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"The day after the 2000 budget, only the NDP asked why the Liberals abandoned health care, giving it just two cents for every dollar in tax cuts. Every other party ignored the budget and ignored Canadians’ priorities. But the NDP kept up our health fight in Parliament and beyond, fighting to save health care from underfunding and privatization."
- Alexa McDonough, Toronto Star, July 26, 2000
New Democrats Make the Difference in the House of Commons
So, Joe Clark and Stockwell Day wanted into the House of Commons bad enough to force two by-elections.
Our experience as a caucus in the last three years shows that regardless of who leads the Tories or the Alliance/Reformers in the House, only New Democrats consistently challenge the Liberals on the issues that matter most to Canadians.
While other parties in the House obsessed over government scandals, only the NDP pointed the finger at the failure of the Liberals to act on the priorities of Canadians - health care, the environment, education, globalization, poverty and housing.
As NDP House Leader, I’m looking forward to the fall session with renewed vigour. And I welcome the interest in what’s going on in the House of Commons flowing from the by-elections.
Liberals Shut Down Debate
By using closure to shut down debate in the House a record number of times in the last session, the Government was able to ram through the House a fairly heavy legislative agenda between October 1999 and June 2000, passing 29 bills.
The debate around Bill C-11, which privatized the Cape Breton Development Corporation (DEVCO) demonstrated more than at any other occasion in this session that only the NDP will stand up for the dignity and security of working families, in Atlantic Canada and across the country. Led by our Cape Breton MP’s, Michelle Dockrill and Peter Mancini, only the NDP caucus fought the Liberals at every stage of the passage of Bill C-11.
New Democrats also fought for the introduction and speedy passage of Bill C-12, changes to the Canada Labour Code, which had been seven years in the making, and reflected a consensus between labour, industry and the government.
Voting Marathons
During the last session, MP’s were forced on two occasions to vote around the clock for days on end. Once by the Alliance because of their hundreds of dilatory amendments to Bill C-9 in an attempt to derail the Nisga’a Final Agreement Act and on another occasion by the Bloc Quebecois who tried to kill the Clarity Bill (C-20).
New Democrats stood with the Nisga’a people in support of C-9, and proposed and passed amendments to the Clarity Bill to recognize the importance of consulting aboriginal people on the clarity of the question and the majority after any future Quebec referendum.
Thirteen NDP amendments proposed by John Solomon to C-2, changes to the Canada Elections Act, were passed by the House. The intent of these amendments was to ensure that the source of campaign donations, particularly those from "numbered" companies, is clear.
NDP Transportation Critic Bev Desjarlais proposed a number of amendments to C-26, the bill which approved Air Canada's takeover of Canadian Airlines International. She proposed amendments which addressed price gouging, service to small communities and foreign ownership which were rejected by the Liberals.
Dick Proctor, NDP Agriculture Critic, endureda last minute marathon study in committee of Bill C-34 (Grain Transportation) in June. He proposed amendments at committee dealing with productivity sharing; freight rate differentials; exclusions from the Revenue Cap and the price of a branchline when sold to a shortline operator, which were all defeated.
What’s On For Fall
As the House returns this September, there are approximately 15 bills on the Order Paper, all at various stages of debate. Among these, the Government House Leader has said publicly that the following bills are at the top of their priority list for passage before the end of 2000:
C-3, Youth Criminal Justice Act - This bill has been in committee since November 1999. NDP Justice Critic Peter Mancini has expressed many concerns with the legislation, including the substantially increased financial and administrative burden the Act will place on the provinces.
C-31, Immigration & Refugee Protection - the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration will hold public hearings on this bill in the fall. Pat Martin, NDP Immigration and Citizenship critic, has pointed out that under the guidelines of this proposed legislation, to bar anyone who has ever been convicted of a "serious crime" from making a refugee claim would be a terrible mistake. Under this bill, someone like Nelson Mandela would not qualify for immigration into this country because for political reasons, he was convicted of what was thought to be a serious crime in his home country.
C-33, Species at Risk - One of the most controversial bills in the House right now, it represents the government’s second attempt to keep what was a Liberal Red Book promise in the federal election campaign of 1993 and again in 1997. NDP Environment Critic Dennis Gruending will make it clear during hearings this fall that this legislation is weak on the protection of species at risk and their habitats; it invites political consideration, lobby opportunities and ministerial discretion at every turn; and it fails to include compensation provisions for workers and communities who are affected economically by action plans to rescue and recover species at risk. Canada deserves, and can certainly afford, a better law to protect species at risk of becoming extinct.
Other legislation to watch? Finance Minister Paul Martin tabled the 900 page-long Bill C-38, Financial Institutions bill in June. NDP Finance Critic Lorne Nystrom will be sorting through this legislation to see who it really benefits - the banks, consumers or the Minister of Finance.
NDP Opposition Days Put Focus on Health
Three times a year, a full day in the House is set aside to debate a motion of the NDP’s choice. Two of these three motions can be voted on by the House.
In the last session, the NDP Caucus used one day to debate Canadian trade policy (November 4, 1999) and two to debate health care (March 2, 2000 and May 18, 2000). The motions on health were both voteable, and both were defeated.
On March 2, the NDP motion calling on the government to stand up for universal public health care and increase health care transfers beyond the inadequate sum announced in the budget was defeated. The Liberals, the Reform/Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives all voted against it.
The NDP stood alone in voting in favour of our motion of May 18, which called on the government to amend the Canada Health Act to penalize provinces like Alberta, who now as a result of Bill 11, allow public funds to be used for the provision of insured services by private, for-profit hospitals.
Top 10 Topics on which the NDP Caucus Spoke Out in Question Period
(October 1999-June 2000)
- Health Care
- Environment
- Agriculture
- HRDC
- Canadian Culture
- Economy
- International Trade
- Labour
- Employment
- Poverty
One-third of all questions asked by the NDP were on health care (February - June 2000). Other parties didn’t even break 10%:
NDP 31%
BQ 7%
PC 5%
CA 4%
NDP Speaking Out In Committees
With only 19 caucus members, our MP’s are spread out pretty thin each day in Parliament, juggling constituency work with maintaining a presence in the Chamber and being active in the committee work of the House.
There are 20 committees of the House, and over a dozen sub-committees, often requiring our caucus members to sit on more than one committee, and from time to time, act as a substitute for another MP.
The work of NDP MP’s at committee is vital in ensuring that the views of Canadians on the issues of the day are represented in a balanced way. The following are some highlights of the work done by NDP MP’s at committee.
NDP Minority Reports Make Points
Committees examine legislation in the House, as well as devote time, and sometimes travel, to study issues in depth.
To ensure that NDP policy on topics studied by committee was clear, a number of NDP MP’s issued minority reports as part of majority reports of Committee studies in the last session. The 1999-2000 NDP minority reports are listed below (click on a report's title to view the actual report):
- Free Trade Area of the Americas, Bill Blaikie
- Social Benchmarks for a Millennium Budget - Children and Youth at Risk, Libby Davies
- Restructuring of Canada’s Airline Industry, Modern Regulation in the National Interest, Bev Desjarlais
- Benchmarks for a Millennium Budget, Lorne Nystrom
- Making the Farm Income Safety Net Stronger & More Responsive to Farmers’ Needs, Dick Proctor
- Productivity & Innovation: A Competitive & Prosperous Canada, Nelson Riis
- Change in the Canadian Book Industry, Wendy Lill
- Restoring Confidence: Getting to the Truth and Ensuring Consequences at HRDC, Libby Davies
- Interim Report on the Competition Act - Newspaper Industry in Canada, Nelson Riis
- Canada’s Role in the Kosovo Conflict, Svend Robinson
Health Committee Stalled by Chair
Judy Wasylycia-Leis spent a frustrating session as a member of the Standing Committee on Health pushing for an in-depth inquiry into the state of Canada’s health care system. Her efforts, and those of other members of the committee, were repeatedly stonewalled by the Liberals, even though health care is the No. 1 issue on the minds of Canadians. A new Committee Chair will be appointed this fall, but it remains to be seen if this will be an improvement or not.
As a member of the Fisheries & Oceans Committee, NDP Fisheries Critic Peter Stoffer participated in travelling hearings as part of the Committee’s study on aquaculture, aboriginal fishing and review of the Oceans Act.
Libby Davies, NDP Social Programs critic, was part of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development study of HRDC grants and contributions. Her minority report criticized the partisan misuse of public funds, and renewed the NDP’s call for whistleblower legislation, and the reversal of years of cutbacks and layoffs in the public service.
When CBC executives appeared in front of the Canadian Heritage committee, contrary to media portrayals, NDP Culture Critic Wendy Lill and our Leader Alexa McDonough went after them, demanding they stop regional cuts to the CBC.
In November 1999, Louise Hardy, NDP Aboriginal Affairs critic represented the
caucus at public hearings in the B.C. communities of Terrace, Smithers, Prince George and Victoria on Bill C-9, the Nisga’a Final Agreement.
Landmark Report on Pesticides
A number of NDP caucus members including Dennis Gruending, Peter Mancini and Judy Wasylycia-Leis were involved in the work of the Environment Committee's report Pesticides - Making the Right Choice for Protection of Health and the Environment which was tabled in May 2000. This landmark report will assist those Canadians across the country who wish to reduce pesticide use in their communities.
NDP Foreign Affairs Critic Svend Robinson was instrumental in getting the Foreign Affairs Committee to study the situation in Iraq, culminating in a unanimous report on the effects of ongoing sanctions against this country.
Gordon Earle was involved in a number of issues at National Defence and Veterans Affairs Committee, including: quality of life for members of the military and their families; reform of contracting out and procurement procedures for DND, and the national missile defence system proposed by the U.S. Gordon and Svend also participated in joint committee hearings on Canada’s role in the conflict in Kosovo and the ongoing situation there.
NDP MP’s Private Member's Motion Passes
One hour of each day in the Commons is devoted to Private Members’ Business, during which motions or bills proposed by individual MP’s are selected for debate.
Occasionally, they are votable - but rarely do they pass. However, NDP Whip Yvon Godin’s motion on seasonal workers passed the House of Commons last spring.
Restore EI Benefits to Seasonal Workers
Workers in seasonal industries were heavily penalized by the Liberal government changes to unemployment insurance, with devastating effects on regional economies throughout our country.
Yvon Godin’s motion, M-222, called on the government to take immediate action to restore Employment Insurance benefits to seasonal workers. It passed the House on May 9, 2000, after a tricky move by the Liberals to amend the motion changing its wording from "restore" to "review".
Martin’s Bill Narrowly Defeated
Pat Martin’s bill C-238 sought to correct the legislation which denies rural route mail carriers the right to free collective bargaining. The bill was defeated by only four votes, (114-110), done in by the Alliance, and the front benches of the Liberals.
Solomon Introduces Bill to End Gas Price Gouging
On June 9, 2000, NDP Consumer Affairs Critic John Solomon introduced his Bill C-488 into the House. The bill seeks to establish an energy price commission which will regulate the wholesale and the retail price of energy and fuel in Canada, in particular gasoline and diesel.
NDP Motions to Be Debated In Fall
NDP Caucus members Lorne Nystrom and Nelson Riis currently have private member’s motions scheduled for debate in the House this fall, which should provoke interesting discussions in the House.
One hour of debate has already taken place in the House on Lorne Nystrom’s votable motion to incorporate a form of proportional representation into Canada’s electoral system (M-155).
Nelson Riis’ motion M-259, (seconded by NDP Culture Critic Wendy Lill) calling for tax exemptions for workers in Canada’s cultural industries is generating a lively debate on support to Canada’s artists. There will be one more hour of debate on this motion before it is voted on this fall.
Westray Bill Proposes Change to Criminal Code
In response to the Westray mine disaster, in which 26 miners lost their lives, NDP Leader Alexa McDonough introduced a Private Members’ Bill C-259 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (criminal liability of corporations, directors and officers) which would hold corporations responsible for workplace accidents.
On June 6, 2000, thanks to the support of a group of USWA members who lobbied MP’s on behalf of C-259, a unanimous motion of the Justice Committee was passed, recommending that the Minister of Justice introduce legislation to ensure that corporate executives and directors are held properly accountable for workplace safety, based on the principles of Alexa’s bill and that of a private members’ motion which passed the House in March 2000.
The government has 150 days to respond to the request of the Committee. The caucus will continue working to ensure that the government acts on this issue.
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