Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

The Ottawa Citizen, Mon 06 Mar 2006

Re: Labour pains, March 1.

The Citizen rightly claims that the Public Service Alliance of Canada “endorsed a number of separatist candidates in the Pontiac, despite the fact that the union represents workers whose livelihood depends on a strong federal government.” However, poll after poll suggests that about 25 per cent of Bloc Quebecois supporters are federalists.

The reason is that the Bloc is proactive and progressive on a range of issues, from pay equity to anti-scab legislation to child care. On the basis of its strong support for social, human and labour rights alone, it gets support from workers and their families.

And while the leadership of the Bloc supports separation for Quebec, this is an issue that will not be decided in a federal election.

Workers and businesses in the area should be more concerned about the Citizen editorial board’s support of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE) which, in the words of the editorial, is “regularly putting forward serious policy proposals.”

The Harper government and the CCCE, and by implication the Citizen, endorse the concept of a fiscal imbalance between the federal and provincial governments, a notion that I and my union reject. I suggest that your acknowledgement of a fiscal imbalance and lack of support for measures to ameliorate it will do more to undermine workers and businesses, including the Citizen, whose livelihoods depend more on a strong federal government than on the endorsement and democratic election of a Bloc MP.

Nycole Turmel, Ottawa, PSAC National President

The federal election is over. As a result, child care is at risk as never before. After 30 years of hard work, the foundation of Canada’s newest social program is on the chopping block, with cuts of almost $4 billion on the line. Families, communities, providers, and advocates will not stand by and watch this happen.

Join Code Blue for Child Care and make your voice heard.

CODE BLUE FOR CHILD CARE is a Canada wide campaign to protect the progress we’ve made on child care. Code Blue brings together national, provincial/territorial child care organizations; labour, women’s and social justice groups; and Canadians from all walks of life. Code Blue will speak for the 64% of Canadians who voted for a child care system to meet the needs of Canada’s children, families and communities.

Visit childcareadvocacy.ca for more information.

To: Government Of Canada

We the undersigned believe that David Emerson elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of Vancouver Kingsway should be immediately recalled and a by election held so that the people of Vancouver Kingsway and in general all Canadians can be represented by the party and candidate of their choice.

David Emerson should immediately resign his current position in the Conservative Party and his cabinet position of Minister of International Trade. The people of Canada and in Particular the people of Vancouver Kingsway deserve proper democratic rights.

Sign the petition at petitiononline.com!

This morning it was announced that David Emerson, recently re-elected Liberal Member of Parliament for Vancouver Kingsway, has crossed the floor to sit as a conservative cabinet minister.

Stephen Harper campaigned on parliamentary reform, including limitations on floor crossing.

Stephen Harper had not even been sworn in as the Prime Minister and he had already broken a campaign promise.

Let Stephen Harper know you are watching!

Fax, phone or e-mail Stephen Harper and David Emerson to demand that a by-election be called immediately for Vancouver Kingsway.

I want to extend a special congratulations to all of the union brothers and sisters who ran and were elected to parliament on January 23rd. We look forward to meeting all of you over the next few months.

While we may have our differences with the new Conservative government, we intend to see what we can get done for working people between now and the next election. While many Canadians clearly voted for a change, many also voted for candidates whose party offered working families the most. We look forward to the positive and productive parliament that was promised. Read the rest of Ken Georgetti’s message at the CLC website.

Read the text of letters sent to the Party Leaders by the CLC here: Letter to Jack Layton | Letter to Paul Martin | Letter to Gilles Duceppe | Letter to Stephen Harper (all ).

Now that the election is over and PSAC members and all Canadians are waiting to see what the new Conservative minority government’s first actions will be, National President Nycole Turmel has written to the incoming Prime Minister and the leaders of the opposition parties to put some of our members’ concerns before them and to ask for an early meeting to discuss these concerns, read the letters here: Letter to Stephen Harper | Letter to Paul Martin | Letter to Jack Layton | Letter to Gilles Duceppe (all )

After 12 years under the Liberals, government workers across the nation’s capital woke up to a new boss Tuesday morning.

“I feel a little bit like a virgin on her wedding night. It’s exciting, but there’s fear and trepidation to see what’s coming next,” said Ed Cashman, vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada in the National Capital Region.

Despite some anxiety, Cashman believes public service employees are bound to benefit from the new marriage.

One immediate advantage of the new Conservative goverment, in Cashman’s view, is the end of Reg Alcock’s term.

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Congratulations to all of you who contacted your federal election candidates and encouraged them to endorse the Make Poverty History goals! Thanks to you, more than 75% of candidates from all parties have endorsed the Make Poverty History goals of more and better aid, trade justice, 100% debt cancellation and an end to child poverty in Canada. In all, 987 candidates responded by our deadline, and even now, more are contacting us.

To find out how the candidates and their parties responded, visit the Make Poverty History website. You can also find out about the different party platforms to see how the different parties plan to act.

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I like paying taxes. Taxes allow us to pursue our aspirations collectively and thus they greatly enrich the quality of life for the average Canadian family. Taxes have brought us high quality public schools that remain our democratic treasure, low tuition at world-class universities, freedom from fear of crippling health bills and excellent medical services, public parks and libraries, safe streets and livable cities. None of these things comes cheaply.

Taxes are the price that we pay for goods and services produced in the public sector from which we all benefit. They are equivalent to amounts we pay as prices for goods and services produced in the private sector.

Read more at straightgoods.ca.

This ad will be running tomorrow in community newspapers across the province. The text reads “We inspect your food, help seniors and the unemployed, protect our national parks, operate search and rescue and provide hundreds of federal services everyday to Canadians across the country.This election, think about how these services affect you and what the candidates will do to protect and improve them.Then cast your vote.”

We will be doing a Labour Blitz using the Canadian Labour Congress - B.C. Federation of Labour Better Choice-Count Me In Leaflet on the following dates/times and locations. Candidates who are affected and who may wish to participate have been contacted.

• Wednesday January 18 7 - 8:30 am Metrotown Sky Train
• Thursday January 19 7 - 8:30 am Surrey - Scott Road Sky Train
• Thursday January 19 7 - 8:30 am Surrey - Surrey Central Sky Train
• Thursday January 19 7 - 8:30 am Surrey - King George Sky Train

If you are in the vicinity, stop by and say hello to the BCFed volunteers and the candidates.

In BC, the polls will be open from 7AM-7PM. Part 9 of the Elections Act says the following:

132. (1) Every employee who is an elector is entitled, during voting hours on polling day, to have three consecutive hours for the purpose of casting his or her vote and, if his or her hours of work do not allow for those three consecutive hours, his or her employer shall allow the time for voting that is necessary to provide those three consecutive hours.

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The following statement is signed by a cross-section of organizations and individuals who believe that we all have a stake in helping parents raise the next generation of Canadians

OTTAWA, Jan. 12 /CNW Telbec/ - As the federal election draws near, Canadians concerned about the country’s future should closely examine the Conservative child care promises. These promises are a throwback to the past. They will not deliver the kind of high quality child care our children deserve nor the support today’s parents need. Instead, a Stephen Harper government would erase the progress we have finally begun to make towards building a system of accessible care for children across Canada.

The Conservatives say they would create 125,000 child care spaces through a $10,000 tax credit to employers.

Past experience with this trickle-down approach has been dismal. Mike Harris’s government used the same scheme-a tax incentive to employers for workplace child care-and no new spaces were created. Saskatchewan and New Brunswick had similar programs with poor results. In any case, most workplace child care in Canada is associated with public sector employers who can’t take advantage of tax credits.

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Dear Brothers & Sisters:

The federal election on Janauary 23rd is a critically important event for most PSAC members. While all voters in Canada will be electing a government, most PSAC members have the opportunity to elect their employer. As a result it is important that PSAC members participate in the election campaign, and do what they can to ensure that candidates for election understand issues that are important to PSAC members and are willing to champion those issues in Parliament. In this mail out you will find a Brochure from the Canadian Labour Congress on their Better Choices Campaign and a summary of the issue leaflets that the PSAC has prepared and posted on the under the Think, Ask and Vote icon.

PSAC members have had the right to engage politically at the federal level since the union challenged the restrictions under the previous Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) back in 1991. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the only federal public sector workers who faced restrictions on political expression were deputy heads of departments. The Public Service Modernization Act changed the PSEA which has created new restrictions on all public service workers.

It has been brought to my attention that some departments and agencies are advising our members that they are not allowed to participate in the political process. This statement is overly broad and misleading.

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In recent weeks, federal politicians have attempted to court the “immigrant vote” with certain policy announcements such as hose relating to Chinese Head Tax redress and the $975 landing fee. In response to such announcements, a diverse number of community-based groups will be challenging federal politicians to address immigration issues in a substantive manner at a press conference on Thursday January 12th at 10:30 am at Philippine Women’s Center (451 Powell St, Vancouver). Head Tax redress has become a key community-driven election issue. At least three Liberal cabinet ministers and the Prime Minister have now spoken about reversing their position of “no apology, no compensation”.

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We are very proud of our ads. They underline the fact that Paul Martin’s B.C. Team has delivered results for B.C., and that Jack Layton isn’t the answer for progressive voters.

- B.C. federal Liberal campaign co-chair Mark Marissen

In an election campaign that has seen some big whoppers, describing the federal Liberals as the “progressive” answer for voters has to take the prize.

Let’s just see how progressive the Paul Martin Liberals really are.

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The CBC needs your help! So far in this election campaign the politicians have been ignoring CBC and its need for increased funding. You would think the lockout never happened. We can’t let them get away with that. It’s important that you take action — right now — to let them know that CBC is important to Canada and that it’s important to you.

Visit supportcbc.ca and let the parties know you’re voting for a strong CBC.

Let’s make sure the voices of working people are sent to Ottawa on January 23, 2006.

When: Saturday January 7th, 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Where: Hyatt Regency Ballroom, 655 Burrard Street, Vancouver

• Protect public healthcare, public education and training
• Stop the sale of Terasen and other critical parts of the economy
• Stop the use of scabs to destroy worker rights
• Public childcare for all Canadians
• Standing up to George Bush to protect jobs

Please Join Us - Look for the PSAC Banner. Come hear Jack Layton – Canada’s NDP Leader