Summary - NDP Party Platform
Continuing my series of reporting the platforms of the major four parties running in British Columbia during this federal election, I give you the NDP. Keep in mind, that as the election unfolds, each party that I summarize is sure to continue to release platform planks. If any party you read about here piques you're interest, I'd sugget reading the speaches/articles/statements section of that party's website for more up to date information. Without much further adieu, I give you the words of promise by Mr. Layton and his crew:
Jack Layton will be a “Prime Minister who will put you and your family first”
Jack Layton will honor the “Atlantic Accord”
To Protect Canadians from “Hidden Fees” and gouging, the NDP will:
o End hidden fees with laws requiring full disclosure of
charges by banks, cell-phone operators, and other companies.
Including the unfair practice of charging more for cell phone
text messages.
o Ban ATM fees.
o Stop price gouging at the gas pumps.
o Put a cap on interest rates and fees charged by ‘fringe banks’.
o Cap the interest rates on credit cards
The NDP's Environmental policy:
o Builds on the Climate Change Accountability Act, proposed by Layton's
party and adopted by Parliament on June 4, 2008. This bill sets the
target of an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and
provides the enforcement tools needed to do the job.
o Make polluters pay for the real costs of pollution. "We'll do this
through a cap-and-trade system that rewards big polluters who reduce
emissions, and punishes those who don't."
o Helps families make the transition to a sustainable economy with a
$750 million green-collar jobs fund.
o Ensures greener homes and cities with average of almost $1 billion a
year for public transport and an energy efficiency retrofit program.
o Introduces Canada Environment Action Bonds to raise capital for the
plan’s goals.
o Halts new tar sands development until emissions are capped.
o And implements a new energy economy strategy -- to be spelled out in
coming days.
New Democrats will commit an average of $2 billion a year to a new labor program, aiming to directly create 40,000 new manufacturing jobs and thousands of spin-off jobs while protecting many more. They will do so through adherence to a 6 point labor program:
o Stop unproductive, untargeted and fiscally irresponsible corporate
tax cuts, and target investments instead to stimulate innovation
o Invest in low-emission vehicle production
o Train new and displaced workers through a Green Collar Jobs Fund
o Create a Jobs Commissioner to investigate shutdowns
o Develop sector-based industrial strategies
o Stop the export of Canadian jobs overseas through new, manufacturing-
friendly trade policies while adopting a Made-in-Canada procurement
policy for the federal government and its agencies.
The NDP plans to invest money in public transportation, specifically:
- $76.3 million in Hamilton
- $137.9 million in Ottawa Public Transit
(One could argue that this is also economic stimulus. Given his Made-In-Canada policy for government contracts, and that given Manitoba is one of North America’s largest Bus manufacturers… But this is just guessing on my part)
Layton also promised less wait times, and more doctors and nurses in his opening speech. I haven’t found any specific policies on this.
Of special note, as I was going through some of Mr. Layton’s statements, I stumbled across some quote of particular interest. The first of these quotes Mr. Layton gave a few days ago in the riding of Vancouver-Kingsway regarding MP David Emerson. If you recall, Mr. Emerson ran as a liberal during the last election. Soon after he was elected he crossed the floor to join the Conservative Party. The voters tried to oust him for this stark betrayl, but these things aren’t easy. As a gentle reminder to all future politicians who would so dexterously betray their constituents, I would suggest that Emerson should be decapitated and have his head impaled on the flagpole outside of Kingsgate Mall on Kingsway. Mr. Layton was more charitable to the man, and instead says
“Unlike Stephen Harper, I’ll be a Prime Minister who’ll put you and your family first by passing laws that will outlaw floor-crossing,” said Layton. “I’ll ensure that what Mr. Harper and Mr. Emerson did to you - the voters of Vancouver-Kingsway - never happens again, here or to any voter in Canada.”
Another Layton quote is as follows:
“In this election, voting for New Democrats means supporting a vision of hope and optimism. It’s time to elect a Prime Minister who isn’t interested in tearing things down, but building things up.”
Does anyone else see a hint of Obama in that statement? I have no doubt it’s plagiarized or at least meant to echo one of Obama’s speeches. Layton, after all, attended Obama’s official nomination ceremony.
And, lest I forget:
“Choosing change that moves us forward, not backward.”
Does this not remind anyone else of the Simpson’s episode where Bob Dole and Clinton were replaced by alien impersonators? “We need to move forward, not backwards! Up, not down. And forever twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.”
So, again, what do I have to say about the NDP? Well, they certainly seem to be committed to the “workers and their families.” But they typically do so by appealing to the immediate self interest of their targeted demographic; the worker. All of their policies seemed geared to saving money for the “average Joe.” Unfortunately, a lot of his promises seem vauge and potentially deceptive. For example, I really do wonder what exactly he means by “stop price gouging at the gas pumps.”
The NDP also seems to be playing up regional politics, and I’m guessing it’s targeted at their primary support base in central an Eastern Canada. He also seems to be alienating voters in Alberta through suspension of tar sand developments. I doubt he would have formed this policy if he had many supporters in Alberta to begin with.
They form an environmental policy, which seems to be all the rage this election. Again, most of the NDP’s policy is quite vague on this front. Although, I must admit to being titillated by the prospect of this energy economy that he discuses. As far as I’m concerned, helping transition Canada’s economy to one based on the R&D and manufacturing of energy efficient technologies would be a marvelous policy. He'd have to discuss it in more depth before I could consider supporting it, though.
A government motivated shift into Green Economy may even be sufficient for me to consider voting the NDP, despite their fanatical obsession with the short term interests of the worker at little else. Given enough time in power, this approach (sole focus on the worker, and little else) will prove unsustainable. However, any feelings I have for the NDP seem rather pointless… They don’t actually seem to be running a candidate in my riding… So, Mr. Layton, you for one, will not get my vote.
Jack Layton will be a “Prime Minister who will put you and your family first”
Jack Layton will honor the “Atlantic Accord”
To Protect Canadians from “Hidden Fees” and gouging, the NDP will:
o End hidden fees with laws requiring full disclosure of
charges by banks, cell-phone operators, and other companies.
Including the unfair practice of charging more for cell phone
text messages.
o Ban ATM fees.
o Stop price gouging at the gas pumps.
o Put a cap on interest rates and fees charged by ‘fringe banks’.
o Cap the interest rates on credit cards
The NDP's Environmental policy:
o Builds on the Climate Change Accountability Act, proposed by Layton's
party and adopted by Parliament on June 4, 2008. This bill sets the
target of an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and
provides the enforcement tools needed to do the job.
o Make polluters pay for the real costs of pollution. "We'll do this
through a cap-and-trade system that rewards big polluters who reduce
emissions, and punishes those who don't."
o Helps families make the transition to a sustainable economy with a
$750 million green-collar jobs fund.
o Ensures greener homes and cities with average of almost $1 billion a
year for public transport and an energy efficiency retrofit program.
o Introduces Canada Environment Action Bonds to raise capital for the
plan’s goals.
o Halts new tar sands development until emissions are capped.
o And implements a new energy economy strategy -- to be spelled out in
coming days.
New Democrats will commit an average of $2 billion a year to a new labor program, aiming to directly create 40,000 new manufacturing jobs and thousands of spin-off jobs while protecting many more. They will do so through adherence to a 6 point labor program:
o Stop unproductive, untargeted and fiscally irresponsible corporate
tax cuts, and target investments instead to stimulate innovation
o Invest in low-emission vehicle production
o Train new and displaced workers through a Green Collar Jobs Fund
o Create a Jobs Commissioner to investigate shutdowns
o Develop sector-based industrial strategies
o Stop the export of Canadian jobs overseas through new, manufacturing-
friendly trade policies while adopting a Made-in-Canada procurement
policy for the federal government and its agencies.
The NDP plans to invest money in public transportation, specifically:
- $76.3 million in Hamilton
- $137.9 million in Ottawa Public Transit
(One could argue that this is also economic stimulus. Given his Made-In-Canada policy for government contracts, and that given Manitoba is one of North America’s largest Bus manufacturers… But this is just guessing on my part)
Layton also promised less wait times, and more doctors and nurses in his opening speech. I haven’t found any specific policies on this.
Of special note, as I was going through some of Mr. Layton’s statements, I stumbled across some quote of particular interest. The first of these quotes Mr. Layton gave a few days ago in the riding of Vancouver-Kingsway regarding MP David Emerson. If you recall, Mr. Emerson ran as a liberal during the last election. Soon after he was elected he crossed the floor to join the Conservative Party. The voters tried to oust him for this stark betrayl, but these things aren’t easy. As a gentle reminder to all future politicians who would so dexterously betray their constituents, I would suggest that Emerson should be decapitated and have his head impaled on the flagpole outside of Kingsgate Mall on Kingsway. Mr. Layton was more charitable to the man, and instead says
“Unlike Stephen Harper, I’ll be a Prime Minister who’ll put you and your family first by passing laws that will outlaw floor-crossing,” said Layton. “I’ll ensure that what Mr. Harper and Mr. Emerson did to you - the voters of Vancouver-Kingsway - never happens again, here or to any voter in Canada.”
Another Layton quote is as follows:
“In this election, voting for New Democrats means supporting a vision of hope and optimism. It’s time to elect a Prime Minister who isn’t interested in tearing things down, but building things up.”
Does anyone else see a hint of Obama in that statement? I have no doubt it’s plagiarized or at least meant to echo one of Obama’s speeches. Layton, after all, attended Obama’s official nomination ceremony.
And, lest I forget:
“Choosing change that moves us forward, not backward.”
Does this not remind anyone else of the Simpson’s episode where Bob Dole and Clinton were replaced by alien impersonators? “We need to move forward, not backwards! Up, not down. And forever twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.”
So, again, what do I have to say about the NDP? Well, they certainly seem to be committed to the “workers and their families.” But they typically do so by appealing to the immediate self interest of their targeted demographic; the worker. All of their policies seemed geared to saving money for the “average Joe.” Unfortunately, a lot of his promises seem vauge and potentially deceptive. For example, I really do wonder what exactly he means by “stop price gouging at the gas pumps.”
The NDP also seems to be playing up regional politics, and I’m guessing it’s targeted at their primary support base in central an Eastern Canada. He also seems to be alienating voters in Alberta through suspension of tar sand developments. I doubt he would have formed this policy if he had many supporters in Alberta to begin with.
They form an environmental policy, which seems to be all the rage this election. Again, most of the NDP’s policy is quite vague on this front. Although, I must admit to being titillated by the prospect of this energy economy that he discuses. As far as I’m concerned, helping transition Canada’s economy to one based on the R&D and manufacturing of energy efficient technologies would be a marvelous policy. He'd have to discuss it in more depth before I could consider supporting it, though.
A government motivated shift into Green Economy may even be sufficient for me to consider voting the NDP, despite their fanatical obsession with the short term interests of the worker at little else. Given enough time in power, this approach (sole focus on the worker, and little else) will prove unsustainable. However, any feelings I have for the NDP seem rather pointless… They don’t actually seem to be running a candidate in my riding… So, Mr. Layton, you for one, will not get my vote.