Category: Uncategorized
Libby speaking out for a ‘Made in Canada’ Olympic pavillion
Libby speaking out for a ‘Made in Canada’ Olympic pavillion
Canada's showcase home pavilion at the 2010 Winter Olympics is a fine example of German engineering. The Canada Pavilion tent was not made in Canada, but rather manufactured in Germany by the Losberger Group and hastily assembled for the Games. NDP MP Libby Davies said it is disappointing that "something as symbolic" as the country's Olympic pavilion couldn't be Canadianmade. "What strikes me is people everywhere are so proud wearing Canadian jackets. It feels embarrassing that the Canadian government couldn't take the time to buy Canadian," said the Vancouver East MP.
The original article, Germans built our tent was published on February 23, 2010 in The Province. Author(s): Kent Spencer
Libby celebrates National Aboriginal Day
Libby celebrates National Aboriginal Day
Dear Friends,
I am proud to stand with East Vancouver and join First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people in celebrating National Aboriginal Day. On this special day, I urge all of us to find a way to celebrate and honour the aboriginal community.
I wish to take this opportunity to reaffirm my commitment to address the inequality faced by First Nations communities. Aboriginal people face daily challenges that other communities do not, and have been ignored by governments for too long. I am committed to making change happen in order to build a better future.
At the federal level, we must provide the funding and support to First Nations for better health care, education and healthy living, coupled with greater recognition of the rights necessary to making critical decisions within the community. We must work harder to value the aboriginal history of Canada and all that First Nations peoples have contributed to our culture. As a part of this, I would encourage you to check out “First Nations 101”, a book about First Nations people, written by Lynda Gray (Tsimshian). More information about the book’s launch can be found at www.firstnations101.com.
Federal New Democrats are proud to forge a partnership, to foster economic opportunity, to fight discrimination, and to work together for healing and hope for the future.
All the best on National Aboriginal Day.
Sincerely,
Libby
Letter to Ministers about Taser Guns
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Surplus
Vancouver activist, Jamie Lee Hamilton, dies at 64
Vancouver activist, Jamie Lee Hamilton, dies at 64
Longtime MP Libby Davies, a friend of Hamilton’s, says it’s a “sad day” to know she’s no longer with us. “She’s just been like an icon in our city,” Davies tells NEWS 1130. “I’ve known her for, wow, gosh, probably close to 40 years, and I think what it really so important about Jamie Lee is that she never gave up on her advocacy for people, even during really tough times, when it wasn’t popular to advocate for the rights of sex workers in the Downtown Eastside or in the West End when she was fighting against the injunction that was taken out in the 1980s. I mean she goes so far back.” Davies remembers a moment in 1998, when Hamilton dumped garbage bags full of high heeled shoes on the steps of city hall representing the sex workers believed to have been missing from the downtown Eastside. It was part of an effort to get politicians to recognize there was a serial killer — a theory that ultimately came true in the following years with the conviction of Robert Pickton.
The original article, Vancouver activist, Jamie Lee Hamilton, dies at 64 was published on December 23, 2019 in City News 1130. Author(s): HANA MAE NASSAR, MARTIN MACMAHON
Letter to Public Safety Minister re: threats from Westboro Baptist Church
Letter to Public Safety Minister re: threats from Westboro Baptist Church
November 14, 2008
Hon. Peter Van Loan
Minister of Public Safety
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Dear Minister Van Loan,
Congratulations on your recent appointment as Minister of Public Safety.
It has come to our attention that a US-based hate group calling itself Westboro Baptist Church is once again threatening to send members across our border to harass people at an event-this time in East Vancouver on November 28, 2008.
As the government has done in the past, we strongly urge you to alert Canada Border Services Agency of the group’s plans, and instruct CBSA personnel to ensure Canadian law is upheld. We urge you to follow this well established precedent.
As we are sure you know, Westboro Baptist Church, under its so-called “Minister” Fred Phelps, is a viciously homophobic hate group known for disseminating hate speech, inciting violence and for contemptible acts such as disrupting funerals and harassing mourners.
Public statements from Westboro Baptist indicate the group is planning to send associates to Canada with the expressed purpose of inciting hatred and harassing people on the basis of their sexual orientation. This would constitute a premeditated violation of section 319 of the Canadian Criminal Code, which states that it is an offense to wilfully promote hatred against any identifiable group or communicate statements in any public place that incite hatred against any identifiable group, especially where such incitement is likely to lead to a breach of the peace.
Many of our constituents and other concerned Canadians have contacted our offices and local media outlets to demand that CBSA do everything in its power to prevent associates of this hate group from entering our country to violate Canadian laws.
We look forward to your reply and to immediate action on this threat to the safety and security of Canadian citizens.
Sincerely,
Libby Davies
MP Vancouver East
Deputy Leader of the NDP
Bill Siksay
MP Burnaby-Douglas
NDP Critic for Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual and Transgender Issues
Libby's letter to Prime Minister on Gaza
Looking back at the best in local publishing in 2019
Looking back at the best in local publishing in 2019
It’s like a book club, but on the radio! Every week, NEWS 1130’s John Ackermann pulls a new title from the 1130 Bookshelf, and as 2019 draws to a close, he has compiled a list of the 10 best books published over the past year… Outside In: A Political Memoir. From community organizer to city councillor to Member of Parliament, Libby Davies has spent a lifetime fighting for Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Now, she is sharing her story in a book.
The original article, 1130 Bookshelf year in review: Looking back at the best in local publishing in 2019 was published on December 21, 2019 in City News 1130. Author(s): HANA MAE NASSAR, MARTIN MACMAHON