Turmel urges Harper to not leave families out in the cold

Statement by NDP leader on meeting with Prime Minister Harper.

OTTAWA – I have just concluded a face to face meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The meeting was cordial and focussed on the upcoming budget.

I urged Mr. Harper to ensure that the upcoming budget does not harm families or cut the services they rely on in these tough times. I also urged him, in the face of rising unemployment numbers and yet another plant closing today, to ensure his budget focusses on real job creation above all else.

I shared with him what I have heard from Canadians in the past month. Too many families are worried about their jobs and their future. Too many of them are waiting months for the unemployment insurance they’ve paid for their entire lives. These Canadians know that with further budget cuts coming, it will be even harder for them to make ends meet.

The Prime Minister and I also discussed the relationship between the federal government and the provinces, which I believe requires immediate improvement. Canadians want the federal government to work with the provinces to improve front-line health services for Canadians. I asked him to listen to those like the Quebec Premier who don’t want to see the federal government act unilaterally in cutting Old Age Security for future generations.

It was a good discussion and I believe the Prime Minister understood my concerns. I hope that he will act on them in the upcoming budget.

In these tough times, the government simply can’t leave families out in the cold. It’s time to focus on job creation, and on helping families make ends meet.