Jack Layton

Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.

Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.

I recommend that Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel continue her work as our interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.

I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.

A few additional thoughts:

To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.

To the members of my party: we’ve done remarkable things together in the past eight years. It has been a privilege to lead the New Democratic Party and I am most grateful for your confidence, your support, and the endless hours of volunteer commitment you have devoted to our cause. There will be those who will try to persuade you to give up our cause. But that cause is much bigger than any one leader. Answer them by recommitting with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let’s continue to move forward. Let’s demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government.

To the members of our parliamentary caucus: I have been privileged to work with each and every one of you. Our caucus meetings were always the highlight of my week. It has been my role to ask a great deal from you. And now I am going to do so again. Canadians will be closely watching you in the months to come. Colleagues, I know you will make the tens of thousands of members of our party proud of you by demonstrating the same seamless teamwork and solidarity that has earned us the confidence of millions of Canadians in the recent election.

To my fellow Quebecers: On May 2nd, you made an historic decision. You decided that the way to replace Canada’s Conservative federal government with something better was by working together in partnership with progressive-minded Canadians across the country. You made the right decision then; it is still the right decision today; and it will be the right decision right through to the next election, when we will succeed, together. You have elected a superb team of New Democrats to Parliament. They are going to be doing remarkable things in the years to come to make this country better for us all.

To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.

And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world’s environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change. In the months and years to come, New Democrats will put a compelling new alternative to you. My colleagues in our party are an impressive, committed team. Give them a careful hearing; consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.

All my very best,

Jack Layton

We, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to cease official reference to itself as the “Harper Government”.

This is not just Stephen Harper’s government. It is the government of the Canadian people.

Our country is not Stephen Harper’s Canada. It is a democratic Canada.

I am not Stephen Harper’s Canadian. I am Canadian.

We demand that all official references to the Canadian government continue to use “Government of Canada”. Any official reference to “Harper Government” should be immediately ceased.

Sign the petition here: http://www.gopetition.com/petition/43549.html

This page is updated regularly during the campaigns.

CELA Challenges Licenses

CELA (Canadian Environmental Law Association) and Sierra Club Canada through CELA counsel filed in Federal Court two Applications for Judicial Review of the licenses issued by CNSC (Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission) to ship 16 radioactive steam generators.

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Download (Interview with CELA Executive Director Theresa McClenaghan).

From statement on CELA website:

These Judicial Review Applications challenge the legality of the Licences, on the basis of non-compliance with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, which the CNSC stated it did not have to apply, as well as on the basis of failure to follow the rules of natural justice in the case of the export licence, and the inadequacy or absence of the CNSC’s reasons for its decisions.

Bruce Power heard by federal Commons Committee

March 8th -Standing Committee on Natural Resources, RNNR, will hear today from Bruce Power and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and will meet with other invitees Thursday regarding the shipment of 16 steam generators to Sweden for recycling, and the return of radioactive waste. Ross Lamont, Bruce Power Community and Government Relations Manager, provided a short list of the others, which contains little opposition. Mike Smith, Warden of Bruce County, is attending and maintains Bruce Power is a valued employer and emphasises on their safety record. Huron-Kinloss Mayor Mitch Twolan, a member of shipment-opposed Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, will attend in favour of the shipment. Dr. Hazel Lynn, Grey Bruce Medical Officer of Health, is also expected to be heard from the Committee.

Mike Smith, Bruce County Warden
Mayor Saugeen Shores
mayor@saugeenshores.ca
519-832-2008

Mitch Twolan
Mayor Huron-Kinloss
mitch.twolan@remax-lx.ca
519-395-0717

Dr. Hazel Lynn
Grey-Bruce Medical Officer of Health
h.lynn@publichealthgreybruce.on.ca
519 376-9420 Ext 1224

Lamont only mentioned a few fellow supporters, however the committee will hear Thursday from Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) of Akwesasne, Kahnawake, and Tyendinaga; the Union of Ontario Indians, and other opposing groups.

RNNR Committee:
Leon Benoit, Chair
Conservative, Alberta
Benoit.L@parl.gc.ca
(613) 992-4171

Nathan Cullen, Vice-Chair
NDP, British Columbia
Cullen.N@parl.gc.ca
(613) 993-6654

Alan Tonks, Vice-Chair
Liberal, Ontario
Tonks.A@parl.gc.ca
(613) 995-0777

Audio interview with Peter Tabuns, MPP

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Download (Interview with New Democrat MPP Peter Tabuns).

Peter Tabuns & Ernie Hilts

Ontario Minister of Energy
Brad Duguid, Scarborough Centre
bduguid.mpp@liberal.ola.org
416-327-6758

Ontario Minster of Environment
Helena Jaczek, Oak Ridges–Markham
hjaczek.mpp@liberal.ola.org
416-325-0737

Ontario Minister of Transportation
Amrit Mangat, Mississauga–Brampton South
amangat.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
416-325-1050

Council of Canadians Campaign

March 2nd, Council of Canadians sent out this “action allert” to “demand that Ontario refuse permission for radioactive shipments on the Great Lakes.” Sign and send a letter with the click of a button to the Ontario Government.

An excerpt from the call to action:

On arrival in Sweden, the steam generators will be melted down into scrap metal and sold in consumer markets to be made into household and other items.

There has been widespread opposition to this shipment from First Nation communities, city mayors, US senators, environmental groups, social justice organizations. Organizations in Europe have also expressed opposition including the Swedish Environmental Movement’s Nuclear Waste Secretariat, Nuclear Free Local Authorities (UK and Ireland), Friends of the Earth Norway and Sortie du nucléaire (France).

Bruce Power must still obtain permits from municipalities along the travel route, as well as the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Transport Canada and the US Department of Transport. Bruce Power must also obtain approval from the UK, Denmark and Norway to pass through their waters.

Nov. 8, 2010 Roots Broadcast

This broadcast includes an interview with Maude Barlow on the shipment.

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Links:
Open letter: http://canadians.org/trade/documents/CETA/joint-letter-1010.pdf
Comic: http://www.canadians.org/trade/documents/CETA/CETA_ten.pdf
G20 – Voices of the People: http://rootsmedia.ca/2010-07/219-g20-voices-of-the-people-the-peoples-summit
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/e2nie
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/rootsmedia
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Roots-Broadcast/109809822374593
CETA rally: http://rootsmedia.ca/2010-10/227-ceta-rally

Maude Barlow & Ernie Hilts

CETA Rally speakers list: Peggy Nash, CAW; Terry Boehm, National Farmers Union; Maude Barlow, Council of Canadians; Dave Coles, Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union; Roxanne Dubois, Canadian Federation of Students; Clayton Thomas-Muller, Indigenous Environmental Network; Daniel Légère, Canadian Union of Public Employees; Denis Lemelin, Canadian Union of Postal Workers; Claude Vaillancourt, ATTAC-Quebec; and Hassan Yussuff, Canadian Labour Congress.

Peggy Nash, CAW

Full Version – High Quality:

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Terry Boehm, National Farmers Union

Recordings of Speakers:

1. Peggy Nash – CAW
   
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2. Terry Boehm – National Farmers Union
   
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3. Maude Barlow – Council of Canadians
   
   

   Maude Barlow, Council of Canadians

   
   
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4. Dave Coles – CEP
   
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5. Roxanne Dubois – Canadian Federation of Students
   
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6. Clayton Thomas-Muller – Indigenous Environmental Network
   

   Dave Coles, CEP

   
   
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7. Daniel Légère – CUPE
   
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8. Denis Lemelin – Canadian Union of Postal Workers
   
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Clayton Thomas-Muller, Indigenous Environmental Network

9. Claude Vaillancourt – ATTAC-Quebec
   
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10. Hassan Yussuff – Canadian Labour Congress
    
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Where CETA is being negotiated.

This broadcast covers a Vancouver hospital’s plan for abandoning babies; Rahul Singh’s GlobalMedic’s service; Sears warehouse workers lock-out; PEI senior’s prescription break; BC HST NDP petition; lesbian school photo blues; Ontario Water Conservation Alliance ideas; and the April 22nd Aboriginal HST protest.

Gilles Bisson

Ontario NDP Gilles Bisson, MPP Timmins–James Bay, speaks of the ONDP and NDP sharring the fight with the First Nations against the HST (Harmonized Sales Tax); and talks about honouring treaties.

Mzhakdo Kwe

Mzhakdo Kwe, Vicki Monague, shares her thoughts on: how the HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) is an illegal tax; representation of the people; and how the HST will affect everyone.