New Democrats

[maplesyrup]

Layton embraces NATO transformation, leaves behind longstanding NDP policy

Security issues edged into the federal election campaign Saturday as Jack Layton brushed aside a long-held NDP policy that would pull Canada out of NATO, promising instead to work on changing the military alliance./

Since Layton became leader of the NDP, the party has steered a more pragmatic course on a series of issues, promising fiscal prudence and balanced books

Another good move on Layton's part, as he brings the federal New Democrats into mainstream politics.

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Punish Martin's Liberals, Layton urges Ontario

"Why should we believe him [Mr. Martin] now?" Mr. Layton asked in his speech. "He might as well start every promise 'Once upon a time...' People here in Ontario know all about that. They just got an object lesson in what Liberal promises are worth."

Mr. McGuinty signed a pledge before taking office that his government would not raise taxes or run deficits. The party then tabled an unpopular, tax-hike budget May that included a new health-care premium.

Mr. Layton referred to the budget as a "Grade A textbook fiberal budget," on Saturday and warned that Mr. Martin would do the same if voted in with a majority government again.

"In 30 short days you get a first-class opportunity to send the Liberals a message about that kind of government by voting NDP," Mr. Layton said. "Send them a message that voters deserve respect, and a promise made must be a promise honoured."

"Send them a message and send them packing."

We definitely need to restore integrity in our federal government.

[maplesyrup]

Layton widens attack

Jack Layton refused to repent Thursday for the attack he launched on Paul Martin from a church pulpit, instead adding two provincial politicians to his list of sinners who put poor people on the streets.

Layton added fuel to the political firestorm he's ignited by saying former Ontario premier Mike Harris shares some of the blame with Prime Minister Martin for increasing homelessness in Ontario. Layton then went further, saying Quebec Premier Jean Charest is heading down the same path with cuts to social housing.

"We saw it with Mike Harris in Ontario," Layton told reporters in Montreal. "We can see the cancellation of housing construction by the Jean Charest government is going to produce exactly the same problem."

I think the average Canadian is beginning to see they have in the Jack Layton, a political leader who is going to challenge the big rich powerful interests in Canada.

[Hjalmar]

Do you enjoy talking to yourself MS?

[maplesyrup]

Liberal party can't be trusted, NDP leader says

NDP Leader Jack Layton said Canadians have every reason to believe the federal Liberals will break promises to Canadians just as the party did in Ontario in its recent budget.

That's partly because of who's running the show, Layton said. He noted that Prime Minister Paul Martin's campaign co-chair David Herle also advised Premier Dalton McGuinty's government on the May 18 budget that broke McGuinty's campaign pledge not to raise taxes.

"To me it illustrates that Paul Martin is intent on following the same deceptive strategy that we saw from McGuinty's people," Layton told reporters. "Liberals of all levels need to be sent a message in this election. Otherwise they're going to believe that after a fourth blank cheque, they can go on breaking promises until the cows come home."

[maplesyrup]

Layton predicts Liberal 'amnesia' on campaign promises

"We think that the Liberals of all levels need to be sent a message in this election," Layton said.

"Otherwise, they're going to believe after a fourth blank cheque, they can go on breaking promises until the cows come home."

[maplesyrup]

Layton's wife has spat with husband's rival

Things are really heating up in the Toronto-Danforth riding where Liberal MP Dennis Mills is in a tight election race against NDP Leader Jack Layton.

On Sunday, Mills got into a verbal sparring match with his rival's wife, and NDP candidate Olivia Chow.

Chow, a longtime Toronto city councillor, was in Mills' riding for a news conference. She's also running her own campaign across town, for a seat in the riding of Trinity-Spadina.

Mills reportedly crashed Chow's event. After he left, Chow chased Mills up the street, with a group of reporters following behind, to ask him why he screamed at her.

Another cheap stunt by the lLberals backfires on Dennis Mills.

[takeanumber]

I never thought much of Mills.

Glad she went after him!

[August1991]

Did you notice Chow was wearing green? I'll bet she wears green until 28 June.

[maplesyrup]

Olivia might be wearing ORANGE on June 28th.

[maplesyrup]

Layton firm on homeless issue, Clarity Act

NDP Leader Jack Layton isn't backing down from the firestorm of controversy he started this past week. He made headlines for saying he'd repeal the Clarity Act, and recognize Quebec independence if sovereigntists win a referendum.

He also refuses to apologize for suggesting Prime Minister Paul Martin was personally responsible for homeless deaths.

"I actually think what should happen is we should start building affordable housing," Layton said on CTV's Question Period.

He said that past governments brought "very significant cuts to the social fabric of our country. And the consequence is that the fabric begins to fray at the edges."

[maplesyrup]

Blaikie breaks from Layton on Clarity Act

Mr. Blaikie said he continues to strongly support the leader.

"I still think Jack is an excellent leader and will make an excellent prime minister," he said.

Nevertheless, Mr. Blaikie said he would continue to fight against Mr. Layton on this issue.

"I would continue to hold my view that the Clarity Bill should have been passed, and having been passed, should stay in place," he said.

"Others may want to argue that it should be repealed, and we'll both have to answer to whatever process ultimately determines the NDP position on this

[maplesyrup]

Balanced budgets, fixed-date elections

Drug prices are lower, too, thanks to practical choices like bulk-buying drugs and some smart patent reforms. And, thankfully, the rapid expansion of private, for-profit health care delivery's been stopped, so folks aren't using their credit cards to care for their loved ones.

We're going on our fifth straight NDP balanced budget, keeping our promise to balance the books. Books, incidentally, on which there isn't any GST now because we took it off family essentials, including medical devices, women's hygiene products and children's clothes.

The TTC and other public transit agencies have help now thanks to us keeping our promise to share half the federal gas tax for sustainable transport. And people are noticing there are fewer homeless people on our streets, after we invested in the affordable housing program Paul Martin abolished in 1995.

We're good friends with the United States, but we said no to George Bush's Star Wars missile defence. We preferred to protect Canada's independent voice for peace, and so chose to make peacekeeping a priority. As it turned out, it was a wise choice because the U.S. is putting weapons in space.

I'm on my second term now. After watching former prime minister Paul Martin keep delaying the election in 2004 until it suited Liberals, we brought in fixed election dates and the 2008 election happened a couple of months ago. It was Canada's first under proportional representation (Canadians supported changing the voting system in a referendum in 2005) and I'm thrilled we have a lot more women in Parliament and our last election was about ideas.

But best of all, people have started to think about what we can do together, not what we can't. And the hope that's been restored to politics is really quite refreshing.

Sounds good to me.

[maplesyrup]

Martin can't be trusted to help cities, Layton says

I'm not certain we ought to be putting all our eggs in Paul Martin's basket," said Layton, speaking at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities meeting in Edmonton.

Jack Layton speaks to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

Layton, a former president of the organization, said Martin's promises contain all sorts of conditions and often contain "weasel words" including "matching funds" and "up to" when describing dollar amounts.

"I've seen when Paul Martin gets a blank cheque, it rarely ends up with your community's name on it," he said.

[maplesyrup]

Layton warns of Tories and Bloc deal

Liberals are panicking and Conservatives are set to make deals with the devil, NDP Leader Jack Layton said Tuesday.

Layton said Quebecers and voters in the rest of Canada should be equally offended by open talk among Conservatives of an alliance with the sovereigntist Bloc Quebecois. "We would have a Conservative party that wants to take the country apart joining with a party that actively wants to split the country apart," Layton said. "How can that be good for building the Canada that Canadians want?"

Quebecers should question how the left-leaning Bloc could consider working with the right-wing Conservatives, Layton said.

Things are beginning to heat up. Less than two weeks left until the first debate.

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NDP's Jack Layton touts Alberta's wind power

A New Democratic government would dot the Canadian countryside with windmills, NDP leader Jack Layton said Wednesday, taking at least one cue from Alberta's Conservative government.

Layton tipped his hat Tuesday to Ralph Klein's Alberta for encouraging the growth of wind power. Layton said the federal government needs to provide more incentives for wind power and other types of clean energy.

"That sort of positive approach is what we see here in Alberta," Layton said during a brief stop in the province. "In Alberta, it's fabulous what is going on with wind power."

Record-high prices for oil has prompted a spike in gasoline prices even Canada oil-rich province. Southern Alberta has several wind turbine fields, including one that produces enough electricity to power a Calgary train line. Several companies are building hundreds of millions of dollars of new windmills to produce electricity.

"I always talk about what Alberta's doing in energy transformation, because I think it's one of the best examples of what can be done in all of Canada."

Layton has promised to build 10,000 turbines in Canada and to make every building in Canada more energy efficient.

While the program to build and install the turbines would cost $10 billion, the entire program would be self-sufficient, according to the NDP. An emission credit system that would punish polluters will pay for wind energy. Canadians would have to repay low-interest loans from Ottawa for renovations with their energy savings.

These are the kind of progressive ideas Canadians are looking for from their national politicians.

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Homeless death toll 17 in Ottawa this year

Some advocates for the homeless in Ottawa say 17 homeless people have died in the city so far this year. They released that figure along with some other new information on the issue.

They were defending recent comments by NDP leader Jack Layton when he blamed Paul Martin for the the rise in homeless deaths.

With 850 people sleeping in Ottawa homeless shelters every night, it's not surprising that some have died.

But Cathy Crowe, a street nurse from Toronto, says homeless young women are 10 times more likely to die than women in housing of the same age. She says Layton was right to connect that fact to government cuts.

"When we've had other cuts to programs like water-testing, and we saw deaths in Walkerton, we connected the dots. We need people to connect the dots now," Crowe says. 

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Layton shoots for the breeze on green energy

The New Democrats, who have little chance of winning seats in Calgary, are proposing a "Green Energy" Crown corporation to help erect 10,000 wind turbines across the country to produce 10,000 megawatts of power generation.

Canada currently generates only about 3.3 per cent of that amount from wind sources. But the head of a wind-power industry group said that a 10,000-megawatt goal is not too much of a stretch, given that some European countries have extensive wind-power facilities.

"It's aggressive relative to where we're starting, but it's realistic," said Robert Hornung, president of the Canadian Wind Energy Association. He noted that creating one megawatt of wind power costs about $1.5-million in up-front costs, or $15-billion for 10,000 megawatts.

The NDP estimates it might cost only $10-billion if they buy turbines in bulk. "If we start manufacturing them here, it will be a lot less expensive," Mr. Layton said.

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, the national oil-and-gas lobby group, would not comment directly on the proposals, saying only that it supports diversifying energy supply.

The NDP is proposing "transition" funds to help oil, coal and nuclear workers cope with the withdrawal of tax breaks and subsidies and move into green-power jobs.

"We have energy professionals, people with great expertise in energy, they shouldn't simply be left aside as often happens in Canada when there are shifts in an economy," Mr. Layton said.

Several oil-patch firms have wind-power initiatives, but they are minuscule compared to their central businesses.

Justin Thompson, Liberal candidate in Calgary West, said Mr. Layton's proposal makes sense, pointing out that the federal Liberals have already introduced incentives for building wind power. "The NDP's moving in the right direction, and I hope the Liberals will be doing the same," he said.

NDP officials said the party wants 10 per cent of Canada's power supply to be from renewable energy by 2010.

This is quite representative of Liberal party politics. NDP suggest an idea, and the Liberals adopt it.

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Tories following failed Liberal policies, Layton says

The Conservatives are pushing policies that got the Liberals in trouble with Canadian voters, New Democratic Party Leader Jack Layton said Saturday.

NDP leader Jack Layton responds to a media question (CP photo)

The Conservatives have made tax cuts a key part of their platform.

Liberal tax cuts didn't make a noticeable difference in take-home pay, and were wiped out by fee increases, he said.

As voters move away from the Liberals, they will focus on Conservative policies and see the cuts promised by Conservative Leader Stephen Harper resemble what Liberal Leader Paul Martin has done.

The NDP is not opposed to cuts, but believes they should "make life more affordable for people," especially for those most in need.

"They have to be prudent," Layton said.

Conservatives and Liberals don't know Jack.

[maplesyrup]

NDP prepares new campaign front against Harper and 'artful' right-wing agenda

The party drafted a document entitled Harper's Dictionary on the weekend, accusing the Conservative leader of hiding a range of right-wing plans, from allowing MPs to push restrictions on abortion and gay marriage to new discussion of imposing the death penalty.

Never a dull moment!.

[Kliege]

Wow..This is great news for Harper with the Liberals and now the NDP going after him and the CPC its is now clear that Harper is now the man to beat. While the NDP and the Liberals are force to make nasty and American style attacks upon Harper both politically and personally, Harper can campaign as the front-runner always calm and collective and talking about the issues that matter to Canadian....While the Liberals( Martin will be out of the country for most of next week at the G-8 and President Reagan state Funeral) and the NDP are forced make attacks upon Harper and go out message about there own agendas.

This means serveral things:

1. The NDP will do worst in the rural areas of Canada. With Layton running on a hard-left agenda and attacking Harper ridings in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northern Ontario and Nova Scotia will be harder to win.

2. More NDP voters will go to the Green party and Liberal party, espcecially in British Columbia stopping any inroads they might have had in this election.

3. The NDP may risk making inroads in the major cities of Canada. This may even put Laytons bid to win Toronto-Danforth at risk.

4. NDP could actually do worst in this election then what was once believed

4. Harper will be and look like the front-runner throughtout next week and going into the debates.

5. With Martin out of Canada for most of next week look and the Focus being more on Harper and Layton look for Layton to make more silly and foolish statement, such as homelessness and the Clarity Act.

With next week virtially being an outweek for Martin because of events such as the G-8 and Reagans state funeral. So the debates will be make or break for each other the three national campaigns. But one things will be for certain Harper will going into as the front-runner and with the big MO.

[caesar]

I do believe that we have no real acceptable choices. I am worried most about Harper. He is too pro American and ready to let them lead us down the yellow brick road.

Remember what his buddy Brian Mulroney did to Canada. I am hoping for a Liberal/NDP coalition government that will keep everything moderate. Perhaps next time around a viable candidate/party will come to the forefront,

[takeanumber]

I wish there was a REAL MODERATE alternative that was viable.

Canadians want a change in government, but they don't want what the Reform-Alliance wing of the Conservative party is selling.

You know, all we'd need is 300,000 fiscally conservative, socially progressive people across this country to take over the Conservative party and kick out the Alliance faction.

It's too bad that it's soooo hard to mobilize.

[maplesyrup]

Federal NDP leader brings campaign North

Some supporters say they were impressed Layton had come this far North.

"Obviously there are a lot of votes in the big centres across the country and I thing it speaks well that we have a leader that is committed to hinterland Canada and is prepared to demonstrate that by showing up in a place like Whitehorse," said resident Lindsay Staples.

Jack is definitely a class act.

One person who walks the talk.

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NDP to take aim at Conservative social policies

Speaking on Canada AM Monday, NDP strategist Donne Flanagan said that while Canadians may want a change in government, they should think about what kind of change they'll be getting before they cast their votes.

"I think the kind of change that Stephen Harper represents ... is very bizarre change that Canadians are not that interested in," he said, pointing to comments from Conservatives MPs that he said highlight the party's true colours.

"It's a very different Conservative Party than the ones we've seen in the past. It really is very much the old Alliance party."

A little dissection of what this new Conservative party represents, is in order, I believe.