephane Dion who blew numerous opportunities to get Canada on track to meet Kyoto to run unapposed shows that the green party is being led down a road full of compromises and failures. The Liberals couldn't get it done when they had the chance and now they have agreed to work together to help themselves get elected. The gift for the NDP here is that this could finally define for voters where the Greens stand on the enviroment and show that real change won't happen if you vote green.
For all those Green party supporters out their may I ask do you support Elizabeth May cooperating with the Liberals? It has been said that Stephane Dion share a great deal of common ground with Elizabeth May on the environment and it has been often argued that green party policy is closer to the center where the liberals have operated for many years. It will be interesting to see how the spinsters from the Liberals and Greens will try to play this up in the media because I think this is a bad piece of policy for the greens and I am sure that Elizabeth May made this decision with little consultation.
So in closing I would ask what you think about the greens working with the Liberals to get elected?
Thursday, April 12, 2007
What Kind Of Strategists are Stéphane Dion and Elizabeth May?
Obviously not very good ones.
It seems that the Liberals are not going to run a candidate in Central Nova, where Elizabeth May plans to run in the next election.
Now let’s look at this from the Liberal side for a moment, shall we?
Now arguably, there are three “progressive” parties fighting for the same voters in the next election: the Liberals, NDP, and Bloc. The Greens, to date, have been insignificant. Now what is the proper electoral strategy regarding insignificant opponents? You ignore them: acknowledging them or attacking them simply gives them media attention and credibility. But what Dion has done with this move in one fell swoop is given the Greens more credibility. So all Dion has succeed in doing is increasing his competition from 2 to 3. The Conservatives must like that.
As well, there goes the “308-seat strategy” that the Liberals talked about just after the leadership race.
Come to think of it, I can’t see Nova Scotia Liberals being too happy about this move either; and either sitting out the Central Nova vote or helping the Conservatives or New Democrats.
So what about the Greens?
In return, sources say Ms. May will promise not to run a Green candidate against the Liberal leader and will essentially endorse Mr. Dion for prime minister.
Now let’s think this through logically, shall we? To become Prime Minister, you need to have your party have a plurality of seats. Since Dion is a Liberal, those seats are going to have to go Liberal. So basically by essentially endorsing Dion for PM, May is saying to all of the Green candidates: ‘you don’t matter. What matters is that a Liberal gets elected. Oh and me!’
So yeah, as a Green candidate, I’d might be miffed about being sold out for a seat.
Secondly, by agreeing to deals with the Liberals, May is admitting that the Greens are not viable as an independent party. I don’t see Greens being happy with that either.
So what has happened here is that a cauldron of vote-splitting and confusion has been spilled out. And that is mostly going to benefit the Conservatives.
As for Central Nova: well, I think that the Liberals have just given the NDP a possible pickup.
April Review
More green than the Greens
NDP declares victory for clean air
Thursday March 29, 2007
Layton and Cullen proud of accomplishments on C-30
OTTAWA – New Democrats on Parliament Hill claimed victory for cleaner air and greenhouse gas reductions today in Ottawa.
The NDP proposed and passed a series of comprehensive changes to Bill C-30 that will re-commit Canada to its Kyoto Protocol obligations and make Canada’s air cleaner for ordinary Canadians and their families.
When the Conservative government tabled their so-called “Clean Air Act,” NDP Leader Jack Layton demanded something better from the prime minister. Layton presented Harper with a plan to let members of parliament rewrite the bill on behalf of hardworking Canadians who were fed up after years of inaction on climate change.
“This could have only happened in a minority government. Legislators writing legislation doesn’t sound like a unique concept – but it is very rare in Ottawa, especially for those of us in opposition,” said Nathan Cullen (Skeena-Bulkley Valley). “I’m thrilled we could rewrite this bill from top to bottom. The new law will really go after the root cause of climate change – greenhouse gases.”
The NDP led the charge and the opposition parties united to present the House of Commons with real environmental legislation.
“The NDP took the lead in creating this committee,” says Layton, “and we didn’t back down when everyone else said it wouldn’t work. We created the committee that will now put before the House of Commons real environmental legislation that commits us to our Kyoto obligations and makes the air we all breathe cleaner.”
Cullen put aside partisan rancour and division to unite opposition parties to pass 11 of 12 NDP amendments. However, the NDP environment critic says he is still cautious about declaring an all-out victory.
“We are taking this victory one step at a time. We will defend it in the House of Commons and use every tool within our reach to ensure this bill is voted on and passed,” said Cullen.
Full list of NDP amendments passed:
- Short-, medium- and long-term greenhouse gas targets.
- Earlier deadline for regulating the industrial sector.
- A hard cap on greenhouse gas emissions from big polluters.
- Leading and mandatory standards for smog-producing “air contaminants”
- Leading vehicle fuel efficiency standards.
- A cap and trade carbon market.
- Protection for government authority to regulate air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
- Effective provincial equivalency rule.
- Authority to designate “significant areas” for environmental protection.
- Programs reviewed annually.
- Building retrofit fund.
Canada's environmental crisis: How we got here and what we can do to change it.
Nearly 10 years ago the Liberal Party of Stéphane Dion committed to the world that Canada would cut greenhouse gas pollution to 6 percent below 1990 levels. Instead, Liberals failed to act and emissions grew over 30 percent.
Ordinary Canadians are tired of Liberal inaction and the denial of Stephen Harper’s Conservatives. We can’t afford more delay.
That's why the NDP has proposed that all parties work together to completely re-write Stephen Harper’s so–called ‘Clean Air Act’ so that we can end subsidies to big oil & gas, place hard caps on big polluters, invest in energy efficiency and develop cleaner cars.
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