From newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca Sat Mar 3 16:54:18 2007 From: newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca (BC NDP Newswire) Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2007 16:54:18 -0800 Subject: [LabComm] BC NDP Connection Newsletter Message-ID: BC NDP Connection Newsletter

Campbell must accept blame for rich-poor gap, James says

The gap between the rich and poor continues to grow, and Premier Gordon Campbell must take his share of the blame. A new report released this week shows that the gap between the haves and the have-nots has increased, and that the richest 10 per cent are the only ones who aren't working longer and harder just to keep up. "Thanks to the continued high commodity prices, our economy is doing very well," said New Democrat Leader Carole James. "But because of the B.C. Liberal government, not everyone is benefiting. "In fact, we're seeing many people falling further behind. It's shameful that at a time when the province is doing so well, we wouldn't be doing everything we can to make sure the results of a strong economy were spread more evenly." James said the most recent budget shows the B.C. Liberals don't care about making life better for British Columbians already on the margins of our society. Blessed with one of the largest budget surpluses in the province's history, Finance Minister Carole Taylor could have taken some concrete steps to help even the playing field. "Instead, they put $2 billion toward a tax cut that no one asked for, and tried to pass it off as a plan to ease the homelessness crisis," said James. "They put money into rent supplements, which don't help if you can't actually find an affordable place to rent. What's needed is good, affordable housing. "And yes, they gave income assistance recipients an extra $50 for their shelter allowance, but that was simply a political move. The Premier announced it in November, but it didn't come to light until February, after people had spent another winter trying to get by. "They should have implemented it immediately after it was announced, but the Campbell government just doesn't care." James said there are practical steps the government could take to improve the lives of the less fortunate. "They could start by increasing the minimum wage, which hasn't been increased in the life of this government," said James. "And it should be indexed, so it keeps pace with inflation. "They should give back the earnings exemption to people living on income assistance, which helps connect people back to the work force. And they should be taking steps to ease the tuition burden on students, so they can afford to get the skills they need." Sadly, James said, the B.C. Liberals have shown little interest in taking any of these steps. "What we've seen from this government is a lot of political posturing, which doesn't help people in need," James said. "We need a real commitment, and that commitment is sorely lacking from Gordon Campbell."

Energy plan a disappointment, NDP MLAs say

British Columbians expecting the B.C. Liberals to come up with a plan to meet the province's energy needs were disappointed this week. The government's energy plan came down Tuesday, and New Democrat MLA John Horgan said it was most notable for what wasn't there. "Like a lot of what this government has done, the energy plan was mostly a collection of vague assertions," said Horgan, the NDP Critic for Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. "It talked about conserving energy, which on its face is a good thing, but it contains no support for consumers who want to cut back on their electricity usage. "And the initiatives that are actually new in the plan rely on technology that hasn't been tested." NDP Environment Critic Shane Simpson said the plan is rife with hypocrisy. "In November, the Premier told business people in Hong Kong that offshore oil and gas exploration is closer than we think," said Simpson, the MLA for Vancouver-Hastings. "Two weeks ago, the same Premier was telling British Columbians they needed to worry about greenhouse gas emissions. "Now, in this plan, they are maintaining their subsidies to the oil and gas sector, but are providing no similar incentives to green energy projects, such as solar, wind and tidal energy," said Simpson. "This isn't a plan for the future." Horgan, the NDP MLA for Malahat-Juan de Fuca, said the government is trying to cover the tracks they laid just a few short months ago. "Only the B.C. Liberals would claim credit for shutting the door on coal-fired power plants," said Horgan, "when the only reason anyone ever considered coal power was because the government opened the door to the idea. "We've been waiting for more than a year for this energy plan to come to light," Horgan said. "What we got was a disappointment, and not a real plan at all." To unsubscribe or change your settings go to: http://www.e-2ve6y.signup2.bcndp.ca/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca Wed Mar 14 02:15:15 2007 From: newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca (BC NDP Newswire) Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2007 1:15:15 -0800 Subject: [LabComm] BC NDP Connection Newsletter Message-ID: BC NDP Connection Newsletter

Tragedy shines spotlight on Liberals' disregard for farm workers

A tragic accident on the Trans-Canada Highway near Abbotsford has shone a spotlight on the Gordon Campbell government's callous disregard for farm workers. Three people died and several others were seriously injured after a van packed with 17 farm workers rolled. One of the first actions of the B.C. Liberal government was to do away with a program that routinely inspected vehicles which transport farm workers. The van in the Abbotsford accident had a capacity of 10 people. Media reports suggested that seats in the van - with seatbelts - had been removed and replaced with wooden benches. "The B.C. Liberals made cuts to programs that were in place to help keep people safe," said NDP Leader Carole James. "It was an ideological decision, with no thought given to the impacts it would have on farm workers." Under the B.C. Liberal watch, farm workers' rights have been slashed, first in 2001 and again in 2003. Thanks to the Campbell government, they don't have the same overtime or minimum wage provisions. Most troubling is the fact that the Liberal government has ignored the recommendations of a 2003 report which were specifically targeted at preventing roadside tragedies involving farm workers. The B.C. Coroners Service and the Workers' Compensation Board made several recommendations after a 2003 crash in which 52-year-old Mohinder Sunar died. In the 2003 incident, a van with a capacity of 15 was carrying 19 farm workers. The report said there was good evidence that the use of a seatbelt may have saved her life. The report also recommended a reinstatement of roadside spot checks for these types of vehicles. And James said Solicitor General John Les, the minister responsible for public safety, has consistently refused to take any responsibility for his file. Les told the media that the seatbelt issue is "a matter of debate." "The Coroners Service, who has some expertise in this area, thinks the debate is over," James said. "They told this government in 2003 that seatbelt use would save lives, but the Campbell government refuses to act. "It's inexcusable. When will the government finally take action?' Burnaby - Edmonds MLA Raj Chouhan, a former president of the Canadian Farmworkers' Union, said farm workers have been forgotten by the Campbell government. "The government has done nothing to help these farm workers," said Chouhan. "Their inaction is shameful."

Secret Inquiry Act back before Legislature

One of the more insidious pieces of government legislation has made its return to the Legislature, and New Democrat MLA Leonard Krog says British Columbians should be very worried. Bill 6, the Public Inquiry Act, was shelved by the B.C. Liberals last spring, but it has made its way back this session. Krog, the NDP Critic for the Attorney General, said the bill strikes at the heart of the right of British Columbians to know precisely what their government is doing. "It's a bit Orwellian for this government to create a bill which could actually limit the access to government activities and call it a 'Public' Inquiry Act," said Krog, the MLA for Nanaimo. "I'm formally proposing they rename it the Secret Inquiry Act," Krog said. "It's still a terrible piece of legislation, but at least with that name, it's honest." The bill, if passed into law, would see reports from public inquiries be delivered to a minister, rather than to the Legislature. Cabinet, then, would have the ability to withhold part or all of the inquiry's report. "This from a government which claimed it would be the most open, accountable and transparent in our history," said Krog. It's clear what's happening, Krog says. "The Opposition has been calling for a public inquiry into the sale of B.C. Rail because of questions around the sale process and about the new owner's spotty safety record," Krog said. "The B.C. Liberals want to have the power to decide what happens to the results of such an inquiry. This bill would allow them to keep the report secret. "British Columbians won't stand for these kinds of shenanigans," Krog said. "They can recognize a shell game when they see one."

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To unsubscribe or change your settings go to: http://www.e-2ve6y.signup2.bcndp.ca/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca Sat Mar 31 13:45:18 2007 From: newswire at news.bc.ndp.ca (BC NDP Newswire) Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 12:45:18 -0800 Subject: [LabComm] NDP demands answers on sale of BC Rail Message-ID: NDP demands answers on sale of BC Rail VICTORIA -- In an effort to get the B.C. Liberal government to come clean on the problematic circumstances surrounding the sale of B.C. Rail, New Democrat MLA Leonard Krog is demanding that the Attorney General provide answers to a series of 70 questions. "It has become increasingly clear that the Campbell Liberals will do whatever they can to avoid being held accountable for what might have happened during the sale of B.C. Rail", said Krog, the New Democrat Critic for the Attorney General. "British Columbians deserve answers to these questions." Under the rules of the B.C. Legislative Assembly, an MLA can submit written questions for any government Minister. These questions are in addition to those raised during oral question period. "Several years after the Campbell Liberals broke their promise not to sell B.C. Rail, the people of British Columbia are still waiting to know what went on during those negotiations," said Krog, the MLA for Nanaimo. To find out more and see the full list of 70 questions on the sale of BC Rail, click here. To unsubscribe or change your settings go to: http://www.e-2ve6y.signup2.bcndp.ca/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: