OTTAWA –The Conservative government push for major changes to the Fisheries Act by burying it in its Budget Implementation Act.
OTTAWA – Conservative changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) could allow employers to hire TFWs without properly ensuring that Canadian workers aren’t available while over one million Canadians are out of work, according to the NDP. These changes jeopardize worker’s rights in Canada and have serious repercussions on the Canadian economy.
TORONTO – Following the Conservative budget that provides no leadership on transit, today the NDP reiterated their call for a National Public Transit Strategy. NDP Transport Critic Olivia Chow emphasized that across the country, Canadians are fed up with congestion and long commute times. A Twitter campaign is tapping into the frustration transit commuters and to call for federal action.
OTTAWA – New Democrats today expressed outrage over the details of the reckless Conservative plan to gut environmental protection laws in Canada—included in the Budget Implementation Act—and warned that the Conservative plan is even more severe than the government let on.
OTTAWA – The NDP Women’s Caucus is condemning the underhanded way in which Stephen Harper’s Conservatives are trying to reopen the abortion debate.
OTTAWA – New Democrats are calling on the Minister of Justice to commit to funding the Aboriginal Justice Strategy (AJS) to ensure that the vital work they do to combat crime in First Nations communities continues.
OTTAWA – A new report by the NDP shows that raising the age of eligibility for Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement from 65-67 will lead more seniors into poverty.
OTTAWA – Linda Duncan, Member of Parliament for Edmonton – Strathcona and New Democrat Critic for Public Works and Government Services reacted to today’s release of the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s Report on Budget and Expenditure Reporting to Parliament.
OTTAWA – New Democrat Pensions Critic Irene Mathyssen tabled a motion in the House of Commons today condemning the Conservatives’ plan to raise the age of eligibility for Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement from 65 to 67.
OTTAWA – New Democrat Aboriginal Affairs Critic Jean Crowder is calling on the Conservative government to announce immediately that it will not appeal the recent decision to order a new hearing into discrimination against First Nations children.
OTTAWA –New Democrats are calling out the Conservative government for proposing changes to the Fisheries Act that could seriously weaken environmental oversights in the context of major development projects, such as those involving oil and gas.
OTTAWA — A New Democrat motion seeking concrete measures to fight tax evasion and the use of tax havens was adopted today by the finance committee.
OTTAWA — A New Democrat motion seeking concrete measures to fight tax evasion and the use of tax havens was adopted today by the finance committee.
OTTAWA –New Democrats are calling out the Conservative government for proposing changes to the Fisheries Act that could seriously weaken environmental oversights in the context of major development projects, such as those involving oil and gas.
OTTAWA — The Conservative government’s stated commitments, as part of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), are nothing but fluff according to New Democrat MPs Charlie Angus (Timmins–Baie James) and Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont–La Petite Patrie).
OTTAWA – Today, the New Democrat Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Caucus announced the launch of Rainbow Day a LGBT shadow program which will take place this May 1st.
MONTREAL – Canadians have the right to quality local broadcasting, which is why the NDP is strongly advocating to protect the popular Local Programming Improvement Fund (LPIF), as the CRTC begins pivotal hearings into the program's future.
HALIFAX – Today, New Democrats blasted the Conservatives’ plan to gut environmental protection. This plan jeopardizes not only the environment, but also the health and prosperity of Canadians.
OTTAWA – The Conservatives have struck a blow to the co-operative movement by ruthlessly eliminating the greatly successful Co-operative Development Initiative and massively scaling back the Rural and Co-operatives Secretariat, hurting Canadians that are unemployed and living in rural areas.
SUDBURY— New Democrat Sports Critic Glenn Thibeault (Sudbury) is calling on the Minister for Sport to make concussion reduction the central agenda item at the Federal -Provincial/Territorial Sports Ministers’ Conference, which is taking place today in Inuvik.
SUDBURY – New Democrat MPs are accusing the Conservatives of mismanaging Northern Ontario’s economy. The recent budget cuts, including $5 million to FedNor grants and contributions, show that the Harper government has no plan for growth and development in the north. The arbitrary cuts across the region, including in the Conservative-held ridings of North Bay and Sault Ste. Marie, will mean significant job losses and reduced services.
OTTAWA – The NDP is condemning the layoff of hundreds of federal scientists in charge of environmental monitoring, as part of the 1,500 government professionals who will receive notice this week that their positions will be affected by Conservative budget cuts.
OTTAWA – Official Opposition Veterans Affairs Critic Peter Stoffer (Sackville-Eastern Shore) raised concerns today about the loss of 804 jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs over the next three years.
OTTAWA – NDP Trade Critic Brian Masse says Conservative budget cuts risk congesting borders while seriously weakening public safety. Over 1150 Canadian Border Services Agency Services staff were told their jobs are at risk this week, and New Democrats are raising serious concerns as to how the Conservatives plan to pick up the slack.
OTTAWA – NDP Military Procurement Critic Christine Moore and National Defence Critic David Christopherson are urging the Conservative government to stop systematically giving Canadian soldiers a malaria medication— mefloquine—with serious and harmful side effects.
OTTAWA – NDP International Trade Critic Brian Masse (Windsor West) slammed the Conservatives for slashing services at the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) and putting Canadian business and public safety at risk.
OTTAWA – New Democrats are outraged that Conservatives are slashing another 100 food inspectors from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. These inspectors were hired as a result of the fatal listeriosis crisis in 2008 and have been providing a vital service to protect Canadians’ safety when they purchase food.
OTTAWA — NDP Heritage Critic Tyrone Benskin says it’s appalling that information and programming at CBC and Radio Canada are footing the bill for Conservative government cuts to the public broadcaster’s budget.
OTTAWA – Despite spending the weekend making up new excuses about his mishandling of fighter jet procurement, it’s clear that Defence Minister Peter MacKay was aware two years ago of the true cost of the new F-35s but chose to keep Canadians in the dark, according to the NDP’s Military Procurement critics.
OTTAWA - During Question Period Wednesday, NDP Foreign Affairs Critic Hélène Laverdière (Laurier–Ste-Marie) condemned the government’s actions towards the non-partisan Montreal organization Rights & Democracy. Minister John Baird announced on April 2 that the government will close the arms-length organization that was created by unanimous Act of Parliament in 1988.
OTTAWA — The decision of the Superior Court of Quebec to order the federal government not to destroy the long-gun registry data is good news for the NDP, which is now calling on the Conservatives to put an end to this saga by giving this public data to those provinces that want it.
OTTAWA – New Democrats are decrying the severe impact of the Harper government’s reckless cuts to our public broadcaster following CBC/Radio-Canada President Hubert Lacroix’s announcement of extensive layoffs, reduced production of new Canadian programming and significant delays in the deployment of new local services.
OTTAWA – Among the 19,000 public servants that will be given pink slips this week, about 1,100 will be key staff at the Department of National Defence, the NDP has learned. Cuts will be made across the country, but the worst cuts will be felt in the province of Quebec, with 361 jobs being lost, and particularly on bases like Valcartier and St-Jean.
OTTAWA — Today’s scathing report from the Auditor General paints a troubling picture of a government that is badly mismanaging the most basic duties of public administration, presenting misleading information about the costs of the F-35’s, and even putting Canadians’ safety at risk, according to New Democrats.
OTTAWA - Canada's Official Opposition today slammed the Harper government's decision to completely defund Katimavik, a popular youth exchange program that has challenged Canadian youth to explore our country's diversity and achieve personal development through voluntary service since the 1970s.
OTTAWA – Last Thursday, the Conservative government presented Economic Action Plan 2012 – a budget that they claim will foster growth and narrow the long-standing innovation gap, but the NDP warns not to be convinced that it can deliver.
OTTAWA – On the day Canada celebrates the nation's great musical talent at the Juno Awards NDP MPs Andrew Cash (Davenport) and Pierre Nantel (Longueuil-Pierre-Boucher) asked why the federal Conservatives are making Canadian musicians and labels $21 million poorer.