March 8, 2010

OTTAWA – Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff made the following statement today on International Women’s Day:

“International Women’s Day is an occasion to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women across the globe. Throughout this week, commemorative events across Canada will reflect on women’s progress over the decades, and the challenges that still remain before all women achieve true equality.

Only days ago, all Canadians proudly cheered on the remarkable success of our women athletes at the Vancouver Olympics.  Sadly, government action hasn’t matched the achievements of our women.  Women’s equality has taken a step back under the Conservative government’s regressive policies, which have led to a growing gender gap in this country.

Canada’s federal government should be leading by example by adopting policies and programs that help more women and girls to participate in all aspects of society. Only then will all women truly succeed – and when women succeed, all of Canada wins.

On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada and our Parliamentary caucus – particularly the Liberal Women’s Caucus – I invite all Canadians to participate in events in their communities that celebrate women. And I encourage everyone to make every day women’s day by doing your part to ensure a bright, safe and prosperous future for all women and girls.”

Liberal Status of Women Critic Anita Neville added:

“International Women’s Day allows us – all of us – to reflect on the incredible achievements of women in Canada and around the world over the decades. Many women today enjoy a prosperity and freedom their mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers could only dream of.

But that is not the whole story. This week is also a time to take a hard look at what still needs to be done to bring opportunity to all women. There are still far too many women – here at home and across the globe – living with poverty, prejudice and/or abuse, solely because they are women. The Harper government has not helped matters – they have attacked women’s rights to pay equity, left women out of their economic stimulus plan, dismantled child care agreements and failed to take concrete action or call an investigation into the national shame of more than 500 missing and murdered Aboriginal women.

Today, as with every day of the year, I wish success and health for all women.”

-30-

SO31 Members Statement on the Paralympics (05MAR10)

Mr. Speaker,

Vancouver is a community transformed by the electricity of the 2010 winter Olympic Games. We embraced the athletes, the crowds, the foreign languages heard on the streets. We celebrated our Host First Nations with pride. With the rest Canada we waved our flags, and sometimes wept; riveted by the spectacle of human bravery, of hopes dashed and triumphs seized.

And now Vancouver’s glow of good cheer is re-ignited by the Paralympic Torch flame’s westward odyssey. Now its radiance falls on the disabled and Paralympians, illuminating their extraordinary courage and achievements.

Vancouver will offer these remarkable competitors the same warmth we showed Olympians and will cheer them on just as loudly.

Sadly, the Prime Minister has moved to eliminate the break-week scheduled during the Paralympics.

But I know my colleagues will strive to equally honour our Paralympians, so they do feel recognized as first-class athletes – and the source of inspiration – that they truly are.

March 4, 2010

VANCOUVER – Liberal Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra, Joyce Murray, made the following statement today regarding Israeli Apartheid Week:

“This week on campuses across Canada and at the University of British Columbia in my own riding, Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) is taking place.

Israel, like any other state, is responsible for any violations of human rights and humanitarian law.  Dissent and opposition to individual actions of the Israeli government are both legitimate and permitted both in Canada and in Israel; just as political dissent is permitted and encouraged with respect to any democratic nation.

However, public calls for the destruction of Israel and Jews wherever they may be must be condemned and have no place in Canada or anywhere else in the world.

IAW aims to delegitimize Israel’s very existence – checkpoints, inflammatory language and deliberate attempts to portray the Jewish state as criminal undermine any attempt for legitimate dialogue or debate to occur. The kind of vehemently anti-Israel language promoted by Israeli Apartheid Week only serves to heighten the tension in our communities around the tragic conflict in the Middle East.

At a time when Canadian students should be engaging in pro-peace campus debates and positive change, the intent of the IAW campaign appears to solely demonize and undermine the state of Israel and, in turn intimidate and alienate Jewish and non-Jewish students alike.

On behalf of the Liberal Party I would like to encourage all Canadians to reject all forms of anti-Semitism, racism and intolerance, both within Canada and around the world.”

The 6th annual Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) will take place in Canada from the 1st to the 14th of March 2010. It is part of a global campaign of calls for divestment, boycotts and proclamations against the state of Israel.

-30-

March 4, 2010
OTTAWA – The new Harper Conservative budget comes up short on jobs and innovation and offers Canadians little more than freezes, cuts, and gimmicks, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said today.

“This budget offers what we’ve come to expect from Stephen Harper’s tired government: a lack of ambition and a clear distaste for what a government must do to help its citizens prepare for an uncertain future,” said Mr. Ignatieff.  “This budget leaves too many Canadians to fend for themselves, and can’t hide the laissez-faire approach of a government that doesn’t believe in government.”

“This is not a budget that looks ahead to the challenges of our times – and it’s not a budget we can support,” Mr. Ignatieff continued.  “We will vote against it, but we’re not going to cause an election. Since Canadians don’t want an election and it’s not in the national interest, we’ll register our opposition responsibly.”

On jobs and innovation, the budget comes up short and even plans for more job losses:

•    The government’s job creation targets don’t make up for the 300,000 jobs already lost, or for the rise in unemployment forecasted in today’s budget.

•    The Conservatives say they want to support small business growth, but they’re bringing in a $13 billion payroll tax hike that will kill 220,000 small business jobs.

Instead of taking real action on Canadians’ priorities, this budget offers gimmicks:

•    $10 million to encourage volunteerism for seniors, but nothing concrete to fix pensions.

•    A token $1 million for community war memorials, instead of helping veterans recover from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

•    Making superficial tax changes to the universal child benefit, that low-income families and single parents won`t benefit from.

•    A mere $25 million on clean energy, from a government that let 93% of its Green Infrastructure Fund go unspent last year.

Instead of investments in research, innovation or clean energy, this budget offers cuts:

•    The Conservatives cut $148 million from Canada’s research councils in the last budget, but want to take credit for reinvesting $32 million this year.

•    The cancellation of the EcoEnergy program for renewable power production.

•    The Conservatives refused to let the Canada Space Agency spend $160 million in approved spending over the past two years, but want to take credit for adding $23 million in this budget.

Instead of curtailing excessive partisanship, this budget offers freezes:

•    Cancelling $4.5 billion in planned Overseas Development Assistance when Canada is focused on development in Afghanistan and Haiti and pays lip service to maternal health in developing countries.

•    Starting in 2011, freezing all government operating budgets across the board without any indication for how this will affect the programs and services Canadians rely on, while continuing to waste taxpayer dollars on government partisan advertising and consultants.

Instead of addressing Canadians’ most pressing issues, this budget offers no action:

•    Nothing on pensions.

•    Nothing on climate change or to create clean energy jobs.

•    Nothing on health care and our aging demographics.

•    Nothing on culture.

•    Nothing on helping veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

•    Nothing on the future of our digital economy.

•    Nothing for New Canadians or to close the immigrant success gap.

“While this budget is a clear disappointment, our party is focused on building the better alternative for Canadians,” Mr. Ignatieff said.  “We’ve made clear proposals on jobs and pensions, because we’re the party that stands with middle income Canadians, seniors, and families struggling to get by.”

“Our party will continue to develop the ideas, policies and concrete actions that should be brought forward by a responsible, caring and future-oriented government.”

-30-

Office of the Leader of the Opposition

“I want to congratulate all the athletes that took part in the Olympic Games. Each of these performances made the Olympic spirit live once again“, said Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.

“It is with great pride that we say farewell to the 2010 games and congratulate all participants for representing Canada with such talent, enthusiasm and vigour on the international stage. And we thank all of the families and coaches that have supported our athletes every step of the way, helping them deliver performances of a lifetime at the Olympics.“

“Following a magnificent gold medal win by our men’s hockey team, we can truly say that these games brought Canadians from coast to coast to coast together in a show of patriotism that was truly inspiring. Whether it was our athletes who gave it their all to make us the country that won the most gold medals in any winter games, or the thousands of volunteers, the organizing committee, the Aboriginal communities, or the fans, everyone can be proud of how we welcomed the world to our doorstep, and made these games such a success.“

“On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada and our Parliamentary caucus, I salute all Canadians who made these games their own, and showed the world what a great host nation we can be. I also look ahead with great anticipation to the upcoming Paralympic games starting March 12th, when we will once again wow the world with our pool of talent and Canadian hospitality.”

“It has been a great joy to welcome the world to my city, and I am so very proud of everyone who participated in these games,” said Ms. Murray. “It’s because of the dedication and patriotism displayed by all – from the athletes, volunteers and organizers, to the exuberant fans right across the country – that these games have been an unprecedented success. I have never been so proud to call Vancouver and Canada my home. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is something I and all Canadians will not soon forget. Congratulations to all.”

“Canada’s athletes had a remarkable Olympics, leading the way with more gold than any country ever,” said Mr. Ignatieff. “After the success we’ve had, Canadians agree that Own the Podium was a good investment. We want our country’s best athletes – who’ve made us so proud over the last two weeks – to inspire young Canadians in every corner of this country, on every local ski hill and in every neighbourhood arena.”

Mr. Ignatieff yesterday repeated the Liberal commitment to maintain Own the Podium’s funding with $22 million in long-term, predictable federal support after the Harper government announced it will only continue with $11 million for two years, leaving an $11 million shortfall and uncertainty going forward.

“As Liberals, we’re proud of our role in developing this program, and we support its continuation,” said Mr. Ignatieff. “Not only do we want to keep the best sporting expertise in Canada, but our investment in the top of the pyramid of our sporting activity is also an investment in the base. We can inspire even more young Canadians to ‘own the podium’ of the future and widen sporting participation, improving the health of our children in the process.”

Own the Podium was originally launched in 2005 under a Liberal government, with the support of Canada’s 13 winter national sport organizations, Sport Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and the Vancouver Organizing Committee.

Liberal Critic for Amateur Sport and the Vancouver Olympics Joyce Murray also took Mr. Harper to task for attempting to take credit for the Own the Podium program.

“The Prime Minister is content to capitalize on the high that Canadians are feeling towards the Olympic Games and our athletes with countless photo-ops,” said Ms. Murray. “But when it comes to supporting our athletes, he’s all too eager to take credit for Own the Podium while cutting its funding.”

恭賀新禧

Celebrate the Chinese New Year

with MP Joyce Murray

and the Vancouver Quadra Community

Saturday, March 6 — 2:30pm – 5:00pm
Omega Gallery
4290 Dunbar St. (at 27th Ave.)
Featuring original art from the renown Susan A. Point *Snacks and refreshments to be provided*

For more information, please email murraj1@parl.gc.ca