NDP Convention: 6-02-13 Resolution on Healthcare for Refugees

6-02-13 Resolution on Healthcare for Refugees

Submitted by Newton-North Delta

WHEREAS Conservative cuts to the Interim Federal Health Program excluded many refugees and asylum claimants from temporary health benefits;

WHEREAS the Conservative cuts are demonstrably impacting on refugees with legitimate health concerns, including vulnerable groups like children, pregnant women, cancer patients and the elderly;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the New Democratic Party of Canada condemns the Conservative cuts to the Interim Federal Health Program and the impact that it has had on the health of those seeking refugee protection in Canada.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the New Democratic Party of Canada will work to restore temporary health benefits to all refugees making asylum claims in Canada.

Motion passed.

NDP Convention: 6-01-13 Resolution on a National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women

6-01-13 Resolution on a National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women

Submitted by Churchill, the Aboriginal Peoples Commission

WHEREAS over six hundred Aboriginal women have gone missing or been murdered in Canada;

WHEREAS the Government of Canada has cancelled funding to Sisters in Spirit research into missing and murdered Aboriginal women; and

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the New Democratic Party of Canada urge the Government of Canada to immediately launch, in consultation with Aboriginal women and their representatives, a national inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the New Democratic Party of Canada reaffirm its commitment to ending violence against First Nations, Inuit and Métis women by committing to action, including addressing root causes and systemic inequalities.

NDP MP Niki Ashton (Churchill) spoke in support of this motion.

Motion passed.

NDP Convention: Speech by Leader Thomas Mulcair

After winning the obligatory confidence vote by 92.3 per cent, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair delivered the following speech:

Saturday, April 13, 2013

New Democratic Party Convention – keynote address

Montreal, Quebec

Title: This is Our Moment: Building the Canada of Our Dreams

 

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY Continue reading NDP Convention: Speech by Leader Thomas Mulcair

NDP convention: 5-03-13 Resolution on Innovation, Science and Technology Policy: National Science Strategy

5-03-13 Resolution on Innovation, Science and Technology Policy: National Science Strategy

Submitted by Burnaby Douglas

WHEREAS science requires sustained, consistent and predictable investment, and failing to do so undermines long-term innovative potential;

WHEREAS science includes all major scientific fields of inquiry, including engineering, the social sciences and humanities;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NDP consult widely with scientists, researchers, businesses, postsecondary institutions, provincial, territorial, and First Nations leaders to reverse the damage done by Conservative policies and cuts, and move Canada to the forefront of the global knowledge economy by developing a Made in Canada National Science Strategy;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP move to match the percentage of GDP invested by the public and private sectors in research and development (GERD) as found in other global leading countries such as the United States

MP Kennedy Stewart spoke in favour of this motion.

Motion passed.

 

NDP Convention: 5-02-13 Resolution on Electoral Reform

The NDP convention considered this motion:

5-02-13 Resolution on Electoral Reform

Submitted by Toronto-Danforth

WHEREAS the current federal electoral system contains major shortcomings generating a significant democratic deficit;

WHEREAS the decline in voter turnout in federal elections in the last twenty years in Canada is worrying;

WHEREAS any electoral reform process must include the study of all relevant experience with an electoral system that includes both proportional representation and MPs directly elected in ridings;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the federal New Democratic Party reaffirm its desire to reform Canada’s electoral system by way of a system that combines proportional representation and direct election of  Members of Parliament from constituencies, that is to say, through a version of mixed member proportional (MMP) representation that is adapted to Canada.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the NDP reaffirms its longstanding electoral commitment to such reform and its firmly held belief that Canadian voters must approve such reform.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT the federal NDP’s Critic and Deputy Critic for Democratic and Parliamentary Reform should consult widely in communities across Canada before the next federal election.

MP Craig Scott spoke in favour. Several speakers spoke for and against.

Motion passed.

NDP Convention: 5-01-13 Resolution on Aboriginal Education

The NDP convention considered the following motion:

5-01-13 Resolution on Aboriginal Education

Submitted by the Longueuil—Pierre Boucher

WHEREAS despite the unanimous adoption of the NDP motion “Shannen’s Dream” by all political parties in the House of Commons, the situation of schools on reserves is still alarming; and

WHEREAS Aboriginals also have the highest school dropout rates in Canada;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the New Democratic Party will continue to work towards the realization of “Shannen’s Dream” with First Nations leaders to guarantee First Nations children access to the same standard of education as other Canadian children.

Among those speaking in support of this motion were NDP MP Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay) and Nycole Turmel (Hull-Aylmer).

Motion passed.

NDP convention: 5-05-13 Resolution on Idle No More

NDP convention now considering:

5-05-13 Resolution on Idle No More

Submitted by the Aboriginal Peoples Commission

WHEREAS years of inaction and broken promises from successive liberal and conservative government has led to severe social injustice and shocking poverty in too many communities

WHEREAS as a consequence we are witnessing an historic and growing grassroots movement joining Indigenous peoples and other Canadians in a long overdue conversation

BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party continues to work towards building a new relationship on a nation-to nation basis with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED that the NDP engages with grassroots Aboriginal activists who are calling on the government of Canada to repeal legislation like omnibus bill C-38 and C-45 that diminishes environmental protections of land and water and affect Aboriginal and Indigenous rights and title

Elder Raymond Robinson spoke to this motion.

NDP MP Romeo Saganash spoke to this motion.

After several speakers, the motion passes.

NDP convention: 2-06-13 Resolution to Reverse changes to Fish Habitat Protection, etc.

The NDP convention considered the following motion:

2-06-13 Resolution to Reverse changes to Fish Habitat Protection, to Navigable Waters Protection, and to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act

Submitted by Gaspésie-Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour

WHEREAS, instead of strengthening habitat protection and environmental oversight, the Conservative government has: gutted the Fisheries Act and the Navigable Waters Protection Act; weakened the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act; cut funding for science and research; and continues to ignore the threats of climate change to Canada’s oceans; and

BE IT RESOLVED that New Democrats call on the Conservative Government to reverse changes to fish habitat protection, to Navigable Waters Protection, and to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the federal government immediately implement the 75 recommendations identified in the Cohen Commission Report, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that cuts to funding for fisheries science and ecosystem management be restored

MP Robert Chisholm spoke in favour of this motion.

MP Philip Toone (Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine) spoke in favour.

Motion passed.

NDP Convention: 2-05-13 Resolution on Improving Pipeline Safety and Environmental Protection

The NDP convention in Montreal considered the following:

2-05-13 Resolution on Improving Pipeline Safety and Environmental Protection

Submitted by Burnaby—New Westminster

WHEREAS the Conservatives have used numerous omnibus budget bills to weaken environmental protections in order to fast track major energy projects;

WHEREAS the construction of large scale oil pipelines for export of raw bitumen amounts to the export of tens of thousands of value added processing jobs from Canada; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT New Democrats condemn the reckless gutting of environmental assessments through Conservative changes to the Fisheries Act, National Energy Board Act, Navigable Waters Protection Act, and Canadian Environmental Assessment Act;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT New Democrats reaffirm their commitment to thorough, evidence based reviews of proposed energy pipeline projects and that full public consultation must be open and accessible to all concerned;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT any construction or maintenance of energy pipelines should be based on the highest safety standards; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the NEB should be directed to consider the impacts of proposed pipelines on the sustainability of the environment and of value-added processing of resources.

Delegate from Hamilton-Mountain spoke in favour of this.

Barry Weisleder of the socialist caucus spoke against this.

Another delegate from Quebec’s eastern townships. Complained about a 70-year-old pipeline that carries oil from Maine to Montreal. Notes that he drives a car that runs on gas and that’s not going to change tomorrow. Have to protect on pipeline safety.

Motion passes.

NDP convention: 2-04-13 Resolution on Support for the Forestry Industry

2-04-13 Resolution on Support for the Forestry Industry

Submitted by Burnaby—New Westminster, Gaspésie-Iles-de-la-Madeleine

WHEREAS the evolution of the market for forest products over the last decade has had an important impact on the forestry industry, including: the declining demand for newsprint; the lower number of construction projects; the dispute with the United States over the export of softwood lumber; and the rise in international competition combined with a strong Canadian dollar and high fuel costs;

BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP reaffirm its opposition to the softwood lumber agreements –signed by the

Liberals in 1996 and by the Conservatives in 2006 that are still preventing the expansion of our industry; 

BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP work in consultation with provinces and territories to put forward a strategy to revive Canada’s forestry industry, with the objective of creating value-added jobs, developing our forests in a sustainable way, and respecting aboriginal rights;

BE IT RESOLVED that this strategy include measures to diversify the secondary manufacturing of timber through programs in support of research and development;

BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP call on the government of Canada to expand international markets to Canadian wood, especially in Asia.

MP Francois Lapointe ( Montmagny—L’Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup) spoke in favour of this motion.

A delegate  complained that this motion supports the “forestry industry” not the “workers in the forestry industry.”

Motion passes.