September 8th, 2010

OTTAWA – Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff made the following statement today for Rosh Hashanah:

“This weekend, Canadians in Jewish communities across the country will come together to reflect upon all the blessings of the past twelve months and to celebrate the promise of the year ahead.

“It is a time when we can all give thanks for the strong sense of community and family, the rich heritage and the profound cultural contributions of Jewish people in all aspects of Canadian life, for these are the blessings generously shared with all Canadians.

“On Rosh Hashanah we take pride in living in a Canada that reflects the dignity, mutual respect and understanding that are at the core of all faiths that have found a home in this country. We give thanks for how far we have come and envision how much we can still achieve together.

“On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada and our Parliamentary Caucus, I would like to extend my very best wishes for Rosh Hashanah to the Canadian Jewish Community and to Jewish communities around the world.

“Shana Tova!”

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MP Joyce Murray and the Liberal Party of Canada invite you to a summer family community BBQ to meet

Michael Ignatieff, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

Admission: FREE

Please RSVP at http://lpc.ca/aug21bbq

When: Saturday, August 21st @ 11:30 am

Where: Kensington Community Centre – 5175 Dumfries St. Vancouver

(Off E. 37th Ave. at Knight St.)

BBQ! Bouncy Castle! Face Painting! Children’s Entertainment!

As summer gets underway, Liberal MPs are hitting the road and coming to a community near you to help spread the Liberal party’s message of why we’re the only progressive, compassionate and responsible alternative to the Harper government.

As part of the Liberal Express tour, I’ll be visiting every province and territory over the coming months to present Canadians with a clear choice.

On one hand, there’s Stephen Harper’s plan to add to the Conservatives’ record $54 billion deficit by cutting taxes for profitable corporations by a further $6 billion every year.

Or there’s the Liberal plan of paying down the deficit and investing in priorities that will ease the burden on our families and help Canada move forward again: Learning and innovation, caring for our families, and restoring Canadian global leadership.

Over the past several months, our party has already announced proposals that reflect these priorities: 

• Learning and innovation through a pan-Canadian learning approach spanning early childhood development and care, language training for New Canadians, and access to higher education and workplace training;
• Pension reform by allowing the three-quarters of Canadians in the private sector who do not have registered retirement plans to save more by voluntarily investing more in our trusted Canada Pension Plan;
• Bridging the urban and rural divide through Canada’s first national food policy; 100% high-speed internet and improved cell phone coverage in rural and remote communities; and more doctors and nurses in rural communities;
• The environment with a plan to protect Canada’s oceans and coastal communities from harmful oil spills; and fighting climate change by making Canada a global leader in clean energy jobs and quadrupling Canada’s production of renewable energy by 2017;
• Restoring Canadian leadership in the world by seeking “Global Network Agreements” with India and China that go beyond trade to collaborate in research, education, clean energy technology, transportation, health, culture and tourism.

As we reach out across Canada this summer, one thing will become perfectly clear: Liberal values stand in stark contrast to the Conservative culture of deceit.

We hope to see you on the Liberal Express.  Have a great summer!

Sincerely,

Michael Ignatieff

Chief Statistician Munir Sheikh’s July 21 decision to resign reveals a deeper pattern of obsessive control and vindictive payback out of the Prime Minister’s Office. We have long witnessed Mr. Harper’s caucus and cabinet being required to stay on message and play pawns to the Prime Minister. More worrisome, Canada’s non-partisan, professional public employees and independent officers of Parliament are also expected to sing to Mr. Harper’s tune and if they don’t, they are removed, replaced, slandered, or all the above:

- Richard Colvin, Diplomat

- Linda Keen, Former Chairwoman of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission,

- Peter Tinsley, Former Head of the Military Police Complaints Commission

- Paul Kennedy, Former Chairman of the Commission of Public Complaints Against the RCMP

This is a style of leadership that chooses partisanship over honest thinking, ideology over science and fact, and rule by command over rule by democracy.  By smearing whistleblowers and independent watchdogs, defunding groups that speak against the Conservative agenda, and even delegitimizing statisticians, the motto in the PMO is “centralized power at any cost”. By doing so, the Harper Conservatives reduce accountability and increase secrecy, casting a chill across our democracy. Policies are decided by ideology and short-term political gain, not by fact and nonpartisan advice.

Mr. Harper’s pattern of trying to control the independent agencies and oversight officers is a danger to the great men and women who serve our country as public servants, to our democracy and as a result, to all Canadians.

Former Clerk to the Privy Council Alex Himelfarb understands the danger of devaluing our public service in his article.

- Joyce Murray, MP for Vancouver Quadra

July 20, 2010
OTTAWA – Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff made the following statement today on the fifth anniversary of the Civil Marriage Act:

“Today marks a historic day in Canadian history and a proud and distinguishing moment for the Liberal Party of Canada. Five years ago today, Canada became the fourth country in the world to legalize marriage between persons of the same sex.

“First announced by Jean Chretien’s Liberal government, former Minister of Justice, Martin Cauchon,  issued the first draft of what would become Bill C-38 on July 17, 2003. Following the Supreme Court of Canada’s December 9, 2004, favourable ruling on the constitutionality of marriage between same-sex couples, the final draft of the bill was introduced in the House of Commons by former Minister of Justice Irwin Cotler in Paul Martin’s Liberal government on February 1, 2005. Bill C-38 passed in the House of Commons on June 28, 2005, and in the Senate on July 19, 2005. It received Royal Assent the following day.

“On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada and our Parliamentary Caucus, today we reaffirm our belief that defending the rights of all people – not just those of the majority – is at the very soul of what it means to be a Canadian.”

Former Liberal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon (2002-2004) said:

“The Liberal Party of Canada believes a fundamental aspect of our national character is the freedom allotted to Canadians under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. By extending the right of civil marriage to same-sex couples the Liberal government proudly affirmed Canada’s commitment to protecting minority rights and guaranteeing equality for all.”

Former Liberal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler (2004 – 2006) said:

“Anchored in two fundamental Charter rights – the right to equality without discrimination and the right to freedom of religion – I am proud my party, the Liberal Party of Canada, stood strongly for its values, did what it believed was right and was successful in passing the Civil Marriage Act.”

Liberal MP for Vancouver Centre Hedy Fry said:

“After decades of fighting for this through the courts, Canada’s gay and lesbian community won a great victory when the Liberal government legalized same-sex marriage, despite having to endure vehement opposition from the Conservative party.  Today we must remain ever vigilant, as the Conservatives attempt to impose their ideological biases on Canadians by co-opting Pierre Trudeau’s argument for decriminalizing homosexuality – the state does not belong in the bedrooms of Canadians – as a defense for their proposed cuts to the Canadian census.”

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Sat Jun 19 2010

Imagine a country where Parliament is padlocked twice in 13 months to frustrate the democratic will of the elected majority. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that slyly relaxes environmental regulations even as its neighbour reels from a catastrophic oil leak blamed on slack controls. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that boasts about prudent financial management while blowing through a $13-billion surplus on the way to a $47-billion deficit. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country where a political operative puts fork-tongued words in a top general’s mouth. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that refuses to fund the same safe abortions to poor women abroad as it provides at home. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country where the national police commissioner skews a federal election and is never forced to explain. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that writes a covert manual on sabotaging Commons committees. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country dragging its climate change feet as the true north melts. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that silences political debate on the sale of a publicly owned, crown jewel corporation. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that puts higher priority on building super-prisons than keeping people out of them. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country where parties that win the most federal seats are dismissed as “losers”. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that twists its foreign policy around the interests of another nation. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that argues that barricading its largest city promotes tourism. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that promises Senate reform only to continue stuffing it with political hacks. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that avoids answers about a controversial war by accusing questioners of supporting the enemy. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country where party apparatchiks decide who in a nominally free press is allowed to ask the Prime Minister questions. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country where donut shop wisdom is more prized than expert analysis. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that builds a fake lake for a tough-times summit. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that preaches law and order while killing a long-gun registry police chiefs insist makes citizens safer. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country where serving the Prime Minister as chief propagandist is job preparation for running a national news network. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country where charities mute constructive criticism of public policy for fear of losing federal funding. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that can spend $1.2 billion for summit security but can’t find the petty cash needed to invest in the status of women. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that promises accountability only to impose secrecy. That country is now this country.

Every example is familiar, all are documented. Only the cumulative effect is surprising.

Conservatives came to power knowing reluctant Canadians could only be shifted to the political right incrementally. That movement is now advancing according to the plan Conservative thinker, strategist and Stephen Harper mentor Tom Flanagan infuriated the Prime Minister by making public.

Imagine that.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/stephenharper/article/825809–travers-changing-canada-one-backward-step-at-a-time

VANCOUVER – Joyce Murray, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra and the Liberal Party’s Critic for Amateur Sport and Vancouver Olympics, hosted a roundtable in Vancouver today for stakeholders in the sport and recreation community.

“As we move beyond the successes of the 2010 Winter Games, now is the time to look at the steps the federal government must take to create the healthiest, most active and most engaged Canada” said Ms. Murray. “I want to hear what the sport and recreation community has to say about federal action needed to attain not only more podium finishes, but also increased rates of participation in sport and recreation amongst all Canadians.”

The roundtable participants discussed ways in which the federal government can address the inequality of participation; a focus that fits in with the overall Liberal Party priority on equality for all Canadians. Groups like new Canadians, women and girls, disabled people, low-income Canadians, aboriginal, and remote communities are underrepresented and lack the same opportunities enjoyed by others.

Ms. Murray continued by saying that “at a time of increasing rates of juvenile diabetes, obesity, and heart disease, this roundtable consultation builds on a Liberal record of making sport, active living and health promotion a priority. It’s a record that brought us the Vancouver Olympics, Own the Podium, ParticipACTION and Sport4Life strategy.”

A broad range of participants attended the round table which saw the inclusion of 25 local and national organizations including VANOC, AthletesCAN, the UBC Centre for Sport and Sustainability, BC Disability Games, and the First Nations Health Council. Anyone interested in receiving more information on the roundtable or the Liberal Party of Canada’s policy consultation on sport and recreation is encouraged to contact the office of MP Joyce Murray.

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The Conservatives first said it would cost $90 million over two years, but then revised it under pressure to $2 billion over five years. Mr. Page, however, pegs the cost to the federal government at around $ 5 billion over five years. The additional cost for provinces could be even higher, adding another estimated $5 billion to $8 billion to this massive spending.

The majority of this new cost will be downloaded to the provinces and territories, and ultimately, to you.

Was any money put aside to pay for this or to assist the provinces? No. As we saw with the G8/G20 saga, planning is not the Conservative government’s strong suit.

Only one thing seems to matter to this federal government: appear to be “tough on crime,” even though crime rates have continued to drop and the Republican-style super-prisons they are considering don’t work. Forget deficit reduction. Ignore health care and learning. Shun the environment and climate change. Rather than investing in our future, the Conservatives prefer to build new jails.

Federal Liberals have called on Public Safety Minister Vic Toews to immediately make public his department’s estimates on all his crime bills so Canadians can see the true costs, once and for all.

Everything about their crime agenda is suspect. How about some truth and accountability?

Joyce Murray

Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra