To the editor;
Re: Omnibus Bill Targets Bees - and More (Nov. 6/14 edition):
The Conservative government’s latest omnibus bill is another attempt to undermine good government and local MP Cathy McLeod?s defence of it is disappointing. Omnibus bills are an abuse of process and show contempt for parliament.
The Prime Minister, with the full support of government MPs like Cathy McLeod, have buried important legislation in this 458 page bill hoping that it will not get the full and democratic debate it deserves. This is another example of the Harper government using omnibus bills to subvert democracy.
The mammoth bill includes a wide range of measures, including legislation that could allow provincial governments to restrict or deny income assistance to refugee claimants.
Restricting basic income is a violation of human rights and reminiscent of Harper’s previous decision to limit and deny refugee claimants? access to universal, public health care. It took a federal court judge to block that legislation, saying it constituted “cruel and unusual? treatment, put lives at risk, and that it ?outraged Canadian standards of decency?. The government is appealing the federal court decision.
I have met many Barriere residents and I think they would expect their MP to support refugee claimants and stand up for those needing health care and assistance. That’s what has made this country so strong, so diverse, and so prosperous. Why is Cathy McLeod subverting democracy and human decency?
Canadians are caring people by nature and want to help those in need to do well, and to make a contribution to our country. Harper’s legislation is offensive and must be stopped.
Harper Conservatives, like Liberals before them, use omnibus bills to ram through changes to legislation without proper debate. The Harper government’s contempt for Parliament and democracy has become so ingrained that it could not restrain itself, even in the solidarity of Canadians, in the days following of an attack on the greatest symbol of our democracy.
Canadians and our system of democracy deserve better. In 2015 Canadians have an opportunity to put an end to this nonsense and fix Ottawa.
Bill Sundhu,
Federal NDP Candidate,
Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo