Last month, I shaved off my moustache (and am growing it back) to mark “Movember,” a month-long campaign to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer. I was inspired to participate in this campaign in part because my colleague and leader Jack Layton has prostate cancer.  About 25, 000 Canadian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year.  I also want to extend kudos to Jack Brill of Lower Sackville who has worked tirelessly to raise awareness for prostate cancer and early detection.

Military Purchases

New Democrats are calling on the federal government to temporarily pause its purchase of new F-35 fighter jets in an effort to ensure the procurement process is open, fair, and transparent.  In July, the Conservative government announced they plan to purchase sixty-five F-35 Lightning II fighter jets from Lockheed-Martin at a cost of more than 16 billion dollars.  The new jets will replace Canada’s aging CF-18’s.  But the government did not publically tender the purchase of these new fighter jets and the decision was made without consultation.  We need to ensure that this aircraft is the best one for the men and women in the Canadian Forces and that it provides the best value for taxpayers’ dollars.

Veterans Update

Congratulations to John Labelle of Lower Sackville and Dennis Manuge of Porters Lake who recently received the Commendation Award from Colonel (Ret’d) Patrick Stogran, Canada’s Ombudsman for Veterans’ Affairs, in recognition of their work and advocacy for veterans.  I was also pleased to receive the same Commendation Award that evening.  In conversation with John and Dennis, we noted that out of the four award recipients, three of us were from the federal riding of Sackville-Eastern Shore.

Colonel (Ret’d) Stogran was not re-appointed for a second term as the Ombudsman for Veterans Affairs despite many calls for a second term.  I wish Colonel Stogran all the best in his future endeavours.   I also congratulate Mr. Guy Parent who was appointed the new Veterans Ombudsman on November 12^th.

I was pleased that the House of Commons held a ‘take-note’ debate on veterans’ issues in the House of Commons on November 2^nd.  I pushed for this debate in recognition of the very serious issues facing veterans and their families and to ask for an inquiry into the practices of the Department of Veterans Affairs.  I also introduced a new bill (C-592) to allow modern day CF veterans’ access to veterans’ hospitals and departmental long term care beds.

National Declaration of Tartan Day

I am pleased that the federal government has officially declared April 6 as Tartan Day. I know many Scottish groups are very pleased with this declaration including Jean Watson of Lower Sackville.  Jean helped push for Tartan Day to be recognized on a national level and following her lead, I introduced a bill in the House of Commons several years ago.

Tartan Day is celebrated in many provinces including Nova Scotia in recognition of Canadians who have Scottish heritage.  I thank Canadian Heritage Minister Moore for his effort to officially recognize April 6^th as Tartan Day.

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.

Thanks to those of you who took the time on Remembrance Day, and every day, to honour and remember the great contributions of our veterans who bravely served our country and those who died in service. Thank you to those of you who also took time to recognize the contributions of our current Canadian Forces and RCMP personnel and their families plus first responders such as police officers, firefighters, paramedics and many others. I laid a wreath at the Eastern Passage cenotaph this year. Representatives placed wreaths at other cenotaphs on my behalf.

Public Inquiry Needed into Veterans Affairs

My work as the NDP Veteran’s Affairs Critic continues. I recently called for a public inquiry into the practices and policies of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Evidence is mounting that government bureaucrats accessed the personal medical files of several veterans and shared it with the Minister and his staff. This is a serious invasion of privacy for respected veterans’ advocates, Sean Bruyea, Louise Richard, Veterans Ombudsman Pat Stogran, and others. In a report on October 7th, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada stated that in Mr. Bruyea’s case, the Department of Veterans Affairs broke the law.

I continue to work on a number of issues that would improve programs and services for veterans and their families. One of these issues is spousal access to veterans’ hospitals.
This issue is a heartbreaking one for families. Spouses are separated after a life-time of marriage when a veteran is admitted to a veterans’ hospital for care. Often both of the spouses are experiencing failing health and are devastated by being apart. Family members who have experienced this situation have described it as a cruel policy that forcibly separates spouses in the last remaining days or years of their life.

Since the jurisdiction of veterans’ hospitals lies with the federal Department of Veterans Affairs, I asked the Minister more than three years ago to make changes and allocate some beds for the spouses of veterans at these facilities. But nothing has changed since that time. I will continue to advocate that the federal government make these changes so veterans’ spouses can be together in their last remaining years of life.

Waiver of Tariffs for Imported Vessels will Hurt Canada’ Shipbuilding Industry

While I am pleased that the government launched a national shipbuilding plan to build vessels in Canadian shipyards over the next 30 years, I am concerned by their recent decision to cut the 25% tariff for imported ships. I fear that the elimination of this tariff will lead to job loss and rationalization of shipyards. It essentially means that our government believes certain types of vessels would be better built elsewhere and not in Canada.

Canada has an opportunity to create jobs to meet our domestic maritime transport needs but there is no federal strategy to do this. And by eliminating this import tariff, I feel that the Conservative government is turning its back on an industry that could build competitively priced domestic cargo vessels, tankers and ferries.

Take the Federal Portion of HST off Home Heating Oil

New Democrats are calling on the Conservative government to remove the GST off all home heating fuels across Canada before the winter sets in. As Nova Scotia is a province with HST, that would mean a removal of the federal portion (5%) of the HST.

I am pleased that this issue is moving forward and gaining steam. Since 2006, I have called for the removal of GST on home heating fuel. I introduced a bill to the House of Commons (C-436) to complement the efforts of my NDP provincial colleagues calling for HST relief on home heating fuels.

We are also calling on the Conservative government to re-introduce the ecoENERGY Home Retrofit Program, so families can retrofit their homes and reduce their heating bills even further and cut greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.

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

Since January 1, 2009, Canadians over the age of 18 can contribute up to $5,000 annually to a Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) and any unused TFSA contribution room is carried forward for future years.  But if at any time during a calendar month you have exceeded your TFSA contribution limit, you will be subject to a tax of 1% per month.  To avoid further tax charges, you will need to withdraw the excess contributions from your account.  And to avoid the 1% tax charges altogether, do not exceed the $5,000 annual limit or your personal TFSA contribution limit in a given year.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) issued letters to TFSA holders who may have over-contributed to their TFSA on June 1, 2010.  If you received a letter, you will be required to provide more information to CRA.  You can also request relief of this tax if the tax liability arose because of a reasonable error.   For more information on TFSA’s, please refer to www.tfsa.gc.ca.

Census Debacle

Many organizations are calling for the Harper government to re-instate the mandatory long form census.  The government announced last month that it was going to turn the long form census into a short voluntary form because they received privacy complaints from Canadians.  The change could also cost taxpayers $30 million dollars.

The issue has gained momentum with the resignation of the Chief Statistician of Statistics Canada.  Many groups including businesses, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Canadian Council on Social Development and many others point out that the quality of data collected voluntarily becomes unusable and cannot be compared over time. The move also puts Canada out of step with how other western countries collect data.

The Census is used to help all levels of government develop policies and programs to address a wide range of challenges ranging from affordable housing, public transit and health services to new electoral riding distributions. It is also important to genealogists.

New Democrats have called for the re-instatement of the census long form as it is the only comprehensive data collected in Canada to gather concrete data about Canadians in their local neighbourhoods.

Protecting the food we eat: A Need for a Federal Food Policy

A recent report issued by the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture and the Ecology Action Centre show that only 13% of the food dollar we spend goes to local farmers.  This is down from the 17% we spent on local food eleven years ago.  It is a surprising find, given that many Canadians seem much more aware of the benefits of buying local food.

Federal New Democrats recently issued a “Food for Thought” report that outlines the need for a national food policy. The report is based on consultations with community groups, farmers, and other stakeholders.  The report recommends that the federal government develop a national strategy to address food-related issues.  We also recommend incentives to promote local food production, local farmers markets, stronger environmental and health standards for imported food, and proper labels on food with information on its origin, nutritional value, and whether it has been genetically modified.

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

The Navy is facing $3 million in cuts to its reserve divisions. This five percent budget reduction is unfortunate during what should be a year celebrating and strengthening Canada’s navy.

The cuts are expected to reduce training for reserve members.  This will affect morale, recruitment, and readiness to serve.

I have suggested that there are many other ways the Defence Department can save money rather than cutting the navy’s reserves.
The cuts to the navy’s reserves follow a decision in May that ordered half of the navy’s coastal patrol vessels tied up due to budgetary and staff shortfalls.  This order was reversed by the Chief of the Defence Staff but it was not clear where the Harper government found the funds to address the Navy’s budgetary shortfall.

New Democrats pass unanimous motion on oil spill review

The oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico has been a devastating environmental disaster.  Experts have estimated that between 25,000 and 30,000 barrels of oil have spilled into the Gulf each day.  At the time this column was written, officials with the British Petroleum (BP) were still trying to cap the leaking well.

After seeing the destruction in the Gulf of Mexico, Canadians became very concerned that this type of spill could happen here.  That is why New Democrats put forward a motion that called on the government to immediately conduct a thorough and transparent review of all relevant laws, regulations and policies regarding oil and gas exploration.  We needed to be proactive to ensure that any gaps in regulations were closed to prevent a similar disaster from ever happening here in Canada.

All government and opposition MPs voted unanimously for a review of all relevant federal laws, regulations and policies regarding the development of unconventional sources of oil and gas, including oil sands, shale gas and arctic and deep sea drilling. Unfortunately the Harper government has so far only committed to a limited and inadequate review by the National Energy Board.

Improvements Needed for EI sickness benefits

My colleague Fin Donnelly (New Westminster – Coquitlam & Port Moody) recently introduced a Private Member’s Bill in the House of Commons that would extend medical Employment Insurance benefits for those suffering from chronic or long-term illnesses.  His bill would increase EI sickness benefits from the existing 15 weeks up to a maximum of 52 weeks.

Donnelly was moved to action after he met a constituent that was experiencing great financial strain while fighting cancer.

Currently, people who are fighting cancer or any other chronic illness are only eligible for 15 weeks of sick benefits.  “People should not have to worry about how they are going to pay their bills when they are fighting cancer,” said Donnelly. “They should be able to focus on recovery.”

We are hopeful that this gap in the Employment Insurance Act will be addressed.  Almost one-third of all sickness claims are now exhausted before the beneficiary returns to work, leaving many individuals with no benefits or income while they continue to recover.

I also continue to work on extending Compassionate Care Employment Insurance benefits.   Currently family caregivers are only entitled to 6 weeks of Employment Insurance when they have to be away from work temporarily to provide care or support to a family member who is gravely ill and who has a significant risk of death within six months.  I am hoping that the government will extend the benefit period for up to 26 weeks.

Possible Fall Election

Canadians may be heading to the polls again this fall.  It is anticipated that Harper will call an election in September or October.
If you would like your name added to the potential list of Elections Canada poll clerks or Deputy Returning Officers for paid work on Election Day, please call our office.  We forward all names to Elections Canada after the election is called and they make the final decision on hiring within a couple of weeks after the election is called.  You can reach our office at 1-888-701-5557 or 902-861-2311.

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.