I participated in a conference call with Jack Layton last Wednesday. I asked a question, similiar to the title of the post, and Brad Lavigne (Director of Communications) gave a great answer. Shortly after the conference call, Jack Layton sent out a mass email to supporters. I think this email answers my question very well too, so I am sharing it:

—————————————————————–

I am writing further to your previous correspondence on Canada’s mission
in Afghanistan.

Many Canadians have written to me during the last few months in support
for the NDP’s position on Afghanistan. This support is greatly
appreciated. I firmly believe that we are a nation of facilitators not
occupiers, we are a people committed to the ideals of building bridges
not burning them and we must not allow that legacy of good work to
falter.

A good opposition not only opposes, but proposes. So in that spirit, I
want you to know about the NDP’s made-in-Canada plan for Afghanistan. An
NDP-led federal government would:

- Give notice that Canada will withdraw from the search-and-kill combat
mission in Kandahar.
- Work with NATO partners, the Afghan government, and other affected
parties to find a political solution through capacity building and a
comprehensive peace process.
- Focus Canada’s role in Afghanistan on humanitarian aid, reconstruction
and development, with appropriate security measures.

In contrast to our plan, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has silenced
Canada’s independent voice on foreign policy. Following the previous
Liberal government’s path, today’s Conservatives have turned their backs
on our respected, proven peace-building and peace-keeping traditions by
committing Canadian troops to the aggressive search-and-kill combat
mission in southern Afghanistan which is fuelling the escalation of
violence. From the emails and letters I receive it is clear that
everyday Canadians know that:

- This Bush-style combat mission will not create the conditions for
long-term security.
- The mission is ill-defined, unbalanced, and without a clear exit
strategy.
- For every $1 in humanitarian aid and reconstruction, the Conservative
government is spending $9 on military combat in Afghanistan.

The fact of the matter is that the discussion at hand should be about if
this mission is the right role for Canada and - not - which Party
supports our troops. If you have not done so already, I invite you to
sign our on-line petition, Support our troops. Bring ‘em home, which can
be found at: http://www.ndp.ca/page/4121.

Again, I appreciate hearing from you on this troubling matter. I would
like to take this opportunity to encourage you to pass along this email.
All the best.

Sincerely,

Jack Layton, MP (Toronto-Danforth)
Leader, Canada’s New Democrats

Sorry about the lack of posts lately! I’ll try and keep this blog more updated from now on. I’ve been super busy.

I was up in Edmonton twice this past month. Once for the Alberta NDP Organizing Institute, which was quite valuable. It gave me valuable tips on getting involved at a local level. Plus I got a bunch of leaflets that I get to hand out! The second time was for the Alberta NDP Convention. I saw my girlfriend, who lives up near Edmonton, and we went to dinner together at the fundraiser which Jack Layton attended. I met up with Jack in the hallway and we started to compare our “Make Poverty History” bracelets… his was quite dirty, but it was union made

I also went on a camping retreat with the student legislative council at SAIT, which I was recently elected onto. It was great; it’s been such a long time since I last went camping. Part of the activities included repelling off a cliff, which I chickened out of, oh well there is always next time. Anyways, we’ve started off a sustainable committee on campus, and we’ve already had our first meeting. I’m going to advocate at the next meeting that we try and start friendly competitions with other universities/colleges and see who can be the “greenest”! I’ll keep you guys updated on that.

Last Wednesday, I was involved in a conference call with Jack Layton about our position in Afghanistan. This conference call involved students from across Canada and we had a chance to get our questions answered. I got my question answered on the phone, and I also got it answered in an email which I will be sharing in my next post. The conference call got us prepared for the peace rallies taking place all across Canada last Saturday. There was over 150 people that showed up in Calgary, and we got a lot of support from motorists. I managed to collect 66 signatures on a petition calling on the Canadian Government to begin the withdrawal of Canadian Forces from southern Afghanistan, so that a comprehensive peace process can begin.

I will be out in Kensington this weekend collecting some signatures for this petition as well and I hope to double the amount of signatures. I’m planning on going out into the public each Saturday with petitions and/or pamphlets, just to let Calgarians know that the NDP is active in Calgary! I think it’s important to have presence in the community all year round.

I shall post again soon.

I’m just letting everyone know that about 3 months ago we started a message board over at the New Democratic Youth of Alberta (NDYA) website. It’s active, but we would love to see more members. The message board is intended for NDP members and supporters, regardless of age or where you live. So if you are interested in political discussion I suggest you check out the NDYA Message Board.

I hope the momentum continues and Jack Layton keeps on working to form an NDP-led government! Set the bar high. No one wants to back a loser. We can do it!

Story here.

As I had previously mentioned, the Conservative government had announced that they were doing major cuts to many housing initiatives.Well it looks like they changed their mind, and they are reversing the cuts.

OTTAWA – NDP Housing Critic Irene Mathyssen applauded the victory for housing groups across Canada today as Minister for Social Development Diane Finley announced that cuts to federal funding for housing through the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI) have been reversed and the program’s $37 million rollover from 2005-06 will now be released.

“Minister Finley’s announcement comes as welcome news to housing groups across Canada, but there’s still work to be done,” said Mathyssen. “We need to ensure the funds now promised are delivered on time and put to effective use. With only seven months left to spend the 2006-07 funds, housing groups need their support delivered as soon as possible.”

Earlier this month, housing groups in Toronto and Ottawa were informed that federal funding for housing in their communities would be cut by $5.8 million and $1 million respectively. As well, Service Canada recently sent letters to housing shelters in Winnipeg confirming that it “had not received the full budget allocation [from the Conservative government]” it had been promised and would therefore be cutting housing spending.

“I applaud the hard work of housing advocates and organizations across Canada as well as the municipal officials who helped apply pressure on the Minister. The NDP will continue to serve as the effective opposition to any cuts the Harper government imposes in housing or in other programs that benefit our society’s most vulnerable,” said Mathyssen.

And some people say the NDP is an ineffective opposition. Without the NDP these cuts would not had been reversed. The NDP is effective!

And if you think the Liberals were apart of reversing the cuts. Think again. Joe Fontana was of course speaking words of progressiveness, but does he really mean it? He was slamming the NDP for bringing down the Liberal government.

And the London-North-Centre MP said the NDP must share the blame for bringing down the Liberal government just as it was developing a national housing strategy.

It wasn’t the NDP. It was the voters! The voters got tired of the Liberal’s arrogance, corruption and inaction. Also the NDP hardly called that election. It would have been held weeks later, that is if Paul Martin would keep one of his promises. And the Liberal Government would have not done anything to help fund housing, their record speaks for itself. As you can read here:

A majority Liberal government abolished the world-recognized housing program in the 1990s: “Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation will phase out its remaining role in social housing except for housing on Indian reserves.” (Source: Ministry of Finance, Budget in Brief, 6 March 1996, p. 11)

As always, the Liberals are full of words but lack any action. They actually do the opposite of what they say will do. While the NDP says these things too, and accomplishes them even when they are outside of Government.