Category: Uncategorized
May 2014
March 2003
Libby on Women in Politics
Libby on Women in Politics
With the perennial push to boost the number of women in politics, it’s worth asking whether the world would be a more peaceful place with a bigger proportion of females at the helm. The only way to go beyond the theoretical in responding to such a question is to scrutinize the records of those women who’ve ruled. Women leaders, of course, are in the minority. But experience suggests a world of women presidents and prime ministers, queens and empresses would yield a world order not dissimilar to the one we have now.
The original article, Column: Would the world be more peaceful with women at the helm? was published on September 24, 2009 in Vancouver Sun. Author(s): Barbara Yaffe
November 2003
Pandemic and politics — centring the grassroots
Pandemic and politics — centring the grassroots
Our May 5 edition of rabble takes on Ottawa webinar focused on grassroots critical thinking on the COVID-19 pandemic, centring on the experiences of workers and marginalized voices, and focused on the issues of the food chain and food security, as well as how the pandemic affects racialized and Indigenous communities in a disproportionate way. Hundreds of you tuned in. Today on Needs No Introduction, an encore presentation. The panel was moderated by Libby Davies, former federal NDP deputy leader and author of Outside In: a Political Memoir. Panelists were rabble.ca’s parliamentary reporter Karl Nerenberg, Winnipeg Centre MP Leah Gazan, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives senior economist David Macdonald, and executive director of Foodshare Toronto Paul Taylor.
The original article, Pandemic and politics — centring the grassroots was published on May 13, 2020 in rabble.ca. Author(s): rabble.ca
December 2007
Politics
Libby in the News
Libby speaks out against back-to-work legislation
Libby speaks out against back-to-work legislation
House of Commons
HANSARD
June 16, 2011
Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP) :
Mr. Speaker, back-to-work legislation is an unjustified interference of the rights of workers to free collective bargaining.
The government’s failure to address the pension crisis is what’s really at stake here.
The fact is that Conservatives are choosing a side. They are strengthening the position of large employers who want to dismantle defined-benefit pension plans.
Why is the labour minister siding with the dismantlement of pensions?
Hon. Lisa Raitt (Minister of Labour, CPC) :
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by indicating that the honourable member’s characterization of labour law in Canada is completely incorrect. Also, it is important to note that there are no sides being taken in any kind of legislation that may be put before the House. We are on the side of the economy and of general Canadian interest, because we want these parties to do a deal. If they cannot do a deal, we will help them in the process to do so with the least amount of damage to the Canadian public.
Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP) :
Mr. Speaker, labour rights do exist in this country and the government’s approach to the current labour disputes wreak of hypocrisy.
The government wants back-to-work legislation, denying workers the right to strike and undermining their capacity to bargain fairly.
In the case of Canada Post, it is a government agency that locked them out. How is that fair negotiation?
Why is the government getting in the middle of a labour dispute and picking winners and losers?