The New Democrat's stance on foreign ownership and concentration of media:
We are very concerned that the control of media by a few people provides limited points of view. In Vancouver Canwest/Global dominates both print and the airwaves and although there is a pretext of competition they all push the same corporate agenda. It is difficult to hear alternative points of view when the landscape is dominated by one media giant. If elected, New Democrats will work to maintain current laws that prevent foreign interests from buying control of our media and communications companies. We will strengthen the CBC, Telefilm and the Canada Council. As a professional actor, I know the New Democrats not only offer the most for our cultural industries, but they will actually impliment the policies when elected; we don't campaign from the left and rule from the right.
Regarding Health Care and Help for Autistic Children
As the inventors of Canada's public health care system, you can count on the New Democrats to protect and enhance health care. As a teacher and performer for children I have had the opportunity to work with kids with disabilities like spinal bifida and mild autism, as well as some of those fabulously oddball Gifted children.
I think all kids should take drama classes (just my personal opinion) because it teaches self-confidence, literacy and, when you walk a mile in another character's shoes, compassion for other people.
Almost all of my students will not go on to pursue a career in the arts- in fact I council them not to enter this perilous cultural business- but it is gratifying to see my students gain confidence, develop their motor skills through movement exercises and learn tolerance and respect for others as they have fun building communication skills in drama classes.
I've been waiting for a reply from higher up the food chain, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say, "Yes, I will support legislation which will amend the Canada Health Act to include autism treatment? What kind of a cold-hearted person would not want to help children with autism?"
Regarding animal welfare
I love my 3 year old dog, Eddy. He’s an SPCA rescue dog. The Penticton SPCA tells me he was tied on a short rope to a fence for the first few months of his life. The neighbours complained and when the SPCA showed up to investigate, the owners told them to take him away. He spent 3 months in Penticton then got transferred to Vancouver where we met him a few months later.
He had a really hard start but a nice soft landing. He has turned into a really nice, mellow border collie mix. He gets a nice, hour-long off-leash walk every day through the North Vancouver hiking trails.
The most important thing that my dog has taught me is that when people are sad, I don’t need to run around and try to fix their problem, all I have to do is sit with them, give them a hug (and maybe a big sloppy lick to side of the face) and they will feel better. Who would have thought that an animal (some would say a lower life form- not me) could teach me some of the most important lessons in life. I love my Eddy-boy. See you on the dog walk.
Q: Should voters vote for a party or a candidate?
MC: Voters should vote with their heart. There is no wasted vote, because $1.75 in federal funding goes to the Party to promote their agenda.
Q: Is Canada too soft on crime?
MC: Gun violence will not be tolerated. New Democrats take the crime out of criminals. “Lock ‘em up- throw away the key!”; a very expensive form of punishment that merely sends young offenders to Crime University. Jailing a 14 year old child for life? No child is beyond redemption.
Q: What is key to protecting the Canadian economy?
MC: We must protect Canada’s economy by reinvesting in middle-class working folks instead of giving 50 billion dollars more to wealthy corporate elites. The new Child Benefit we will give all families a raise by combining programs and boosting the monthly benefit cheque to $400.00. We invest in family economics not boardroom economics.
Q: How worried are you about climate change?
MC: British Colombians are already doing our part with a carbon tax. 700 companies produce 50% of our emissions; they pollute with impunity. Our cap and trade system will create hard caps on emissions. Companies that exceed the cap, buy permits from the government which are reinvested in solutions like transit.
Q: Afghanistan's occupation: Was it worthwhile?
MC: No, the war in Afghanistan is a 22 billion dollar waste of life and resources. We need to return to our role as Peacekeepers under the United Nations banner, providers of humanitarian aid and protectors of our Arctic sovereignty. New Democrats will invest in healing machines not killing machines.
Q: Is Canada tied too closely to the U.S.?
MC: Yes, we need to strengthen our ties to other world markets especially India and China. Eight years of Bush-style rule has brought America economic catastrophe; do we really want to follow them over the cliff?
It’s time for PM with a world view not just a Bush-view.
Response to the grade six class at Cleveland Elementary
1. What will your party do for
The New Democratic Party is the party of more- more peace, more prosperity, more health care, better social programs and jobs, good clean green-collar knowledge-based jobs.
We are going to stop making war in
We will make sure you don’t have to sell your house because you got sick- don’t laugh, it happens all the time in the
New Democrats are the Party of social justice because we care about other people and we try to make
2. What will you do for
New Democrats want to make North
We want to protect our treasured health care system so it’s there when you need it. And just like when we go camping, we want to leave the world a cleaner place than when we found it, so you can keep on enjoying the natural beauty that surrounds us here in
3. Why should we vote for you?
You should vote for me because I am representative of the people living in
I can see things from more than one side. I have been in business selling my products and services for over 20 years and I also, when I work for big film companies like Warner Brothers and General Electric, I have a union that helps me negotiate my contract. I see the world as both a businessman and a worker.
You should vote for me because I care about people’s happiness and I want to make their lives better.
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ABOUT DARFUR
Jack Layton and
Paul Dewar (MP for Ottawa-Centre) is the NDP foreign affairs critic and has been our lead on
There is a growing concern among everyday Canadians that their public and private investments may be directly or indirectly contributing to the crisis in
In May of this year, we have called on the Harper Conservative’s take leadership. Jack stated that "this is exactly the kind of peacekeeping role that Canadians have always supported. Canadians would want us to be in
Our Party wants
-support the United Nations Mission to Sudan (UNMIS)
-offer Canadian troops to complement the advance party requested by the UN
-push for a stronger UN resolution on
-offer logistical support to the United Nations-African Union hybrid force carrying out its mandate to protect the population in
New Democrats will continue to speak out on both Canadian and international inaction on
