OTTAWA – Middle-class Canadians are suffering in this economic crisis and they are looking to the government to help foster new economic opportunities, says a pair of new reports released by New Democrats today.

“We spent the spring listening to Canadians from every segment of the economy,” said New Democrat Deputy Leader Thomas Mulcair. “What we heard was that people are not looking for the short-term solutions offered by the Harper government. They want real investment to ensure that Canada is at the forefront of the economy of the future.”

Since March two task forces criss-crossed the country examining the effects of the economic crisis on the middle class and developing solutions that will guide Canada into a green economic recovery. Mulcair and his colleague Megan Leslie (Halifax) co-chaired the Task Force on the Middle Class and the Recession. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain) and Nathan Cullen (Skeena-Bulkley Valley) co-chaired the Task Force on Economic Recovery.

Some of the key finds were that a majority of Canadians feel the Harper government has failed to create practical solutions to get through a crisis and to deal with the massive holes in the safety net. To remedy this economic downturn Canadians want to see a new energy economy, with renewable energy capacity, reduced water and energy use and greener technology and agriculture.

“The solutions that we come to in these reports are from the people themselves,” said Charlton. “These Canadians know the problems in their industries and communities and have seen what works and what doesn’t. It would be foolish not to listen to what they have to say and learn from it.”

Middle Class and the Recession Task Force Report [5]

Economic Recovery Task Force Report [6]