Category: Uncategorized
700 Tunnels
What Does Bill C-304 Do?
A Coalition for Change
A Coalition for Change
It has been a raucous week in Parliament, and now we have a Prime Minister who is desperately clinging to power at any cost.
I’ve had emails from many people – across the country and of course, from East Van. A few have been vicious, regrettably – but many people seemed to be encouraged by the idea of a new coalition, focussed on real change and help for people, especially given the economic recession and lack of action from Harper’s government.
In Vancouver, even before the election, many people raised the possibility of a progressive coalition to defeat Harper’s agenda. The opportunity arose last Thursday, when the Finance Minister delivered a Economic and Fiscal Update that was completely unsupportable for the NDP and the two other opposition parties.
I want to see an economic package to help local communities and people facing job loss. We desperately need housing and an end to homelessness. We need public transit, a new green economy, and good jobs. Childcare is badly needed, and also reform to EI so people can access support when they need it.
In these exceptional circumstances, we need leadership that is willing to rise above partisanship and name- calling. So to me, it is responsible and legitimate, within our Parliamentary system, to seek to work with other parties to find strong common ground for the broader public interest.
I know not everyone agrees with that, and certainly Harper’s desperation means he is striking out to create fear and panic that the “separatists” are taking over etc. Of course we are used to Harper’s politics of fear – he relies on it. To be clear, the BQ are not part of the proposed coalition – though they are willing to support it, on the basis of a common program to help people.
It’s ironic that Harper himself has relied on the Bloc to support two of his budgets in the past. It was ok then, but now that it’s going the other way – it’s suddenly an “evil” thing!
All in all, I try to keep my focus on what needs to be done to help people in the community, who are facing hardship and uncertainty. Sometimes that means forging new coalitions to prevent something bad from happening.
It has certainly been an intense week – and it’s not even finished yet! Thank you for all the feedback – all points of view, respected.
Libby
In Memoriam of Jack Layton
Action Needed on Missing Women
Action Needed on Missing Women
OTTAWA – With this week’s news that 8 more names been added to the list of women missing from the Downtown Eastside, I want to express my deep sympathy for the families and loved ones of those who continue to look for answers in this horrific case.
The tragedy of the 69 missing women case is felt by many. The community in the Downtown Eastside continues to be marked by a sense of loss and grief. For too many years there was little action taken on the increasing number of unsolved murders and frustration mounted. Countless others from across the country have written me in deep distress over the situation. They want to see an end to the continued violence, often targeted at sex trade workers.
It is with great sorrow that again we must call on all three levels of government to act. Families and loved ones need answers and women still face dangerous and precarious situations
I am calling on the Federal Minister of Justice, Hon. Irwin Cotler, who has publicly stated that he sees the need for legal reform in this area, to encourage his colleagues to re-strike the Sub-Committee on Solicitation Laws. This Committee needs to start meeting and set a course of work which I hope will also include a travel budget to allow Members of Parliament to hear from sex-trade workers and the wider community. If he chooses instead to put forward draft legislation with amendments to the Criminal Code I encourage him do so without delay. This issue can no longer be put on the back-burner or avoided.
Further to my letter of September 22nd, I again implore Minister Cotler to take urgent action and work with law enforcement agencies to place a moratorium on enforcement of the communicating laws under the Criminal Code. The current criminalization of sex trade workers under these sections of the Code discourages or prevents women from contacting the police when their safety is in jeopardy.
As well, I continue to call on the Mayor, as Chair of the Vancouver Police Board, to conduct an inquiry into police investigation of the missing women case to determine what happened.
Violence against women, particularly of Aboriginal women, has been highlighted this week by Amnesty International in a report titled Stolen Sisters: A Human Rights Response to Discrimination and Violence Against Indigenous Women in Canada. I support the recommendations in this report urge action to address the ongoing social and economic marginalization of indigenous women and to ensure the police and justice systems adequately protect these women.
The tragedy of the 69 missing women raises many questions about how our society can continue to expose these women to violence, exploitation and death and why so little is done to protect them. The time for action is now.
Left-of-centre politicians considering strategic voting in next Vancouver municipal election
Left-of-centre politicians considering strategic voting in next Vancouver municipal election
Libby Davies has publicly said she too is considering a run for the mayor’s seat and with a similar approach to the race in mind.
The original article, Left-of-centre politicians considering strategic voting in next Vancouver municipal election was published on February 13, 2018 in The Vancouver Sun. Author(s): MATT ROBINSON