Riccardo Filippone | CUPE Communications
There’s much to look forward to should the NDP win the upcoming election. We would finally get affordable child care, greater retirement security, a reinvestment in our health care system and a stronger economy. Despite everything the NDP could do in power, what they can undo also holds a lot of promise.
Conservatives had an ambitious plan to remake our country in their image when they took office in 2006 and they didn’t waste a minute of their time in government rolling out their harmful agenda.
The good news is that many of the Conservatives’ most odious acts can in fact be undone. Here are six Conservative actions that stand out as perfect candidates for an orange reversal:
Long-form census
The Conservatives eliminated the mandatory long-form census in 2010. The price we are paying is substantial – namely, public and corporate decision making based on inaccurate and incomplete data. The long-form census is critical for the evidence based, people centred policymaking needed to build a healthier, safer, more equitable and prosperous Canada.
Environmental assessment
Through numerous legislative and regulatory changes Harper gutted the environmental assessment process in Canada. For Stephen Harper, important environmental concerns do not stop or delay private industry’s development plans.
OAS
Conservatives raised the OAS (Old Age Security) eligibility age from 65 to 67, forcing seniors to work two years longer to make ends meet.
Bill C-51 the Anti-Terrorism Act
Also known as the Conservative ‘spy’ bill, this legislation undermines the civil liberties and democratic freedoms of all people living in Canada.
Status of Women Canada
Conservatives modified Status of Women Canada (SWC) mandate, preventing it from funding research and advocacy work: the terms ‘advocacy,’ ‘equity’ and ‘access to justice’ were removed from SWC’s official mandate. This has prevented women’s groups who receive funding from SWC from doing critical advocacy and research work, and in some cases eliminated entire organizations who no longer qualified for any funding.
Bill C-377
The Act to amend the Income Tax Act (Labour Organizations) is a partisan attack on unions. It requires unions to disclose more financial information than MPs, Senators, political parties or corporations. It is a breach of privacy and will cost $20 million simply to set up a tracking system for it. Union finances have always been available to members of the union.
