The Urgency for Stimulus in the West

Over 8,000 jobs were lost in British Columbia in October alone, more than anywhere else in Canada.

In BC 11,000 forestry jobs have been lost in just five years. Mines across the province are struggling as global resource demand slumps. More than 500 lay-offs are expected in the coming days.

And it’s not just traditional industry sectors. High-tech firms are feeling the effects of this global economic slowdown with one BC-based software company laying-off a third of its workforce on Monday. Business bankruptcies are climbing and housing prices are siding.

BC needs an effective federal stimulus package. And it needs it now.

Canadians looked to Stephen Harper for action in his recent economic update. Instead of robust stimulus, he delivered a partisan agenda to sell off public buildings, kill off opposition parties, roll back workers’ and women’s rights, none of which would create one job or protect one pension.

The Prime Minster’s basic duty in a minority government is to hold the confidence of the House of Commons. Mr. Harper has failed to do so. It is therefore undemocratic for him to desperately cling to power by removing the rights of duly elected MPs with delays in key finance votes. Over 62% of Canadians rejected Mr. Harper’s agenda in the October 14 election, and now 55% of democratically elected MPs have also done so.

Recognizing the desperate need to kick-start the Canadian economy, New Democrats and Liberals put aside their differences to work out an economic stimulus package. The plan is prompt, prudent and effective.

The plan will protect quality jobs right here in the West. That starts with credit guarantees for forestry producers with good business plans for innovative value-added development. And we’ll work with President Obama for fairer for Canadian goods.

The coalition’s plan will create new jobs. Retrofitting homes and building affordable housing can begin right away. We’ll fast-track infrastructure, invest in renewable energy and expand public transit.

We’ll support families with skills training programs, Employment Insurance reform and transition assistance for older workers. We’ll help seniors with pension protection, reform of RRIF rules and increased Old Age Security. And we’ll fix immigration to boost the economy and re-unite families.

I know many British Columbians find it curious that Mr. Harper’s only argument against the Coalition is that it has the outside support of the Bloc Quebecois. This is true. The NDP-Liberal coalition has the support of the Bloc for a duration of two budgets. What is also true is that Mr. Harper secured the exact same support from the Bloc Quebecois for his 2006 and 2007 budgets. Such support from the Bloc did not make Mr. Harper or the Conservatives any less loyal to Canada, nor did it contribute to the break-up of Canada. It wasn’t the case in the past and it’s not the case for the future/

Mr. Harper has no plan for this economy. He’s making it up as he goes and his delay tactics are only hurting the very people who need help right now. There is an NDP-Liberal government in waiting and it has a plan that’s good news for the West.

The Hon. Jack Layton MP

National Post