Paul Dewar and New Democrats will strengthen Canada’s home-grown film and television production. We will:

Ensure Canadian television and telecommunications networks remain Canadian-owned by maintaining effective regulations on foreign ownership.

Refocus the mandate of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to promote and protect Canadian cultural industries, and transfer mandates that conflict with this objective to other agencies.

Provide sustained funding for the Canadian Television Fund and Telefilm Canada, and enhance federal film incentives to encourage film and television production.

Establish targets and a strategy to expand screening and distribution of domestic films in Canada.

Reverse efforts to legislate censorship, as the Harper Conservatives snuck into bill C-10. If passed, this bill would arbitrarily restrict and censor publicly-supported artistic works.

End the federal government’s double-dipping, by excluding provincial tax credit increases from the federal government’s calculation of film support payments.

Expand the federal tax credit to include the cost of post-production.

Require clear, binding and enforced performance standards for broadcasters – including a significant and permanent increase in the production and broadcast of Canadian drama – backed by broadcast, cable and satellite license requirements.

READ Paul Dewar's report based on his community consultations: Arts and Minds

To invest in our shared cultural heritage, Paul Dewar and New Democrats will:

Restore arts funding arbitrarily cut by the Harper Conservatives. Increase public funding for the Canada Council for the Arts to better support artists and ensure we can produce high quality made-in-Canada shows for everyday Canadians to enjoy.

Invest in a pan-Canadian broadband strategy to bring high-speed internet to more communities in Canada.

Implement a system of tax averaging to provide fair and equitable treatment for Canadian artists and cultural workers.

Implement "net neutrality" to protect everyday Canadians’ right to freely access the internet content of their choice at a flat rate and with clear and transparent rules. We will end price gouging and "net throttling", preventing a two-tiered internet in Canada.

Develop an aggressive pan-Canadian strategy for funding, supporting and preserving Canadian museums, historic buildings and heritage lighthouses.

Strengthen public broadcasting and provide stable long-term funding for the CBC, Radio Canada and other public broadcasters. We will strengthen the ability of CBC and Radio Canada to deliver superior regional programming and new internet-based media services.

Reform the role and structure of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), including enhancement of the role of the CRTC in Montreal so that it better reflects the cultural and linguistic reality of programming for Quebec and the francophone community.

Develop a digital on-line culture service to give ordinary Canadians expanded access to Canadian content.

Increase career transition resources for artists.

Protect children in the arts with minimum standards and trust fund rules for income earned by child performers.

Ensure that new copyright reform legislation fairly addresses compensation for artistic creators and includes proper input from all affected stakeholders including: arts/artist groups, educators, software innovators, consumer groups and ordinary Canadians.

[Ottawa Centre’s Community Dialogue on Economic Priorities]

Introduction

On January 24, 2009, I wrapped up my consultations with community groups and residents in Ottawa Centre on their priorities for the economy at a community dialogue held at the Bronson Centre.

Our community is looking for solutions to the economic crisis. Not just a short-term prescription for spending – rather, a well-thought out strategy for long-term transformation of our economy to one that is green and puts people’s needs first. The community dialogue gave us the opportunity to hear from citizens about innovative ideas that need to be championed in the House of Commons.

Economist Mike McCracken (founder of Informetrica) set the context of the discussions by describing the state of our economy as it suffers from a global recession. Recent reports indicate that just in January, Canada lost 129,000 jobs. Since October 2008, Canada has lost 213,000 jobs. We have entered a very difficult time and government action is needed to kick-start the economy.

The participants broke into small groups where they discussed solutions that would strengthen the economy. From housing to transit, childcare to high tech industry, small business development to education, the participants at the community dialogue brought forward solutions that can simultaneously kick-start the economy while addressing social and environmental challenges.

Sadly budget 2009 lacked vision. The government spent billions of dollars, with no focus on protecting the vulnerable, safeguarding employment or creating new green-collar jobs. However, we have to keep up the pressure so that we can put people who most need jobs to the jobs that most need to be done.

Community Dialogue on Economic Priorities

First and foremost, the community wants to make sure that adequate support is in place for people who are affected by the economic crisis. Concerns were raised that many workers, particularly women, cannot access the Employment Insurance funds to which they contributed. The community recommended fair and timely access to Employment Insurance, as well as income security measures to protect pensions and retirement funds. Consumer protection against gouging was also recommended by the groups.

The environment was a significant theme in all the discussions. Participants agreed that investments in retrofitting Canada’s buildings – including public and private buildings, especially affordable housing – is a great way of creating new jobs while reducing our green-house gas emissions. Participants also recommended investments in alternative and sustainable forms of energy including solar, geothermal or wind to create jobs and reduce costs and the building of a national energy grid. The community recommended support for local food production and investments in greening rooftops.

Affordable housing was another significant theme, with recommendations for a national housing strategy and support for co-op and not for profit housing to create jobs and provide affordable accommodation at the same time. Among other infrastructure projects, participants expressed support for investments in public transit to make our cities more efficient, affordable and green.

Participants recommended investments in education and training for a new generation of labour as we move toward a green economy. The investments need to be focused on training which corresponds to the jobs available in the labour market, and include apprenticeship programs that serve as incentives for businesses to hire the newly-trained workers. Participants pointed out the importance of providing grants rather than loans in assisting aspiring students with the cost of tuition.

Given the disproportionate rates of poverty among new Canadians, participants recommended fair and timely recognition of foreign credentials especially for foreign-trained doctors, nurses and engineers. Apprenticeships for skilled trades and foreign-trained professionals were highly recommended at the community dialogue.

The community called for reductions in regulations to funding programs so that investments can be made in a timely manner. However, participants raised concerns over the weakening of environmental assessments.

Participants called for government support to the high technology sector. They discussed the importance of the sector as an employer in Ottawa, but also emphasized the role of high tech innovation for greening our economy.

The community dialogue emphasized the importance of support to small businesses and recommended measures that would provide credit to smaller businesses in a timely manner. In particular, the community cautioned that small business credit should not be mired by red tape and recommended experiments with micro crediting measures that would make the credits more accessible for existing small businesses and new start-ups.

Support for arts and culture was endorsed by the community members in order to create jobs, nourish our community and address social challenges. Funding local artists and local festivals were recommended in light of the significant benefits they provide to local businesses.

Support for families in weathering the economic crisis was another dominant theme at the discussions. Recommendations included the creation of childcare spaces and assistance with home-care for seniors.

All groups pointed out the opportunities for cooperation with the new and progressive administration of Barack Obama in the United States. In particular, participants called on the government to engage with the Obama administration in the creation of a North American Cap-and-Trade regime to reduce green-house gas emissions. They also expressed hope that NAFTA can be improved to make trade between our two countries fair and sustainable.

Budget 2009: Failure in Leadership

Budget 2009 was a failure in leadership. In contrast to the focused vision presented by our community for an economic policy that would strengthen the economy and improve our country, the Conservatives put forward a vague mix of spending.

For the many Canadians who have already lost their employment and others worried about their job security, the budget was an opportunity to improve Employment Insurance. But the Harper government failed to unfreeze weekly rates, eliminate the two week waiting period, and establish improved and fair eligibility requirements for Employment Insurance.

There were no new initiatives for veterans or increases to Old Age Security. The budget failed families who need child care by missing the opportunity to build more spaces and hire more child care workers. What’s more, it directly attacked women’s right to equal pay for the work of equal value.

The money earmarked for infrastructure projects comes with onerous restrictions and red tape which will slow down the flow of dollars into the economy. What’s worse is that in order to access the infrastructure funds, provinces and already cash-strapped municipalities will have to finance up to 60 percent of the project in order to receive any federal money.

The most overlooked issue in the budget is the environment. The Conservatives have no strategy to support the green industry, no plans for a cap-and-trade plan, and are weakening environmental assessments. Although there is money for home renovations there is no direct incentive to invest in retrofit programs. All of this at a time when the Obama administration is taking bold steps to make the environment a priority in the US.

After reading the budget documents closely, I became aware of an $8.7 billion hole in the country’s finances. Despite the fact that In November's economic update, the government was ridiculed for padding its books with the phantom sale of government assets, the projected revenues made their way back into the budget 2009. There is no explanation from the government on how this gaping hole in the country’s finances will be filled. Choices include a fire sale of public assets, layoffs in public service, program cuts or higher deficits. Furthermore, in its budget implementation act, Conservatives have put in measures that cut public service salaries, relax foreign ownership rules, open up foreign ownership of Air Canada, gut environmental assessments, and attack students requiring loans to pay for tuition.

The Liberal party has chosen to endorse Harper’s economic plan. I am disappointed with their decision but I continue to press the clear vision put forward by our community for the type of investments that will kick-start the economy and improve our country.

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Last election Mr. Harper promised a “comprehensive wait times guarantee”. But here in Ottawa 200 patients are stuck in hospitals because they can’t find home care. The result is longer wait times for surgery.

Paul Dewar and the NDP’s plan:

• 50% increase in the number of doctors being trained (1,200 additional a year).
• 50% increase in the number of nurses being trained (6,000 additional).
• Forgiving student loans for graduating health care professionals who commit the first ten years of their practice to family medicine.

New Democrat MP Paul Dewar tabled a bill that ensures fairness and respect for thousands of foreign-trained professionals in Canada. Dewar also invited the government to adopt the ideas in his bill so that foreign-trained professionals are integrated into the Canadian labour market and contribute their knowledge to our economy.

Read more: Foreign Credentials

With multi-billion dollar surpluses filling the government’s coffers, it is shameful that 1.7 million Canadians are left without decent homes, forced to choose between food and rent.

With housing groups we reversed the Harper Conservatives’ decision to cut much needed homelessness money from Ottawa.

We need to build on successes, like the 2005 NDP budget allocation of 1.6 billion dollars into affordable housing, to help keep us on the right track.

For more information on the housing crisis in Canada, read the UN Special Rapporteur's report on adequate housing in Canada and the NDP's response.

Preserve the Ottawa River

• As a follow up to his parliamentary motion calling on the government to protect and preserve the Ottawa River, Paul released a comprehensive Action Plan for federal action;
• Worked with the NCC to preserve the meadow habitat on the shores of Ottawa River;
• Successfully pressured the Minister of Environment to support the designation of the Ottawa River as a national heritage river – first step in gaining federal attention for our source of drinking water;
• Continued the pressure on the government for strong environmental regulations, consistent enforcement of those regulations and investment in our city infrastructure in light of the incident at the Petrie Island Beach.

Community Campaign to Protect Gatineau Park

• Paul reintroduced his private member’s bill C-311 and launched a community campaign to give the park the same protections as a national park.

Legislation introduced by Paul

• C-497 to ban use of bisphenol A
• C-510 to improve food labeling practices
• C-514 to regulate the bottled water industry

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Instead of retiring in dignity, a quarter-million of the seniors who built this country are struggling in poverty—and more and more middle-income retired couples have trouble making ends meet. Knowing that seniors will soon form a quarter of our population, it’s time for change to ensure real retirement security.

This election, Paul Dewar and the NDP will present a plan that honours the contributions that seniors make to this country. And the NDP has been leading the way in Parliament:

• Led a national campaign for fair repayment of $1-billion withheld from CPP/OAS pension cheques between 2001 and 2006 after an accounting error.
• Secured all-party support for the NDP Seniors Charter enshrining every Canadian senior’s right to secure income, adequate housing and quality health care.
• Over Harper’s objections, secured Parliament’s majority approval for the NDP Veterans First Motion calling for an end to unfair rules preventing veterans and their widows from receiving hard-earned pensions and home-care benefits.
• To offer seniors dignity and comfort in retirement, promoted strategies to create more long-term care spaces and expand home-care coverage—and tabled motions to expand CPP/EI coverage to support those caring for family members at home.
• Tabled bills and motions to launch an annual review of income security for seniors, and to protect pensions by ending employer underfunding and securing pensions if employers go bankrupt.

To address the crucial needs of Canadian women, Paul Dewar and the New Democrats will:

Improve fairness for women at work:

• Implement full pay equity in the federal public service, and strengthen pay equity provisions in the Canada Labour Code for workers in federal jurisdiction covered by the Code and called for by the Pay Equity Task Force.
• Reintroduce a minimum wage, initially set at $10 per hour, and indexed to inflation.
• Increase access to Employment Insurance for women, and improve parental and maternity benefits.
• Institute a national child care program.

Help stop violence against women:

• Restore funds cut by Liberal governments throughout the 1990s for shelters and transition houses for women who are victims of domestic violence.
• Support native women’s efforts to develop healing centres and educational and training opportunities, including those that target the root causes of violence and violence directed at sex trade workers.
• Build more affordable housing to assist women trying to escape violence.
• Re-institute the annual consultation between the Department of Justice and women’s groups to monitor progress on ending violence against women, and progress on improving women’s access to the justice system and legal services.

Empower Status of Women Canada and other appropriate federal agencies to work to implement the recommendations of the report on Canada by the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

Support Stephen Lewis’ call for international action on women’s equality. Work for the creation of a UN Women’s Agency to ensure that women’s voices and concerns are represented at the highest levels of the international community.

Reaffirm women’s right to safe therapeutic abortion services.

Properly fund Status of Women Canada, re-investing in women’s programs and organizations who had their funding cut by the Harper government.

Re-open regional Status of Women offices and strengthen their mandate to achieve equality for women.

Paul Dewar and the New Democrats stand for a fair, efficient, transparent and accountable immigration system.

We will repeal the Harper government’s new immigration law (C-50), which was passed with the Liberals’ co-operation. We opposed the arbitrary, secretive and restrictive measures of the legislation and continue to do so. This legislation means increased exploitation of ‘guest workers’, more delays and restrictions for family reunification, less effective strategic planning for labour market needs, and more secretive and arbitrary decisions by cabinet ministers.

To increase Canada’s productivity, Paul Dewar and his team of New Democrats will:

Accelerate and streamline the recognition of foreign credentials, overseas degrees and previous employment experience in conjunction with provinces and licensing authorities.

Review the point system used to assess new applications to match the reality of work in Canada, including specific provisions for blue-collar workers and tradespeople.

Increase financial support for the settlement process for new Canadians to assist with literacy, community integration and orientation, including bridging, mentorship, English and French as a second language (ESL and FSL) programs and resource service centres.

To improve family reunification, Paul Dewar and his team of New Democrats will:

Significantly increase resources and support for immigration processes to reduce the huge and unacceptable backlogs that currently exist in processing applications, work to meet Canada’s target of annual immigration (1% of population), and establish firm targets for on-time completion of family class and spousal sponsorships.

Stop the decline in family reunification, and maximize the economic and social advantages of family stability.

Implement the New Democrats’ Once In a Lifetime bill to expedite sponsorship of one family member as a new Canadian.

Eliminate landing fees for new immigrants, as well as processing fees for refugees and people fleeing torture or domestic violence.

To establish fairness in the immigration system, Paul Dewar and the New Democrats will:

Develop credible, accountable procedures and appeal processes for potential visitors to Canada for important family events such as weddings, births and illness, and for the reunification of married couples.

Properly regulate immigration consultants to stop abuse of immigrants and potential immigrants, and crack down on unscrupulous and illegal activities.

Immediately implement the provision in the Immigration Act for a refugee appeal division to help facilitate a fair refugee hearing and determination process, and ensure that all vacancies on the Immigration and Refugee Board are filled in a fair and transparent manner.

Eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities in admission processes.

Allow people without status who are living in Canada the opportunity to apply for legal status.

Continue to ensure that all new Canadians have access to the "core" immigration system, rather than expand the Liberal-Conservative temporary "guest worker" and "live-in caregiver" programs. These programs deny basic employee rights, do not allow application for immigration, and result in longer delays in the entire system.

To create a more compassionate Canada, Paul Dewar and his team of New Democrats will:

Through the refugee class of immigration offer new hope to people fleeing persecution, violence and repression.

Based on the recent decision by the Federal Court of Appeal that overruled the "safe third country" approach, abrogate the Safe Third Country Agreement with the United States so all refugee claimants are granted a hearing outside of Canada.

Establish a special program to allow "Iraq War resisters" from the US to remain in Canada.