Email response to Jack Layton January 7, 2010

Reply from Jack Layton:

Thank you for your comments regarding Stephen Harper's unilateral
decision to prorogue Parliament. By locking out Members of Parliament,
Mr. Harper is shutting down democracy and preventing us from doing the
important work Canadians elected us to do.

I believe that Canadians value our democratic system. They are telling
the Prime Minister that he can't simply shut down our democratic
institutions just because he doesn't like what they're asking or doing.

Here are some facts:

- This is the second time in 12 months that he has prorogued Parliament
- This is the fourth time in 3 years he has abruptly ended a session of
Parliament
- He consistently fails to comply with the Access to Information Act
- He is ignoring an order by Parliament to provide access to all
documents relating to the Afghan torture issue.

Canadians also expect their MPs to work together and find solutions for
the challenges facing our country. There is a pension's crisis in
Canada. Many individuals are struggling to find work and need help to
recover from the economic recession. Yet, Stephen Harper chose to lock
the doors of Parliament rather than letting MPs work on these concerns.

Prime Minister Harper has adopted a blatant "run from accountability"
approach to governing. While he promised increased accountability, he
has done everything in his power to avoid the tough questions. At the
same time he is blocking elected MPs from Parliament, he is making plans
to stack the Senate with unelected Conservative Senators-something he
promised he would never do.

For more information on our position on this matter, please visit:
http://www.ndp.ca/press/statement-on-prorogation-by-libby-davies.

For our part, the New Democratic Caucus will be going ahead with our
scheduled January 18 strategy meeting and will discuss our plans for the
next few months. We will continue to advance our policies on issues such
as pension reform, jobs, the environment and health care while working
hard in our individual ridings.

Again, I appreciate having the benefit of your comments. Feel free to
pass along my message to anyone who may be interested. All the best.

Sincerely,

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

My response

Dear Mr Layton,

What a disappointing response. I already know what Harper has done and I have a good sense of what we are in for if he is not stopped.  What you call a “unilateral decision to prorogue Parliament”, I call an assault on democracy. Going ahead with an already planned caucus meeting is hardly an adequate response to Harper’s calculated assault. People will rally on the 23rd, and out of that, hopefully, will come a commitment to continue to work for the overhaul of the electoral system in this country – a country now without a functioning democracy.

The past NDP strategy of attacking liberals in an attempt to claim their political turf is an abject failure and has only emboldened Mr Harper (see Tom Flanagan’s article in the Tuesday G&M). Your party must change direction and come out swinging at the Harper regime, and many are ready to help. I would think that the NDP would want to be a voice for democratic renewal instead of standing by with hat in hand waiting for Mr Harper to come back on stage. Thousands of Canadians are mobilizing and thousands more would too with effective leadership from you and the talented MPs in your caucus. Please, forget the retreat and get out to the planning meetings for the 23rd – speak out on the travesty Mr Harper is laying out for us. I cannot stand by and watch Harper make fools of us as citizens, and neither should you.

Sincerely

Paul Chislett

Windsor, Ontario.

Update: The “war” in Afghanistan, and six more dead, July 5, 2007

Here is the response from Jack Layton, leader of the New democratic Party of Canada:

Thank you for your recent email regarding Canada’s mission in Afghanistan.

I have heard from many others also deeply concerned about Canada’s combat involvement in Afghanistan. More and more Canadians are coming to the same conclusion as the NDP. That this Bush-style counter-insurgency offensive is simply not working.

Five years after the invasion of Afghanistan, it is reasonable to examine the present situation. NDP Defence Critic Dawn Black has released our Party’s comprehensive report on the Conservative-Liberal mission in Afghanistan. It provides background on the conflict, analyzes the issues faced by Canadian troops and Afghan citizens, and offers concrete solutions to help stabilize the country.

In commenting on our report, journalist Barbara Yaffe said, “New Democrats, crowded on the political left by Liberals and Greens, are distinguishing themselves with a bold, common-sense position on Canada’s Afghanistan mission. …The NDP’s blunt conclusion is one that is mighty hard to refute.” (Vancouver Sun, July 10, 2007)

For more information, please visit: http://www.ndp.ca/page/5462

Some will say that if we do not support the mission, then we do not support our troops or we are abandoning the people of Afghanistan. This is not the case. We support our troops and their families and it is out of the deep respect for them and the people of Afghanistan that we are calling for a de-escalation of this conflict. http://www.ndp.ca/page/5496

Issues as serious as war require leadership. Unfortunately the Conservatives have adopted George Bush’s strategy of “might is right” and the Liberals try to come down on all sides of the issue. I have challenged the Liberals and Bloc to answer the question: “if the mission is wrong in 2009 – why isn’t it wrong also in 2007?”

While the other parties fail to provide leadership, the NDP has been clear from the beginning that Canada needs to begin a safe and immediate withdrawal from the combat-fighting in Afghanistan. I and my Party are not prepared to compromise on an issue as serious as war. In a speech given earlier this year I explain fully our position: http://www.ndp.ca/page/5023.

Looking forward, whether it’s on climate change, child care, prescription drugs, corporate crime, the high cost of ATM fees, takeovers by foreign companies, or the war in Afghanistan the federal NDP is working on the issues that everyday Canadians care about. You can find out more about our work at http://www.ndp.ca or by subscribing to our e-mail bulletin at subscribe@ndp.ca.

Again, I appreciate hearing from you. All the best.

Sincerely,

Jack Layton, MP (Toronto-Danforth)
Leader, Canada’s New Democrats
https://wordylefty.wordpress.com/2007/07/05/the-war-in-afghanistan-july-5-2007/

The “war” in Afghanistan, and six more dead, July 5, 2007

Online petition – A Call To End Canadian Combat Operations in Afghanistan

From the left: Stephane Dion, Opposition Leader, Liberal Party of Canada; Gilles Duceppe, Leader of the Bloc Québécois, and Jack Layton, Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada. (Photos: http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament)

Six more dead in Afghanistan. Canadians are dying, Afghan civilians are being bombed by Americans in their own homes…….and we are there to help them? The mess in Afghanistan is an American problem and where are they? Oh, yeah – bringing democracy to Iraq.

Wrong is wrong and these men could end the combat role of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan – now. Not in 2009 as Mr. Dion insists. Mr. Harper, with a majority, would have Canadian troops there indefinitely. Yet, together the opposition holds the balance of power in a minority government headed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

To quote Mr Layton in today’s Globe and Mail, he “… said Canada should pull out all its troops now and not wait until 2009. “The strategy we’re following is wrong; we should take our troops out,” Mr. Layton said, asserting that NATO’s presence in Afghanistan is only serving to increase civilian backing for the Taliban.””

Mr. Dion, however, in the same article, “… refused to consider an immediate pullout, saying that Canada should stick to its international commitments…”

Mr. Dion is simply wrong. I wrote a letter to Mr. Dion to express why I thought he is wrong. I called for a compromise position to be sought, not because I am wishy-washy, but because I know that egos are involved here and no party leader wants to be seen as “backing down”. I truly believe Canadians are willing to appreciate a politician who could admit a mistake has been made. Canadians could warm to politicians that are able to park their egos and say a mistake has been made. Americans, for instance, are starving to hear that from many Democrats who backed George Bush’s illegal war.

So, while I didn’t suggest a timetable, I certainly believe we could be out of there by the end of this year spare the lives of the next wave of troops, scheduled to deploy in Afghanistan. For what it is worth here is the letter:

July 5, 2007

Hon. Stéphane Dion
House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

RE: Afghanistan

Dear Mr. Dion,
The Canadian combat operations in Afghanistan are clearly in a shambles. To allow our men and women to simply get blown up while riding in anything from armoured vehicles to light “four wheelers”, while nothing really changes in the country, is tantamount to a dereliction of duty on the part of all politicians.

Jack Layton and the NDP have called for the immediate removal of Canadian troops from a combat role. Is it because they can’t stomach battle? Is it because Canadians and the NDP are “weak”? I think not. It is because the NDP knows that the war in Afghanistan is a sham that your party was involved in, to appease the war criminals in the White House. You have an historic chance to change this. Many Canadians would welcome a politician who could say that this (or any policy) was a mistake and we have to fix it.

You can change this dreadful situation by working with the NDP to find a compromise position between a pull out now and a pullout in 2009. The position of the NDP is the honourable one because they are saying no more deaths now while you are saying; we can sacrifice more lives for George Bush’s criminal “war on terror”.

I ask that you immediately engage in discussions with Mr. Layton and Gilles Duceppe, come to a meaningful compromise, and then have Parliament recalled. You are wrong to say there will be no unanimity in the House of Commons. You have chosen to have no unanimity, and by so doing you are condemning Canadians to more deaths and sorrow – while getting nothing done in Afghanistan.

Surely to God, you have more in common with the NDP and the Bloc, than with that “brain trust” in Mr. Harper’s caucus. Please endeavour to work with the other opposition parties, and force the arrogant and bull-headed Mr. Harper to recognize that as a minority leader, he is on the wrong side of public opinion on this issue.

Sincerely,

Paul Chislett

cc: Jack Layton; Gilles Duceppe, Dr. Valerie Zawilski, Dawn Black, D. Marleau, R. Bonin.