As the sun came out in Ottawa last week, so too did more scandal as Elections Canada was aided by the RCMP with a raid on Conservative Party HQ.
This is good news for no-one as it distracts from the serious work at hand, perhaps the most serious of which is fighting poverty in Canada. Greater Saint John is a city on the up, but even as our economy grows, we have to be sure to keep working towards a more just society for the worst off.
Late last year, the Liberal party announced its 30-50 plan to reduce poverty in Canada. This plan will bring the number of Canadians as a whole living in poverty down 30% and the number of children living in poverty by 50% in five years. This plan is costed, economically feasible, and respects those it seeks to offer a hand-up.
This comprehensive plan stands in stark contrast to the current government, which raised the tax rate on the lowest income group in their first budget, even while they offered tax breaks to the upper income groups.
With any luck we’ll be able to bring this plan to action and start investing in people again.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Municipal Elections
As the race for mayor and council heats up in Saint John, Rothesay, Quispamsis and St. Martin’s, municipal issues are hot on everyone’s minds.
The challenges are different in every municipality; whether it’s water in Saint John or recreational facilities in the Kennebecasis Valley, municipalities are finding it harder and harder to meet the growing needs of their residents.
When I spoke last month at the Cities of New Brunswick conference, many hard working city and town officials shared with me the challenges they are facing to keep tax rates down to encourage growth while investing in their communities.
The story is the same across the country. During consultations in Ontario, BC, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia mayors and councilors feel shut out of the decision making process by the tax rich federal and provincial governments.
In the Liberal Urban Communities Caucus, we’ve been crafting a fiscally-responsible program to invest in cities, towns, and villages across the country to help them meet the needs of their residents, be it transit, affordable housing, or safe drinking water.
I hope everyone is carefully considering the proposals of the candidates in the municipal elections and asking the right questions to be able to elect the very best to govern our towns and cities as we seek to grow and build a better Greater Saint John.
The challenges are different in every municipality; whether it’s water in Saint John or recreational facilities in the Kennebecasis Valley, municipalities are finding it harder and harder to meet the growing needs of their residents.
When I spoke last month at the Cities of New Brunswick conference, many hard working city and town officials shared with me the challenges they are facing to keep tax rates down to encourage growth while investing in their communities.
The story is the same across the country. During consultations in Ontario, BC, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia mayors and councilors feel shut out of the decision making process by the tax rich federal and provincial governments.
In the Liberal Urban Communities Caucus, we’ve been crafting a fiscally-responsible program to invest in cities, towns, and villages across the country to help them meet the needs of their residents, be it transit, affordable housing, or safe drinking water.
I hope everyone is carefully considering the proposals of the candidates in the municipal elections and asking the right questions to be able to elect the very best to govern our towns and cities as we seek to grow and build a better Greater Saint John.
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