Liberal

Harper is ending environmental protection

Think the Conservatives 425-page omnibus budget implementation bill is only about Canada’s finances? Think again.

Bill C-38 amends over 70 different Acts, and 150 pages of the Bill could end over 50 years of environmental oversight in Canada.

Within weeks, with next to no debate, and barely any public discussion, this budget could become law – unless you take a stand.

Here’s just part of what that means in practice.

• Repeal of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act so the federal government can sidestep environmental reviews of potentially harmful projects;
• Weakenening of several environmental laws, including laws protecting species at risk and water, and giving the federal cabinet the authority to approve new pipeline projects and overrule the National Energy Board; and,
• Repeal of the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act to fight climate change.

It’s up to you to speak up now before Canadians wake up to news of an unimaginable environmental catastrophe.

Please sign and share our petition:“Warn Canadians: Harper is ending environmental protection.”

Thank you.

Kirsty Duncan

Environment Critic, Liberal Party of Canada

Liberals in the Community

On Sunday May 6th, 2012, a team of Liberals from various Calgary Electoral District Associations (EDAs) joined together to volunteer in the City of Calgary’s 45th Annual Pathway & River Cleanup. Started in 1967, the Annual Pathway & River Cleanup is a day where groups of Calgary volunteers work together to collect and remove the litter and debris that have accumulated along the city’s riverbanks and pathways over the winter months. This year there were over 2,000 participants.

Our team of Calgary Liberals collected several garbage bags of litter and even retrieved a wheelchair that had been removed from a local hospital without consent (this valuable item was promptly returned to the appropriate authorities). The sun was shining, spirits were high, and the team was proud to have had the opportunity to contribute to the community. We’re all looking forward to next year’s cleanup!

Suzzanne Jalsoviczky
Calgary West Federal Liberal EDA

Contact:
http://calgarywest.liberal.ca/
http://calgaryeastliberals.ca/
www.facebook.com/pages/Liberal-Party-of-Canada-Calgary-East/

Share your riding’s stories and pictures at web@email.liberal.ca.

Running water for all

@bobraeMP: Island Lake - this is where most people get their water - running water for all ! #cdnpoli http://yfrog.com/khiwafrj

There are hundreds of communities where our fellow Canadians live in substandard housing, without running water or indoor plumbing.  We have the technology and the money to deal with this disgrace, but we don’t yet have the deep political will to make change happen.

Twenty years ago as Premier of Ontario I signed a “Statement of Political Relationship” with First Nations leadership, and followed it up with unprecedented investment in infrastructure in isolated northern communities.  We even shamed the federal government in to joining us in a partnership to provide running water and indoor plumbing in communities that had before been without modern sanitation and an assured supply of clean water.

It can be done, and the reserves in northern Manitoba have started a “running water for all” campaign that led to my motion in the House of Commons that was passed last year. The Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan said investments would be made.

Watch APTN coverage of Bob Rae's trip to Island Lake (Click image above)

They’re only happening slowly, and at this pace it won’t happen for another decade or more.  Together with Manitoba Liberal Leader Jon Gerrard and Grand Chief David Harper we visited the St. Theresa Point First Nation and saw, as was the case in Attawapiskat this winter, conditions that just shouldn’t exist in Canada.  A 30-year-old young man with cerebral palsy has to walk 30 yards on crutches to go to an outhouse.  A woman recovering from hip surgery has to do the same.  It’s shameful and it shouldn’t be happening but it is. Canada can and must do better.

We also need to find better and faster ways to fund the infrastructure on reserves, including housing.  The interminable bureaucratic waiting lists condemn another generation to conditions that can only be described as degrading.

It is not the time for despair.  It is a time for constructive, well focused, anger and a determination to change the way we deal with this challenge.  We can turn our heads away no more.  When Stephen Harper walked away from Kelowna he cost Aboriginal people a great deal, but with the right on the ground campaigns we can keep trying to force change.

- Bob Rae

The power of the Prime Minister

In the late eighteenth century, the British Parliament debated a famous resolution, worded simply as follows, “That the powers of the King are increasing, and ought to be reduced”. Since the time of the Glorious Revolution a hundred years before, Britain’s Parliament was seized with a major issue: the powers of the monarch were growing with patronage, and a corrupt electoral system.

The issue before our Parliament today is remarkably similar. No Prime Minister in history has gathered so much power for himself. His cabinet and caucus cower in fear of retribution. He appoints cabinet, caucus chairs, regional caucus and hundreds of jobs throughout the public service. From the Governor General to Officers of Parliament, there are no limits or checks to his choices. Mr Harper’s reach extends across the country. Business leaders worry about raising a voice for fear of reprisal. Local media that are “out of line” get punished.

Just this week the Liberal House Leader was told by his Conservative counterpart that an Opposition Day was being shifted to a Friday because an earlier motion had compared the Harper cuts to the Ontario Harris Government’s cuts that led to the Walkerton tragedy. That “went too far” and so wings had to be clipped.

The latest budget bill is yet another example of what is wrong with Parliament. The bill changes 70 laws, guts environmental protection, kills off a multitude of agencies and raises the age of retirement to 67 from 65. Shortly after introducing the bill the government limited debate and this massive, 400-page monstrosity will head to committee for a pro forma discussion. The Senate is debating the subject matter of the bill in a range of committees but no such largesse was permitted in the House of Commons.

The only thing that can change this over time is the election of a government seriously committed to limiting the power of the Prime Minister, that agrees to share power with Parliament and the people. We’re now living in a democracy with dictatorial tendencies. Are Canadians ready to make a change?

- Bob Rae

Bob Rae: Speech to the LPC(Ontario) AGM

Bob Rae delivers a speech at the Annual General Meeting of the Liberal Party of Canada’s Ontario wing.

Mike Crawley: Speech to the Economic Club of Canada

Mike Crawley, National President of the Liberal Party of Canada, delivers a speech to the Economic Club of Canada, entitled "A Bold New Liberal Party - Growing the Movement."

Read more

Liberal Supporter Launch

Check out the tweets and photos from the supporter launch in Ottawa... Growth, hope, opportunity - can we count on you to join the movement?

Read more

Are you ready for this?

Our bold new Liberal Party is implementing a bold new initiative. As of today, we’re inviting all Canadians to sign up as supporters. When confirmed as eligible, they, like you, will choose our next Liberal Leader.

Read more

Sharing A Riding’s Successful Experience

We want to share with you a successful model that we have recently piloted for renewing our Liberal riding association. We hope it can be as useful to you as it was for us. On Saturday, February 18, 2012, Liberals in our riding of Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale (ADFW) gathered for a successful day-long renewal session. The session gave our association a tremendous energetic boost.

Read more

The fight continues

Despite his promise, Stephen Harper is allowing one of his MPs to try to re-open the debate on a woman’s right to choose. It’s a strategy we have seen before from Harper: if an issue is contentious, use a backbench MP and push it through the back door.

Read more