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National Day of Mourning

April 28, 2010 Press Release

Dear Friends,

On this National Day of Mourning we pause to honour the women and men who have lost their lives or been injured at work, and recommit to enforce the laws and standards for better workplace safety.

Sincerely,
Libby

Statement by New Democrat Leader Jack Layton on the National Day of Mourning

Today New Democrats across the country mark the National Day of Mourning and honour those men and women who have been injured or killed on the job.

Since the Canadian Labour Congress first created the Day of Mourning in 1984 we have seen successive governments pledge to support workers. In addition to new legislation on workplace safety, the government needs to provide the resources to enforce these laws.

In 1991, the House of Commons adopted a New Democrat Bill to proclaim April 28th as the National Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job. In the 19 years since, the number of workplace fatalities has only been increasing. In the last decade, that increase was a staggering 35 per cent. No one should leave their home in the morning wondering whether today is the day that they die on the job. Every single workplace death and injury is preventable.

We have an obligation to act. We have an obligation to enact and enforce laws that prevent occupational fatalities and diseases. We have an obligation to ensure that every workplace is safe.
Let this be the year that we finally see the statistics start to improve. Let this be the year that we finally see the strengthening of labour and safety standards and improved enforcement.

-30-

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Fair Trade not Free Trade - Libby on the proposed Canada-Columbia Free Trade Agreement

March 30, 2010 Speeches in Parliament

HANSARD
HOUSE OF COMMONS
March 30, 2010

Canada Columbia Free Trade Agreement

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to rise in the House today, and I hope there will be many more members who rise after me to debate this bill and to defeat this bill, because that is what we are aiming to do.

It was very interesting to hear the Minister of Labour just a few moments ago. I guess the Conservatives are feeling a bit vulnerable with respect to this bill now, feeling they have to send in more ministers to defend their very bad position on this Bill C-2, the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement.

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Air Canada outsourcing - a joint letter from the federal NDP BC Caucus

March 3, 2010 Open Letters to Ministers & Public Officials

Libby and her BC colleagues sent the following letter to Transport Minister John Baird
March 3, 2010

The Hon. John Baird, P.C. M.P.
Minister for Transport
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Minister Baird,

In your January 12, 2010 letter in response to our colleague Bill Siksay and co-signatories regarding the future of Air Canada and its employees, you recognized the strategic importance of Canada’s air transportation system, of which Air Canada constitutes a critical component.

In addition to referring to the federal government’s role in helping ensure the financial viability of Air Canada, you highlighted Air Canada`s role in connecting Canadians from coast to coast to coast and beyond.

A key component of maintaining the integrity of Canada’s transportation system is ensuring that a critical mass of technical and maintenance aviation servicing expertise remains in Canada. This is, of course, in addition to safety and security concerns.

Regrettably, in spite of Air Canada receiving federal funding support, Air Canada’s management has been relentlessly outsourcing the servicing and maintenance of its aircraft in low-cost developing countries. This is an issue that we have raised many times in the House, and at committee as well as in previous correspondence with your department.

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NDP Oppose Canada-Columbia Free Trade Bill

October 19, 2009
The Hill Times
NDP filibustering Canada-Columbia Free Trade BillThe NDP is filibustering the Canada-Columbia Free Trade Agreement legislation and obstructing the work of the House, says Government House Leader Jay Hill, but NDP MPs say it's their right to oppose "bad" legislation. The debate could go on indefinitely unless there is a motion to limit the time for debate on the amendment. The motion would have to be supported by a majority of MPs, however, and Mr. Hill (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.)said he could not get support from any of the opposition parties to do this. ...NDP House Leader Libby Davies (Vancouver East, B.C.) said, however, that her party has always opposed the bill and will continue to do so. The NDP is not making Parliament dysfunctional, she said, they're simply doing their jobs. "The record will show that from day one, the NDP was always clear that we opposed that bill and that's our right to do so. It's not like all of a sudden we said, we're not going to support this bill and this is about making Parliament dysfunctional," she said. "We oppose that bill because we think it's bad legislation and that's legitimate. It's part of our democratic process in Parliament, representing Canadian people."
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Libby speaking out against harassment in the workplace

August 5, 2009
The Vancouver Sun
Commission 'should file complaint'The Canadian Human Rights Commission can launch its own complaints for violations of the Human Rights Act. But the agency rarely does so, unlike a U.S. counterpart that deals with employment discrimination. Vancouver's port is poisoned by sexual harassment, according to a report by veteran labour arbitrator Vince Ready. The human rights commission is hearing a complaint of discrimination by one female worker and an arbitrator is hearing another case.
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Libby questions Prime Minister about Employment Insurance

June 17, 2009 Question Period

HANSARD
House of Commons
Question Period

Libby Davies (MP Vancouver East):
Mr Speaker, the marriage of convenience between Conservatives and Liberals has blossomed into true love.

And what’s their message for Canadians?

If you have H1N1 – take an aspirin. If you’re putting groceries on your credit card – our big fonts will show you just how deep you’re sinking. If you lost your job – here’s a blue ribbon panel to figure out EI... sit tight ‘til the fall! When will these partners in crime get real?

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Support the B.C. Economy

June 5, 2009 Question Period

House of Commons
Question Period
HANSARD

Ms. Libby Davies (MP, Vancouver East)

Mr. Speaker: B.C. has been hit hard by this economic recession.

The Conservatives claim to understand how important it is to stimulate and support the local economy and tourism.

Why then, in this economic downturn, is the federal government derailing a $30 Million opportunity for a 2nd Amtrak run from Seattle to Vancouver by charging unprecedented inspection fees?

So I ask the Minister, will he support the local economy and expanded rail service to Vancouver and immediately withdraw the demand for CBSA inspection fees?

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