NEW DEMOCRATS TO FOCUS ON INEQUALITY AS MLA JAGRUP BRAR FINISHES WELFARE CHALLENGE

NEW DEMOCRATS TO FOCUS ON INEQUALITY AS MLA JAGRUP BRAR FINISHES WELFARE CHALLENGE
February 1st, 2012

VANCOUVER - On Jan. 31, Surrey-Fleetwood MLA Jagrup Brar finished his month-long welfare challenge, which entailed living on income assistance in Surrey and Vancouver.

New Democrat leader Adrian Dix said that Brar's decision to accept the challenge of experiencing a month of poverty and welfare had the support of his colleagues. "He took on a difficult task - and he has done it with a lot of dignity and humility," said Dix.

"We have been clear that it is time to take a hard look at the widening gap between the very wealthy and the rest of British Columbians. Jagrup has raised many of the key issues that go into reducing inequality, like accessible education and training opportunities, health services, affordable housing, public transit, and good jobs,” said Dix.

New Democrat caucus chair and critic for social development Shane Simpson said that caucus members look forward to talking with Brar about his experiences in the coming weeks.

"In November 2011, I tabled the Poverty Reduction Act, calling on the Liberal government to address the urgent need for a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy," said Simpson. "We will continue that work when the legislature reconvenes. It is time to move forward with a poverty reduction plan to improve the lives of half a million British Columbians living in poverty,” said Simpson.

NEW DEMOCRATS URGE REINSTATEMENT OF NEEDS-BASED STUDENT GRANTS ON NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION

THE NDP URGE REINSTATEMENT OF NEEDS-BASED STUDENT GRANTS ON NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION
February 1st, 2012

KELOWNA – As students across Canada stand together to call for a well-funded, high-quality, public post secondary education system, New Democrats are calling on the B.C. Liberal government to reinstate needs-based student grants.

“Ten years of tuition increases and the elimination of grants by the Liberals have made pursuing higher education increasingly difficult,” said Adrian Dix, New Democrat leader, as he joined advanced education critic Michelle Mungall, other New Democrat MLAs and students at the University of British Columbia Okanagan today.

“Restoring grants is key to improving accessibility, supporting young people and building a more prosperous economic future,” said Dix.

Feb. 1 is the National Day of Action for post secondary students across the country. Thousands of students are participating in campus rallies to the share stories of the financial challenges they face and to urge governments to adequately fund post secondary education. Students in B.C. have the highest student loan interest rate in the country, on top of rising tuition and an average student debt load of $27,000.

"A primary way government can improve the level of prosperity in B.C. is by providing young people from middle- and lower-income backgrounds the opportunity to build their knowledge and skills so they can accomplish their goals," said Dix. "B.C. Stats reported this week that British Columbia is dead last when it comes to income inequality, and pointed to education and training as a key to narrowing the gap. University and college program graduates on average earn more."

New Democrats have been urging the B.C. Liberal government to proceed now with a needs-based grant program for postsecondary students. The non-repayable grant program – eliminated by the Liberals in the 2004-05 fiscal year – could be financed through reinstating a minimum tax on financial institutions.

“Ensuring access to advanced education must be a cornerstone of any economic growth and jobs plan for the province,” said Mungall. “It’s time for the Liberal government to step up and provide support for students to get the credentials they need to enter the economy of tomorrow.”

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook to 2020 suggests that 80 per cent of expected employment openings will require post secondary education.

“I have met with young British Columbians from across the province who are worried that they cannot meet their aspirations because of the rising cost of post-secondary education,” said Mungall. “Grants would help ensure that many young people can overcome barriers in getting the education they need to fulfill their dreams, and the B.C. economy will have the skilled labour force it needs.”

Conservatives compromising RCMP independence

Conservatives compromising RCMP independence: NDP
Conservatives move to take control of RCMP communications and meetings
January 31, 2012OTTAWA —

New Democrats are condemning the Conservative government’s policy requiring all RCMP communications be approved by Conservative Public Safety Minister Vic Toews.

“The Conservative’s policy means the RCMP must ask permission from the Minister before doing any media,” said NDP Critic for Public Safety, Jasbir Sandhu (Surrey-North). “This not only muzzles the RCMP but removes the essential arms length distance between Harper Government and Canada’s police force. This is wrong”

This unprecedented attempt to control the force will not only affect RCMP communications with media, but also could apply to meetings between the RCMP Commissioner and MPs or senators.

“It’s alarming that the elected representatives of Canadians will no longer be able to meet with the Commissioner, unless they get approval from the minister,” said Sylvain Chicoine (Châteauguay-Saint-Constant), New Democrat Deputy Critic for Public Safety. “The government must stop introducing policies that undermine the independence of institutions that are there to protect Canadians from coast to coast to coast.”

New Democrats continued to hold the government to account for this decision in a debate in the House of Commons on Monday night.

New Democrat Critics for Public Safety will also raise questions about this new policy with the Commissioner when he appears before the Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, January 31.

NDP proposes using gas tax fund to improve infrastructure funding

NDP proposes using gas tax fund to improve infrastructure funding
Feb 1, 2012OTTAWA —

An NDP motion on investment in infrastructure will be put to vote today in the House of Commons. The motion seeks to encourage the government to index the Gas Tax Fund and increase the transfer of gas tax money by one cent.

“This is a concrete solution that would effectively support the work of municipalities to maintain and revitalize our highways, viaducts and bridges. We need infrastructures in good condition to attract investors, stimulate jobs and facilitate the transportation of goods,” explained NDP Transport Critic, Olivia Chow (Trinity-Spadina).

Administered by Infrastructure Canada, the Gas Tax Fund was established in 2005. Under this program, the federal government puts five of every 10 cents of the tax on gas into the fund. The NDP proposes increasing this amount to six cents, which would result in $500 million per year in additional revenue for infrastructure.

“Our infrastructures are falling apart across the country and it’s urgent we act. Our solution is pragmatic and will allow provinces and municipalities to have regular and recurrent funding to carry out essential work,” added NDP Deputy Transport Critic, Jamie Nicholls (Vaudreuil-Soulanges).

The NDP motion also recognizes the need to immediately replace the Champlain Bridge. “The Transport Minister committed to building a new bridge on the St. Lawrence, but he remains vague on the timeline and we don’t know anything concrete about the project. Citizens told us during a public forum we organized in January that they want a bridge quickly, and they want public transit,” explained MP Hélène LeBlanc (LaSalle-Ville-Émard), who tabled this motion.

Turmel blasts looming Conservative budget cuts

Turmel blasts looming Conservative budget cuts
Dropping the axe on services for families will hurt Canadians’ quality of life

Tweet thisShare thisEmail thisFebruary 1, 2012GATINEAU – In a speech delivered today, the Leader of the Official Opposition, Nycole Turmel, slammed the impact of looming Conservative budget cuts on the quality of life of Canadians.

Turmel, speaking at the annual general meeting of the Gatineau chapter of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, highlighted the potential harm of the Harper government’s looming slashes to the budget.

“These cuts will mean a further slowdown of economic growth, while unemployment continues to rise. But above all, they will hurt the ability of Canadian families to obtain the services they need,” Turmel said.

As a concrete example, she pointed to long delays in the delivery of front-line services at Service Canada, which is responsible for processing pension and employment insurance claims.

The NDP leader also criticized the Conservatives’ enthusiasm for Old Age Security reform. “Retiring at an acceptable age has become impossible […] and too many seniors already live in poverty,” she said.

Turmel concluded her speech by reiterating her desire to make the Conservative budget the “fight of her life.”

NDP MPs join National Day of Student Action

NDP MPs join National Day of Student Action

Feb 1, 2012OTTAWA – Today, New Democrat Post-Secondary Education Critic, Rathika Sitsabaiesan (Scarborough-Rouge River) and Deputy Post-Secondary Education Critic, Matthew Dubé (Chambly-Borduas) joined the thousands of students gathered on Parliament Hill, and across the country, demanding immediate action on post-secondary education funding and student debt.

“The success of our country relies on an educated population,” said Sitsabaiesan. “We need to give our students real access to affordable, good quality post-secondary education, not simply access to more loans.”

Today’s national day of action is in support of the “Education is a Right” campaign, which calls upon the government to increase funding to education, reduce tuition fees, and address the record high student debt crisis.

“We need to help the provinces, territories and post-secondary education partners plan by creating targeted funding separate from the federal social transfer,” said Sitsabaiesan.

“Enough is enough,” added Dubé. “Professors, administrators, students, and their families are demanding action on rising tuition fees and the increasing cost of post-secondary education, and this government needs to listen.”

In Question Period today, both MPs will demand the Conservatives start giving students the support they require to access education.

Conservatives must act on housing crisis: Turmel

Conservatives must act on housing crisis: Turmel

Historic debt loads and rising prices pushing middle class families out of the market










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January 31, 2012
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OTTAWA – New Democrat leader Nycole Turmel echoed the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) call today for action to improve the stock of rental housing in Canada today.

The FCM released a report calling on the federal government to invest in practical, low-cost options that would increase the housing stock while also creating new jobs.

“New Democrats have been demanding action on a national housing strategy for years. This would include targeted, job-creating investments by the federal government in new rental housing,” said Turmel, “and the NDP has repeatedly proposed a retrofit program that helps Canadians lower their utility costs and reduce greenhouse gases, while creating new jobs in our communities.”

The FCM’s report, The Housing Market and Canada’s Economic Recovery, outlines three ideas to increase the stock of rental housing: low-cost loans from CMHC for new housing; tax breaks for landlords selling rental housing to other rental housing providers; and an ecoEnergy program for rental housing to bring down utility costs for both tenants and landlords.

“Housing is the number one issue in every community across Canada,” said Marie-Claude Morin, NDP Housing critic. “From Western communities that are expanding rapidly because of economic growth, to communities in Quebec that need affordable homes nearer the services families rely on, right across Canada Mayors see a crunch coming.”

The FCM points out that there are approximately 50,000 fewer construction jobs since 2007 as a result of lower housing starts. Over the last 15 years only ten percent of all new housing starts were for rental construction, even though renters make up one-third of all households in Canada.

“Every year we are losing rental units to the condo market while the demand is high,” said Andrew Cash, deputy NDP Housing critic. “With low vacancy rates and creeping rents, many tenants are finding it harder and harder to find an affordable rental unit. With housing starts slowing down, building new rental units or retrofitting existing ones will provide necessary construction jobs.”