The Harper government recently announced that they want to rid themselves of 1,000 lighthouses across the country by declaring them surplus property as they no longer want to be responsible for their maintenance and care.  The decision will affect communities with lighthouses in every region of the country, including Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Quebec, British Colombia and the Arctic.

The government announced this plan quietly.  In late May, they posted the closures on a website of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as part of an announcement on the implementation of the so-called Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act.  They did not consult with communities and other stakeholders about this plan.

How hypocritical of this Conservative government to turn their backs on a commitment they made to support the retention of lightstations and to those who worked so hard to push for legislation to protect heritage lighthouses.

New Democrats have called for a dollar for dollar comparison of maintaining the existing lighthouses and replacing them with a steel tower and solar light.  We are not convinced that the divestiture of these lighthouses is the most cost-effective option.
We are also concerned that community groups will not be able to afford to maintain the lighthouses if they agree to take over ownership.  This happened to community groups who became responsible for wharves divested by the federal government a few years ago.

We have urged the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to reverse this decision and consult with affected communities and citizens.  The public deserves to have a say into the future of these structures.

Spiralling G8/G20 Costs

Canadians are outraged by the Harper government’s excessive spending of $1.2 billion dollars in preparation for the G8 and G20 meetings in Ontario in June.  Costs have spiralled out of control, including money spent on a fake lake, fake lighthouses, and costly washrooms.  For comparison, the cost for security at last year’s G20 meeting in London, England taxpayers was $30 million.  This is a very expensive photo op for Harper and it is outrageous that taxpayers are saddled with this bill.

I think most Canadians have imagined much better ways we could spend this amount of money.  I know I have.  This amount of money could be spent on health care, education, the environment, poverty reduction, an increase in pensions for seniors, better services for CF and RCMP veterans and their families, and many more positive initiatives.

Comments on Government’s National Shipbuilding Strategy

After years of advocating for a national shipbuilding strategy, I am pleased that the federal government finally announced a plan in early June. I have long championed for assistance to revitalize this industry.  The government will spend over $35 billion over the next thirty years on over 130 vessels that will be built in Canadian yards.  These include new ships for the Navy and Coast Guard to replace aging vessels.  The federal government will select two shipyards to coordinate the large projects but are required to find ways to share these economic benefits with other regions by subcontracting out some of the work.

While I am pleased that the government has finally announced a plan, I have urged the government to move much more quickly on implementing their strategy.  They should forgo their plan for a `two year delay` before any contracts are awarded to shipyards.

As always, please contact my office if you have any concerns or questions at (902) 861-2311.

In mid May, news broke that budgetary shortfalls were forcing the Navy to take three coastal patrol vessels at CFB Halifax and three vessels based at CFB Esquimalt out of service.  Rear Admiral McFadden, Commander of Canada’s Navy, had written a letter in April to navy officials on the East and West Coast, officials with DND, and the Chief of Defence Staff, outlining the plans to reduce the number of vessels in service.

I was very concerned that a shortage of operating funds had forced the Navy to reduce their coastal patrol vessels on the East and West Coast.  I issued a press release asking the Defence Minister to review this decision.  This decision would impact both Halifax and Victoria’s local economy and diminish the coastal patrol capabilities and surveillance of our waters.   Many sailors and their families would be also affected by this decision.
Surprisingly, less than 24 hours later, Minister MacKay denied that the decision was finalized and Chief of Defence Staff, General Walter Natynczyk, ordered that these cuts be rescinded.  Although I am very pleased with this turnaround, we will be watching this situation very carefully and awaiting the federal government’s national shipbuilding policy.

New Rules for MP Public Spending Announcements and Mailings

The Ethics Commissioner recently reported that the use of partisan or personal names on ceremonial cheques for federal funding announcements goes too far.  She suggests that this practise has the “potential to diminish public confidence in the integrity of Members and the governing institutions they represent.”  You may recall that dozens of Conservative MPs, including Nova Scotia MP Gerald Keddy, used ceremonial cheques with political logos and their personal names for Government of Canada public funding announcements.  This gave the impression that the money came from these members or the political party they belonged to, rather than from public funds.  I am pleased that the Ethics Commissioner has ruled on this matter as I felt it violated the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons.  Several MPs, including myself, made requests to the Ethics Commissioner for an investigation into these practises.

I am also pleased that the House of Commons has curtailed the use of ‘out of riding’ mailings by Members of Parliament.  MPs were mailing pamphlets, called 10%,  into ridings that they did not represent, often with very partisan messages.  The Speaker has determined that MPs can no longer mail these pamphlets to other ridings as a result of an investigation into the misuse of these mailings.  I had filed a complaint to the Speaker, along with my Liberal colleague Irwin Cotler, after several inappropriate and misleading pamphlets were mailed into our ridings.  This change in mailing rules will save approximately $5-8 million of taxpayers’ money per year.

Status of Bill C-201

Unfortunately Bill C-201, was recently killed by the Conservative government at third reading. This bill aimed to eliminate the annuity deduction (clawback) from Canadian Forces and RCMP service and disability pensions.  While the bill is defeated for now, I plan to reintroduce this bill in the next Parliament and will continue to press the government to fix this injustice.  This would help alleviate the financial pressure on many disabled and retired CF and RCMP veterans.   Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to move this bill forward, especially John Labelle, Roger Boutin, and Mel Pittman.  These three individuals, who live in Sackville, gained the support of thousands of people across the country.

Congratulations to All Graduates

Congratulations to all high-school and post-secondary graduates in our riding.  I wish you every success in your future endeavours.
As always, please contact my office if you have any concerns or questions at (902) 861-2311.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Navy.  There are many events planned in communities across the country to celebrate this important milestone.  You can find a detailed list of upcoming events at this website:  www.navy.forces.gc.ca/centennial.
Conservative Government Shelves Energy Retrofit Program
On March 31, the Conservative government suddenly cancelled the federal ecoEnergy Retrofit program. This program was very popular and provided a series of rebates to homeowners who made energy efficiency improvements to their home. Due to the cancellation of the program, you can no longer book a pre-retrofit home energy evaluation as of March 31st, 2010.  If you have already booked an appointment for a pre-retrofit evaluation or completed an evaluation, you remain eligible to apply for a rebate under this program until next March 31, 2011.  Please note that there are still provincial rebates available for home energy efficiency improvements.  For more information on the provincial rebates, please contact Conserve Nova Scotia at www.conserve.ns.ca or (902) 424-0790.
It is very short-sighted of the Conservative government to cancel this program.  In fact, the Conservatives announced in their March budget that they were planning to invest another $80 million into the program because it was so successful.  But a few weeks later, they pulled the plug.
Since the program was launched in 2007, more than 85,000 home retrofits were completed across Canada.  Spin-off benefits included a reduction in carbon emissions and energy consumption, job creation, and cost savings for home-owners.
New Democrats will push for answers to this sudden and unexpected cancellation of this very successful program.

More Government Help Needed as Veterans Turn to Food Banks

On the Easter Holiday weekend, a local newspaper published a photo of the Prime Minister Harper packing a food hamper for clients of the Calgary Poppy Fund Veterans Food Bank.  I was disheartened to see this photo, knowing that the veterans’ food bank in Calgary is located in the Prime Minister’s home city.

In my opinion, provincial and federal governments need to do much more to address the needs of Canadians who rely on food banks.  Similarly, if even a few veterans and their families are turning to food banks, the federal government and the Department of Veterans Affairs is failing in its responsibility to assist those who served our country.  While the Calgary Poppy Fund Veterans Food Bank is doing great work, I cannot help but think that the men and women who served our country should not have to turn to food banks.  The care of veterans and their families is the responsibility of the federal government and I have urged the Department of Veterans Affairs to immediately address this issue.

Summer Jobs for Youth

As the school year is winding down, students are beginning to think about summer employment or their plans for next year.  A good resource for students is the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Information web site at www.youth.gc.ca. This site provides information on career planning, finding work, exchange programs, youth initiatives, and summer career and job placements. This information is also available by calling 1-800-622-6232.

Recent high school graduates and university students should also look at the provincial Student Employment Program in Nova Scotia at the following website: www.gov.ns.ca/econ/sep/

. Here is a list of other youth programs:

•    Summer Work Exchange Program – Students practice their 2nd official language skills in another community and gain paid work experience.  The program is aimed at students aged 16 and 17 who will be returning to school and runs for 6 weeks.  For more information visit www.summer-work.com.

•    Youth Exchanges Canada offers exchanges to groups of 10-30 young Canadians between the ages of 11 and 18. Participants play an active role in organizing the exchange.  For more information go to  www.echanges.gc.ca.

•    Katimavik is billed “Canada’s youth volunteer service program” for young people aged 17-21.  For seven months, participants live in three provinces, work on community development projects and develop leadership abilities. For further information, visit the website at www.katimavik.org.

•    Canada World Youth offers Youth Exchange Programs for youth between 17 and 24 years of age.  Youth participants live in communities in Canada and around the world and perform volunteer work in areas related to agriculture, community and social services, health care, education, environment and information technology.  For further information visit the website at  www.cwy-jcm.org.

•    There are other youth exchange programs including Canadian Crossroads International (bbnc.cciorg.ca), Youth Challenge International www.yci.org

) and AFS Intercultural Programs (www.afs.org).

As always, please contact my office for information or assistance at (902) 861-2311 or
1-888-701-5557.

On “Vimy Ridge Day”, Friday April 9, 2010, the Government of Canada will hold a national commemorative ceremony honouring all of Canada’s First World War service men and women in Ottawa at the National War Memorial. A number of other ceremonies will be held the same day in locations across Canada and overseas in France and England.

Canadians can also pay their respects by signing special Books of Reflection which will be on display at locations across Canada and at each Provincial/Territorial Legislature. An online version of the Books of Reflection will also be available on the Veterans Affairs Canada web site at www.vac-acc.gc.ca.

Income Tax Deadline Coming Up

The deadline for filing income tax returns is coming up. Generally, returns must be filed on or before April 30, 2010. Please note that if you file your return after April 30, 2010, your GST/HST credit, Canada Child Tax Benefit (including those payments from certain related provincial or territorial programs), and Old Age Security benefit payments may be delayed. To avoid interest charges or delays of your benefit payments, please file on time.

I have also encouraged the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to provide internet filing software for free. Currently, Canadians who to choose to file via NETFILE need to purchase commercial tax preparation software. It makes sense for CRA to provide this software to Canadians for free. This idea has been raised by many constituents.

Please also be wary of any email that looks like it is coming from the Canada Revenue Agency and says that you are “entitled to your tax refund now.” The email asks you to login to a “secure Epass site with your Social Insurance number.” Please note that this email is a hoax. These emails are designed to try to get your private information and SIN number for financial and identity theft purposes. Canada Revenue Agency will never send you an email like this – they only communicate with you by regular mail.

Self-employed? You’re now eligible for EI special benefits

If you are one of the many Canadians who are self-employed, you now have access to income protection to help you with major life events. Starting January 31, 2010 you can enter into an agreement with the Canada Employment Insurance Commission through Service Canada. Opting into this agreement would allow you to qualify for the Employment Insurance (EI) program’s “special benefits”. These include the following:
• Maternity (up to 15 weeks)
• Parental & adoptive (up to 35 weeks)
• Sickness (up to 15 weeks)
• Compassionate-care (up to 6 weeks)

To qualify, you must opt into the program at least one year before applying for EI special benefits and pay EI premiums on your self-employment income. You must also have recorded at least $6,000 in self-employment earnings during the previous 12 months. To find out more: please contact Service Canada at www.servicecanada.gc.ca or 1-800-206-7218.

Need for Federal Strategies on Growing Health Issues

April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day. The day was established by the United Nations General Assembly to remind us of the need to raise awareness about autism and encourage early diagnosis and early intervention. The day also acknowledges the growing concern of the high rate of autism in children in all regions of the world.

In Canada, parents of autistic children have long called on the federal government to work with the provinces to ensure that autism therapy is provided as a public funded service. Currently, parents of autistic children have to pay for expensive ABA/IBI therapy for their children. Some provinces help parents with the high financial costs of this therapy (for a limited time) whereas other provinces do not provide any assistance at all.

That is why New Democrats have introduced a bill that would ensure medical treatments or therapy for autistic children is covered by the health care insurance plan of every province and called for a national autism strategy. As well, New Democrats have called on the federal government to develop national strategies on other health issues including cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

As always, please contact my office with any concerns or questions at (902) 861-2311 or 1-888-701-5557.

Congratulations to all the athletes and coaches who participated in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. All athletes demonstrated great spirit, excellence in sport, and pride in their country. I also want to extend my congratulations to the athletes participating in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Paralympics from March 12th to 21st.

Budget 2010

The Conservative government will deliver its 2010 budget this month. Our federal government will need to deliver a budget that is fiscally responsible yet maintains our core government services and programs. Unfortunately, Harper’s decision to prorogue Parliament limited the opportunity for public input and pre-budget consultations.
Your input is valuable. Let me know what you think of the federal government’s 2010 Budget.

Jack Layton Undergoing Prostrate Cancer Treatment

Last month, NDP Leader Jack Layton announced that he is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer but he will continue to serve as the leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada and the Member of Parliament for Toronto-Danforth. We wish Jack well in his recovery.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, over 25,000 Canadian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. If you are over 50 years old, the Canadian Cancer Society recommends that you should talk to your doctor about your personal risk of developing prostate cancer and whether you should be tested.

Beware of Internet Myths

For many years, people have forwarded me an email that describes the financial support refugees receive from our federal government in comparison to Old Age Security payments. The email mistakenly concludes that refugees receive a monthly allowance from the federal government greater than the monthly allowance received by OAS pensioners. This email is not correct and is an urban myth. In fact, the urban myth has its origins in a 2004 Toronto Star Article and an incorrect reader’s response to the article. Unfortunately, an email campaign ensued that spread this misinformation. Please be careful of what you read and believe on the internet. For more information on this issue, please see this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigrant_benefits_urban_legend

As always, please contact my office at (902) 861-2311 or 1-888-701-5557.

Canadians are deeply saddened by the horrific earthquake which has devastated Haiti. The people of Haiti and the Canadian-Haitian community are in our thoughts and prayers. Immediate emergency aid and rescue efforts are already underway but it will take many months and years to rebuild Haiti and relieve human suffering.

I want to express my appreciation to our military and foreign affairs personnel, staff from non-governmental organizations, the United Nations staff who were already on the ground as part of the UN Stabilisation Mission, and the many others who are participating in relief efforts. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has donated to organizations that are helping Haitians rebuild their lives and communities. I am pleased that the Government of Canada will match dollar for dollar the contributions of individual Canadians to eligible Canadian charitable organizations in support of humanitarian, recovery, and reconstruction efforts in Haiti, up to a total of $50 million. For more information, please see www.acdi-cida.gc.ca.

If you plan on making a donation, please double check that your donation is going to a legitimate charitable organization such as the Red Cross, UNICEF, Doctors without Borders, Oxfam Canada, Care Canada, The Humanitarian Coalition, and others. You can consult the Canadian Revenue Agency’s list of registered charities and relief organizations at www.cra.gc.ca/donors.

Prorogation: Another Example of Harper’s Arrogance

I have heard from many constituents who are unhappy with Harper’s decision to prorogue Parliament until March 3rd. Canadians want their government representatives to get back to work in Ottawa. They want the Harper government to address issues and answer questions about Afghanistan, our economy, the environment, and other important issues.

Harpers unilateral decision to prorogue Parliament until March is yet another example of this government’s arrogance. Prorogation causes all government bills and legislation before the House to die. It also means that parliamentary committees cannot work or meet until Parliament resumes. This includes the work of finance committee which was preparing to conduct pre-budget consultations with groups and citizens across the country.

February is Black History Month

Many local activities are planned to celebrate Black History Month. In late January, I am participating in the premiere launch of the “William Hall Play” at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa as a guest speaker. William Hall was an African Nova Scotian who was awarded the Victoria Cross medal by Britain for his bravery in a battle in India in 1859. The play is produced by renowned actor, producer and director Anthony Sherwood. I am also looking forward to attending the unveiling of a Commemorative Stamp of William Hall at the Black Cultural Centre in early February.

I encourage you to participate in many of the Black History Month events throughout Halifax Regional Municipality. I also encourage you to visit the Black Cultural Centre in Cherry Brook, just outside Dartmouth on Highway #7, and in our federal riding of Sackville-Eastern Shore. The Black Cultural Centre of Nova Scotia is a wonderful centre that celebrates the many contributions African Nova Scotians have made to our province. For more information on the Black Cultural Centre of Nova Scotia, please see www.bccns.com or call toll free at 1-800-465-0767.

Need to End Archaic Marriage Restrictions

I recently held a press conference calling on the federal government to end archaic pension restrictions for veterans. Current legislation restricts pension and health benefits for veterans’ surviving spouses in the case of marriage after the age of 60.  As well, legislation restricts pension and health benefits for surviving spouses of many federal public servants in the case of marriage after retirement. I plan to introduce a bill that would modernize this legislation. It is interesting to note that the Canada and Quebec Pension Plans do not include any such restrictions.

As always, please contact me with any concerns or questions at (902) 861-2311 or 1-888-701-5557.

H1N1

I would like to thank all of the health care workers, doctors, nurses, administrative support staff, volunteers and others who provided care during the H1N1 outbreak. I know many of you worked long hours to vaccinate Nova Scotian’s and provide care for those who fell ill.

Solutions needed to Target Poverty

The recession has shaken the confidence of many Canadian seniors about their retirement security. We also know that currently more than 250,000 seniors live in poverty. Yet, Statistics Canada calculates the “poverty gap” among seniors at less than $700-million. The Conservative government could easily decrease seniors’ poverty by increasing Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) payments to seniors’. Raising the GIS to end seniors’ poverty would cost less than half of what Mr. Harper will spend on new corporate tax cuts in January. New Democrats have also suggested pension reforms by allowing Canadians to increase retirement savings in the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), protecting workplace pensions with national pension insurance and ensuring underfunded pensions are protected when employers go bankrupt.

Happy New Year

On behalf of my wife Andrea, my family, and my staff, I wish you a very Happy New Year.
As always, please contact me with any concerns or questions at (902) 861-2311 or 1-888-701-5557.

It is very unfortunate that hundreds of litres of furnace oil recently flowed into the Little Sackville River as a result of the careless actions of vandals. Walter Regan, president of the Sackville Rivers, confirmed that the oil spill will adversely affect the ecosystem and kill Atlantic salmon eggs, bugs, various fish species, and other aquatic organisms. I have written the Department of Fisheries and Oceans asking them to provide assistance to the Sackville Rivers Association with the costs of restocking the river.

Since 1988, volunteers with the Sackville Rivers Association have spent countless hours rehabilitating and restoring the Sackville River and its tributaries. They have also coordinated many education and conservation projects within the watershed and involved hundreds of local students in their fish stocking programs. While this is an unfortunate setback for the health of the river and our community, I know that plans are already underway for restoration projects. This speaks to the strength and dedication of our local community and volunteers with the Sackville Rivers Association.

Need for National Clean Water Strategy

Clean drinking water is something many of us take for granted. But for many communities in Canada, access to clean water can be difficult. Last year, close to 1800 communities in Canada faced boil water orders and as of October 31, 2009, there were 124 First Nations communities across Canada under a Drinking Water Advisory.

New Democrats are calling on the federal government to develop and implement a National Water Strategy that would improve water quality monitoring and the enforcement of water quality standards. All Canadians should have clean, safe water in their homes and communities.

As well, New Democrats have called for a ban on bulk fresh water exports from Canada by federal law. We need to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to ensure that water is not defined as a good or a service under the agreement and that bulk water exports are excluded from the deal.

Canada Lagging behind on Climate Change Action

Last month, I wrote about the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Unfortunately, both the Liberals and Conservatives voted to keep Bill C-311, the Climate Change Accountability Act, in a parliamentary committee until after Copenhagen. This bill, introduced by my New Democrat colleague Bruce Hyer, would impose legally binding, achievable reduction targets and ensure that Canada’s actions would be on par with other nations. It is very disappointing that Canada will be seen as a laggard on establishing any real targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Changes Needed to New Sacrifice Medal

Last month, the Governor General presented 46 Sacrifice Medals to members of the Canadian Forces (CF) and their families who were wounded or killed by hostile action. The medal is awarded to any member of the CF who served on or after October 7, 2001 and is also awarded posthumously.

While I am pleased that the government has created a new medal to honour the sacrifices of members of the Canadian Forces, I have written the Minister of National Defence to urge him to expand the eligibility for the new medal. By restricting eligibility to those who served on or after October 7, 2001, the department has left out many service men and women who served in conflicts like Bosnia, Africa, and the Middle East and sustained injuries or died. These men and women should also be honoured with this medal. I suggest that the criteria for this medal should be expanded to include the men and women who served in conflicts after the Korean War, 1953.

All the Best for the Holiday Season

On behalf of my wife Andrea, my family, and my staff, I wish you the very best for the holiday season and in the New Year.
As always, please contact me regarding any of your concerns or comments. I can be reached at 861-2311 or toll free at 1-888-701-5557

Congratulations to the provincial NDP for their historic election win on Tuesday June 9th. I look forward to working with the new government, Premier Darrell Dexter and his NDP team. I would like to thank everyone who participated in the provincial election campaign including candidates from all the parties, those who volunteered their time in a campaign, and those who exercised their democratic right to vote. As well, thank you to outgoing MLA’s Bill Dooks and Barry Barnett for their years of service.

Renewable Energy Investment Needed

Canada needs to take concrete action to tackle climate change and lower our greenhouse gas emissions. We should be following the lead of the United States where President Obama is seeking a greener path to economic recovery for the United States by investing in many renewable energy projects.

Unfortunately, less than 1 per cent of Mr. Harper’s stimulus package has gone to renewable energy projects. New Democrats have advocated that even in these difficult economic times, we have an opportunity to invest precious stimulus dollars to spark Canada’s transition to a new energy economy. This is our chance for Canada to come out of the recession stronger than ever and give us new opportunities for a greener economy.
While municipal, provincial and federal governments must play a leadership role in reducing Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, individuals must also take action to reduce and conserve energy.

Solutions Needed for Lobster Fishermen

Lobster fishermen and their families are struggling. Low market prices have made it almost impossible to make ends meet and cover the cost of fishing. Current market prices are as low as $3/lb whereas last year fishermen were selling lobster for at least $6/lb.
While the federal government recently announced financial assistance for the industry, it remains to be seen just how many fishermen this will help. To qualify, fishermen must have experienced a 25 per cent drop in income from 2008 and can only receive a maximum amount of $5,000.
New Democrats have also advocated for the federal government to make temporary changes to Employment Insurance to better assist lobster fishermen during these difficult times. As access to Employment Insurance for fishermen is based on yearly earnings, we have asked the federal government to base EI on 2008 income levels, rather than their 2009 income. We have also pushed the government to introduce measures to improve the sustainability of the lobster stocks to ensure the industry remains viable for years to come. With the lobster fishery contributing about $400 million in annual sales to the economy of Nova Scotia, we must ensure this fishery remains strong.
Active Living
I recently joined the all-party parliamentary fitness group to promote and encourage physical activity and health. I hope that everyone has an active and great summer. As always, please contact my office if you have any concerns or questions at 902-861-2311 or 1-888-701-5557.