Funding national affordable housing critical: Layton

Federal Leader Jack Layton addressed a crowd of over 200 Saskatoon Residents who are concerned about the homeless and housing crisis in Saskatoon

clipped from www.canada.com SASKATOON - Federal NDP leader Jack Layton points to construction of Saskatoon's Station 20 West as proof of the value of his party's push for a Canadian affordable housing program. "We're here to build support for our case for a national affordable housing construction program. Without that, the actions of the local governments will not solve the problem alone," Layton said in an interview. Layton offered encouragement to local citizens fighting for legislation to prevent condominium conversions during periods of low rental vacancy rates. A similar rush to convert rental units to privately-owned condominiums ravaged the rental housing stock in Toronto 30 years ago, he said. It sparked a citizen's movement that resulted in laws to protect the rental housing stock. Saskatoon received $11.6 million for housing out of that, part of which is funding Station 20 West. That money will be gone after this year and the Harper government is not putting more in, Layton said.

Corrupt Conservatives ignore own Accountability

So here we are with a Conservative Government hell bent on accountability. It's too bad that they demand it for everyone but themselves.

The stories are amazing:

Tories accused of election advertising misspending
Opposition blasts Tories over campaign finance controversy

Yesterday, the Tories once again tried to manipulate the media by inviting only a select few to a media conference about the Elections Canada warrant. Much to their dismay the other outlets found out and when they tried to get in, the Tories left down the back hall in haste. Now that's accountability!!!!

Not only is it disgusting that the Tories broke Elections Canada laws and are claiming that it is a "publicity stunt" on behalf of Elections Canada, they are now wasting our money on mail outs into selected ridings across Canada.

Each MP is allowed to send out what is called a 10%'er. These are mailouts designed to keep their constituents informed of what is going on in the House of Commons and to keep us up to date on the issues. These mailouts are delivered free by Canada Post at the expense of the taxpayers.

The Harper Conservatives are using your tax dollars to attack Jack Layton. As the Dion and the Liberals are in bed with Conservatives and are needed to keep propping up the Government, Harper's only true opposition is Jack Layton.

What is even of more interest, is that they cannot attack the individual candidates, so they have to attack Layton directly. Jack must be doing something right if he has the entire Tory Caucus going after him!!!!

MLA's have no problem with pay raise while the working class suffers

So here we have the average person in Saskatchewan earning just under $30,000.00 per year

While this is on no surprise to the working women and men in this province, what is surprising is that as of April 1, the wages of Saskatchewan MLAs will rise to $84,409.00

The 2.8% increase is equal to the raise in the provincial Consumer Price index in 2007. All bonus remunerations will rise by the same amount, meaning all cabinet ministers will get an extra $$2,974.00 for a total of $127,383. Premier Wall will make $!47,799 and NDP Leader Lorne Calvert $!27,383.

Usually, I do not tend to agree with the Canadian Federation of Taxpayers, but this time they actually raise a good point. I invite you to see their post and the comments there from Barb Cape, President of SEIU Local 299.

I also invite to read the quote from Finance Minister Rod Gantefoer also reportedly said he has never heard the public complain that MLA wages were too high.

Following the request from the CTF, please be one of "the first," and do let him know your objection to these raises:

Rod Gantefoer, MLA Melfort
Address: Minister of Finance
Government House Leader
Melfort Mall,
P.O. Box 2800,
Melfort, SK S0E 1A0

800.242.6796 (Toll Free)
306.752.9005 (Fax)
rgantefoer@mla.legassembly.sk.ca (Email)
www.melfortconstituency.ca (MLA Website)

Conservative MP from Saskatchewan now sending junk mail for Surrey’s recycling program

Check out I’m Laila Yuile, and This Is How I See It

An open letter to Garry Breitkreuz, MP, Yorkton-Melville, SASKATCHEWAN

Dear Garry,

You must know Mark Warawa, MP, from Langley British Columbia. Here is a link to an open letter I sent to him, for which I have yet to receive a reply. http://lailayuile.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/the-cost-of-stephen-harper-courtesy-of-mark-warawa-mp/

I received yet another junk mail flyer from Mr. Warawa today, bringing the total to 7 unaddressed conservative flyers trashing the Liberal Party. I thought surely, this is some kind of joke.

Then I discovered your junk-mail flyers in the pile- two of them, identical in format, using the threat of losing the childcare benefit as a way to scare potential voters away from the Liberals.

Not recognizing your name, I did a quick MP finder search, and imagine my surprise to discover you don’t even hold a BC riding! You are the MP for Yorkton-Melville, Saskatchewan ! Utterly amazed at this turn of events, and turning the flyer over, I see that like Mark Warawa’s junk mail , I can check my little box on this one and return it, free of postage to the House of Commons - all courtesy of tax-payer dollars.

What would the people within your own riding think if they were to know you were so thoughtfully informing British Columbians of our choices to lead the government? Can you please tell me what this is all costing us? As with Mark Warawa’s unending stream of wasteful expenditures on this junk mail, I must shake my head at the arrogance of your choice to send this all the way to the province of BC. We do have TV and newspapers here, you know, and are all very literate. We know who stands for what in the government, because it is all we hear about in the press.

I would appreciate a reply as soon as possible, as I am quite puzzled why you would be spending so much money to send junk mail all the way to Surrey ,British Columbia.

Next time, harass your own constituents.

Sincerely,

Laila Yuile, Canadian taxpayer

www.lailayuile.wordpress.com