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Federal actions for missing and murdered women must be substantive

March 5, 2010
The Vancouver Sun
$10 million 'a start' to investigate women's deaths, disappearancesThere was cautious optimism Thursday in response to the federal government's promise of $10 million over two years to address the issue of hundreds of missing and murdered native women in Canada. "It's a start, because five and 10 years ago, the issue of missing and murdered aboriginal women in Canada never passed the lips of a single cabinet minister, that I'm aware of, over all those years," said Ernie Crey, whose sister Dawn disappeared from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside in 2000....Vancouver East NDP MP Libby Davies, whose riding includes the Downtown Eastside where 64 women disappeared from 1978 to 2001, said the solution to this epidemic cannot come solely through "a criminal justice lens."
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CONSERVATIVE BUDGET A MISSED OPPORTUNITY

March 4, 2010 Press Release

CONSERVATIVE BUDGET A MISSED OPPORTUNITY
Focus on corporate tax cuts ignores economic reality for many British Columbians

OTTAWA – Critical needs of British Columbians have been ignored by the federal budget say Vancouver MPs Libby Davies (Vancouver East) and Don Davies (Vancouver-Kingsway). The NDP MPs expressed their dismay over today’s budget which shows that the Conservatives have no comprehensive strategy for jobs, pensions, housing or the environment.

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An Intense Parliamentary Session Ahead

February 28, 2010
The Vancouver Sun
Debate to centre on PM's power as Parliament returnsThe speech from the throne and the federal budget will be the top two items on Parliament's agenda when it reconvenes Wednesday after a lengthy and controversial prorogation. But the biggest political flashpoints in the coming session are likely to come over two other items that have a common denominator: attempts by the House of Commons to put some restrictions on the traditional powers and privileges of the prime minister. "I think it's going to be a fairly intense session," said NDP House Leader Libby Davies. "It's going to be a difficult working environment."
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Government tries to shut down debate on the HST

December 7, 2009 Speeches in Parliament

HANSARD
House of Commons
Debates

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, I know that we have only very limited time for this debate, which is very unfortunate. I have to say that on days like this, one feels a sense of shame about what is taking place. The motion that we had in this House a few minutes ago, which is now placing a limit and a closure on debate on the HST, is truly shameful.

As a British Columbian and as someone who has heard not only from so many of my constituents but also from people all across B.C. and indeed other parts of Canada, I feel incredibly disappointed that there are Liberal and Conservative members of this House who are going along with this proposal to ram through this legislation before Christmas when there is absolutely no reason to do so.

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Libby in Parliament speaking out against the HST

December 2, 2009 Question Period

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, what the minister is not saying is that the government is running scared from the HST. In fact, the Prime Minister has flown halfway around the world in order to distance himself from his own legislation.

Just as much as they hate this tax shift, the people of B.C. are also tired of the government playing fast and loose with the HST. They are tired of the procedural games and the ducking of responsibility.

If the government is so certain of the positive effects of the HST, why is it running from this debate?

Hon. James Moore (Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, we do not run from our record on taxes. We are proud to stand up as the party that always lowers taxes.

This government ran on a very clear and precise platform that we would lower taxes for Canadians, and we have delivered every single time.

There was a time, when we dealt with sales taxes, that the Liberals said they were going to scrap, kill and abolish the GST. We said we would lower the GST, and we delivered.

We were elected because Canadians know that the opposition cannot be trusted on taxes. We were re-elected because we deliver low taxes for Canadians.

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Libby and the NDP work to block the HST

December 2, 2009 Press Release

CONSERVATIVES TO RAM THROUGH HST LEGISLATION

OTTAWA– The Harper government is attempting to shut down debate and ram through legislation on the harmonized sales tax (HST). On Wednesday, the Conservative government gave notice of a motion that would rush through all stages of the HST legislation before Christmas. Government Motion No. 8 would speed up the normal legislative process to have the bill pass the House of Commons in days rather than months.

“It seems like Mr. Harper is pulling a page out of Mr. Campbell’s playbook. Mislead, obfuscate and try limit public debate on the HST,” said New Democrat Deputy Leader Libby Davies (Vancouver East).

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Libby's Motion on Security Costs for Visiting Dignitaries

October 28, 2009 Statements in the House of Parliament

Libby tabled the following motion in the House of Commons to offset the high security cost to taxpayers of visiting dignitaries when they are invited to for-profit events.

M-456 — October 28, 2009 — Ms. Davies (Vancouver East) — That, in the opinion of the House, the government should introduce a formula for sharing the security costs for visiting former heads of state and dignitaries when these visits take place at the invitation of for-profit organizations or for for-profit events, and that the majority of the costs be assumed by the organizations or individuals organizing the event.

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