Editor:
As part of the leadnow.ca national day of action at Conservative MPs’ offices nation-wide, more than 50 people rallied outside of Russ Hiebert’s constituency office in South Surrey on Wednesday, June 13.
Concerned constituents from across the political spectrum and all walks of life were there to call on Hiebert to be one of 13 Conservative MP heroes needed to stop or split the federal omnibus Bill C-38.
Those people who spoke at the event said they were particularly opposed to C-38 because of the following:
• Environmental-protection laws, that took decades to build, are being dismantled.
• It empowers the federal cabinet minister to override decisions regardless of environmental impact, paving the way for pipelines and other energy projects.
• The Fisheries Act is being gutted to eliminate habitat protection.
• It scraps the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act.
Others were particularly opposed to:
• Changes made to employment insurance benefits.
• Increases in the age of eligibility for old age security.
• Axes Ottawa’s spy watch.
Finally, the last word was given to Art Kube, president of the 80,000 member Council of Senior Citizens’ Organizations of B.C, who said: “Not only is this bill draconian in its content, negatively effecting over 160 different pieces of legislation, but it is also undemocratic, the way it is being pushed through the House of Commons. That’s not what we seniors voted for.”
H. Sarkisian, White Rock
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An open letter to MP Russ Hiebert.
The following are words I have come across far too often lately to describe your boss, Stephen Harper.
• Pejorative – having a disparaging effect; as in name calling of opponents.
• Obfuscation: to confuse, bewilder, stupefy; as in mellifluous false assurances.
• Exculpatory: (considered) free from blame; as in the refusal to provide basic information on spending.
• Arcane: secret; as in agenda.
• Intransigent: uncompromising, inflexible; as in abusing its powers as grotesquely as in the passing of Bill C-38.
• Ideology: impractical theorizing; as in the assault on unions, deregulation of the private sector, privatization of public services and cuts to social programs.
• Abrogator; abolish or nullify: as in medicare and the social safety net, the environment, research and science, the National Welfare Council, First Nations council.
• Acquiescence: submission implying consent; as in the Harper centralized communication apparatus.
• Emasculate: to deprive of strength or vigor; as in the weakening of the Fisheries and Oceans Act.
• Egregious: the worst scenario in any situation; as in proving to be a Harper majority government.
Fran Manary, White Rock
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What’s wrong with this picture? While the Harper government is closing life-saving Coast Guard Rescue stations, shutting down the Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, raising the age for OAS to 67, cancelling funding for a number of charitable organizations for what they say is a lack of funds, they are spending over $28 Million on the reinactment of the war of 1812. THE WAR OF 1812. Who cares?? I would suggest that a large percentage of the Canadian population does not know anything about the war of 1812. This $28 Million would keep the Kits Coast Guard Station open for 28 years or make life a whole lot better for our aboriginal and senior communities.
Terry Garvey, Surrey
