OTTAWA – Today New Democrat leader Jack Layton praised the accomplishments of his team during this session of Parliament in the face of the Harper government’s consistent failure to help hard-hit Canadians.

“Being the Effective Opposition means holding Harper to account, and it means delivering for Canadians,” said Layton. “We accomplished much in this Parliament – we are serious legislators, we set clear priorities and the House accepted our policies.”

“We said we would fight to fix EI and we did – the House approved our policy for fair access to fair benefits, including for the self-employed. We said we would fight to regulate credit cards, and we did – the House approved our policy that caps rates and ends hidden charges. We said we would fight to secure retirement savings, and we did – the House approved our policy for national pension insurance, expanded benefits, and workers’ pensions at the top of the queue when companies go bankrupt. Now the government should stop delaying and make them law.”

Layton went on to highlight other key New Democrat achievements, including the Climate Change Accountability Act, which sets hard targets for carbon emissions reduction; the Passengers Bill of Rights, which protects airline travellers; and the work of the Task Force on Economic Recovery and the Task Force on the Middle Class.

“This summer, many families will struggle – with jobs, bills, and even putting food on the table,” Layton said. “Our team will spend the summer focused on the everyday issues that matter most to families: credit cards, cell phone fees, gas prices and more. And on building the future success of Canada through green energy investment.”

“In Parliament, New Democrats set clear goals and we achieve them. We work hard and deliver for Canadians. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished.”

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