Press Releases

MARSTON RENEWS CALL FOR ALL-PARTY DELEGATION TO CHINA ON CELIL CASE

Ottawa – During Question Period, Wayne Marston MP (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek) called on the Harper government to send an all-party delegation to China to monitor and advocate for consular access to, and a fair trial for, Huseyin Celil.

“Canada’s government has failed to gain access and Foreign Affairs officials failed to show at his hearings. Fury and anger such as we’ve seen from the Prime Minister this week will not help Huseyin Celil. We need to show China that we’re serious about protecting our citizens – we need to send an all-party delegation with high level officials to monitor the trial and treatment of Celil.” said Marston.

HARPER GOVERNMENT ABANDONS HAMILTON’S POOR
NDP MPs’ forum to highlight local impact of government cuts

HAMILTON – Poverty in Hamilton is real. Nearly one in five Hamiltonians live at or below the poverty line. On any given night, 399 people seek emergency shelter – twice the number that did in 1995. Area New Democrat MPs Wayne Marston, Chris Charlton and David Christopherson will be joined today by Sault Ste. Marie MP Tony Martin, Hamilton East MPP Andrea Horwath, and local activists to look for legislative solutions.

Tony Martin, the NDP’s Social Policy Critic has been campaigning across the country on the NDP’s End Poverty in Canada campaign since last summer.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HARPER MUST ACT AGAINST TORTURE: NDP
Human Rights groups join NDP Critic in calling for action on the Optional Protocol Against Torture

Ottawa – NDP Human Rights Critic Wayne Marston (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek) was today joined by Secretary-General of Amnesty International Alex Neve, Kim Pate of the Elizabeth Fry Society, and Abdullah Almalki, a victim of torture in Syria, to call on the Conservative government to take immediate action and ratify the United Nations’ Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT).

“The protocol came into effect eighteen months ago, but for some reason both the Liberal and the Conservative governments have failed to ratify the optional protocol. Its hard to understand why a democratic government wouldn’t want to do everything it can to prevent and eliminate torture,” said Marston.

NDP CALLS FOR SPECIAL HUMAN RIGHTS ENVOY TO CHINA
Marston calls on Conservatives to stand up for Canadian Huseyin Celil

OTTAWA – During Question Period today, the NDP Human Rights critic Wayne Marston (Hamilton East-Stoney Creek) made an emotional plea for a Canadian diplomatic envoy to advocate for Huseyin Celil, the Canadian citizen illegally detained in a Chinese prison.

“The Parliamentary Secretary has spent his career agitating for human rights in China any past victory will be for nothing if this Canadian is murdered in China,” said Marston. “Huseyin Celil will never come home to his wife and children if this government doesn’t do more than talk about human rights when it is politically expedient.”

NDP BLASTS CONSERVATIVES FOR EMPTY PROMISES
Conservatives fail to keep election promise and ratify UN protocol on Torture

OTTAWA – Wayne Marston, MP (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek) held a press conference today in Ottawa demanding that Harper keeps his election promise and put the UN Optional Protocol Against Torture before the House for ratification.

“While in China last week, Harper says he talked about human rights and the Huseyin Celil case in particular. But Canadians want more than words from this government, they want action to eliminate torture and protect our citizens at home and abroad. The first thing the Conservative government needs to do is to meet our international obligations and do what is right by adopting the Optional Protocol on Torture,” said Marston.

NDP GETS ALL PARTY SUPPORT FOR VETERANS STATE FUNERAL
Marston seconds successful motion to recognize WW1 Veterans

Ottawa – Wayne Marston, MP (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek), joined by the NDP’s Veterans Affairs Critic Peter Stoffer put forward a motion to recognize Canada’s last World War 1 Veteran with a state funeral.

“I was pleased to see all parties recognize the importance of this motion to provide a state funeral for our last World War 1 Veteran. It is an important tribute to the contribution of all our veterans and current CF personnel as well as those who sacrificed their lives in World War 1 and other conflicts.” said Marston.

MARSTON URGES FUNDING OF STELCO CO-GENERATION PLANT
Co-generation an immediate “Clean Air” measure for Hamilton

Ottawa –Wayne Marston, MP (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek) challenged the Conservative government to take immediate actions to fund the proposed Stelco co-generation plant. In letters to the Ministers of Finance and Environment, Marston urged the Conservatives to fund this important project.

“Stelco’s re-structuring bid included a commitment for federal funding for a co-generation plant. The Conservatives have ignored that commitment.” said Marston “With a toothless Conservative Clean Air Act that needs to go to an all-party committee to be improved so it can pass, the co-generation plant is an easy, short-term measure that would have immediate impact on cleaning Hamilton’s air.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 28th 2006

TORIES FUMBLE AND MISS CONFERENCE
OF SPORT MINISTERS
Chong takes a pass on meeting about “#1 issue” in Sport: Infrastructure.

OTTAWA – NDP Sports critic Wayne Marston is demanding that the Conservative government explain why Sport Minister Michael Chong did not attend the Federal - Provincial/Territorial meeting on sport and recreation infrastructure.

“It’s shameful that the Federal Minister couldn’t show up to a meeting of his counterparts on what has been identified as the highest national priority in sport and recreation,” said Marston. “There is a 15 billion dollar capital deficit in sport and recreation infrastructure, but the Conservatives couldn’t even be bothered to attend a meeting to discuss the issue.”