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ndpMulcair is ahead of the curve on Dutch Disease. Note the quote from Ipolitics below: THIS WEEK IN FINANCE: Dutch disease, Europe to dominate Posted on Sat, May 19, 2012, 12:13 pm by Eric Beauchesne The politically charged and regionally divisive debate about whether Canada suffers from Dutch Disease will likely escalate this coming week fuelled by the revelation late last week that, despite the Harper government’s dismissal of that diagnosis, a federally funded study concluded it does. But it’s the seemingly intractable European debt crisis, especially the growing possibility that Greece will drop out of the eurozone group of countries, and the potential impact of that on global financial markets and economies, that will remain the main focus of concern here and elsewhere.Sat 1:05 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek - MPndpMay 17, 2012 1:05 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpFollow this CPAC link to watch...In the Riding with Wayne MarstonMay 17, 2012 11:15 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpWednesday, as a Member of the Finance Committee I travel to Washington, D.C. for meetings with Congressional figures and on Thursday we have meetings scheduled in New York City. I will update further details of these meetings as they happen.May 08, 2012 12:42 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpAnother busy day ahead of me today which begins with a visit to the Industry Committee for a Meeting where we get to question Minister of State Gary Goodyear regarding the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FED DEV Ontario) which is my new critic responsibility. This IDC Meeting will be followed by a preparation meeting before we meet the UN Rapporteur Olivier De Schutter later in the Afternoon. My next scheduled meeting is the Sub Committee on Human Rights from 1 pm until 2pm and then we’re off to Question Period. Following QP from 3:30 pm until 5:30 pm, as I prepared for at noon, I will be part of a Delegation along with our Leader Tom Mulcair receiving the United Nations Rapporteur who is in Canada on a mission to review Canadians access to Food. My final activity of the day is at 6 Pm when I am scheduled to attend a Canadian Vintners Association Reception.May 08, 2012 12:39 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpSaturday evening I will be attending the Royal Canadian Legion Ladies Auxillary 75th Anniversary Dinner and then on to the Donnici Club Dinner. Both of these events will allow Barb and I to visit friends we have developed over many years. This will be the seventh Donnici Club Dinner we have attended since my being elected to Parliament. One friend we will be missing this year is John Fortino who passed away just prior to last year’s dinner. John always gave us a very genuine and warm welcome. Sunday morning as I have done for several years now, I will attend the launch of the “Threads of Life” Walk A Thon at Confederation Park. At 2:00 pm I will be joining my Polish friends for their Annual Marking oft Anniversary of the writing of the Polish Constitution. This is the 221st year since their constitution was adopted and some may be surprised to know that the founders of the US Constitution used this document as a template. After this event I will be driving to Ottawa to prepare for the resumption of the Parliament on Monday.May 05, 2012 1:53 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
April
- MPndpApr 30, 2012 1:02 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpA very wise man and a true gift to a cynical worldApr 28, 2012 4:05 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpApr 26, 2012 12:50 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpApr 26, 2012 12:46 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpApr 26, 2012 12:45 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpWhile I was at the Rome Conference our Leader renewed our Shadow Cabinet to bring the Leadership Candidates back into the group along with some other changes. In my case, I no long have the Pension File as it has been assigned to Irene Mathyssen from London. Irene had the Seniors File which she took over from me last year and she certainly did a great job with it and I am sure she will work equally as hard on Pensions. I will keep my assignment as the NDP Human Rights Critic and Vice Chair of the Sub Committee for Human Rights for the Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee. In addition, I have also been given a new assignment as the Critic for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. This new Critic File will also put me back on the Finance Committee once again. I must say it is hard to believe it has been a full 3 years since Jack appointed me to the Pension File. Now our new leader Tom Mulcair has entrusted my Staff and I with another important file but one thing I do know and that is my Team is up for the challenge.Apr 21, 2012 3:18 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpIt is 5:40 pm Saturday and I just arrived home from the 2nd Progressive Parliamentary Leaders’ Conference in Rome which I reported on earlier. Wonderful conference. Sadly not much time to see the City.Apr 21, 2012 2:41 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpTomorrow I travel to the 2nd Progressive Parliamentary Leaders’ Conference in Rome, Italy taking place at the Camera dei Deputati which is their House of Parliament.I will be most honoured to be speaking at this Conference representing the NDP at the request of our new Leader Tom Mulcaire. The Conference participants will be from like minded progressive political parties from around the World. Besides Canada, Nations such as Ireland, Sweden, Great Britian, Australia, USA, France, Greece, Spain, Japan, South Africa and our Host Country Italy will be represented. The idea of this Conference is to discuss areas where we are aligned and can work together to address the problems coming out of the rise of the political right over the last 25 years.Apr 16, 2012 9:11 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
March
- MPndpMar 29, 2012 12:27 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpMar 29, 2012 12:27 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpMar 29, 2012 12:27 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpMar 29, 2012 12:21 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpMar 29, 2012 10:57 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpMar 29, 2012 10:55 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpToday was our second day back in the House of Commons since our Leadership Convention and I was very pleased to see the all party tributes to Nycole Turmel for her work over nine months as our Leader. People need to realize she was a brand new MP learning the ropes along with so many others when she was called upon to take over from Jack and to do so for much longer than first expected. Bravo Nycole!Mar 27, 2012 6:10 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpMar 26, 2012 1:48 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpThis is the second Poll in a month that has this same result. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/john-ibbitson/ndp-ties-tories-in-popular-support/article2377342/Mar 21, 2012 8:12 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpThursday evening, I will be bring my OAS Tour to a meeting in Matthew Kelloway's Riding of Beaches-East York. The Townhall meeting will begin at 6:30 pm at Hope United Church, 2550 Danforth Avenue (across from Main subway station).Mar 21, 2012 6:56 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpFriday in Ottawa as the NDP Human Rights Critic I took part in a conference entitled Human Rights: Walk the Talk. I moderated a Panel on “Voices from impacted communities in the Global South”. On the panel were Felix Molina Director and Producer of a popular “Resistencia” and Diana Sarosi of the Nobel Women’s Institute. The focus of their presentations was the Human Rights Situation in Honduras. They both raised concerns about Indigenous peoples being forced off their lands by the development of resource extraction in Honduras. They also reported that Mining Companies were often linked to issues of displacement and intimidation and tend to have security forces with made up of mercenaries from around the world. I enjoy being our Pensions critic but find the Human Rights File very interesting although daunting at times when hearing the stories of the abuses so many people face around the world. Clearly our own indigenous first nations suffer in antiquated housing, with 100 Reserves with water quality so poor they all are under a boil water directive. The Government of Canada has a long way to go rectifying that situation.Mar 17, 2012 12:07 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpI just arrived home from speaking to a gathering of Tibetans in Toronto who came together at Yonge-Dundas Square to mark the anniversary of the March 10th, 1959 Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule. I recall as a boy of 11 asking my father why were those people fighting and he told because they want peace. I recall then asking my Father why doesn’t the Chinese leave the Tibetans alone if all they want is peace? My father didn’t have an answer. I would suggest that it is quite ironic that 50 years later Jack Layton would appoint me as NDP Human Rights critic and that I would still be supporting the Tibetan goal of peace. In my remarks today I called for our Federal Government to ensure measuring the Human Rights record of our existing and potential Trading Partners as a fundamental part of all our Free Trade deals.Mar 10, 2012 2:15 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpToday, I held an Old Age Security Town Hall in my Riding of Hamilton East Stoney Creek. My two friends and neighbouring MPs, David Christopherson of Hamilton Centre and Chris Charlton of Hamilton Mountain joined me at the Dr John Perkins Centre as we listened to the concerns of close to 100 constituents. People were unified in their opposition to changing the eligibility age for OAS from 65 to 67 years. Even when many who were already retired realized the change would not affect them, they still oppose it. Surprisingly, as our meeting went on for close to two hours very few left before it was finished. I was also pleased that we received good local media coverage with Hamilton Spectator Reporter Dan Nolan in attendance as was Kevin Werner from the Stoney Creek News. There also was a CHCH TV crew on hand filming much of the proceedings. My OAS tour continues later this month with a scheduled stop in Windsor as well as one coming up in Mississauga. Tomorrow at 1:00 pm, I will be guest speaker at Yonge and Dundas Square in Toronto as the Tibetan community mark the anniversary of the Tibetan uprising. Since Jack Layton appointed me as the NDP Human Rights Critic in 2006, I have been warmly welcomed by this community as I have addressed a number of their gatherings in front of the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. Sunday, I will be a guest server at Hamilton's United Steelworkers Norma Berti International Women’s Day Breakfast following which we drive back to Ottawa.Mar 09, 2012 4:55 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpMar 07, 2012 12:37 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
February
- MPndpThis a very important video. WMFeb 28, 2012 1:45 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpThis morning I travelled to Mississauga to join with veteran RCMP Officers, World War 2 and Korean War Veterans along with people from the Public Service Alliance who provide Veteran Services at a Press Conference calling on the Government to exempt Veterans Affairs Canada from the Mr Harper’s Budget Cutting Program review. We owe it to our Veterans and Retired RCMP Officers to maintain those essential supports they rely on. Canadians know that he fact Post Traumatic Stress Disorder hits many Canadian Forces members during their time overseas and how frequently it also happens to our Police Officers is but one example of the needs of these retirees. Think of the recent tragic deaths of eleven migrant workers in a transport-van crash and the effects that scene has on those attending police officers. Mr Harper, if you have a true revenue short fall caused by your reckless Corporate Tax cuts and your 2 point cut to the GST, then it is up to you to ensure that those people and Corporations who can afford to pay more do so. Leave our essential Senior and Veteran Programs alone!Feb 23, 2012 2:56 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpToday in Brampton we had a very successful OAS Town Hall Meeting. Every available seat was taken with about 15 people standing for the full 2 hour meeting. The concerns expressed followed similar lines as my previous meetings in Dartmouth and Sault St Marie. People are very upset this was not part of the Conservative Platform and said they would have voted differently had they known. I met earlier in the day with a group of Sikh youth who spoke at length as to why they had decided to support the NDP in the last Provincial and Federal elections. They are very dedicated and well informed young people who will be a great addition to the NDP going forward.Feb 19, 2012 5:38 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpI now just arrived home from a quick turnaround flight to Sault St Marie for an OAS Tour stop. I was very pleased on arriving at the SS Marie Airport to have been picked up by my good friend Tony Martin who was previously the NDP MP for that area. At the Afternoon meeting we had a great turn out with about 60 people in attendance. The meeting itself lasted 2 hours with good interaction and lots of great questions from the folks in attendance. A CTV affiliate filmed the action and two print reporters stayed for the full meeting as well. My thanks to everyone who gave me such a warm welcome. Tomorrow I am heading to Brampton and will report back here after.Feb 18, 2012 5:48 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpFeb 14, 2012 1:00 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpFeb 13, 2012 12:38 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpFeb 08, 2012 1:36 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpFeb 08, 2012 12:54 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpMore good news as we come together to do the hard work to remove Stephen Harper's extreme Government from office. New Democrats need to put forward someone as Leader who has the capacity to keep our Quebec seats and who can also deliver the body blows in the House necessary to knock Mr Harper and his Conservative Government off their game.Feb 04, 2012 3:05 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpMr Harper has finally confirmed in this interview that his Government is looking at increasing the eligibility for OAS beyond the current 65 years. PMO documents released in Davos already stated this and it is a shame that the Prime Minster took so long clarifying the situation and the unnecessary concern this has caused Canadian seniors.Feb 04, 2012 7:11 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpOne of the most serious Media Scrums I have been involved with since I was first elected. We address the OAS debacle of the Conservatives and the fear they have needlessly caused seniors.Feb 03, 2012 10:18 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpFeb 02, 2012 11:26 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpLater this morning during the planned debate on the NDP Opposition Day motion on changes to Old Age Security, I will be speaking about the apparent Conservatives plan to raise the eligibility to access OAS from 65 years to 67. I will be suggesting that the talk of late from Right Wing Think Tanks, University Professors and other Conservatives supporters that we actually need to keep people working until 70 years of age has been purposely put out there so that when the Harper Conservatives do move the line to 67 years they appear to be doing us some kind of favour. It is amazing how insulting the Conservatives usually can be regarding the intelligence of Canadian voters but at least this time the Conservative Campaign Team was smart enough not to mention all this during last May’s election. Had they done so, I believe Canadian Voters would have sent even more New Democrats to Ottawa and I expect Mr. Harper also believed this when he was hatching this scheme.Feb 01, 2012 9:12 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpFeb 01, 2012 1:23 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
January
- MPndpToday at Brixton’s in Ottawa Barb and I joined other NDP members to watch the Halifax NDP Leadership Debate. After the debate we discussed the fact that these Leadership Candidates will not likely supply the kind of sparks the Media want because most of them have worked in common cause for years. So far during the Debates it also has been clear to me that the Candidates share many similar beliefs in how to improve the lives of Canadians and I do believe that after the March Convention they will continue working together to ensure they are implemented. Finally that leaves me also believing that the remainder of this NDP Leadership Race will now become a serious test about who the NDP Membership see as the person best situated to retain the new seats in Quebec, take Mr. Harper and ultimately lead the NDP to Government in 2015. As for me, I continue to believe that person is Thomas Mulcair.Jan 29, 2012 1:15 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpThis has been a busy week the first three days we held a very successful NDP Caucus Retreat in Ottawa to prepare for the return of Parliament next week. Yesterday, I took part in a very informative Round Table entitled: The Global Economic Crisis: Can Canada Escape a Lost Decade? Then today, I have been in meetings regarding proposed changes to our Riding boundaries as the government adds 30 Ridings across Canada. Now I am in my Ottawa office waiting to go on the CTV Power Play Panel with Liberal Ralph Goodale and Ted Menzies Minister of State for Pensions to discuss the PM’s comments from yesterday about changing the age eligibility for receiving OAS from the age of 65 years to 67 years. One thought, Mr Harper’s Conservatives did not run on changing OAS during the May election and today I have been hearing from very concerned seniors from across the country telling me had they known this was Harper's plan they would not have voted for him. I guess that’s why he didn’t tell Canadians.Jan 27, 2012 1:17 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpThis past Fall I visited Montreal twice and Quebec City once, speaking with people on the street I received input on Thomas Mulcair very similar to this article. In fact, Mulcair was the only Candidate they mentioned at all.Jan 12, 2012 6:28 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpMore reasons why I support Thomas for Leader of the Federal NDP.Jan 01, 2012 3:27 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
December
- MPndpI want to begin by wishing a very Happy New Year to each of you. I believe for all of us this is truly a “New Year” in so many ways. Traditionally at this time most of us reflect on the past year but I am approaching it differently this year. I am considering what we together can do to share Jack Layton’s gift to us all. I knew Jack since 1983 and of course as a member of his caucus since being elected to Parliament in 2006. I never once felt let down by Jack and was inspired by him each and every day so I wasn’t surprised when he left us the following heartfelt inspirational message: “Love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.” Yes Jack, we will!Dec 31, 2011 10:06 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpDec 19, 2011 9:05 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpDec 19, 2011 9:04 am | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
- MPndpJack always told us that Polling firms from outside Quebec did not get an accurate picture compared to Quebec Polling Firms. Note the numbers in this story compared to a recent Harris Decima Poll. Still a healthy NDP lead in the Province of Quebec.Dec 16, 2011 10:36 pm | Ontario, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
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