Statement by Jack Layton prior to New Democrat caucus meeting

Good morning.

The New Democrat caucus is here to do its job.

Later this morning, we will meet to review the situation in Haiti and Canada’s role in providing critical support in this time of desperate need.

We will receive in-depth briefings from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the respected international aid group, Oxfam.

Our caucus is supportive of the government’s actions thus far to help the people of Haiti and those Canadians still missing.

We can all be proud of the work of our police officers, Canadian Forces personnel, aid workers and others who have answered the call of those in need.

Add to that the river of donations flowing in from every corner of this country.

This tragedy has touched all of us and we have responded with an inspiring generosity of spirit.

I couldn’t be prouder to call myself a Canadian.

Yet here we are this morning in the house of the people, prepared to do the jobs we were elected to do, having been denied the right to take our seats.

This is fundamentally un-Canadian. It runs so contrary to our sense of who we are as a people.

We’re here, then, to underscore how opposed we are to Mr. Harper’s high-handed decision to padlock Parliament.
A decision he made while most Canadians were enjoying time with their families, preparing to mark the dawn of the New Year.

That’s how Mr. Harper governs. With hard-hearted calculation and utter indifference to the impact of his decisions on the people of Canada.

With this decision, though, we think he overstepped.

And Canadians are telling him as much, through Facebook, through rallies and letters and phone calls.

While his action is fundamentally un-Canadian, we take heart from this fundamentally Canadian response.

The people of Canada are sending him a message.

It’s our job as MPs to make sure he gets that message.

PAUSE

The tragedy in Haiti is far from over. The next step is rebuilding.

In Mr. Harper’s mind, how the country is rebuilt and how much Canada will contribute to that effort is something he will decide.

That’s one-man rule.

That’s not how democracy works, though.

On Friday, our Foreign Affairs Critic, Paul Dewar, made a number of constructive suggestions about what should guide Canada’s contributions in rebuilding Haiti.

He urged complete debt forgiveness and assistance in the form of grants, not loans, to jumpstart the economy.

He recommended support for Haitian non-governmental organizations so that an active citizenship can hold governments to account.

He warned that emergency aid and long-term reconstruction must respond to the needs of women and girls.

That’s his role, no his duty, as an elected MP.

If these doors were unlocked, Paul and other MPs would be using the resources of the House to invite in expert witnesses to advise them on how Canada might contribute to the long-term future of Haiti.
They would be ensuring that many points of view are taken into account before this country commits taxpayer dollars to a long-term plan of action for Haiti.

Mr. Harper believes those many points of view would only be a distraction.

That dissenting voices undermine the financial markets.

That they prevent him from making the changes he would like to make to this country.

On Saturday, at rallies in Victoria and St John’s, in Toronto and right here on Parliament Hill, Canadians demanded better from their Prime Minister.

Canadians demanded accountability, not the same old politics of secrecy and arrogance and disdain for the House of Commons.

I’ve always believed – our caucus has always believed – that the House of Commons can and should be a constructive place.

While there are many points of disagreement between the parties, there is much that we can and do accomplish by working with each other respectfully.

But when the doors are locked tight, the House of Commons cannot do its job.

When that happens, Canada is not performing at its best.

Limiting accountability, shutting down Parliament without cause – that’s the old politics.

Canadians are tired of the old politics; they are demanding new politics.

We urge the Prime Minister to listen to Canadians.

Unlock these doors so that we can debate the best course of action for rebuilding Haiti.

Unlock these doors so we can define Canada’s response to the world’s call for action on climate change.

Unlock these doors so that we can take action on the pensions crisis.

Unlock these doors so that we can consider our future role in the war in Afghanistan.

Unlock these doors so that we can debate the forthcoming budget.

Unlock these doors and show the people of Canada that you respect the democratic traditions and values that shaped this country.

Merci beaucoup.