Wayne in the News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MARSTON MARKS NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING FOR WORKERS KILLED OR INJURED ON THE JOB IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

Ottawa – In advance of local ceremonies this Saturday, Wayne Marston, MP (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek) made the following statement in the House of Commons during Question Period today:

This Saturday, April 28th, communities across Canada will be marking the National Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job and those who have become ill as a result of their job.

The National Day of Mourning is not only a time of reflection and remembrance; it is also a day to re-dedicate ourselves to the goal of keeping our workers safe on their jobs. Every day 3 Canadians die on the job and each year another 1 million are injured.

PUBLICATION: The Hamilton Spectator
DATE: 2007.04.05
EDITION: Final
SECTION: Business
PAGE: A20
BYLINE: Steve Arnold

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A plan to keep jobs in Hamilton

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Hamilton needs a strike force charged with keeping good-paying jobs here.

That's the goal of a new committee city council will be asked to form next week.

The brainchild of Councillors Scott Duvall, Terry Whitehead and Brian McHattie, the new group would be responsible for helping struggling employers like Hamilton Specialty Bar get survival aid from senior governments.

NDP FIGHTS FOR JAPANESE COMFORT WOMEN
MPs push for formal apology and compensation from Japanese PM

OTTAWA – The Harper government should take a stand on human rights and denounce the Japanese prime minister’s attempt to deny the forced prostitution endured by South Korean, Chinese and Filipino women during the Second World War. NDP MPs Wayne Marston and Dawn Black are calling on Stephen Harper and Peter MacKay to act in accordance with the principles of human rights that ordinary Canadians believe in.

“Prime Minister Abe must be pressured to formally apologize and to institute a program to compensate the estimated 50 000 to 200 000 women who were forced to serve in military brothels during WWII,” said NDP Human Rights Critic Wayne Marston (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek).

On Monday, the Conservatives announced their second budget in the House of Commons. Another budget, another disappointment.

This budget fails ordinary hard-working Canadians because it fails to close the prosperity gap. With over 9 billion in corporate tax cuts and the failure to take away the tax advantages for the oil sands, contrary to what Finance Minister Flaherty says, this budget does more for those around the boardroom table than for those at the kitchen table.

This budget is one where we see steps forward accompanied by two steps backwards. For example, there are new measures for funding post-secondary education. But there is nothing to address student debt, the need for students to get loans to be able to afford their education or to reduce, freeze or eliminate tuition fees.

CONSERVATIVES MUST END SECRECY ON CANADA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA: NDP
Marston’s motion demands Parliamentarians have full access to Burton Report

OTTAWA – At a meeting of the sub-committee on International Human Rights, the NDP’s Critic on Human Rights Wayne Marston, MP (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek) put forward a motion that passed unanimously calling on DFAIT officials to explain why they are blocking parliamentarians access to a report on Canada’s bi-lateral human rights dialogue with China.

“Professor Burton has prepared what by all accounts is an important document outlining Canada’s bi-lateral human rights dialogue with China. First we were allowed copies of the report with sections blacked out,” said Marston. “Then we were told we could see the whole report, but only for 15 minutes and we couldn’t take notes, keep a copy or discuss amongst ourselves or with DFAIT officials present the contents of the report.”

NDP MPs SAY BUDGET FAILS HAMILTON
Written for those around the boardroom table not the kitchen table

OTTAWA – Hamilton’s New Democrat MPs challenged today’s federal budget for failing to close the prosperity gap in our city.

“With corporate tax cuts totaling $8 billion, today’s budget will further widen, not shrink, the gap between those at the top end and middle-class and working families,” said Wayne Marston, MP (Hamilton East-Stoney Creek).

The Conservative budget extends the corporate tax advantages for big oil and gas companies another 8 years.

“Corporate Canada and the oil sands don’t need more taxpayer’s money, working and middle-class families do,” said David Christopherson, MP (Hamilton Centre).

HAMILTON NDP MP’s SAY GROWING PROSPERITY GAP MUST BE CLOSED
NDP releases Budget ’07 expectations

HAMILTON – Federal New Democrats have released their expectations for the upcoming Conservative budget: make life more affordable for regular Canadians.

“The prosperity gap in Canada is growing and it’s time for the Conservatives to close the gap.” says Wayne Marston, MP (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek). “Monday’s budget must provide meaningful assistance to Canada’s working and middle class families, increase climate change spending and make real investment in education and job re-training.”

HAMILTON – NDP MP Wayne Marston is urging the Conservative government to heed the warning signs contained in a CBC investigation into the air quality in Canadian rinks.

“It would be irresponsible for the Conservative government to ignore this new potential health risk,” said Marston. “I am calling on Secretary of State for Sport Helena Guergis to prepare a full report on the air quality in Canadian rinks and what this Conservative government intends to do about improving it.”

The number of Canadians that are potentially exposed to this risk is staggering. According to Skate Canada more than 6 million people lace up skates every year. Hockey Canada’s website says the sport is the activity of choice for over 2 million Canadians. There are also 25,000 registered ringette players, with over 6500 coaches and over 1600 officials; as well as 950,000 participants registered with the Canadian Curling Association.

Tax credits: They don’t replace programs and services, but if they’re there don’t forget to claim them!

Tax season is upon us again. Politicians will continue to debate the meaning of tax credits but we will all still have to file our income taxes before April 30th. The debate will continue about the meaning of tax credits in the absence of infrastructure. Take for example the Conservative childcare benefit is essentially a tax credit, but there has been minimal investment in childcare spaces. So although all Canadians with children have a little more money, no more Canadians have access to quality, affordable childcare.

In March 2007, I sent the document linked below to all households in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek containing information about community resources for filing tax returns as well as an update on my work as MP for our community.