Member of Parliament 1997-2015, Public speaker, writer, community activist
Former NDP B.C. MP, Libby Davies, tells Eric Sorensen more can be done on Parliament Hill to address misconduct and harassment allegations.
Ottawa – Today, Parliament voted to move forward with the New Democrats’ National Housing Strategy, sending it to Committee.
“Parliament recognizes that it’s time for the federal government to step up and lead a coordinated approach to address Canada’s growing housing crisis,” said NDP MP Libby Davies (Vancouver East), the Bill’s sponsor. “Rising unemployment, housing costs, and the lack of safe, affordable housing affect the health and wellbeing of tens of thousands of Canadians,” said Davies.
NDP Housing Critic MP Megan Leslie (Halifax) has tabled dozens of petitions in Parliament calling for such a National Strategy. “Canada is the only G-8 country without a national housing strategy,” said Leslie. “This Bill makes economic sense and finally puts Canada on track to meet its national and international commitments to end homelessness.”
Several mayors, housing groups, and anti-poverty organizations have endorsed the bill which calls on the federal government to work with provincial, territorial, municipal and aboriginal counterparts to establish a housing strategy to address Canada’s housing crisis to ensure the cost of housing does not interfere with the ability to meet other basic needs like food and access to education.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2013
OTTAWA – With recent confirmation that Health Canada rebuffed oversight meeting requests from a chemotherapy drug supplier, and then attempted to blame the provinces, the NDP is asking the Conservatives to stop playing with Canadians’ lives and take action.
“Drug safety is unequivocally a federal responsibility. When we asked the Minister about this issue in the House she said the drug supplier had never applied for federal regulatory approval,” said Health Critic Libby Davies (Vancouver-East). “These e-mails show that Health Canada failed in its responsibility to protect the Canadian drug supply and it is utterly irresponsible for the Minister of Health to abdicate her responsibility and put Canadian lives at risk.”
Marchese Hospital Solutions supplies intravenous cancer drugs to hospitals. The company repeatedly approached the Ministry of Health in 2011 seeking guidance but no meeting was granted. Following reports that over 1,200 cancer patients in New Brunswick and Ontario had received diluted chemotherapy drugs it was revealed that another supplier had been in operation for nearly 30 years with zero action from Health officials to ensure supply quality.
“It is absolutely unacceptable that drug mixing companies have been operating unregulated for so many years,” said Deputy Critic Djaouida Sellah (Saint-Bruno-Saint-Hubert). “It is unacceptable that a Minister who has been in charge of this file since 2008 has taken no action to fix this problem.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 14, 2013
OTTAWA – With a recent Toronto hospice closure highlighting the critical state of palliative and long-term care, the NDP is urging the federal government to address the lack of resources and coordination for this type of care.
“This critical shortage of beds and lack of funding for palliative care is a direct result of the Conservative government’s failure to make health care for Canadians a priority,” said NDP Health critic Libby Davies (Vancouver East). “Instead of hiding in Ottawa, the Health minister should work with the provinces to ensure that Canadians get the essential health services they need.”
Residential hospices provide an important option for Canadians with terminal illness who need 24-hour medical care. Perram House was one of only three residential hospices in Toronto. Its closure means there are now just twenty hospice beds for a city of 2.6 million people. And even though hospice care is less costly than staying in hospital, it receives limited government funding and these facilities must rely on their own fundraising efforts to stay open.
“This is yet another example of Conservatives walking away from their responsibilities and passing the burden of funding important services to the provinces and territories,” said NDP MP Matthew Kellway (Beaches – East York). “Every person deserves to die with dignity and our first class health system should make that possible.”
A charitable organization that studies Canada’s democracy wants to get tongues wagging on the Hill by talking about, well, talking. In honour of the summer reading season, Samara studied how much MPs and parties spoke in the House of Commons in 2012 and matched some members up with notable works of Canadian literature…The NDP, with 33 per cent of the MPs, spoke the most of any party at 44 per cent. Five of the top ten spots of most talkative members were New Democrats…Top ten most-talkative MPs: 1. Peter Julian, Burnaby—New Westminster (NDP) = 226,027 words 5. Jack Harris, St. John’s East (NDP) = 113,819 words 8. Libby Davies, Vancouver East (NDP) = 85,689 words 9. Don Davies, Vancouver Kingsway (NDP) = 85,360 words 10. Jinny Sims, Newton—North Delta (NDP) = 82,770 words