Harper Conservatives must make Parliament work

Local federal Liberals in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex hope that the Harper Conservatives accomplish something they’re not very adept at–working with the other parties in Parliament–to put Canadians first and not politics, said Mike Ferguson, local riding president.

“Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has reviewed the government’s accountability report and presented four questions that Canadians need answered,” said Ferguson. “He made it clear to Canadians that the Liberal Party is not seeking an election. We want Parliament to work. We want to replace confrontation with co-operation.”

“In January, Liberal MP’s voted for the budget because it promised to get needed stimulus into the economy. We did so on the condition that the government would submit regular reports to Parliament on its performance. After reading the government’s latest status update over the weekend, we still have serious questions about this government’s performance and have requested answers on some key issues affecting Canadians.”

“We have consistently shown that we want to make Parliament work for Canadians. The Prime Minister can show that he also wants to make it work by responding honestly to the concerns we have raised,” said Ignatieff. “ If Mr. Harper requires more time to answer these questions, we are prepared to give it to him by extending the current session of Parliament.”

“A cooperative parliament is one where a prime minister would meet with the leader of the opposition to encourage collaboration, yet there’s been no meeting of this kind since January. This approach makes it difficult for Parliament to work.

We know Canadians don’t want an election. But Mr. Harper should not expect us to support the government on the basis of his report unless we get more information.
Let me be clear: there is no coalition. The Liberal Party is simply doing its job as the Official Opposition. That means standing up when it’s in the best interests of Canadians to do so.

• There are four questions Canadians deserve to have answered:

1. Employment Insurance - On Thursday the Prime Minister said the government had plans to introduce further changes to employment insurance in the fall. Canadians need help now – what is the government’s plan for EI?
2. Infrastructure - The report claims that “80 percent of the measures are either flowing or there are commitments in place that will allow the funds to flow to specific projects and initiatives.” This is playing with words. Canadians want the facts. How much money was spent in the critical first 120 days and how much money does the government anticipate will be spent over the next 120 days? Not “committed”, not “authorized”, not “announced” but actually spent?
3. The deficit - The report has dropped the government’s earlier promise to get us back to balance in five years. What are the government’s deficit projections for the next five years and what is the plan to return Canada’s finances to balance?
4. Isotopes health crisis - Last Friday, the Minister of Natural Resources said “the five (other) reactors in the world are not the solution to have a secure level of isotopes in this country.” What is the government’s plan to find an alternative supply for Canada?

Cheers...Mike Ferguson, President, LKM Federal Liberal Association. 519-627-3606

Federal Liberals continue to gain ground: CBC/EKOS poll

Link to original story

"EKOS conducted the poll from May 29 to June 9, surveying 6,259 Canadians over the age of 18. The polling company conducted an identical poll, with identical questions, between May 7 and May 28.

EKOS found that support for the Liberals grew since the earlier poll while Conservative support has shrunk. In the first poll, the Liberals had 33.5 per cent support while the Conservatives had 32.3."

2009-05-28 LKM Federal Liberal Newsletter

Greetings everyone!
First order of business:
1) Our annual general meeting will be held on June 27th at 9 am, Huron Cove Restaurant, Forest (just west of the Forest Standard on the main street). For those who have never attended an AGM, it is the time to elect an executive for the riding association to organize and coordinate the "business" of the association.
Official notices were mailed yesterday with all the details. If you do not receive one, that either means, you're not a member for 2009, or someone didn't do their job in Toronto. Either way, please let me know.
2) A new position being mandated on the Executive by the Liberal Party is that of "Fundraising Chair." If anyone is interested in this position, please let me know. It is not onerous, but will be working with the entire executive on increasing the number of "Victory Fund" members in the riding association.
For only 20 cents a day, you can help defeat Stephen Harper and make sure we have funds available for election campaigns. That's a minimum $5/month to LPC + $5/month (or more) to the LKM riding association from your bank account or credit card.
The benefits? Your membership is automatically renewed each year; you help the party combat the Conservatives' huge fundraising lead; and you get a 75% tax credit on the donation. (so it really costs less than 20 cents/day!)
More information and to sign up, check www.victoryfund.ca.
3) As President, I believe it's vital that you as members know what's going on in the Party; on policy, local meetings, etc. An informed membership helps create an involved membership.
However, we all get many e-mails each and every week from many sources. If you only want to be informed of upcoming meetings, let me know and I can take you off the main local e-mail list.
4.) Provincially, we are active as well. For those interested in a provincial membership, we can send you a form, or go online to www.ontarioliberal.ca.
5). Vancouver convention update. All policy resolutions that were voted on are all online at www.liberal.ca. For the first time in history, all party members got a say on the policies that were approved or rejected.
6.) An election may be possible in March 2010, so we need to get ready.

Cheers...Mike Ferguson, President, LKM Federal Liberal Association. 519-627-3606

2009-05-07 Convention Update

VANCOUVER – Riding presidents from Sarnia-Lambton, Chatham-Kent-Essex and Lambton-Kent-Middlesex were among the 3,000 delegates attending the federal Liberal biennial convention in Vancouver last week, all calling for a new politics, as Michael Ignatieff reached out to Canadians with his vision for the future of the country as delegates voted 97 percent in favour of confirming him as the new leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.

"As the Harper Conservatives prepare millions of dollars worth of negative attack ads to be shown this summer attacking Mr. Ignatieff, we call for a new politics of hope and vision," said Mike Ferguson, president of LKM federal Liberals, joined by Gloria Cayea, president of Sarnia-Lambton, and Dominic DoForno, Chatham-Kent-Essex (pictured).

"If you ask what I want for my Canada, it is this – that we surprise ourselves. Astonish ourselves. That we astonish the world," Mr. Ignatieff said to a packed convention hall of over 3,000 delegates and observers.

Mr. Ignatieff called for a new politics replacing spite and spin with civility and common purpose, laying out an inclusive vision of economic recovery that leaves no Canadian out in the cold by unlocking the creativity of every citizen.

He spoke directly to Stephen Harper, condemning him for failing to unite Canadians by setting province against province, group against group, region against region, individual against individual.

"All our efforts will be focused on one task – to unite our people again, to feel the strength that comes when Canadians know they are acting together," said Mr. Ignatieff. "We will turn crisis into opportunity and become more competitive than ever, by becoming the most adventurous and entrepreneurial people on the planet."

Mr. Ignatieff called for measures to unite Canadians and treat everyone fairly, delivered by a government that is as competent, courageous, co-operative and creative as Canadians themselves:

• A common national standard of eligibility for Employment Insurance.
• Investing in scientists, researchers and the green economy to create the jobs of tomorrow.
• An equal start for every child with world class early learning.
• A renewed commitment to women for equal pay for work of equal value.
• A promise to every student that if they get the grades, they get to go to the best higher education in the world.
• World class, not a second class education for every Aboriginal child.
• Hope and opportunity for farming communities, small towns, northern and remote regions.

"The Canadian way is a way for the whole world," said Mr. Ignatieff, speaking of Canada’s longing to lead rather than follow on the world stage. "This is the moral purpose of our country – to teach tolerance, diversity and citizenship to a troubled world."

Following nominations by MPs Bob Rae and Dominic LeBlanc, Young Liberals Mona Kassis and Yasmine Abdelfadel added their names to those of over 3,000 people who nominated Michael Ignatieff online before he was declared leader by convention chair, MP Justin Trudeau, Bobbi Ethier and MP Ujjal Dosanjh.

"Let us dare to dream but let us also dare to act," Mr. Ignatieff concluded. "Let us get back to the Canadian way. We deserve a government that does not make us feel any less than a great people with a great future - and to a great people, given great leadership, nothing is impossible."

Cheers...Mike Ferguson, President, LKM Federal Liberal Association. 519-627-3606

2009-04-13 Ignatieff in Chatham

Agriculture Meeting at Roesch Meats

Lunch Meeting at Crabby Joes
Photos by Gary Martin