Vote smart

The Vote for Environment website has calculated seat counts with and without strategic voting:


It's clear that with strategic voting all of the opposition parties would be better off. We would elect a Liberal minority with strong representation from the NDP and Bloc, one Green and two independents.

The site features recommendations to beat the Tories in each riding, with polls giving current standings.

On their blog, they quote Elizabeth May in yesterday's Toronto Star:

May urged Canadians to do all they can to throw Prime Minister Stephen Harper out of office, including strongly suggesting they shouldn't vote Green if another candidate has a better chance at defeating a Conservative.

"We are too close to the edge of a global apocalypse," May said in an interview. "We have got to grab the opportunities we have. And, clearly, the contribution Canadians can make to a global solution is to get rid of Stephen Harper."

"I'd rather have no Green seats and Stephen Harper lose, than a full caucus that stares across the floor at Stephen Harper as prime minister, because his policies are too dangerous," she said.

If there was ever a time for strategic voting, this is it.

Dion on As It Happens - audio

Stéphane Dion discussed the Liberal platform and took questions from listeners on this evening's As It Happens (CBC Radio One):

http://www.innutube.com/play_audio.php?audio=77
(Note: audio will start automagically when you click the link)

The Green Shift, good for corporate Canada

Stéphane Dion explains the tax advantages for corporations in The Green Shift policy.



Dion on TVO's The Agenda, September 18, 2008. See the complete interview on the TVO website.

Telling the truth in both official languages

Stéphane Dion on TVO's The Agenda, September 18, 2008. Asked by Steve Paikin about his progress with English, Dion replied: "I don't speak English as well as Stephen Harper. But I say the truth better than him in both official languages."



See the complete interview on the TVO website.

Stéphane Dion on The Hour With George Stroumboulopoulos

Stéphane Dion on The Hour With George Stroumboulopoulos -

intro, bio & interview:
http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/videos.html?id=861028632

cold open:
http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/videos.html?id=860999220

Daily dose of double-talk - video of the Cadman case in QP, March 4, 2008

Highlights from today's Question Period on the allegations regarding Chuck Cadman.

Stéphane Dion: "Mr. Speaker, we all heard the tape. First question: can the prime minister tell Canadians - Is it really his voice on the tape? Yes or no?"


Ken Dryden:



Ruby Dhalla:

Afghan detainees - Irwin Cotler in QP, Feb. 29, 2008

Liberal human rights critic Irwin Cotler questions the government on the resumption of transfers of Afghan detainees to Afghan officials. (FR/EN, Question Period, February 29, 2008) [02:21]

Liberals question government on Cadman allegations (video coverage)

Liberal leader Stéphane Dion, Deputy Leader Michael Ignatieff and several Liberal MPs questioned the government during Question Period today about allegations that Conservatives tried to bribe Independent MP Chuck Cadman. Here are videos of Dion, Ignatieff, Karen Redman, Dominic LeBlanc, Sukh Dhaliwal, Todd Russell, Raymonde Folco and Sue Barnes pressing the government for straight answers:

"With our plan, Canadians are winners"

Stéphane Dion's stellar performance during Question Period, February 5, 2008, on assistance for Canada's manufacturing and forestry sectors.

We have proposed ... to make targeted investments in our manufacturing and forestry sectors to stimulate the economy, create jobs and green technologies right here in Canada. But the finance minister says he's not capable of identifying winners. Mr. Speaker, with our plan, Canadians are winners.

Also today's scrum on Dion's expectations for his meeting with the prime minister on the Afghanistan mission. (Click the "menu" button on the video player to see the second video.)

What part of "February 2009" don't you understand?

"The combat mission must end in February 2009." Sounds pretty clear to me. And completely consistent with what Dion's been saying since February 2007. Here's today's scrum on the Afghanistan mission and the Dimitri Soudas/Rosdev affair as well as QP on Afghanistan:

Stéphane Dion on Afghan detainees, Mulroney-Schreiber

Stéphane Dion on transfer of Afghan detainees

[09:44]

Press conference on January 25, 2008. Stéphane Dion gives a brief review of Harper government record followed by lengthy discussio Stéphane Dion gives a brief review of Harper government record followed by lengthy discussion of Conservative policy on transferring Afghan detainees (scrum, January 25, 2008). Dion reveals that he and Michael Ignatieff were informed confidentially of the change in detainee transfer policy while in Afghanistan earlier in January. Dion and Ignatieff were bound by confidentiality not to disclose the information until it was made public by the government. Stéphane Dion, chef de l'Opposition, commente la politique du gouvernement sur le transfert de détenus afghanes (point de presse le 25 janvier 2008). (EN/FR)

Stéphane Dion commente l'affaire Mulroney-Schreiber

[00:38]

Point de presse le 25 janvier 2008. Stéphane Dion, chef de l'Opposition, commente l'affaire Mulroney-Schreiber - «on a besoin d'av Point de presse le 25 janvier 2008. Stéphane Dion, chef de l'Opposition, commente l'affaire Mulroney-Schreiber - «on a besoin d'avoir une enquête complète». (Français)

Stéphane Dion in Kandahar

Stéphane Dion interviewed on CTV's Question Period from Kandahar, January 13, 2008 - click for video.

Or on YouTube:

Stéphane Dion et Michael Ignatieff à Kandahar

Stéphane Dion et Michael Ignatieff effectuent une visite en Afghanistan. (Presse canadienne, français)

After visiting President Hamid Karzai on Saturday, Dion visited the Kandahar Airfield and a forward operating base on Sunday.

In addition to meeting Karzai and Canadian soldiers, Dion has also met with many diplomats and NGOs.

NGOs have suggested many forms that Canadian involvement could take after the end of the combat mission, including assistance with police training, dealing with corruption, strong programs for women, education and water management. Dion reiterated that even after the end of Canada's combat mission, Liberals would support Canadian military involvement in security, training, monitoring etc.

More at the G&M et Radio-Canada.

We can no longer use our atmosphere as a free garbage dump

Nous ne pouvons plus utiliser notre atmosphère comme décharge gratuite.

Since Stéphane Dion mentioned the Liberal "Balancing Our Carbon Budget" white paper in his recent press conference, here's the background on the announcement from March 16, 2007.

Video of the announcement (2 parts, EN/FR) -

Text of the March 16, 2007 speech -

English - Remarks - Balancing Our Carbon Budget
PDF of the white paper.

En français - Remarques - Respecter notre budget carbone
PDF du livre blanc.

Stéphane Dion - A Strong, Cool Leader

What kind of leader is Stéphane Dion?

Glad you asked. Strong on the environment, on social justice, on human rights, on the economy and good quality jobs. And cool too! Who needs a rose and an opera cloak when you've got a leather backpack and a husky? Top it all off with a great brain and a great accent - what's not to love!?

To celebrate the start of a new year that will surely bring us the coolest prime minister ever, I've put together a series of 6 short ads on the theme "What kind of leader is Stéphane Dion?"

These videos showcase a few of the many issues Dion has taken a strong stand on to defend Canadians and Canadian interests. (Click the "menu" button to choose another vid from the series.)

1. Too cool
Stéphane Dion - a cool leader. Stéphane Dion discusses Facebook, Avril Lavigne and forking in an interview with This Hour Has 22 Minutes' teen correspondent Mark Jackson (Gavin Crawford). [00:46]

2. Workers & industry
Stéphane Dion shows strong leadership for workers & industry. Dion consults with manufacturers, unions, workers, environmentalists and the provinces on a plan to protect Canadian manufacturing and Canadian jobs. [01:51]

3. Environment
Stéphane Dion protects Canada's environment. Dion discusses how to "reconcile the people and the planet" and make Canada a world leader in technologies to protect the environment and reduce climate change. [01:07]

4. Aboriginal People
Stéphane Dion supports Aboriginal people. Speaking at a powwow in Saskatchewan, Dion calls on the Conservative government to honour the Kelowna Accord to provide First Nations, Inuit and Métis people with better housing, health care, education and clean water. Dion also calls on the government to sign the International Declaration of Indigenous People and for Canada to be a world leader on human rights issues. [01:11]

5. Children - Stéphane Dion's leadership to reduce poverty
Stéphane Dion stands up for Canadian children. Dion discusses his 30/50 plan for reducing poverty in Canada. He commits a new Liberal government to reduce the number of Canadians living in poverty by at least 30% and to reduce the number of children living in poverty by at least 50% in 5 years. [01:09]

6. Human rights
Stéphane Dion shows leadership on human rights, writing to the governor of Montana to request clemency for a Canadian sentenced to die. Stéphane Dion speaks in the House of Commons to ask Harper to do the same, continuing the Canadian tradition of requesting that sentences be commuted for Canadians facing the death penalty in the USA and other countries. [00:47]

And let's not forget Dion's legendary sense of humour! In case you missed it, here are a couple of clips from his memorable performance at the parliamentary press gallery dinner this fall:

Lots more Dion videos available on my YouTube channel at http://ca.youtube.com/bruyerey.

Stéphane Dion - Bali press conference, year-end interviews

Video coverage . . .

Stéphane Dion - press conference at Bali UNFCCC, 2007.12.12
And now also available on YouTube:

Canadian Liberal leader Stéphane Dion holds press conference at United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) in Bali, Indonesia, December 12, 2007. (Topics include: environment, climate change, Kyoto Protocol, United Nations, Canada)

Stéphane Dion - CPAC year-end interview 2007.12.20
Now also available on YouTube:

Canadian Liberal leader Stéphane Dion in a year-end interview with CPAC, December 20, 2007. Dion and Peter Van Dusen discuss Dion's assessment of his first year as official opposition leader; reaction to negative press; the next election; Liberal party unity; the Harper Conservative record and agenda, e.g. Bali; the death penalty; Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) and supply management; Liberal vision and popularity; Liberal policies, e.g. poverty and environment.

Stéphane Dion - year-end interview on CTV's Mike Duffy Live, 2007.12.18
Canadian Liberal leader Stéphane Dion in a year-end interview on Mike Duffy Live (CTV), December 18, 2007. Topics include election probability, Chalk River nuclear reactor, the environment, Bali climate change conference, Kyoto Protocol, Quebec, role as leader of the opposition, Mulroney-Schreiber inquiry, Saskatchewan byelection, NAFTA.

And while we're at it -
Stéphane Dion's Throne Speech Response, Oct. 17, 2007
Stéphane Dion's response to the Speech from the Throne, House of Commons, October 17, 2007. Réponse par Stéphane Dion au discours du trône, le 17 octobre 2007.

And here are some more year-end interviews and a Bali interview from Radio Canada.

Dion doing Harper's job - again

So tell me again why we're paying this Harper guy, giving him free houses to live in, official car, official chef, office, staff, security guards etc. etc. etc.?

Once again Stéphane Dion has to do Harper's job (and Baird's) because the prime minister and environment minister just aren't up to it. They're not getting things done. Well, not the things that Canadians want done, like protecting our planet and our citizens.

Dion attending Bali summit for Earth, not political gain
Mike De Souza, CanWest News Service
Published: Friday, November 30, 2007

OTTAWA -- Liberal Leader Stephane Dion says his upcoming trip to a United Nations climate change summit in Indonesia has nothing to do with revitalizing his image or embarrassing the Harper government on the international stage.

Following a rocky first year, filled with ups and downs as leader of the official Opposition, Mr. Dion told CanWest News Service in an interview that he is more concerned with the risk of irreversible damage to the Earth's climate, and hopes to capitalize on his international contacts to give the planet a boost at the environmental negotiating table.

"My role is not to be a substitute for the government of Canada. My role is to try to push everyone to get a better result,"said Mr. Dion in his office on Parliament Hill. "I'm not alone. There's also (former U.S. vice-president Al) Gore and many other people who will be doing the same thing."

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Stephen Harper immediately reacted to the news that Mr. Dion would attend the Bali conference by e-mailing reporters to remind them that the Liberal leader had said in June that he would never speak out against the government when discussing matters with representatives of other countries.

But Mr. Dion, who chaired the 2005 UN climate change summit in Montreal, said his office has already been flooded by e-mails and phone calls from international politicians, business leaders and environmental organizations, who hope to meet with him at the conference in search of solutions to stop humans from causing global warming.

"I'm not going to claim that 180 countries want to see me. But, yes, there is movement," said Mr. Dion. "As the former chairperson of the conference, with a big network and a degree of expertise, I will see what I can do to create some good momentum."

At the Montreal summit, environmentalists have credited Mr. Dion with brokering an agreement that would prevent a gap between the end of the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period in 2012 and the next set of binding targets.

Environment Minister John Baird has not yet introduced regulations to crack down on pollution from large industries in Canada, but has insisted that his government would correct the mistakes made by the previous Liberal regime, which allowed greenhouse gas emissions to soar by more than 30% above the country's Kyoto target.

"It's very easy for the people who had the responsibility for 13 years to say how easy it would have been to act -- when they didn't act themselves," Mr. Baird said following a breakfast speech to the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce. "But we've got a good plan and I'm confident."

Mr. Baird has said the key to a successful international agreement is getting large polluting countries such as the U.S., India and China to sign on to binding targets. His office confirms that he has met with leaders and officials from all three countries, at international conferences and in Canada.

Mr. Dion said that he visited China twice in 2005 to convince them to come to the table and is not surprised that developing countries have always rejected binding targets.

"I know that's their position. I negotiated with them and I know this very well," Mr. Dion said. "I'm not telling you that everything would be solved if I was there."

Even so, he said, "I was at the conference in Montreal and we succeeded getting these countries to enter into a dialogue for the first time."

Mr. Dion accused the Conservative government of stalling the process by giving up on Canada's Kyoto Protocol commitments and holding out on a new deal instead of leading other countries by being the first to sign on.

He said Canada had more credibility when it was still trying to meet its targets and demonstrate to developing countries, where millions of people do not have electricity, that it is possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions without devastating the economy.

The Harper government has refused to invite opposition parties as part of its official delegation because, it says, it wants to avoid partisan bickering. All three parties have said they will send delegates at their own expense.

Once again, Harper & company are getting nasty things done with Canadian taxpayers' money.

Death penalty - "their silence speaks volumes"

Canada's leader of the official opposition, Stéphane Dion, is doing what the prime minister should be doing - standing up for a Canadian on death row in a Montana prison.

Prime Minister Harper and his justice minister, Rob Nicholson, are failing in their responsibilities to Canadian citizens by failing to request clemency for Canadian citizens sentenced to death abroad.

Dion has written to the governor of Montana to ask him to commute the death sentence of Ronald Allen Smith. Dion emphasized in his letter that he respects the right of the state of Montana "to convict and punish Mr. Smith for his crimes." He is simply asking Governor Schweitzer to commute Ronald Allen Smith's death sentence.

Dion said, "I have taken this step because the Conservative government is not representing the views of the majority of Canadians nor is it respecting long-standing Canadian law and policy on the issue, and I believe it is my responsibility to make those views known and to uphold the law."

In his letter, Dion said:

Today, Mr. Smith is the only Canadian facing the death penalty in the United States. Canada abolished the death penalty more than 30 years ago and the majority of Canadians continue to believe that we must oppose its use, both domestically and in cases where Canadian citizens face this punishment abroad. I share this belief and as Leader of the Official Opposition in our Parliament, it is my duty to convey to you the conviction of millions of Canadians who want to see Mr. Smith’s sentence commuted.

Dion showed respect for the governor and the state of Montana, saying:

I know that as the chief executive power in the state of Montana, you have been entrusted with upholding the laws of your state and providing safety and security to your citizens. I do not believe these would be undermined if Mr. Smith’s sentence was changed to life in prison. I know too that you are also entrusted with the reputation and the dignity of your state and its people. I believe both would be enhanced by commuting the death sentence in this case.

In a media scrum, Dion said of the death penalty, "If you think it's morally wrong, you oppose it in every circumstance."

Dion explained his opposition to the death penalty in a media release :

I believe that the use of the death penalty undermines the human dignity of not only the individual who is killed, but of all involved in the process. I believe that the evidence supports the position that the death penalty has little to no value as a deterrent of crime. I can think of no acceptable justification for the taking of a life by the state. While there is obviously a strong argument for opposing the death penalty due to the risk of a state killing an innocent individual, I believe that it represents an injustice even when it falls on someone who is unquestionably guilty of crime.

Even Prime Minister Harper's good friend Jack Layton has jumped on the bandwagon, and followed Dion's lead by writing to the Montana governor requesting clemency for Smith.

The disrespect that the Conservative caucus shows for human rights was evident in the behaviour of Conservative MPs in the House of Commons during debate on the issue.

Stéphane Dion kills at the parliamentary press gallery dinner

Well not literally. Liberals are the good guys after all.

By popular demand, here are some text and video excerpts of Dion's speech at the parliamentary press gallery dinner, October 27, 2007. Sorry for the delay, that day job really interferes with my life ;-)

You'll need to read to the end for the vids . . .

From TVO (The Agenda with Steve Paikin):

The Federal Liberal Leader
Posted on: 09 November 2007 by Steve Paikin

A couple of weekends ago, Stephane Dion was the lone federal leader who braved giving a speech at annual the Parliamentary Press Gallery dinner.

As they say in comedy circles, he killed.

While Stephen Harper and Gilles Duceppe declined to attend the event, NDP leader Jack Layton did, but announced ahead of time he wouldn't be giving a speech (despite the fact that Layton did a nice job the year before, bringing the house down with his guitar playing and humorous lyrics).

"Who's abstaining now?" Dion glowered at Layton at the press gallery dinner, to hoots and howls from the audience.

Dion even had some fun at his own expense.

"I'm mad as hell," he kibitzed. "They say I'm the worst Liberal leader in a century. What? Only a century?

"English Canadians say they can't understand me. French Canadians just can't stand me," he added, to applause.

Dion exhibited much of the personality, charm, and humour that he showed 15 months ago, when he was one of our first ever guests on The Agenda.

From CTV:

Liberal Leader Stephane Dion was scheduled to be the only political speaker this year. Jack Layton of the NDP originally declined to speak and Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe hasn't attended for years.

Dion, who has never been confused with a stand-up comic, won laughs for a series of self-inflicted jabs aimed at his struggles with the English language, his caucus and his preference for slinging a back-pack over his suit jacket.

"A back-pack can be very useful,'' he deadpanned. "It can help protect your back.''

He shot back at reporters who have called him the worst Liberal leader in a century.

"Why only in a century? I can't win anything with you guys.''

Dion's taunt aimed at Layton ("who's abstaining now?'') may have prompted the NDP leader to abandon his original intention to stay away from the podium. Layton did address reporters, but in the guise of an auctioneer to raise money for a Carleton University scholarship fund in the name of the late Dennis Bueckert, the long-serving environmental reporter for The Canadian Press.

From the Halifax Daily News - Simon Doyle

Peerless leader

There was a lot riding on Liberal Leader Stephane Dion's speech. Stephen Harper cancelled, Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe doesn't attend it and NDP Leader Jack Layton decided not to make a speech this year (although he attended). That left Dion as the only party leader to try to impress what can be an ornery gathering of journalists.

He fared well for his first crack at the dinner. As part of his presentation, he brought his trademark leather backpack onto the stage, drawing items from it such as a number of self-help books on leadership. At one point, he drew out a business card of John Manley, the former Liberal cabinet minister who recently joined the prime minister's expert panel on Afghanistan, and dismissively tossed it over his shoulder.

He finished by emptying his bag of items he said were confiscated at a recent Liberal caucus meeting. He turned it over and a pile of knives fell out.

Stéphane Dion at the parliamentary press gallery dinner (02:08)
Above - Stéphane Dion - the only politician with the guts to stand up and make a speech - knocks 'em dead at the parliamentary press gallery dinner, October 27, 2007. This clip from Dion's stand-up comedy routine includes duct tape, Marc Garneau, the Canadarm and John Manley's business card.




Stéphane Dion interview, The Agenda, 07 11 09 (3/3) 07:24
Above - Stéphane Dion interviewed on TVO's The Agenda with Steve Paikin, November 9, 2007 (pt 3 of 3 - EN). Includes Dion's "three peelers" stand-up comedy clip from parliamentary press gallery dinner (October 27, 2007).

Liberals uniting progressive-minded Canadians

The Liberal party has attracted a core group of former Progressive Conservatives, proving that the Liberal party under Stéphane Dion unites progressive-minded Canadians from both the left and the right...

Key members of Progressive Canadians to join federal Liberals

GLORIA GALLOWAY. Globe and Mail, Saturday, November 17, 2007 at 1:04 AM EST

OTTAWA — The entire executive and many senior members of the small political party formed by Progressive Conservatives who rejected the merger with the Canadian Alliance have decided to join the Liberals.

The Progressive Canadian Party, which expropriated the PC logo and adhered to the ideals of the old Tory party, will likely continue, said Tracy Parsons, who quit as party leader two weeks ago.

But Ms. Parsons will be taking out a Liberal membership, as will party president Jim Love, the four other members of the executive, several members of the national council, all of the CPC's Quebec organizers and many riding presidents.

The executive made the decision to quit en masse. It was a surprise when the others followed.

There was a realization, said Ms. Parsons, that Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion was offering policy options that closely mirrored their own.

“As a political party you are always trying to find your differentiators [with other parties] and I found that when Stéphane Dion became the leader of the Liberal Party that that differentiator was harder and harder to locate,” explained Ms. Parsons, who lives in Truro, N.S., and had been party leader since 2005.

“He had a lot of the same visions for the country that we had. And, of course, the Liberal Party has sort of moved into that Progressive Conservative space anyway.”

There were also some key points of departure with other Progressive Canadian Party members, she said.

“So when you start having some fundamental disagreements on direction inside the party, you have to start asking yourself where your energies are best spent. And if I am going to put out that much energy I would like to do good for this country,” Ms. Parsons said.

The Progressive Canadians are not large in number. They fielded just 25 candidates in the last federal election and took 0.1 per cent of the popular vote.

But the move will be seen as a shot in the arm for Mr. Dion, who has been derided by the Conservatives as a weak leader and who, according to a recent survey, is not as widely recognized by Canadians as Mario from Nintendo's video-game series.

Ms. Parsons said neither she nor any of the other defectors have ever been Liberal.

Her own association with the old Progressive Conservatives goes back two decades. “I was active in riding associations, president's council and I worked as a field organizer when [Jean] Charest was the leader,” she said.

“Ten years ago I would have said of course I was crossing to the enemy. But, if you look at being a Progressive Conservative towards the end of that party, those lines were becoming incredibly blurred under [former prime ministers] Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin.”

Not surprisingly, Ms. Parsons said she found the federal Liberals “very welcoming. I am sure they were surprised.”

Senator Marie Poulin, the president of the federal Liberal Party, said the Liberals take the new arrivals as evidence of their leader's broad appeal to Canadians of many political backgrounds.
(Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071117.tories17/BNStory/National/home)

Tracy Parsons and her colleagues will join prominent former Progressive Conservatives such as Scott Brison, Garth Turner and Belinda Stronach in the Liberal fold.

Harper government indifferent to homelessness and poverty

Stéphane Dion reiterated his commitment to reducing poverty and homelessness in Victoria yesterday.

At a roundtable on homelessness, Dion learned that about 1,200 people in Victoria are "homeless or at risk." Dion said that the federal government should be involved in Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe's plan to find 1,550 housing units for the homeless in the next five years.

A Liberal government led by Stéphane Dion would work with other levels of government to find solutions to poverty and related social problems.

Dion confirmed that "The Liberals also plan to honour promises in the Kelowna Accord -- an agreement between the Liberal government of Paul Martin and aboriginal leaders two years ago -- to help aboriginal people living in poverty."

The Times-Colonist reported that "Dion also yesterday restated his party's support for supervised-injection sites as part of the fight against poverty and addiction. Dion said research shows the sites save lives and prevent the spread of disease."

Read the full story:

Dion endorses city strategy to fight homelessness
Lindsay Kines, Times Colonist (Victoria, BC)
Published: Friday, November 16, 2007

Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion yesterday endorsed Victoria's strategy to fight homelessness and vowed that a government under his leadership would be a partner in the battle.

Dion, who held a morning round-table discussion on homelessness with civic leaders at the Victoria Foundation, admitted surprise that an estimated 1,200 people are homeless or at risk in Victoria.

"Incredible," he said.

But Dion said he was impressed to see the community united behind Mayor Alan Lowe's task force, which intends to find 1,550 housing units for the homeless over the next five years.

"When you have a plan, like the mayor has a plan ... the federal government must be part of the plan," he told the Times Colonist editorial board.

Dion criticized the current Conservative government for "doing nothing" about homelessness and poverty for the past two years. "The current government is indifferent," he said.

By contrast, he said, his party released a plan last week that would reduce the number of Canadians living below the poverty line by at least 30 per cent during the first five years of a federal Liberal government. The number of children in poverty would be cut in half, he said.

Under the plan, the Liberals would expand the child tax benefit, increase the guaranteed-income supplement for seniors, and change the tax rules so people aren't penalized when they move off welfare into the workforce.

The Liberals also plan to honour promises in the Kelowna Accord -- an agreement between the Liberal government of Paul Martin and aboriginal leaders two years ago -- to help aboriginal people living in poverty.

"Keep our feet to the fire, because we have made a commitment," Dion said. "It's not a commitment of decades; it's a commitment of five years. A mandate. If Canadians are giving us the mandate, they will be able to be part of this unprecedented effort to decrease poverty by a third."

Dion said the Liberals will reveal the cost of the plan during the next election campaign. "It's affordable," he said. "We don't need to raises taxes for that. It's a matter of political will. And when I see how much the communities are ready to act -- as the one that we see today in Victoria -- I'm very confident that we will succeed."

Dion also yesterday restated his party's support for supervised-injection sites as part of the fight against poverty and addiction. Dion said research shows the sites save lives and prevent the spread of disease.

Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca Liberal MP Keith Martin told reporters Victoria's integrated plan to deal with mental health, housing, detox and medical issues could be a model for other cities.

"We're utterly confident that here in Victoria, we will be able to build a plan that deals with downtown core urban issues that are affecting cities across our country," he said.
(Source: http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=7a742e55-6ee3-4e1d-b137-eeab897a7c54&k=77917)