John's Posts

Recent assaults against transit drivers in Thunder Bay spurs action

June 12, 2013

OTTAWA – NDP MP John Rafferty (Thunder Bay – Rainy River) introduced a private member’s bill in the House of Commons today, C-531  (An Act to amend the Criminal Code (public transit operators), which is designed to protect public transit operators from violence while on the job.

As the Senate Scandal rages on in Ottawa a debate on what role that institution is to play in the future of democracy and politics in Canada is also underway, and the three main political parties have embraced three distinct positions on the matter.

There is quite a scandal going on in Ottawa right now and I have two opinions on it.  I’ll get to those two thoughts further down, but here is a quick look at the “Senate Scandal Timeline” as compiled by the CBC (www.cbc.ca).  It will hopefully explain what has happened on the issue before I share my thoughts.

Dec. 22, 2008: Conservatives Mike Duffy (P.E.I.), Pamela Wallin (Saskatchewan) and Patrick Brazeau (Quebec) are among 18 people named to the Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

New Minister, Less Money, and No Practical Plan for Development:  Rafferty

THUNDER BAY – Canada’s New Democrats believe that the Harper Conservatives are turning their backs on business and small communities in Northern Ontario with massive cuts to program funding for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor).

Last week the 2013-14 federal budget document was presented to parliament.  I was not impressed by the budget, and while my staff and I are still studying the document we have already found many items that will hurt families and businesses and that we will oppose.  Let me highlight some of them here.

Tax Increases

Who can forget the HST move right?  Well, while campaigning (again) in 2011 as the ‘low tax party,’ the Harper Conservatives have raised our taxes again.