The Journal of the Niagara Falls Federal Liberal Riding Association
Volume 2 No. 2
June 2013
www.niagarafalls.liberal.ca
a new era for the party begins
President’s report
I’m proud. I’m proud of Bob Rae and would like to take this opportunity to thank him for
his extraordinary efforts as a diplomat, motivator and leader for our party that was, when he took
over, in disarray. Thank you Mr. Rae for keeping the Liberal Party relevant and for positioning us
nicely.
I’m excited. In mid-April, a Forum Research poll had the Liberals at 43% and Conservatives
at 30%, and that was before the most recent examples of the Conservatives showing the country
why their time is up. At the end of May, another Forum Research poll came up with almost the
same numbers (Libs 44%, Cons 22%); this is not to mention Yvonne Jones’ Liberal victory in
Labrador, nor the failure of the NDP who “appear to have functionally ceded the role of the opposition to the Liberals in
the public’s mind.” Yes, polls are unreliable, but they are at least a reflection of a sentiment that we believe, understand
and support.
I’m enthusiastic. Our Association is vibrant. We have just completed a membership wide policy survey and a
successful membership drive. We’ve kept on with our monthly morning breakfasts (last Saturday of every month) and
café nights. We have held regular membership and executive meetings. We had events allowing our membership to
interact with five of the leadership candidates. We co-operated harmoniously and successfully with the St. Catharines,
Welland, Niagara West Glanbrook Riding Associations for the Trudeau and Garneau visits. And our own leadership event
in April was extremely successful as a fundraiser and social event. Now, we are preparing for our big summer barbecue
in early September.
Our membership is healthy (reaching towards 200) and the number of supporters and volunteers has ballooned
(over 600). Our Twitter account has 87 followers and we have 175 friends on our Facebook account including not only
friends, but dozens of local businesses.
With the election two years away, our Association is poised to serve as a vibrant hub of Liberal activity in this
riding. We are scheduling our AGM for the Fall which offers members like you an opportunity to step up to the executive
or any of our active committees (i.e. policy, fundraising, events, membership), so I heartily welcome you to the AGM
(date TBA) and our next General Membership meetings on July 16th and September 11th, to come and share our pride,
excitement and enthusiasm.
Alex MacGregor
President, Niagara Falls Federal Liberal Riding Association
Liberal Party of Canada I Parti liberal du Canada
81 rue Metcalfe Street, Suite 400
Ottawa (Ontario) KIP 6M8
Niagara Falls Federal Liberal Association Newsletter
I want to thank everyone who is part of the Niagara Falls Federal Liberal Association for
your hard work and the enthusiasm
during the recent Leadership
neighbours
race.
that you brought to all the different campaigns
You brought your friends,
and families,
and
into the new Supporter class and made the Liberal Party of Canada the
most open political party in the country and the Leadership contest the most voted-in
election in its history.
I am extremely proud and very humbled to be the new Leader of the Liberal Party of
Canada and will continue to seek your help as we practice a new, open politics that
seeks to listen to the hopes of our fellow Canadians from coast to coast to coast and will
work hard to earn their support in the coming years.
After all the excitement what is there left to do? As I said at the announcement,
have won nothing more and nothing less than the opportunity
"... we
to work even harder.
Work even harder to prove ourselves worthy of leading this great country."
work is going on even now, right across the country, in all communities.
That hard
As I continue
meeting our fellow citizens across the country I look forward to being with you in your
region.
Together we will counter the old-style politics of division and cynicism, and work hard to
offer a new kind of leadership to Canadians - one of hope that comes from hard work.
Justin Trudeau, M.P.
Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
2013
www.liberal.ca
Liberal Party of Canada I Parti liberal du Canada
81 rue Metcalfe Street, Suite 400
Ottawa (Ontario) K 1P 6M8
Bulletin de I'Association Iiberale federale de Niagara Falls
J'aimerais vous remercier, vous les membres de l'Association liberale federale de Niagara Falls, pour
votre travail acharne et I'enthousiasme que vous avez apportes aux differentes campagnes durant la
recente course au leadership. Vous avez amene vos amis, vos proches et vos voisins
a
s'inscrire
dans notre nouvelle categorie de sympathisants et avez ainsi fait du Parti liberal du Canada Ie parti
politique Ie plus ouvert du pays, et du scrutin de la course au leadership, Ie scrutin au plus haut taux
de participation de notre histoire.
Je suis extremement fier et honore d'etre Ie nouveau chef du Parti liberal du Canada. Je continuerai
solliciter votre collaboration
pour mettre en pratique une politique nouvelle, une politique ouverte,
a I'autre,
I'ecoute des espoirs de nos concitoyens d'un ocean
d'obtenir leur appui dans les annees
a venir.
Apres I'effervescence de la campagne que reste-t-il
a
a
a
et pour travailler avec acharnement afin
faire? Com me je I'ai dit lors de I'annonce des
resultats : « ce que nous avons gagne aujourd'hui, ce n'est rien de plus, rien de moins que I'occasion
de travailler encore plus fort. Travailler encore plus fort pour nous montrer dig{1es de diriger ce grand
pays. » Presentement
continuerai
a
partout au pays et dans les collectivites
rencontrer nos concitoyens
a travers
Ie travail acharne se poursuit. Je
Ie pays, et pendant ce temps j'aurai I'intention de
venir vous voir aussi dans votre region.
Ensemble, nous mettrons fin
a
la bonne vieille politique de division et de cynisme, et travaillerons
avec tenacite pour offrir un nouveau style de leadership aux Canadiens - un leadership d'espoir qui
nait d'un travail acharne.
Justin Trudeau, depute
Chef du Parti liberal du Canada
2013
www.liberal.ca
News bites
headlines from Liberal.ca Newsroom • no summaries or editorials • just the buzz
(click on the BOLD titles to see the complete articles, or visit liberal.ca)
Liberals Blast Conservative Ad Spending, Demand Reinvestment in Youth Jobs
MAY 16, 2013 – Across the country today, Liberals, along with student and business leaders, called on the Conservative
government to end its wasteful spending on advertising …
Liberals Condemn Conservative Cuts Targeting Environment and Safety
APRIL 29, 2013 – Today Liberal Treasury Board critic John McCallum presented an analysis of the government’s Reports on Plans
and Priorities 2013-14 highlighting some …
Liberals Launch New Advertising Campaign
APRIL 24, 2013 - The Liberal Party of Canada launched a campaign today introducing Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau to
Canadians. These ads will run online as well as on television …
Liberals Take Action to Fix Foreign Worker Program, Protect Canadian Jobs
APRIL 16, 2013 – Liberals are pushing the House of Commons to take immediate action today to remedy problems with the
Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and ensure …
Statement by Outgoing Liberal Leader Bob Rae on the Election of Justin
APRIL 14, 2013 – Outgoing Liberal Leader Bob Rae made the following statement today on the election of Justin Trudeau as the
new Leader of the Liberal Party of [...] More »
Reality Check: Conservative Spending Fictions in Budget 2013
MARCH 27, 2013 - Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities Fiction: Budget 2013 announces funding that will “help more
persons with disabilities gain the hands-on …
Reality Check: Conservative Budget Contradictions
MARCH 26, 2013 - Contradiction #1: Raising taxes on imported goods Budget 2013 removes $76 million in tariffs on certain
sporting equipment and baby clothing that are …
Reality Check: Thomas Mulcair and the NDP’s Record on Bank Regulation
MARCH 14, 2013 - This week, Thomas Mulcair went to Washington and claimed that the NDP was responsible for the soundness
and resilience of Canada’s banking system. “Canada …
Reality Check: Top Five Conservative EI Fictions
FEBRUARY 27, 2013 - Human Resources and Skills Development Minister Diane Finley and this Conservative government have
no problem misinforming, misleading and …
Government Must Support Liberal Motion to Study Canada’s Cyber Security
FEBRUARY 22, 2013 – Liberal Public Safety critic Francis Scarpaleggia made the following statement today on cyber security:
“Today …
Liberals Give Government Failing Grades on Transparency of Cuts
FEBRUARY 20, 2013 – In advance of the upcoming budget, Liberal Treasury Board critic John McCallum today released a list of
the 10 least transparent federal departments …
Copyright © The Niagara Falls Federal Liberal Riding Association.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by an electronic or
mechanical copying system without the written permission of the Niagara Falls Federal Liberal Riding Association.
The Niagara Falls Liberals is a publication of theNiagara Falls Federal Liberal Riding Association. It is published quarterly under the auspices
of the communications committee.
Articles and notices are welcome and should be sent to the managing editor, Alex MacGregor,
The association reserves the right to reject material deemed inappropriate and to edit material for length and content.
What
s stand for
Liberals stand for equality of opportunity.
The Liberal Party of Canada believes that when individuals and families are given the
opportunity to succeed, the economy grows and Canadians become stronger. That’s why
equality of opportunity is a fundamental Liberal principle. Read more…
Liberals stand for true fiscal responsibility.
Turning deficits into surplus. Growing our economy. Creating good jobs across the country.
During difficult economic times, only the Liberal Party of Canada has a proven track record
of competent, accountable and successful economic management. Read more…
Liberals stand for a clean environment.
The Liberal Party of Canada believes in the inter-connectedness of environmental
and energy concerns and solutions. And we are committed to building a clean energy
economy.
Read more…
Liberals stand for affordable access to post-secondary education.
The Liberal Party of Canada believes firmly that all Canadians deserve affordable access to
education. Read more…
Liberals stand for sustainable universal public health care.
Liberals believe strongly that all Canadians deserve the same level of high quality and
timely health care provided by an efficient, accountable, and sustainable public health
system. Read more…
Liberals stand for open, fair, and strong democratic representation.
The Liberal Party of Canada believes that Parliament should belong to the people instead of
the Prime Minister. Liberals are committed to exploring Parliamentary and Electoral reform
in order to realign our institutions with democratic principles and to ensure more meaningful
and effective representation. Read more…
Liberals stand for an evidence-based crime policy.
The Liberal Party of Canada believes in a smart on crime approach, targeting real criminals
instead of our youth, to keep our communities safe. Liberals understand the need to
consider ending the prohibition of marijuana and addressing the root causes of crime to see
real results. Read more…
A Conservative’s ideology
The environment and sustainable development are not Harper Conservative priorities, and recent rankings of environmental performance clearly demonstrate this fact.
The 2008 Climate Change Performance Index ranked Canada 56th of 57 countries in terms of tackling emissions. In 2009 and again in 2013,
the Conference Board of Canada ranked Canada 15th of 17 wealthy industrialized nations on environmental performance. In 2010, Simon Fraser University and the David Suzuki Foundation ranked Canada 24th of 25 OECD nations on environmental performance. The Environmental
Performance Index ranked Canada 37th of 132 countries on 22 performance indicators, and 96th and 102nd in terms of ecosystem vitality and
climate change, respectively.
Our world-renowned natural heritage was further imperilled by the government’s Economic Action Plan 2012, and its draconian omnibus
budget bills, C-38 and C-45, which destroyed 50 years of safeguards through severely cutting the budget to Environment Canada, gutting environmental legislation, and cancelling the National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE). The Conservatives have also
silenced dissent from environmental non-governmental organizations and continue to muzzle government scientists.
Environment Canada is seeing a $13 million reduction this year, growing to $31 million and $58 million in the following years. This ultimately
will represent a five per cent cut for Environment Canada.
Budget 2013 offers mere scraps for the environment, and in no way makes up for the war on the environment and science the government continues to wage: $4 million for marine-based ecosystem conservation, when the government has promised to protect 10 per cent of marine areas
and has protected only one per cent; $10 million for the conservation of fisheries and a salmon conservation stamp after eviscerating the Fisheries Act in last year’s budget omnibus bill; and a new tax credit for clean energy worth a tiny $1 million for a global, one-trillion-dollar industry.
Perhaps most damning of all is the lack of action on climate change, when the government is under increased scrutiny for its environmental and
climate change record — particularly by our largest trading partner, the United States — and the fact that record-low Great Lake levels (which
many experts attribute to a changing climate) are mentioned — but not acted upon — in the budget.
Our shrinking Great Lakes could pose substantial challenges to the more than 100 aboriginal communities within the Great Lakes Basin. Fishing, hydropower, navigation, recreation, and water usage could be severely affected. Specifically, lower water levels could mean less cargo,
higher costs and lower profitability. Other potential costs include those of damage to boats, digging new wells, dredging, decreased property
values and impacts on tourism.
Although possible solutions are on the table to address low water levels, the government will wait for recommendations from the International
Joint Commission (IJC) and review them, and still has yet to even appoint a third Canadian IJC Commissioner (Canada and the United States
each appoint three of the six IJC Commissioners). A federal government that claims to be focused on jobs and economic growth should not use
the delaying tactic of a sector-by-sector approach to climate change — having taken action on three sectors in six years, and no action at all on
the oil-and-gas industry, the sector with the second-largest emissions.
The government’s claim that it is halfway to achieving its 2020 greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target is nothing short of extraordinary. As
recently as the fall of 2011, the government was on track to reach only twenty-five per cent of its very weak target. How did the government
manage to improve its performance by an astonishing one hundred per cent in just over six months?
Well, first, the government used a higher start value — a projected value, rather than actual emissions — and second, it changed the accounting rules: for the very first time ever, it included land use and forestry in its emissions projections. Third, it took credit for actions taken by the
provinces and territories, which according to NRTEE is really responsible for three-quarters of Canada’s GHG reductions.
And fourth, it removed climate accountability measures through Bill C-38, which repealed the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act. Because
of the repeal, the NRTEE no longer will be required to assess each year’s climate plan and offer constructive expert feedback — in fact, the
NRTEE will cease operation on March 31st, 2013 — and the Environment Commissioner will no longer have to report regularly on Canada’s
progress in implementing its plan.
The Environment Commissioner Spring 2012 report stated that Canada’s emissions will be seven per cent above the 2005 level — and not 17
per cent below, as promised.
For a government that is desperate to “greenwash” its record, Budget 2013 clearly shows that the environment is only an afterthought for the
Harper Conservatives, and that they are anxious to shield themselves from the criticism they have earned nationally and internationally.
Mr. Kent, Canadians will not be fooled by mere tokens. They want real action on the environment and climate change.
Letters from Willoughby Falls
Hi Folks,
My name is Milo Burke and I live in Willoughby Falls. Some of you may have passed through our town at one time
or another, but if you haven’t it really doesn’t matter, Willoughby Falls is identical to hundreds of small towns across
this great country of ours.
We have a population of 4,523 real nice folks and 3 or 4 old sore heads. Farming country surrounds the town and we
have a paper mill and a mine that produces gold, silver and copper.
A bunch of us retired folks get together at the Donut Hole on Main Street every morning for coffee, donuts, and
a gabfest. Alex MacGregor, your president, was driving through town, stopped for a coffee and got caught up in our
discussion. On leaving he asked me to pass along any political news from our part of the country for your newsletter
from time to time, so here you are.
We are still talking about the last election. Nobody saw it coming, not even Jedediah Prendergast, who has called
every election since anyone can remember. Jed will be 96 next month and took the breaking of his streak rather hard. He
insists that the inmates are now running the asylum.
Our local contest was a good example. The NDP has an association of six people here in town and Percy Mulchester,
their president, couldn’t find a willing sacrificial lamb to run. Brian Topp came through town and insisted that he had to
come up with a candidate and as he drove away yelled back that he didn’t care if it was Percy’s dog. Well that is exactly
what Percy did. Nipper Mulchester was the candidate and, like a lot of places where unlikely candidates prevailed, he
won. A lot of red-faced voters were seen in town the day following the election. Evangeline Biggar figures that our local
result was a good indication of what we can expect, you see Nipper’s bite is worse than his bark too.
Speaking of Evangeline Biggar, we did have some excitement during the campaign. Peter McKay was coming
through town on his way to a rally in Canusa, the county seat, and had a planned stop in Willoughby Falls. Now
Evangeline was a long time supporter of the old PC Party and was a delegate at the convention that chose McKay as
leader. She supported him based on his promise to David Orchard that he would not merge with the Canadian Alliance.
The day the merger was announced Evangeline came charging into the Donut Hole, sat at the counter, and didn’t
say a word. Even Bob Matheson, president of the Liberal Riding Association, who had exchanged barbs with her over
the years, knew enough to keep his mouth shout. She sat for a minute and then stormed out the back door. There was
a real ruckus out back for about five minutes and then Evangeline showed up out front and gave the Snyder twins $20
and pointed to the back. We all had a look and there was two cords of wood scattered all over the lane and the Snyder
twins hard at work stacking it.
Now most of the prominent people in business and politics in this country have worked a summer or two in
Willoughby Falls when they were going to school and Peter McKay happened to be one of them.
Evangeline Biggar taught school in town for 50 years and the summer McKay worked here he had to take a summer
course as he had failed Canadian history. Evangeline was his teacher. He should have known what was coming.
McKay went to the local Conservative campaign office and borrowed Steve Hooper’s dog for a photo op, but when
the dog saw Evangeline coming up Main Street swinging her trademark hickory switch he quickly lifted his leg on
Peter’s trousers as a sign of where his loyalties lay and made a beeline for the safety of Bob Storm’s gas bar.
We were too far away to hear what she was saying, but every time she raised that hickory switch McKay flinched.
Even the security detail seemed cowed by Miss Biggar. It was a wonder, after all those years of pent up anger over the
merger, that she didn’t give him a licking. Come to think of it nobody could remember her actually having hit anybody
with the switch. Things you can learn when a politician comes to town.
After that confrontation McKay just jumped in his limo and headed back the way he came. Steve’s dog came out of
hiding as soon as the coast was clear. Seems Hooper’s dog is smarter than the Minister of National Defence.
Well, Must go. Yvon Lévesque, the proprietor over at the Donut Hole, has introduced a new donut called the NDPer.
It has two holes instead of one.
Sincerely,
Milo