Press Releases

Statement on October being Islamic History Month

“Assalam-O-Alaikum.

“We are greatly disappointment that Parliament did not unanimously consent to declare October as Islamic History Month. The NDP was excited and looking forward to dedicating this month to the celebration of your faith.

“Islamic History Month is yet another example of how Canada must embrace diversity and multiculturalism. We need to continue to strive to learn more from each other and build on making Canada a more tolerant and accepting country.

“Despite not being recognized nationally, we still congratulate the progressive community members of Port Coquitlam for being the first city to proclaim October 2007 as Islamic History Month in Canada. Because of their forward-thinking, other cities, such as Kingston, Calgary and Ottawa have also officially proclaimed October 2007 as Islamic History Month.

“As you celebrate this momentous month in your communities, focusing on your beautiful faith, history, culture and heritage, the NDP also extends warm wishes that you had a wonderful Eid al-Fitr with your family, friends and community.”

Jack Layton, NDP Leader
Wayne Marston, Critic for Multiculturalism

MARSTON SPEAKS TO THRONE SPEECH IN HOUSE OF COMMONS
Marston highlights working families needs

OTTAWA – Hamilton East Stoney Creek MP Wayne Marston said the agenda laid out in the Harper Throne Speech continues to take Canada in the wrong direction on key issues and therefore cannot be supported.

“On issue after issue, the Throne Speech failed to chart the right path on key issues,” said Marston. “Everyday Canadians were looking for a change in direction on Afghanistan, a clear commitment on climate change and a recognition of the current hardships average families face despite signs of economic growth. This Throne Speech failed on all fronts: no new direction on Afghanistan, watering down the re-written Clean Air Act and no commitment to close the growing prosperity gap hurting middle class families. “

“Over the past week, I’ve spoken to various people in my riding about the Throne Speech and there was overwhelming disappointment that the vision presented by Harper’s government completely ignores issues like healthcare and education and pays lip-service only to employment and manufacturing industry issues.” said Marston.

Marston called on all Members of Parliament to show up for the final vote on Throne Speech expected tomorrow.

“A Throne Speech is a rare but important opportunity to indicate whether you support the direction of the government or not. If the Liberals, as they’ve suggested they will do, fail to show leadership, to oppose this narrow and short-sighted vision of the Harper government, the NDP will do it.”

-30-

MARSTON APPOINTED NDP STEEL CRITIC
Federal NDP shadow cabinet announced today

Ottawa – Hamilton East-Stoney Creek MP Wayne Marston saw his critic responsibilities increase today as the Leader of Canada’s NDP, Jack Layton, named him Steel Critic (Deputy Critic of Industry for Steel). Mr. Marston retains his critic areas of Human Rights, Multiculturalism and Sport.

“I have worked with steelworkers in our community for decades and many of them have supported me as their Member of Parliament. I’m looking forward to working with them in this new capacity as well as the broader group of stakeholders in Canada’s steel industry.” commented Marston on the appointment.

Mr Marston acknowledged that the industry is facing many difficulties at this time. Historically, Canada’s manufacturing sector has generated quality jobs—jobs paying 28% better than average. But in the first six months of 2007, Canada lost 75,700 more manufacturing jobs—bringing us to nearly 300,000 jobs lost since late 2002.

“When Stephen Harper boasts about Canada’s lower unemployment rate, he carefully avoids talking about the quality of jobs available. But I know that steelworkers in Hamilton and elsewhere aren’t fooled: good-paying jobs in this industry are being replaced by insecure service work and self-employment.” added Marston.

“It’s time for a national strategy for our manufacturing sector. A national strategy that encompasses energy prices, infrastructure and unfair trade deals. A national strategy that puts working families first so that at a time that we are supposedly prospering we keep and create good jobs with pensions and benefits instead of losing them.”

-30-

TIME FOR DNA BANK AND MISSING PERSONS INDEX
Marston joins Mason family in launching a petition to establish National DNA Bank and MPI

Hamilton – Wayne Marston, MP (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek) was joined by the family of Billy Mason who disappeared last February, to launch a petition campaign calling on the Harper Government to establish a National DNA Bank and National Missing Persons Index.

“No one should have to rely on luck to find their loved one, but right now the lack of federal leadership on creating a national DNA bank and a national missing persons leaves an inadequate, patchwork process in place.” Mr. Marston added: “Right now in Canada, if human remains are found there is no simple way to compare that DNA to the DNA of missing persons right across this country. The families and friends of missing persons are asking this Government to make that possible.”

The mother of Billy Mason, a resident of Hamilton East – Stoney Creek who disappeared in February of 2006 spoke about the petition campaign.

“I was shocked when I learnt that there is no way to capture and compare my sons DNA to the items recently found that I believe are his or to others that I don’t even know about that might be helpful.” Said Mrs. Dixon, she added: “This petition is just another step that I am taking to find my son and get governments at all levels to co-operate and give law enforcement officials the tools they need to help families like mine find our loved ones.”

In an Open Letter to the Federal Ministers of Justice and Public Safety, Ministers Nicholson and Day, the Wayne Marston also urged the Harper Government to act now to implement the legislation required to create national systems for cross-referencing human remains to the DNA of missing persons.

“There have been public consultations. There is a Federal-Provincial-Territorial Working Group of Justice Ministers examining this issue. It is time to act and put the legislation in place to create these systems.”

-30-

OPEN LETTER TO MINISTERS

OPEN LETTER TO

The Hon. Stockwell Day, P.C., M.P. he Hon. Rob Nicholson, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety Minister of Justice and Attorney General
VIA FAX: 613-952-2240 VIA FAX: 613-990-7255

Dear Ministers Day and Nicholson,

I write today to urge you to bring in the legislation necessary to implement national, searchable DNA Human Remains Index and a DNA Missing Persons databank.

As you are no doubt aware, there are thousands of missing persons cases in Canada. At this time there is no established method to cross reference recovered unidentified remains with individuals on the missing persons list.

A patchwork of processes is in place, but without federal leadership on this issue, providing the family and friends of missing persons the comfort of knowing that all unidentified found remains are checked to DNA provided of their missing loved one, identifying missing persons will continue to be a lengthy process where luck plays a much bigger role than it should.

In June, the Government of Canada responded to a Standing Committee report on this issue. A final report from a joint Federal-Provincial-Territorial Working Group is expected in November of this year. Public consultations have taken place.

It is time for action. It is time for the Federal Government to enable and take a leading role in the creation of a National DNA Bank and a National Missing Persons Index.

Yours truly,
(original signed by Wayne Marston)
Wayne Marston, MP
Hamilton East – Stoney Creek
NDP Advocate for Human Rights, Multiculturalism and Sport

BACK TO SCHOOL WITHOUT SUPPLIES: Local single-parent families struggle as Child Tax Benefit clawed back
MP Marston asks new Revenue Canada Minister to end the claw-back

Ottawa – In an open letter to the new Minister of Revenue Gordon O’Connor, Hamilton East – Stoney Creek MP Wayne Marston demanded that Harper’s government stop the claw-back and withholding of single-parent Child Tax Benefit.

“This week alone 3 single-parents, all women, came for assistance in my Hamilton office because Minister O’Connor’s department told them that they will have to pay back the Government thousands of dollars they received from the Child Tax Benefit. What was the reason the Department gave? Although they believe the parent with the children claiming the CTB lives alone, that apparently doesn’t equate to knowing that the other parent doesn’t live with them.” Marston added that “It is preposterous double-speak that means families in our community are suffering and parents have to add school supplies to the list of basic household items they cannot afford.”

Single-parents raising children must prove their marital status including living arrangements in order to be eligible for the single-parent tax benefit. Proving marital status and living arrangements is often difficult and can be demeaning to have one’s private life on display, as it can require going back several years and finding 3 separate individuals who can attest to their living situations.

“I asked the former Minister to look into this situation back in June and was told they do “no such thing” yet more women in my community are seeking assistance again as they receive threatening letters from CRA telling them they owe thousands of dollars. I’m hopeful the new Minister will have more to say and actually fix this problem” commented Marston.

“All single-parents should have access to programs, like the Child Tax Benefit, that are designed to assist them provide the basics to their children without having to jump through hoops.”

-30-
OPEN LETTER TO MINISTER O'CONNOR

August 30th 2007

OPEN LETTER TO
The Hon. Gordon O’Connor
Minister of National Revenue
Via fax: 613-992-1043 (original to follow)

Dear Minister O’Connor,

First, please allow me to congratulate you on your new position as Minister of National Revenue. Ordinary Canadians will be looking to you and your Department for fair revenue policies that are designed to assist working families as they contribute to the economic prosperity of our nation.

I am writing today about a situation regarding the Child Tax Benefit that I raised with your predecessor in the House of Commons in June. Unfortunately, many single-parent families in my constituency of Hamilton East – Stoney Creek, mostly women headed households have approached me about the financial difficulty that they are in as a result of the clawback and withholding of the Child Tax Benefit.

In all the cases, these women headed households are being asked to prove their living arrangements i.e. that the parent of their child or children no longer lives with them. Often, women remain in the communal or matrimonial home after a separation or divorce so this can be difficult and your Departments’ approach seems to be to open these women’s lives up going back several years requiring “proof” of living arrangements through testimonials and documentation. But sometimes even that is not enough and these single parents are told they have to pay back money because although the officials believe that they do live alone, they don’t have proof of the other parent(s) living arrangements.

Children and the parents who are providing for them should not suffer because of a lack of insight or flexibility from your Department or because the other parent has not fulfilled their duty to prove that they no longer live in the same household as the child.

My staff has tried to work with CRA staff to resolve these cases, but single parents continue to receive letters demanding thousands of dollars back from the CTB and are regularly told the CTB will be withheld until living arrangement by the other parent are “proved”.

Minister O’Connor there has got to be a better way to provide the assistance these families require to ensure that the children are provided for. Women in my community have had to add school supplies to the list of basic household items that they cannot provide for their children at this time.

I look forward to your speedy response on these issues and would welcome another opportunity to speak about the particular cases that I have raised so that these families are provided with the benefit to which Canadians believe they are entitled.

It is time to fix this problem and ensure that the Child Tax Benefit is not clawed-back or withheld from hard-working families and the children who it is designed to help.

Yours truly,
(original signed by Wayne Marston)
Wayne Marston, MP
Hamilton East – Stoney Creek
NDP Advocate for Human Rights, Multiculturalism and Sport

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOTE TO NEW MINISTER: STAND UP AGAINST INJUSTICE
NDP re-states demands for an apology for the “comfort women” of WWII

OTTAWA – NDP critic for Human Rights Wayne Marston (Hamilton East-Stoney Creek) wants the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Bernier to start his mandate by addressing the injustice committed against the “comfort women” of China, Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines, and urge the Japanese government to issue a formal apology to them.

“Bernier has to take up this issue and act immediately,” said Marston. “Sadly, his predecessor did not fulfil Canada’s obligation to stand up and demand a proper apology as well as financial compensation for the years of sexual abuse and torture those women endured. They have waited too long – it’s time the Conservatives address this issue instead of ignoring it.”

At least 200,000 women were lured from their homes and forced to work as prostitutes for the Japanese military during WWII. Japan has never issued a formal apology nor provided official redress to the women.

“Since early spring, I have been working very hard on the Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Development, petitioning Harper to urge the Japanese government to officially recognize and apologize for this situation,” said Marston.

On March 23rd 2007, a motion was submitted by the NDP calling on the Foreign Affairs Committee to recommend that Canada call for an official apology and redress. The motion was referred back for further study but nothing has come out of it.

“By not addressing this issue, we are denying history and therefore denying justice,” stated Marston. “Harper should have moved on this issue a long time ago, and the NDP will persist in order to obtain an apology for this grave injustice. We hope that Bernier will do the right thing and make this a top priority when he starts his new job.”

-30-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TIME TO STAND UP FOR COMFORT WOMEN: NDP
NDP urges Conservatives to follow the lead from US resolution

OTTAWA –The NDP critic for Human Rights called on the Conservative government to follow the lead from the US House of Representatives and approve a resolution to call on the Japanese Prime Minister to acknowledge, apologize and appropriately compensate the Korean, Chinese and Filipino women who were forced into prostitution during WWII.

NDP MP Wayne Marston (Hamilton East-Stoney Creek) stated, “We must act in accordance with the principles of defending human rights that ordinary Canadians believe in. Around 200,000 women were lured from their homes in neighboring countries and forced to work as prostitutes for the Japanese military. Japan should officially apologize and compensate these women and Canada should be urging them to do so.”

No formal apology or redress has been delivered and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has made disturbing comments in recent months about their situation. In April, Marston introduced a motion at the sub-committee on International Human Rights asking the Conservative government to urge the Japanese to officially apologize and provide compensation. Although the sub-committee passed that motion, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs sent it back for further study.

“Women’s organizations, representatives of the affected communities and the NDP have pushed for such action by Parliament but have had difficulty securing support for inexplicable reasons,” charged NDP MP Olivia Chow (Trinity Spadina), who authored a parallel motion on comfort women that is currently before the House of Commons. “Until truth is named, reconciliation cannot be achieved,” she said.

“If the U.S. House of Representatives can pass a resolution calling for an official apology, this Government should follow that lead and the NDP motion should be approved as soon as Parliament resumes, so that Canada can join other nations in urging the Japanese Government to do what is right,” said Marston. “History denied is justice denied – Canada should have moved on this issue a long time ago.”

-30-

MARSTON PUSHES TORIES ON MANUFACTURING
JOBS STRATEGY & POVERTY ERADICATION

Ottawa – During Question Period today, Wayne Marston (MP Hamilton East – Stoney Creek) drilled the Harper government on when they will have a strategy to protect and create manufacturing jobs in Hamilton.

“It’s not just the workers at Stelco and Hamilton Specialty Bar that are feeling the impact of job losses in the manufacturing sector: it is their families and the community as a whole that loses when the economic spin-off generated from well-paying manufacturing jobs are lost in a community like ours.”

TIANAMEN SQUARE: 18 YEARS LATER

Ottawa – After making a statement in the House of Commons commemorating the 18th anniversary of the massacre in Tianamen Square June 4th 1989, Mr. Marston (NDP Critic for Human Rights, Multiculturalism and Sport) issued the following public statement:

“Yesterday, people around the world paused to remember the 18th anniversary of the massacre at Tiananmen Square. From April to June in 1989 pro-democracy and labour activists, intellectuals and students gathered in a series of protests in the Beijing Square. Eighteen years ago yesterday, on June 4th, the military cracked down on protesters and several hundred to several thousand were killed.

NDP, COMMUNITY GROUPS WIN FIGHT TO SAVE LOCAL CANADA SUMMER JOBS PROGRAMS

OTTAWA – Hamilton’s NDP MPs announced a victory for students and communities today, as Service Canada confirmed that all non-profit groups receiving funding to hire summer students last year will receive funding this year under Canada Summer Jobs.

“This is a good start,” said MP Wayne Marston (Hamilton East-Stoney Creek). “But more needs to be done”.

Rejection notices were sent last week to non-profit associations and municipalities who had previously offered valuable community programs, but who had expected funding according to the program’s criteria.