Blog – Libby Davies yeehaw

Libby urges the Conservative government to show leadership in protecting our health care

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Posted on 2011.11.24

Libby urges the Conservative government to show leadership in protecting our health care

You can also view this question at: http://www.youtube.com/user/LibbyDaviesMP#p/a/u/0/Bhb3c5qRBOk

House of Commons
HANSARD
November 24, 2011

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, as health ministers meet this week, Canadians are looking for leadership from the federal government, not only on the upcoming 2014 health accord but also on the lack of action from the 2004 accord.

It is clear that the government has dropped the ball on health care. Right now, five million Canadians do not have a family doctor.

I ask the Minister of Health: what is she going to do now to meet the commitments of the 2004 health accord?

Mr. Colin Carrie (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, of course I do not accept the premise of that question. The minister will have the opportunity to meet with health ministers tomorrow to discuss what we have learned from the 2004 health accord. Our government is committed to a universal and publicly funded health care system and the Canada Health Act. We are committed to continuing the 6% escalator to the provinces and territories. The upcoming discussions will be about accountability and results for Canadians, because that is what they want, which will include better reporting from the provinces and territories to measure that progress.

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, Canadian families are still waiting for an affordable drug plan and long-term care and want to know why there has been no federal action on the commitments made in 2004.

With an aging population, lowering the cost of prescription drugs is more important than ever.

The government has had five years to act, but nothing has been done.

How can we expect leadership from the government on the 2014 health accord if it still has not delivered on the promises that were made in 2004?

Child care is good for the Economy

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Child care is good for the Economy

In good economic times or bad, basically at any time other than election time, child care seems not to be a government priority. And true to form last week we saw the BC Liberal government again knocked child care to the bottom of the list with their withdrawal of Minor Capital Grants to child care centres.

The original article, Child care a societal need not a luxury was published on August 27, 2009 in The Vancouver Observer. Author(s): Jarrah Hodge

BC NDP MPs and MLAs Call for a Review of the Sale of Teresen Gas While the Softwood Crisis Remains Unresolved

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Posted on 2005.11.23

BC NDP MPs and MLAs Call for a Review of the Sale of Teresen Gas While the Softwood Crisis Remains Unresolved

OTTAWA – Federal and provincial New Democrat MPs and MLAs called on the Liberal Government to hold public hearings into the sale of Terasen Gas and to suspend Investment Canada’s approval of the sale until the United States accepts the NAFTA ruling on softwood in Canada’s favour and returns the $5 billion impounded by the Bush Administration to Canadian producers.

“This is a fire sale of Canada and a kick in the teeth of British Columbians” said Peter Julian MP Burnaby New-Westminster, NDP critic for Trade and Natural Resources. “The liberal government failed to respond to our calls for a broader review back when the decision was still being made by Investment Canada. With more than 11,000 takeovers approved without a single rejection, there is a very strong case against Investment Canada and the Liberal government’s ability to defend the public interest”.

Last week, Industry Canada announced its approval for the $6.9 billion sale of Terasen Gas to Kinder Morgan, whose environmental record is under review in the U.S. Earlier, the B.C. Utilities Commission (B.C.U.C.) had approved the sale without public hearings.

“The Campbell government has abrogated its role in the Terasen sale to Texas-based Kinder Morgan and let down the people of BC,” Corky Evans, the BC Opposition Critic for Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources said. “This is the third largest public utility in the country, and the sale tells the world that British Columbia is open to plunder.”

With the U.S. being increasingly reliant on Canada’s natural resources, and the Bush administration refusal to meet its binding obligations under NAFTA, the NDP caucus is gravely concerned that the liberal government is selling off Canada’s sovereignty and reducing its leverage.

“When an important decision like this is up for discussion, when the Americans and Canadians struggle to find a solution to the softwood lumber dispute, it seems only logical to link the two issues,” said Surrey-Newton MLA Harry Bains. “The Americans refuse to move on softwood, and it is my assertion, along with many other Canadians, that the sale of Terasen Gas Inc. should be halted until the softwood dispute has been settled. It will send the Americans a clear message that our resources are not for plunder, and that the American government should negotiate in good-faith.”

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