RESOLUTIONS 22nd BIENNIAL CONVENTION NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF CANADA QUÉBEC CITY, SEPTEMBER 8-10, 2006206 5. BUILDING THE 21st CENTURY ECONOMY A ECONOMY 5 A1 WHEREAS Canada’s primary resource industries such as forestry, mining, and fishing are vital to economic development and job creation, especially in smaller communities; and WHEREAS many of these industries continue to be controlled by small groupings of powerful shareholders who seek profits and power over and above the interests of citizens, workers and the environment; and WHEREAS these industries, under private ownership, threaten smaller communities with de- investment and capital flight, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that a NDP government socialize all major primary resource industries in Canada over a period of several years through the payment of low-interest, long- term bonds; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a NDP government place all new public enterprises under democratic control by their workers, instituting direct election of plant managers and enterprise directors, with the right of recall by their electors, and have significant and meaningful participation in decision-making by consumers, environmental groups and local communities; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the new public enterprises undergo a “green screen” and move towards the use of environmentally-friendly forms of energy, the building up of resource capacities and other varieties of sustainable development. OAKVILLE NDP 5 A2 WHEREAS Canada has been losing manufacturing jobs at an alarming rate because of crippling exchange rates, soaring energy costs, unfettered and unfair trade policies and do- nothing government polices; and WHEREAS a strong manufacturing base has been the foundation of a prosperous broader economy that also supports workers and communities in other sectors; and WHEREAS continuing failure to address these issues with a coherent national industrial strategy only perpetuates and accelerates the crisis in our manufacturing sector, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party will promote a comprehensive package of effective measures to support the manufacturing economy, including a sustainable lower exchange rate, targeted support for key industries, accountability measures to ensure that corporations that make profits in Canada sustain production and jobs in Canada, improved protection for workers whose companies fail to live up to their obligations, expanded programs of training and apprenticeship and a renewed commitment to Canada’s historic competitive advantage in energy and to fight to terminate the unfair trade agreements that created the very problem we find ourselves facing. USW LOCAL 8412 USW LOCAL 1998 USW LOCAL 13173 USW LOCAL 838 NORTHUMBERLAND QUINTE WEST NDP USW LOCAL 8300207 5 A3 WHEREAS our system of allowing a tax credit is fair for those individuals with a taxable income; and WHEREAS a tax credit is of no use for those individuals that do not have a taxable income or do not have to pay taxes due to having a treaty right; and WHEREAS this system discriminates against those individuals by not allowing them the same equal treatment of a taxpayer when it comes to political donations, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this Convention call on the federal government to correct this injustice and introduce a tax rebate for low income and non tax paying citizens. KILDONAN ST-PAUL NDP CHURCHILL NDP 5 A4 WHEREAS our system of allowing a tax credit is fair for those individuals with a taxable income; and WHEREAS a tax credit is of no use for those individuals that do not have a taxable income or do not have to pay taxes due to having a treaty right; and WHEREAS this system discriminates against those individual by not allowing them the same equal treatment of a tax payer when it comes to political donations, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this Convention call on the federal government to correct this injustice by changing the federal political contribution tax credit to a refundable tax rebate. SAINT BONIFACE NDP MYND 5 A5 WHEREAS Canadian chartered banks continue to reap profits in the billions of dollars from the work and investments of Canadians; and WHEREAS Canadian chartered banks shift billions of dollars into offshore investment to avoid paying Canadian taxes; and WHEREAS many Canadians are denied economic opportunity and their communities condemned to economic instability and high rates of poverty because the federal government has failed to prevent capital investment from being directed elsewhere; and WHEREAS bank branch closures continue to leave many rural communities and urban neighbourhoods without access to even the basic financial services available to other Canadians, and WHEREAS an unregulated fringe banking industry has emerged to fill the gap left in communities abandoned by the banks with high-cost piecemeal services, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Federal New Democratic Party actively pursue every means at its disposal to secure for Canadians:208 adequate and comparable access to regulated, low-cost financial services, irrespective of their geographic location or economic status; legislative changes to require banks to meet specific goals for investing in community economic development and job creation; and improvements in corporate investment rules to discourage the use of tax havens and to encourage reinvestment of profits within Canada. WINNIPEG NORTH NDP 5 A6 WHEREAS the Canadian economy is, according to experts, both struggling to compete and out-performe that of our neighbour to the south; and WHEREAS the real danger to society lies in denying citizens effective participation in the economy of the country and marginalizing so many people by enforcing poverty; and WHEREAS the vast sums of money circulating in stock exchanges and international currency transactions represent money created by society and by the institutions established by law; and WHEREAS a healthy and democratic society values all citizens and ensures their full participation in the life of the society, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP advocate economic and fiscal policies which: a) affirm the right of every Canadian citizen to a guaranteed basic income; b) distinguish between real investment in jobs and production as opposed to the squandering of millions of dollars in various stock and currency exchange schemes which contribute nothing to the public good; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in pursuance of the above policies, the NDP strongly press for the application of the GST to all financial transactions and a Tobin tax to all international currency transactions. WINNIPEG NORTH NDP 5 A7 WHEREAS Statistics Canada recently reported that 10 percent of the population pay over 50 percent of income taxes; and WHEREAS commentators and experts conclude from this that the wealthiest Canadians are paying more than their share of taxes; and WHEREAS the New Democratic Party is emphatically in favour of equitable treatment for all Canadians, with respect to both taxes and incomes, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party pledge to support the highly vocal element in society that anguish loud and long about the burden of taxes by advocating the more equitable distribution of incomes so that all Canadians not only pay their share of income tax, but have incomes which enable them to live in dignity while doing so. WINNIPEG NORTH NDP209 5 A8 WHEREAS Canada’s chartered banks have abdicated their responsibility to provide equitable financial services to all Canadians by closing branches in less profitable locations; and WHEREAS to fill the void created by the banks and to meet the demand for financial services, especially short-term, low-principle – ‘payday’ – loans, private lenders have set up businesses in more than 1,200 locations across Canada and continue to proliferate; and WHEREAS the activities of these ‘payday lenders’ remains unregulated leaving consumers unprotected except for the usury provision of the Criminal Code of Canada, Section 347; and WHEREAS the limit of 60% interest on loans stipulated in Section 347 continues to be surpassed by payday lenders on an ongoing basis; and WHEREAS the Criminal Code, Section 347, has consistently not been enforced and has proven ineffective in protecting Canadian consumers from exorbitant and illegal interest charges for payday loans; and WHEREAS years of federal-provincial-territorial negotiations have resulted in no workable regulatory framework in this regard; and WHEREAS it is urgent that the $2 billion-per-year payday lending industry be regulated as quickly as possible to protect Canadian consumers; and WHEREAS the NDP Government of Manitoba has developed a framework for the regulation of payday lending to protect consumers that requires the federal government to ‘drop out’ payday lending from the application of Section 347, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party of Canada actively pressure the federal government to: (a) Carve out payday loans from Section 347 of the Criminal Code with respect to lending conducted under Manitoba jurisdiction; (b) Adopt the regulatory framework proposed by the Manitoba government as a model to be actively promoted among other provinces and territories as a national standard for payday lending regulation; (c) Make the adoption of that national standard a prerequisite for carving out payday loans from Section 347 of the Criminal Code for those jurisdictions wishing to undertake payday lending regulation; (d) Actively pursue the regulation of the payday lending industry to provide equal protection for all Canadians; and (e) Introduce changes in the Bank Act and other financial institutions’ legislation to encourage the provision of ‘payday loans’ and personal credit counselling by those institutions. WINNIPEG NORTH NDP USW LOCAL 8300 5 A9 BE IT RESOLVED that Jack Layton and the Federal Caucus vigorously promote the NDP plan to use the Bank of Canada to carry some of the public debt and pay the interest to ourselves instead of borrowing entirely from the private sector. KINGSTON AND THE ISLANDS NDP210 5 A10 WHEREAS a strong manufacturing base is a key requirement for Canadian economic and social development; and WHEREAS strong manufacturing sectors can provide, directly and indirectly, secure, skilled and well-compensated employment, which provides a stable foundation for communities across the country; and WHEREAS international agreements and Canadian government policies have weakened Canada’s industrial base, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party place a high priority on an active and integrated industrial strategy, including: A commitment to full-employment; A public investment fund; Procurement policies to support Canadian manufacturing, even if this requires challenging existing international agreements; Controls on capital movement; Tax policies that reward job-creation rather than across-the-board cuts; Measures to control lay-offs and shutdowns that damage workers, families and communities; and to revitalize Canadian manufacturing and create secure and well- compensated jobs for Canadians. IAMAW 5 A11 WHEREAS in 1933, a royal commission on banking and currency recommended the setting up of a central bank; and WHEREAS the Bank of Canada Act was passed by Parliament in 1934 establishing the Bank of Canada one year later; and WHEREAS the Bank of Canada was later “nationalized” in 1938; and WHEREAS the Bank of Canada Act stipulates in its preamble that the Bank of Canada is “to regulate credit and currency in the best interests of the economic life of the nation, to control and protect the external value of the national monetary unit and to mitigate by its influence fluctuation in the general level of production, trade, prices and employment, so far as may be possible within the scope of monetary action, and generally to promote the economic and financial welfare of the Dominion….”; and WHEREAS there appears to be a narrowing of its activities and focus from the original intention; and WHEREAS the 75th anniversary of its founding is imminent, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that a NDP government will establish (or if in opposition will call for the establishment of) a royal commission to review the role of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of Canada Act in order to ensure that the Bank of Canada is fulfilling its entire mandate. PETERBOROUGH NDP211 5 A12 WHEREAS large corporations and financial institutions are undemocratic and hierarchical, seeking profits and power over and above the interests of citizens and the environment; and WHEREAS social ownership is a necessary precondition for democratic control of the economy, full employment and an equitable distribution of income and power; and WHEREAS workers’ control would contribute greatly to economic justice, greater efficiencies, and most importantly, improve the quality of life of working people and our allies, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP is committed to actively campaign for and implement social ownership, including but not limited to the following industries: banking, communications, energy, health care, insurance, manufacturing, mass media, medical drugs, natural resources, transportation; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these industries be democratically controlled and managed by their workers, by instituting direct election of plant managers and enterprise directors, with the right of recall by their electors, and integrate significant and meaningful consumer participation in the decision-making process. TRINITY-SPADINA NDP DURHAM NDP 5 A13 WHEREAS the Government of Canada borrowed from the Bank of Canada at minimal or no interest for 41 years to supply our physical and social infrastructure, such as health care and education; and WHEREAS the Government of Canada now borrows from private and foreign banks at high interest rates, resulting in the destruction of our social infrastructure, and an enormous debt, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the government return to borrowing from the Bank of Canada, the Charter of which is still in effect. TRINITY-SPADINA NDP DURHAM NDP KITCHENER CENTRE NDP 5 A14 WHEREAS financial institutions may approve credit and open loan accounts using ‘Off-Site Loans Closings’ on the basis of ‘Third Party’ witnessed and notarized ‘Signature Affidavit’ for loan applications without a debtor’s awareness or active participation prior to a deployment of loaned funds for purchases, (known in the industry as ‘Sitting Duck’ loans), THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP urge that financial institutions on receipt of ‘Third Party’ initiated loan applications by ‘Signature Affidavit’ provide written notification to inform pending debtors of a credit approval process started on their behalf including the witness’s name and identification of the notary taking the ‘Signature Affidavit’ and the destination identification of the pending funds transfer; and212 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP urge that financial institutions log the occurrences of the receipts of ‘Third Party’ initiated loan applications by ‘Signature Affidavit’ to track and report the amounts of such loan applications including identification of witnesses and notaries taking ‘Signature Affidavits’ and destination beneficiaries of pending funds transfers to a regulating agency in monthly intervals. TRINITY-SPADINA NDP 5 A15 WHEREAS financial institutions implement mortgage loans based on loan applications supported by lawyer’s documentation with title search and fund transfer instructions, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP urge that financial institutions on receipt of ‘Lawyer’ initiated mortgage loan applications provide written notification to inform pending debtors of a credit approval process started on their behalf including the lawyer’s name and the destination identification of the pending funds transfer; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP urge that financial institutions log the occurrences of the receipts of ‘Lawyer’ initiated mortgage loan applications to track and report the amounts of such loan applications including identification of applicants and lawyers names and destination beneficiaries of pending funds transfers to a regulating agency in monthly intervals. TRINITY-SPADINA NDP 5 A16 WHEREAS the telecommunications industry in Canada is controlled by a small number of corporations who continue to control more of the market, destroying competition and engaging in price fixing and profiteering; and WHEREAS social ownership is a necessary precondition for democratic control of the economy, full employment and an equitable distribution of income and power, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that a NDP government place the telecommunications industry (including phone and cable companies) under social ownership through the payment to the former owners of low-interest, long-term bonds over a period of several years; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the new publicly owned industries be democratically controlled by their workers, instituting direct election of managers and enterprise directors, with the right of recall by their electors, and have significant and meaningful consumer and community participation in the decision-making process. DURHAM NDP213 5 A17 WHEREAS thousands of Canadian consumers are being financially victimized by the unregulated "Pay-Day" and "Short-Term" loan firms who charge exorbitant interest rates in an unregulated environment, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP support the regulation of the "Pay-Day" and "Short-Term" loan industry and that such regulatory measures, as recommended by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, include: The licensing of operators; Requirements for full disclosure on the cost of credit; An interest rate cap and borrowing limit; An education and awareness campaign for consumers; Implementation of advertising standards; A "Borrowers' Bill of Rights"; Collection and litigation limits; A publicly-accessible lender database. YORK SOUTH-WESTON NDP 5 A18 WHEREAS Canada’s economy relies on auto manufacturing job and the spin-off economic activity that they create; and WHEREAS Canada’s government has no plan to keep these jobs in Canada; and WHEREAS the NDP’s Green Auto Strategy provides a comprehensive plan to protect and grow Canada auto manufacturing sector; and WHEREAS the NDP’s Green Auto Strategy takes strong measures to protect Canada’s environment from industrial and car exhaust pollution, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that a NDP government will implement the Green Auto Strategy as government policy. WINDSOR-TECUMSEH NDP 5 A19 WHEREAS powerful capitalists own the media and control the information upon which we base our political judgments and, indeed, live our lives; and WHEREAS powerful capitalists also control politics: it is no accident that, in Canada, one of their parties is always in power; and WHEREAS powerful capitalists are in charge of the world and are responsible for wars, for millions of people dying of poverty in a wealthy world, AIDS, global warming, species extinctions, resource depletion, and environmental pollution, which results in numerous diseases such as cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and ALS; and214 WHEREAS it appears that the purpose of government in Canada, the U.S., Britain and most countries is to serve the interests of powerful capitalists residing within their respective borders, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party appoint a task force to consider whether it is possible for the people of Canada, and, perhaps humanity in general, to rid ourselves of domination by rich and powerful capitalists and, if so, to consider the ways and means thereof. DURHAM NDP 5 A20 WHEREAS the market economy assumes that human beings are naturally selfish and have little or no concern for others; and WHEREAS the market economy has caused millions of people to die of poverty in a wealthy world, wars, global warming, species extinctions, resource depletion, prostitution with sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS, environmental pollution which results in numerous diseases such as cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and ALS, and, in general, is destroying life rather than sustaining it; and WHEREAS the market fosters destructive competition which inhibits the concatenation of human knowledge; and WHEREAS in the absence of political action, there appears to be no hope of change, for in our market society powerful capitalists exercise effective control over public opinion either by ownership of the media or, in the case of the CBC, by indirect control, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party will appoint a task force to determine steps required to move from the market society to a society based on the concept of all contributing toward the well-being of others while being fairly rewarded for their efforts. DURHAM NDP 5 A21 WHEREAS the Government of Canada borrowed from the Bank of Canada at minimal or no interest for 41 years to supply our physical and social infrastructure, such as health care and education; and WHEREAS the Government of Canada now borrows from private and foreign banks at high interest rates, resulting in the destruction of our social infrastructure, and an enormous debt, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the federal government return to borrowing from the Bank of Canada, the Charter of which is still in effect; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the federal government re-institute the reserve requirement ratio on the chartered banks. OAKVILLE NDP215 5 A22 WHEREAS in Canada it is legal for financial institutions to grant unsustainable loans to individuals that will clearly struggle with repayments, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party urge the government to amend the Canada Bank Act to prevent the issuance of unsustainable debt based on impossible repayment capabilities, and make financial institutions cancel a debtor’s liability to such loans in certain cases and to consider the United Kingdom Bank Code as a model for this reform. OAKVILLE NDP 5 A23 WHEREAS there are 13 Securities Commissions in Canada that operate in duplication with different rules and regulations, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party urge the government to implement a common standard in a centralized Securities Commission; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party urge the government to implement a common fraud complaint procedure to handle cases that cross jurisdictional boundaries between local police, provincial police and RCMP with different areas of responsibilities. OAKVILLE NDP 5 A24 WHEREAS the NDP must promote its plan to use the Bank of Canada to carry some of the public debt and pay the interest to ourselves instead of borrowing entirely from the private sector; and WHEREAS tax dollars should not be used to pay down the debt in order to reduce interest costs; these will be reduced as debt is gradually transferred to the Bank of Canada, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Jack Layton and the Federal Caucus vigorously promote the NDP plan to use the Bank of Canada to carry some of the public debt and pay the interest to ourselves instead of borrowing entirely from the private sector. KINGSTON AND THE ISLANDS NDP 5 A25 WHEREAS large corporations and financial institutions are undemocratic institutions, designed to seek profits and power without regard for the interests of citizens and the environment; and WHEREAS social ownership is a proven means for the democratic control of the economy, improved employment rates and conditions, and an equitable distribution of income and power; and216 WHEREAS public control would contribute greatly to economic justice, greater efficiencies, and most importantly, improve the quality of life of working people, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP is committed to implementing social ownership, including but not limited to the following industries: banking, communications, energy, health care, insurance, manufacturing, mass media, medical drugs, natural resources, transportation; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these industries be democratically controlled and managed by their workers, by instituting direct election of plant managers and enterprise directors, with the right of recall by their electors, and integrate significant and meaningful consumer participation in the decision-making process; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these industries be democratically controlled and managed by their workers, by instituting direct election of plant managers and enterprise directors, with the right of recall by their electors, and integrate significant and meaningful consumer participation in the decision-making process. KITCHENER CENTRE NDP 5 A26 WHEREAS the well-being of individual Canadians depends critically both on our ability to create the conditions for prosperity and on our ability to ensure that the benefits of prosperity are broadly shared; and WHEREAS the fact that countries with strong public commitments to social justice routinely top international competitiveness comparisons demonstrates the importance of social justice in creating the conditions for prosperity; and WHEREAS Canada’s multicultural reality and its continued reliance on immigration for workforce growth represent an invaluable opportunity for this country in the international economy; and WHEREAS a modern economy depends critically on the skills, training and education of its workforce; and WHEREAS Canada’s universal health care insurance system creates competitive advantages for Canadian employers as well as providing essential benefits to all Canadians; and WHEREAS the issue of global warming has become both an important international issue in its own right and a symbol of our need to make our future prosperity more sustainable; and WHEREAS median incomes have not increased in Canada in the past 30 years despite extended periods of sustained economic growth; and WHEREAS income inequality began to grow again in Canada in the late 1980s after several decades of improvement; and WHEREAS Canada has the third highest child poverty rate among OECD countries; and WHEREAS obstacles to employment faced by immigrants to Canada mean that the very skills they require to qualify for immigration cannot be put to work once they arrive here; and WHEREAS we are further away from having a coherent national training policy today than we were 20 years ago when the lack of such a policy was identified as a looming crisis; and217 WHEREAS our excellent public education system is beginning to fall behind due to our failure to meet the challenge of early childhood education, our growing high school drop-out rates and the barriers to participation in post-secondary education created by high and rising levels of tuition; and WHEREAS Canada’s public health care insurance system has been weakened by its failure to keep pace with changes in health care delivery – most notably the increased reliance on drugs for treatment – and in demographics – as evidenced in the growing need for long-term care facilities and home care for the elderly; and WHEREAS Canada’s failure to come to terms with its obligations under Kyoto exposes our future prosperity to unacceptable risks; and WHEREAS climate change, toxic pollution, use of scarce resources and environmental damage are having increasingly negative impacts for our health and the long-term sustainability of our environment, society, and economy; and WHEREAS the federal government has no effective plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, eliminate toxic pollution, or to protect the environment, and in fact actively subsidizes oil and gas development and resource use; and WHEREAS the federal government has over the past 15 years backed away from its responsibilities for Canada’s economic prosperity including: Offloading responsibility for training to the provinces; Tolerating Bank of Canada monetary policies that ignore impacts on our currency that threaten Canadian manufacturing and processing enterprises; Abandoning responsibility for fiscal stabilization including fundamentally weakening employment insurance; Failing to respond to the crisis of infrastructure funding; Adopting tax policies that encourage unproductive activity while doing little to promote real investment; Failing to develop industrial polices that respond to structural change as energy and raw materials have again come to dominate our exports and more than 200,000 Canadian manufacturing jobs have been lost; Threatening the foundations of our vital health care insurance system; and THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP is committed to: 1. Creating the macroeconomic conditions for prosperity through: Responsible and balanced fiscal and monetary policies that promote diversified and balanced sectoral and regional economic growth; Establishment of sector-specific industrial strategy forums, with representation of all stakeholders, to identify and promote key economic sectors where Canada can gain a comparative advantage and that provide sustainable well-paid quality jobs; Working with the provinces and territories to reduce inter-provincial/territorial barriers to trade, investment and the movement of workers; Supporting a more strategic and diversified international trade strategy, based on fair trade principles so we are less dependent on trade with the United States; Investments in public infrastructure with provinces and municipalities; Increased direct public investments in research and development through research councils, and colleges and universities and support policies focused on targeted increases to private sector research and development;218 Reviewing all direct and indirect subsidies for business and refocus support on business investment that advances Canada’s interests; Making strategic use of public funds and procurement to increase investment in key sectors; Reversing the broad-based corporate income tax cuts introduced by Liberal and Conservative governments, and introduce targeted investment tax credits; and 2. Creating the framework for skills development, training and education that Canada needs to succeed in the 21st Century through: Federal funding for a national early learning and childcare program that delivers universal quality, affordable and accessible public and non-profit childcare to families that need it, in partnership with provinces, territories, municipalities, First Nations and community organizations; Substantially increased funding for post-secondary education, with reduced tuition fees, a national needs-based grants systems and standards for accessibility, and strategies to encourage completion of college and university programs; Establishing a national training strategy and support for lifelong learning to address current and anticipated skills shortages, based on a national training levy-grant system; Increased funding for immigrant settlement, improve foreign credential recognition, and assistance to help immigrants take advantage of their wealth of international skills and experience; and Increased funding for Aboriginal education, training and economic development programs. 3. Strengthening Canada’s commitment to the social justice that is the foundation for our future prosperity through: A national affordable housing program; Increased funding for health care, and particularly for a national non-profit home care program and a national prescription drug program, together with measures to control prescription drug costs and protect public Medicare; Increase access and benefits under EI, through the entrance requirement, base benefits measure and the maximum benefit period; Improvements to public and workplace pensions, including a federal pension benefit insurance system, ensure that caregivers are not penalized in the calculation of the CPP/QPP, and protection of pensions where there has been a bankruptcy and by ending employer-contribution holidays; Equal treatment for part-time workers to workplace pensions and benefits and examine ways of expanding benefits to self-employed workers; A re-introduction of a federal minimum wage at a livable rate; Conversion of the Conservatives’ childcare allowance to an increase in the Canada Child Tax Benefit (not subject to claw-back by provinces) by $1,200 per child and recommitting the federal government to the goal of eliminating child poverty in Canada through continued enhancement of the Child Tax Benefit; A commitment to adequate funding to improve the conditions and opportunities for Aboriginal communities, particularly for health, water, housing, education, land claims and economic development. 4. Creating the conditions for a sustainable future of prosperity for Canadians through:219 Ecological fiscal reform that removes subsidies and tax advantages for environmentally damaging activities, reinvests savings into ecologically beneficial investments and provides tax incentives and subsidies for renewable energy, energy efficiency; An aggressive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet Canada’s Kyoto targets, with incentives for job creation and economic opportunity that will help to build a sustainable and innovative 21st Century economy; Ensure that Canada’s energy policies support the principles of greater sustainability and self-sufficiency and not just the needs of the United States; Increased funding for public transit; Proactive and precautionary regulation of pollutants and toxics, which will reduce public health and environmental costs; Preserving Canada’s environment for future generations by explicitly recognizing the value of natural capital in our economic accounts, and investing in measures that will preserve and enhance our natural capital, including resources, wildlife habitat, protected areas and oceans. BURNABY-DOUGLAS NDP 5 A27 WHEREAS public services play a vital role in the day to day lives of Canadians, from the roads and transit systems we use every day, to the education and training programs we all need to succeed, to the health and income security programs we depend on in times of need; and WHEREAS from Medicare to education to immigrant settlement, public services play a vital role as an expression of our values as a society and as such in articulating what it means to be a Canadian; and WHEREAS our prosperity depends on the quality of our physical infrastructure – our roads, transit systems, airports, sewer and water systems, electricity and communications systems; and WHEREAS a strong social infrastructure is an important ingredient in competitiveness, productivity and profitability and a key incentive to attracting businesses; and WHEREAS economic security and social programs are necessary for people to learn, develop their skills, innovate, take risks and contribute to society and to the economy; and WHEREAS enhanced social programs reduce costs, level the playing field, and improve the international competitiveness of Canadian businesses; and WHEREAS the public sector makes up roughly 40% of our economy, making it a critical contributor to our prosperity in its own right; and WHEREAS international comparisons demonstrate that the most productive economies are in countries that have highly-developed and sophisticated public services; and WHEREAS the management of public sector revenue and expenditure over the economic cycle is an important tool in stabilizing our economy in the face of fluctuating economic conditions; and WHEREAS the choices we make in supporting our public services have a substantial impact on inequality and social justice in Canada; and220 WHEREAS New Democrats believe in a progressive tax system in which taxation is based upon the ability to pay and fosters the equitable distribution of income and wealth; and WHEREAS Conservative and Liberal governments have implemented badly-targeted and excessively generous corporate tax cuts to the detriment of ordinary Canadians and of our future prosperity; and WHEREAS Conservative and Liberal governments have failed to close tax loopholes enabling potential tax revenues to be directed to tax havens and to tax avoidance vehicles; and WHEREAS reports of the Auditor General refer repeatedly to billions of dollars revenue lost because taxes owed are simply not paid; and WHEREAS our tax system continues to subsidize economic activities which damage the environment and contribute to excessive resource use. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP is committed to a strong public sector backed by: 1. A balanced budget fiscal strategy to: Raise enough revenue through the tax system to pay for the public services that Canadians need without relying on deficit financing as a long-term strategy; Manage government revenues and expenditures during recessions and during periods of relatively greater prosperity so that our fiscal policies serve their appropriate role as fiscal stabilizers over the business cycle, by limiting deficit financing to periods of economic recession; and 2. Paid for through: A tax system that generates the revenue needed to meet the public services requirements of Canadians without incurring spending deficits, except as required for stabilization during economic recessions; A more progressive personal income tax system that would raise the same revenue while at the same time reducing the relative proportion of income tax paid by lower and middle income Canadians; An income tax system that treats all income the same, regardless of source; Corporate taxation that balances the need to encourage corporate investment in Canada and the need to ensure that income earned from capital is taxed fairly; Expenditure savings realized through a regular and ongoing evaluation of efficiency in government spending; Revenue gains realized by improving the administration of the tax system so that taxes owed are actually paid; and A tax system that provides incentives for environmentally constructive decisions and disincentives for environmentally destructive decisions. BURNABY DOUGLAS NDP LONDON WEST NDP221 5 A28 BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP make the fight against tax havens a priority in 2006. QUEBEC SECTION 5 A29 BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP include in its next program a method for exempting taxes from products certified as fair trade product produced by recognized groups. QUEBEC SECTION 5 A30 WHEREAS both federal and provincial governments invest huge amounts ($15 billions/year) to fund a plan that is efficient but only benefits few people (77% of all registered premiums in 2002 were from people earning $50,000 and over, who only account for 13% of the population); and WHEREAS any increase in the maximum (actually set at $16,500) contributions to RRSP above the ceiling of what is accessible to the average Canadian taxpayer is equal to subsidising the richest from our income tax; and WHEREAS the population as a whole does not need to pay for the continued lifestyle of the richest among us, and the fact that it is such constitutes an unfair and poorly targeted practice, a misuse of resources which could result in some regrettable and revolting reports, such as the increasing number of Canadian children living in poverty, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP propose more reasonable and fair measures for determining RRSP eligible contributions; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that various means to make the RRSP plan more accessible to poorer workers be considered, such as a form of matched funding from the surplus that would be collected by bringing down the level of contribution. QUEBEC SECTION 5 A31 WHEREAS our system of allowing a tax credit is fair for those individuals with a taxable Income; and WHEREAS a tax credit is of no use for those individuals that do not have a taxable income or do not have to pay taxes due to having a treaty right; and WHEREAS this system discriminates against those individuals by not allowing them the same equal treatment of a taxpayer when it comes to political donations,222 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP call on the federal government to correct this injustice by changing the federal political contribution tax credit to a refundable tax rebate. PROVENCHER 5 A32 COMPOSITE OF 5 A3 AND 5 A4 AND 5 A31 WHEREAS our system of allowing a tax credit is fair for those individuals with a taxable income; and WHEREAS a tax credit is of no use for those individuals that do not have a taxable income or do not have to pay taxes due to having a treaty right; and WHEREAS this system discriminates against those individuals by not allowing them the same equal treatment of a taxpayer when it comes to political donations, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this Convention call on the federal government to correct this injustice by changing the federal political contribution tax credit to a refundable tax rebate. KILDONAN ST-PAUL NDP CHURCHILL NDP SAINT BONIFACE NDP PROVENCHER NDP MYND223 C. SOCIAL POLICY 5 C1 WHEREAS ‘Full Employment’ (i.e. – a job for everyone who wants to work) has frequently been defined as an ‘Unemployment Rate’ of 3% or lower; and WHEREAS many Canadians have believed that we could reduce some of the Unemployment by a better distribution of our labour and better Labour Skills Training Programs; and WHEREAS the ‘Unemployment Rate’ is impacted by: the level of economic activity; the hours worked ‘above’ a Normal Work Week/Overtime; the Retired Persons who return/remain in the Labour Force; the length of the normal Work Week; and THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that a Federal New Democratic Party government would, in co-operation with provincial governments, 1) Promote/Encourage the development of much more effective Labour Skills Training and Apprenticeship programs; 2) Exercise no economic ‘curbs/limits’ while the unemployment rate is at 3% or lower; 3) Develop a ‘set of triggers’/‘table of thresholds’ that will automatically ‘curb/limit’; a) the amount of ‘Overtime’; b) the amount of ‘Retiree labour’; and c) reduce the length of the normal ‘Work Week’, in stages, as the unemployment rate rises above 3%; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the ‘curbs/limits’ will impact sooner and to a greater extent on higher income earners than on lower income workers and that the lowest income earners and pension recipients will not be affected by any of the ‘curbs/limits; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this program will be implemented regionally, and based upon regional unemployment statistics. HALDIMAND-NORFOLK NDP 5 C2 WHEREAS our, largely unregulated, free-market economy leaves 15%, (more or less), of our families to live below the poverty line; and WHEREAS families living below the poverty line are unable to adequately clothe, educate, feed, house and otherwise care for their families; and WHEREAS living ‘Below the Poverty Line’ can cause some children ‘residual damage’ which may leave them less able to become productive adult citizens; and WHEREAS being a Canadian citizen, leaves those of us who live ‘above the Poverty Line’ with a responsibility to assist our ‘brothers and sisters’ who are living in ‘dire straits’,224 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that a Federal New Democratic Party government would institute a Guaranteed Annual Income for Canadians, such that: a) Individuals , living alone, would have a Guaranteed Income of... Community Size Annual Income (Monthly Income) 500,000 or more $20,778 ($1,731.50) 100,000 to 499,999 $17,895 ($1,491.25) 30,000 to 99,999 $17,784 ($1,482.00) Less than 30,000 $16,273 ($1,356.08) Rural $14,303 ($1,191.92) b) Households , with 2 or more individuals, would have their income increased, above the Individual Base , by the following multipliers. Family Size Multiplier Family Size Multiplier 2 1.25 3 1.555 4 1.882 5 2.104 6 2.325 7 & more 2.547 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes:- 1. (The above, is prepared from the 2005 Before-Tax Low-Income Cut-Offs [i.e. ‘The Poverty Line’] as calculated from Statistics Canada information, by the Canadian Council on Social Development – www.ccsd.ca/factsheets/fs_lic01.htm 2. (Similar systems could be devised, using a different basis, such as, a suitable percentage of the Average Industrial Wage .) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this program become either a ‘top up’ above other sources of income, or preferably, become a ‘comprehensive replacement for other income supports’ as a ‘top up’ to ‘earned income’; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the level of support will be recalculated yearly based on the previous year’s earned income and other information provided by households. It must, however, remain capable of responding quickly to unpredictable events/changes; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Households would have an incentive to earn additional income, above the ‘Poverty Line’, during each year. The following, or a similar scale, should be a part of the program. Support deductions should be 25% for the first $5,000 of earned income above the ‘poverty line’ 50% for the second $5,000 above the ‘poverty line’, and 75% for any income $10,000 or more above the ‘poverty line’; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the program include assistance: - To take additional education/training, if it is likely to make members of the household more employable or more effective parents; - Perhaps, loan guarantees, to facilitate entrepreneurial ventures; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, where possible, this program be a joint project of the federal, provincial and municipal levels of government. The program will retain the ‘greatest level of integrity’, if it is administered by the federal government, with local offices, which will be ready and willing to support the households participating in this program. HALDIMAND—NORFOLK NDP225 F LABOUR, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 5 F1 WHEREAS governments increasingly seek to erode, restrict or eliminate workers’ right to organize, falsely arguing that unions and strikes pose a threat to public health and safety, while governments themselves trample human needs by deregulating capital, privatizing public services, and facilitating growing corporate control over all facets of life, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP actively campaign for, and seek to legislate the unfettered right to organize into unions for all working people, and that the Party respect the integrity and competence of unions to safeguard public health and safety and provide for the delivery of genuinely essential services during a strike by their members. TORONTO-DANFORTH NDP 5 F2 WHEREAS the Free Software and Open Source movements offer the possibility of a new form of production based on sharing and community cooperation; and WHEREAS Free and Open Source software is more secure than many commercial alternatives; and WHEREAS Free and Open Source software is almost never affected by computer viruses and invasive software such as pop-ups and spy-ware; and WHEREAS Open Office, and other software are compatible with file formats from other dominant commercial software such as Microsoft Office; and WHEREAS certain government departments in Canada have already started to use Free and Open Source software without the direction of the government; and WHEREAS the NDP and the Canadian government should be an example in using Open Source and Free software because this type of software is available to anyone with a computer independent of their income, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party of Canada give preferential consideration to using Free and Open Source software for its internal information; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Federal NDP lobby the Canadian government to assure that preferential consideration be given to using Free and Open Source software in all of its departments. SAINT BONIFACE NDP226 5 F3 WHEREAS Canada’s rapidly expanding temporary foreign workers programs provide a regulation free playing field making exploitation of these workers not only possible but in some cases probable, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Canadian government establish a “workers bill of rights” for all temporary workers; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that provinces and territories not in compliance with all of the provisions of the “Bill of Rights” be considered non-eligible for participation in foreign workers programs. UFCW CANADA227 H ENERGY 5 H1 WHEREAS the Liberal Government has recently proposed a fuel rebate that would only go to people receiving the Guaranteed Annual Income Amount or the National Child Benefit; and WHEREAS there are many people living with disabilities on fixed incomes who do not receive either of these benefits but are negatively effected by rising fuel costs, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Jack Layton and our NDP Caucus diligently fight to ensure that all Canadians living near or below the poverty line receive the fuel rebate that they need to survive; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Jack Layton and our NDP Caucus diligently fight to ensure that all Canadians living near or below the poverty line have access to a low income energy retrofit program. FEDERAL COUNCIL – OCTOBER 2005 5 H2 WHEREAS the Conservative government has dropped any efforts to achieve the emissions reductions Canada committed to as its part of a global response to climate change, thus taking the Liberal policy of pretending to take real action to its logical conclusion; and WHEREAS a serious initiative to meet Canada’s obligations will require aggressive programs of energy efficiency, innovation and transformation that will be a challenge to government, corporations, unions and individuals; and WHEREAS emission reductions can occur in a manner which not only protects jobs but increases opportunities for good paying jobs to be created; and WHEREAS only a broad progressive alliance of forces committed to both environmental sustainability and social justice can hope to achieve the Kyoto objectives with broad public support, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP will work with environmental activist, innovative enterprises and the labour movement to promote an active, effective and comprehensive approach to meeting our obligations to a sustainable planet; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP ensure that any program be built on the basis of preserving and creating jobs and ensuring that workers who may be affected during the transitional phase are not detrimentally affected. USW LOCAL 8412 USW LOCAL 1998 USW LOCAL 13173 USW LOCAL 838 USW LOCAL 8300228 5 H3 WHEREAS worldwide oil resources are diminishing, their exhaustion expected within decades; and WHEREAS Canadian transportation, production and agricultural systems currently depend on oil; and WHEREAS high oil prices have hurt Canadian consumers and businesses, and prices will increase as supplies diminish and the remaining oil becomes more costly to produce; and WHEREAS leaving the transition to a post-oil economy solely to market forces risks economic disruptions with significant social implications; and WHEREAS an example has been set by the Swedish Government’s decision that Sweden will be independent from oil by 2020, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP supports the continuous reduction of Canada’s reliance on oil and other fossil fuels and that a NDP government would promote: Development of non-fossil fuel dependent technology in: Transportation; Industrial and agricultural production; Heating homes and buildings; and Adoption of such technology; and Research on renewable fuels and their commercial production; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a NDP government would ensure that appropriate supports were in place for affected workers. OTTAWA CENTRE NDP 5 H4 WHEREAS the NDP was founded on the belief that Canadian natural resources should serve all Canadians and be used to ensure a higher standard of living for all; and WHEREAS private Petroleum industries are currently turning record high profits through the capitalist, market driven exploitation of Canadian natural resources; and WHEREAS the profits of capitalist industry overwhelmingly do not make their way back to the general population, and in no way serve the national interest, but rather fill the coffers of private corporations; and WHEREAS a nationalized and planned petroleum industry could redirect billions in oil revenues directly into social programs which could easily guarantee access to basic public services for all Canadians; and WHEREAS recent opinion polls done by CTV showed high level of support for the nationalization of Canadian oil assets among the population, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that a NDP government would immediately expropriate the assets of private petroleum corporations with compensation only in the case of proven need and place Canadian oil under democratic workers control; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that revenues from this industry be directly re-invested into: 1)Social programs, to improve the standard of living for all citizens; 2) Gas price controls, to prevent price gauging and allow Canadians access to affordable energy; and229 3) research for alternative energy sources, to end Canada's dependence on fossil fuels. ONDY 5 H5 WHEREAS Canada’ energy needs are growing rapidly; and WHEREAS coal fired plants are being phased out and replaced by nuclear plants; and WHEREAS nuclear plants are expensive, inefficient, non-renewable, and produce dangerous wastes, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP seek to increase the percentage of green energy by actively supporting the development of public renewable sources of energy and micro-generation; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that advertisements for nuclear energy may not refer to their product as "clean energy" and must state ALL the dangers associated with their product. ONDY 5 H6 WHEREAS our natural environment is precious to us as living things; and WHEREAS the exploration, extraction and oxidation of fossil fuels is detrimental to life; and WHEREAS the federal government subsidizes the fossil fuel sectors, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that these subsidies end and the drilling and piping of oil, natural gas, and coal be banned from environmentally fragile areas. ONDY 5 H7 WHEREAS there is almost no industrial incentive in Canada for the production of cars powered by alternative (non-gasoline) fuel, or hybrid engine cars which incorporate the use of alternative fuel, which would be more energy efficient and environmentally compatible, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP actively campaign for and pledge to legislate a requirement that by 2010, 50% of all automobiles sold in Canada be powered by alternative (non-gasoline) fuel and/or be hybrid engine cars powered in part by alternative fuel. TRINITY-SPADINA NDP 5 H8 WHEREAS most of Athabasca tar sands productions is earmarked for the United States; and WHEREAS Canadians have to decide whether we want to continue being a compliant energy supplier to the U.S., jeopardizing our own energy security in the process, or whether we should exercise our own sovereignty and put Canada’s own future energy needs first; and230 WHEREAS the Athabasca tar sands are expected to become the single largest source of Canadian greenhouse gas emissions by 2010, raising them to levels far removed from the 60- 80% reduction in such emissions that scientists say is required to stabilize the climate; and WHEREAS synthetic crude from the tar sands will be added to the conventional oil Canada already supplies to fuel the vast global U.S. war machine; and WHEREAS the findings of both the Parkland and Pembina Institutes in Alberta make it clear that the province has given up billions of dollars in potential resource revenues from the industry and that Alberta’s Heritage Fund has shrunk by nearly 50% in real terms since 1987; and WHEREAS the people of Alberta – and by extension the rest of Canada – deserve to get a fair return on the extraction of their non-renewable resource base and re-investment plans for long-term economic development, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that both the federal and Alberta governments impose a moratorium on the further expansion of the tar sands until there has been a public inquiry into the impacts of this mega-energy project on Canada’s energy priorities and Canada’s energy security; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the two governments rescind their direct subsidies to the oil industry in the tar sands, revoke the minimal 1% royalty rate, and replace it with a more realistic set of royalty fees. TRINITY-SPADINA NDP 5 H9 WHEREAS the 2003 NDP Convention in Winnipeg passed Resolution 3J18, a framework energy policy which mandated the Environment Committee to develop a more detailed energy policy, and WHEREAS, in response to that resolution the Environment Committee has duly consulted and produced the paper Beyond Kyoto: An Energy Policy for the 21st Century, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP adopt the paper Beyond Kyoto: An Energy Policy for the 21st Century as Party policy. Beyond Kyoto: An Energy Policy for the 21 st Century General Policy Goals and Directions From peak oil to climate change and other social and environmental impacts, no human activity is more unsustainable than our production and use of energy. The primary goal of any energy policy must be to provide a secure energy supply sufficient to meet our needs. However, these needs must be reduced to enable as rapid a transition as possible to an energy regime based on conservation and sustainable use of renewable sources of energy. The goal of energy policy must definitely not be merely to produce as much energy as possible to meet a growing global demand with no regard for social and environmental impact. Energy policy must be consistent with the stabilization of equivalent carbon dioxide levels at between 450 and 550 ppm, beyond which global consequences are increasingly likely to231 be catastrophic rather than merely serious. This will require emission reductions by Canada and other industrialized countries of up to 80 percent of equivalent carbon dioxide emissions from 1990 levels by 2050 at the latest. The Party supports approaches to international negotiations that recognize the absolute necessity for deep emission cuts to stabilize the atmosphere, including ideas such as Contraction and Convergence and the World Model Energy Plan, which require: Equitable and effective international regulation to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and require the gradual replacement of fossil fuels with sustainable, renewable energy sources; Industrialized countries to shift incentives from non-renewable energy sources to sustainable, renewable energy sources; and, Funding for energy conservation and renewable energy technology transfer to developing countries. As interim goals, the Party supports reductions by Canada of at least 25 percent of equivalent carbon dioxide emissions from 1990 levels by 2020 and at least 50 percent by 2030. Uncontrolled development of Canada’s oil and gas reserves, particularly the Alberta oil sands, is completely incompatible with these goals. Therefore the federal New Democratic Party urges a moratorium on further expansion of Alberta oil sands development, at least until: A public inquiry is conducted and completes its report on the social and environmental impacts of oil sands development; Appropriate plans are in place to address Alberta and Canada’s long term energy needs and long term water needs of Alberta and downstream provinces and territories; Appropriate plans are in place to develop the oil sands at a sustainable pace and to maximize employment opportunities over the long term; and, A meaningful national debate on environmental and energy security has occurred. Energy policy must be consistent with the sustainability principles described in the Framework for a Just Transition to a Sustainable Economy as well as the policy foundation and achievement of ecological conditions for a sustainable economy outlined in the framework. Of particular relevance to energy policy are the latter: 1. Protection and restoration of ecosystem s are integral to economic planning. 2. Rates of renewable resource use do not exceed their rates of regeneration. 3. Rates of non-renewable resource use do not exceed the rate at which sustainable renewable substitutes are developed. 4. Known toxic chemicals such as persistent organic pollutants are, as a general rule, eliminated. For other substances, rates of emission do not exceed the assimilative capacity of the environment. Amongst other things, this means that in order to meet a society’s basic needs, potential sources of energy must require less energy to obtain (energy invested), than the energy produced (energy returned), or a ratio of energy returned on energy invested of greater than one. Other criteria for assessing energy sources and policy include transportability (liquids are easier to transport than solids or gases), convenience, and localized sources. No one source of energy can replace the versatility of oil and natural gas, or the abundance of coal. Limiting our overall use of energy requires much better means of storing energy to make better use of intermittent sources and reduce peak electricity demand. Price is an important factor in determining levels of energy use. While savings can be achieved merely by not using energy, the energy use may be essential for survival or engaging in a livelihood. Energy232 efficiency and conservation measures may require significant initial investment, even if the longer-term financial benefits are obvious, and must be as convenient as possible. In the long run, the economic system must be designed to meet people’s needs while minimizing our use of energy and all other resources to that which can be provided by sustainable use of renewable resources. Trade policy must be consistent with wide distribution of energy conservation and renewable energy technologies in particular and reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in general. Government incentives and subsidies must be shifted away from non-renewable sources of energy towards conservation and sustainable renewable sources in order to optimize progress towards a sustainable energy regime and greenhouse gas stabilization. This would be part of an overall program of socially responsible ecological fiscal reform . The federal government must also ensure that significantly more of Canada's research and development efforts are directed towards energy conservation, development of sustainable, renewable energy sources, and energy storage. The federal government must exercise its responsibility for international and inter-provincial issues and the broader national interest with respect to energy and related issues, in cooperation with the provinces and territories. To this end the National Energy Board has the clear responsibility for overseeing Canada’s overall energy requirements, and the policy and regulatory tools to fulfill this responsibility. Finally, decentralized (or distributed) energy sources are less vulnerable overall to natural disasters, accidents, and terrorism and encourage decentralized political and economic power. Decentralizing energy sources would also favour sources such as micro-hydro and some forms of geo-thermal energy, which might otherwise be overlooked. Centralized sources are more vulnerable to such hazards, promote centralized political and economic power, and require potentially regressive security regimes. Specific Policy Proposals: A Model National Energy Code to reduce net energy use in new buildings by at least 25 percent, with the reduction increasing as new energy conservation and sustainable renewable energy technologies come online. All new federal government and crown corporation buildings and new affordable housing developments supported by the federal government would be required to meet this code. Energy audits for large industrial companies paid for by the federal government using funds collected through the auction of Greenhouse gas emission credits. Loan guarantees, low-interest loans and tax incentives for retrofitting older residential, commercial, industrial and institutional buildings, with special provisions for low- income households. By 2010, at least 75 percent of federal government and Crown corporation facilities would be retrofitted to the highest standards commercially available. Require all standards for lighting and appliances sold in Canada to comply with the Energy Star standard, with improvements in the standard established or negotiated with participating jurisdictions as new technologies come on line. Current purchasing requirements for Energy Star goods and equipment will be extended to include all federal Crown corporations. Integrate provisions of CMHC mortgages and construction of new homes that meet high energy efficiency standards.233 In cooperation with the provinces and territories, identify and support mandatory capacity targets for sustainable renewable energy sources, including the Canadian Wind Energy Association's target of 10,000 megawatts of wind generation by 2010. Enhance significantly incentives for sustainable, renewable electricity production, especially local co-operative and community initiatives near existing centres of employment of the fossil fuel industry. The federal government shall work with the provinces and territories to enact fair access and pricing laws for sustainable, renewable energy sources. By 2010, the federal government and Crown corporations would be required to purchase all of their power from renewable sources. Where practical, fund new inter-provincial electrical grid connections. These would serve in part to assist provinces dependent on coal-fired thermal electrical power to replace these sources with hydropower from neighbouring provinces. Develop a thriving renewable energy industry in Canada, particularly wind and tidal stream turbines and solar panel production to meet domestic needs and the export market, by all means possible including the creation of a Crown Corporation to assist community, commercial and industrial interests and help with research and development. Install 100,000 solar rooftops (or walls or windows as technology permits), with a federal grant of 50 percent of the costs and loans for the remainder. Where reasonable, invest in co-generation, making the industrial sector a source of energy, with a priority given to provinces without surplus hydroelectric generating capacity. Work with industry and regulatory authorities to reduce fugitive greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane, through such technologies as catalytic combustion in natural gas compressor stations. Provide incentives to communities to reduce emissions from land fills and capture landfill gas (mostly methane) for use as an energy source. Continue moratoria on offshore oil and gas exploration, while also assessing offshore and coastal wind, wave and tidal energy potential and investing in development of these sources where feasible. Invest in sustainable public transit and provide incentives to encourage increased rider-ship. Ensure federal support for pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. Restore adequate funding to support the development of community groups and non-profit organizations to promote activities which promote energy conservation, sustainable, renewable energy, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Invest in production of Canadian green cars and implement mandatory vehicle fuel efficiency standards requiring a 25 percent improvement in the average fuel efficiency of motor vehicles sold in Canada by 2010. Offer a significant tax rebate on the purchase of hybrid, alternative fuel and alternative propulsion vehicles and offering equivalent level of financial assistance for other public sector vehicle purchasers who are tax-exempt. Create a common purchasing agency for public sector vehicles, including Crown corporations and inviting other levels of government to participate. Expand the scope of the Technology Partnerships Canada Program and Research and Development Tax Credit to assist with research and development of alternative fuel and propulsion systems and vehicles, and provide direct financial support for public and non-profit research into alternative fuel and propulsion technologies.234 Require the petroleum industry to meet World-Wide Fuel Charter standards and work with the auto and petroleum industry to ensure access to alternate fuels expands with the availability of alternative fuel vehicles. Require that the gasoline supply include at least 5 percent ethanol by 2010, and the diesel supply include at least 500 million litres of bio-diesel annually by 2010, with further increases dependent on an assessment of the sustainability of the supply of ethanol and bio-diesel. Promote freight rail transport and passenger rail service (including high-speed passenger rail service) where practical over other forms of transportation. Make a gradual transition to a sustainable renewable energy regime, allowing maximum use of attrition and ensuring planned decreases in production are accompanied by early notice to permit maximum retraining. Income support to workers for up to three years to enable workers to take maximum advantage of education and training opportunities. Ensure as many new federal government positions as possible are located in communities likely to be affected. Work to institute a domestic cap and trade system for Greenhouse Gas emissions with permissible emissions capped in 2008 and a market-based auction introduced in 2009, with credits divided among sectors. The cap would be gradually reduced with the goal of a 50 percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2030 and the auction expanded gradually expanded to cover 100 percent of available credits by 2030. Conduct a complete assessment of federal subsidies and incentives to the energy sector with input from relevant stakeholders, accompanied by the establishment of a specific timetable for the rapid elimination of socially and environmentally harmful subsidies and incentives, particularly those associated with oil sands development. Negotiate or renegotiate international trade and investment agreements to facilitate the transition to a sustainable energy regime and/or renounce provisions of existing agreements that hinder the transition. Multilateral environmental agreements must take precedence over trade and investment agreements. Work with international partners, particularly other Kyoto signatories and individual American states and groups of states to create markets for sustainable, renewable energy generation, green transportation, alternative fuel options and other energy conservation technology, and provide these options to less developed countries through Kyoto's Clean Development and Joint Implementation Mechanisms. Conclusion Transforming our production and use of energy is the most crucial element of the transition to a sustainable society. It will not be easy, but may be achieved with limited negative social and economic impact while providing opportunities for profound social and economic benefits. As one of the largest per capita energy producers, energy users and greenhouse gas emitters, Canada can and must help lead the world in this effort. ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE WESTERN ARCTIC NDP ALBERTA CFR 5 H10 WHEREAS the largest American Automakers have colluded with the seven largest Oil production companies to retain fossil fuel in automobiles thereby increasing profit; and235 WHEREAS alternatives to fossil fuel have not been sufficiently aided in development by governments, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP) press for the immediate priority of electric automobile technology; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP insist on extension of alternative sources of energy for consumer and automobile use. CHATHAM-KENT-ESSEX NDP 5 H11 WHEREAS the federal government has announced a 5% bio-fuels mandate in gasoline and diesel fuel beginning in 2010; and WHEREAS three provinces (Ont., Man. and Sask.) are already on track toward eventual 10% ethanol in gasoline, the maximum blend that meets manufactures recommendations; and WHEREAS Federal NDP MP, Peter Julian has a private members motion to this effect (M-42), THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this Convention wholeheartedly supports the 10% ethanol formula for Canada and all the additional environmental and economic benefits it will bring. M-42 — April 4, 2006 — Mr. Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster) — That, in the opinion of the House, the government should help address urban air quality and greenhouse gas emissions by introducing legislation that would mandate the sale of gasoline with an ethanol content of at least 10 %. M-42 — 4 avril 2006 — M. Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster) — Que, de l’avis de la Chambre, le gouvernement devrait agir sur la qualité de l’air en milieu urbain et sur les émissions de gaz à effet de serre en déposant un projet de loi qui prescrirait la vente d’essence ayant une teneur en éthanol d’au moins 10 p. 100. OTTAWA VANIER NDP 5 H12 WHEREAS the nuclear industry with decent paying jobs for sustaining the local economy; and WHEREAS the nuclear industry is a heavily unionized environment; and WHEREAS health and safety of the employees, communities, and the environment are of paramount importance; and WHEREAS these plants are located in small communities, which depends upon these decent paying jobs, and spin off work related to the nuclear industry, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party promote the nuclear industry as one viable industry source through the labour movement at home and abroad, so that we can protect and control our natural resources and sustain our energy capabilities within Canada and abroad.236 NORTHUMBERLAND QUINTE WEST NDP USW LOCAL 14193 5 H13 WHEREAS energy efficiency programs raise awareness, reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, and improve air quality, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP support the funding of a national strategy promoting energy efficiency, in cooperation with the provinces and municipalities. SAANICH-GULF ISLANDS NDP 5 H14 WHEREAS the estimates for the total value of subsidies for fossil fuels from rich countries, is four times the amount given annually in foreign aid; and, the exact scale of subsidies to coal, gas, oil and nuclear are hard to determine which leads to information failure, but is paid for by the taxpayer. Is it economic logic of paying for our downfall via climate change or irradiation when we could be tapping into the free and clean, virtually inexhaustible power provided by sun, wind, water, the earth and biospheres? THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the NDP adopt a comprehensive policy that promotes clean, renewable energy that is capable of meeting human needs, and the NDP supports and invests in renewable substantially; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a NDP government would cease government subsidies to fossil fuel producers. LONDON-FANSHAWE NDP 5 H15 WHEREAS the world fossil fuel supply is now at, or will very shortly reach a peak and is consequently becoming considerably more expensive, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP bring the matter of energy security into the public discourse in a forceful and visible way. BURLINGTON NDP 5 H16 WHEREAS Canada needs secure and affordable supplies of energy, and must decrease its reliance on fossil fuels; and237 WHEREAS the present Conservative government has no coherent plan to address energy issues from either a consumer or environmental perspective, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the New Democratic Party call for a new national energy policy that includes: Public regulation of all fuel prices to prevent gouging; Increased support for public transportation systems; New public investment in environmentally sustainable energy generation sources; and Tax incentives for fuel efficient vehicles and home energy conservation improvements. BC FEDERATION OF LABOUR 5 H17 BE IT RESOLVED that the Federal NDP support a 10% ethanol requirement for all grades of gasoline in Canada, with the condition that the ethanol be derived from non-food resources. VICTORIA NDP 5 H18 WHEREAS Canada’s oil industry is vital to economic development and job creation, especially in smaller communities; and WHEREAS this industry is controlled by small groupings of powerful shareholders who seek profits and power over and above the interests of consumers, workers and the environment; and WHEREAS oil prices have increased dramatically over the past five years, well above the rate of inflation; and WHEREAS a December 2005 opinion poll showed that half of all Canadians prefer the oil industry to be held under public ownership, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that a NDP government socialize oil exploration and refinery industries in Canada over a period of several years through the payment of low-interest, long- term bonds; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a large portion of the profits created by the public oil industry be invested in environmentally friendly forms of renewable energy, the building up of resource capacities to guarantee fair and stable prices, and other forms of sustainable development. OAKVILLE NDP238 5 H19 BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP study the advantages, disadvantages and feasibility of the oil nationalization on Canadian land. QUEBEC SECTION 5 H20 WHEREAS nuclear power is not necessary for any province to grow in prosperity, or for Canada to meet the challenge of climate change; and WHEREAS nuclear power is the most expensive source of electricity we have; and WHEREAS many environmental organizations have clearly spelled out the obvious cleaner alternatives, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democrat Party vigourously advocate to prevent the building of any new nuclear reactors anywhere in Canada until the following two conditions are met: 1. The government makes public an actuarial study of all past, present and future costs, including provincial and federal subsidies and debts, with all assumptions as to future costs clearly laid out, so as to determine the present cost of nuclear generated electricity in cents per kilowatt/hour. 2. After the actuarial study is published, the government holds a series of public meetings of a select committee to hear arguments on both sides, with all arguments and rebuttals printed publicly for all to see. YORK-SIMCOE NDP239 J ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES 5 J1 WHEREAS Bennett Environmental is currently constructing a toxic waste incinerator in Belledune, New Brunswick; and WHEREAS the incinerator could be operational as early as spring 2004; and WHEREAS many local municipal governments in both Quebec and New Brunswick have passed motions in opposition to construction of the toxic waste incinerator; and WHEREAS there is large scale community opposition to this incinerator; and WHEREAS the Mi’kmaq South District Community has asked the United Nations to intervene against the incinerator; and WHEREAS pollution from the proposed toxic waste incinerator will likely cross both provincial and international boundaries as well as negatively affect Canadian coastal waters; and WHEREAS pollution from the proposed toxic waste incinerator will negatively affect the fisheries in both Quebec and New Brunswick; and WHEREAS the Maritime Fisherman’s Union has demanded a federal environmental assessment of the incinerator; and WHEREAS the federal government can invoke the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and therefore halt construction of the incinerator and stop it pending a review, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP call for the federal government to immediately use the appropriate provisions within the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act to halt further construction of the Toxic Waste Incinerator by Bennett Environmental in Belledune, New Brunswick, until a full environmental assessment has been completed; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a similar situation exists in Sherbrooke, Quebec where GSI Environmental Incorporated is planning on constructing a toxic waste incinerator which, if completed, would mean there were multiple toxic waste incinerators in Quebec; and because Sherbrooke is close to the United States border pollution from the proposed toxic waste incinerator may cross the international border, thus triggering provisions within the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act; and that the NDP call for the federal government to immediately determine whether pollution from the proposed toxic waste incinerator in Sherbrooke, Quebec may trigger the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and, if so, use the appropriate provisions within the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act to stop any further development of this incinerator until a full environmental assessment has been completed; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP call on the federal government to immediately initiate the process required to ban as soon as possible the importing and exporting of toxic waste into and out of Canada; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP call on the federal government to work with all orders of government to develop environmentally sound alternatives for neutralizing toxic wastes with the goal of eliminating toxic waste incinerators across the country. FEDERAL COUNCIL – FEBRUARY 2004240 5 J2 WHEREAS Canada’s forest industry directly employs over 300,000 people; provides the economic mainstay of over 1,000 Canadian communities and, in 2004, contributed over $34 billion to Canada’s international trade balance; and WHEREAS the revenue from our largely publicly-owned forests and the Canadian forest industry help provide education, health care, retirement incomes and other valuable programs and services for all Canadians; and WHEREAS the Canadian forest sector is currently in crisis due to factors such as rising Canadian dollar; higher energy prices; increased competition from corporations operating in low-cost, low-wage environments; outflows of capital and lack of investment by Canadian firms that prefer to invest in low-cost, low-wage countries or to spend their profits in mergers, foreign acquisitions or investments outside the forest industry and careless or short-sighted forest management practices excessively based on the pursuit of profit to the detriment of the forests, workers or their communities, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party encourage federal and provincial governments to collaborate in calling a commission of inquiry on the future of Canada’s forests and our forest industry, charged with making recommendations on: Ways to ensure that profits generated from Canada’s forests go back into the industry to ensue job creation, community stability, reforestation and long-term management of the forests and the industry; Ways to halt the current outflow of investment by companies that today appear to be driven exclusively or primarily by a commitment to make profits for their international investors and shareholders; Ways to ensure that future forest-sector investment ensures employment growth in strong, vital communities based on a diversified and thriving manufacturing sector employing improved infrastructure; efficient, diversified processing facilities and sustainable forest management and reforestation practices; Ways to deal with the long-term impact on our forests of climate change and forest health problems such as the current mountain pine beetle epidemic in the British Columbia Interior; and Ways to ensure the long-term stability and security of Canada’s forest-based communities, with their uniquely-Canadian way of life; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP support the immediate creation by the federal and provincial governments of dedicated investment funds that will ensure community stability and job creation in the forest sector, for instance by ensuring that a significant portion of all revenues returned to Canadian forest companies as a result of the recent lumber trade agreement with the U.S. is directly reinvested in Canada’s forest industry. USW LOCAL 8412 USW LOCAL 8300 USW LOCAL 838241 5 J3 WHEREAS lumber represents Canada’s largest single export, Canada’s exportation of softwood lumber to the U.S. represents the largest single item of trade between two countries anywhere in the world and forest products contributed over $34 billion to Canada’s international trade balance in 2004; and WHEREAS over 300,000 Canadians are employed in Canada’s highly interdependent wood, paper and wood manufacturing sector, while some 1,000 communities depend on the forest sector for at least half of their basic factor income; and WHEREAS after the unfair imposition of tariffs and countervailing duties by the U.S. in 2002 Canada launched an aggressive and successful legal challenge to the unreasonable and illegal protectionist measures of the Bush administration and the U.S. lumber lobby; and WHEREAS the Harper Conservative government, advised by David Emerson, a former forest- company executive and former Liberal cabinet minister, nonetheless recently entered into an agreement that sacrifices the interests of Canadian taxpayers and forest-sector workers and communities to the demands of the Bush administration and the powerful U.S. corporate lumber lobby; and WHEREAS this agreement required absolutely no commitment by Canadian firms that they will invest in Canadian jobs or Canadian communities any of the over U.S. $4 billion that will now be returned to them by the U.S. Department of Commerce, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party continue to expose the contradictions in this agreement so that Canadians remember exactly how their interests were sold out to those of George Bush and the U.S. forest companies; and BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP support measures that ensure that a significant portion of the profits from our forests and the forest industry continue to flow back into forest-based communities in Canada in the form of diversified manufacturing; wood and paper products research and development; market development and market expansion for Canadian forest products; infrastructure and community-support for forest-based communities; workforce training and adjustment programs; reforestation and enhanced silviculture investments that ensure the long-term security and stability of forest-based jobs and communities; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP support the use of funds returned by the U.S. government as a result of the recent lumber framework agreement with the U.S. to create a dedicated fund for forest-sector investments including industrial diversification, research, training, infrastructure, reforestation and other measures that will help ensure the long-term future of Canada’s forests, forest-based communities and forest industry; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP urge Canadian governments not to release to industry any of the rebated funds held by the U.S. government unless companies first commit to these sorts of specific, productive investments in Canada. USW LOCAL 8412 USW LOCAL 8300 USW LOCAL 838 USW LOCAL 1998242 5 J4 WHEREAS the pervasive use of chemical pesticides has been linked to a host of medical problems ranging from asthma to cancers to birth defects; and WHEREAS over 70 Canadian municipalities have banned the use of pesticides for cosmetic purposes; and WHEREAS regulation of commonly used chemical pesticides and herbicides falls within the jurisdiction of the federal government Pest Management Regulatory Agency, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP adopts a position that the cosmetic use of pesticides should be banned throughout Canada; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Malathion and 2-4-D should be de-listed as chemicals approved for use by the Pest Management Regulatory Authority. WINNIPEG CENTRE NDP 5 J5 WHEREAS the 2003 NDP Convention in Winnipeg passed a resolution mandating the Environment Committee “to carry out extensive consultations and develop a comprehensive policy framework for a just transition to a sustainable economy compatible with the principles of democracy and equality”; and WHEREAS in response to that resolution the Environment Committee has duly consulted and produced the paper Framework for a Just Transition to a Sustainable Economy, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP adopt the Framework for a Just Transition to a Sustainable Economy as Party policy. FRAMEWORK FOR A JUST TRANSITION TO A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY A Canada with full employment and no poverty. Air, water and food that we trust not to make us sick. Livable cities without smog or traffic congestion, prosperous farms, diverse forests and thriving coastal communities. Confidence in the future. Most Canadians could agree that this is the direction we want to travel in, for ourselves and for future generations. But there is a disconnect between this vision and the way our economy functions. The train we are riding is taking us away from, not closer to, our goals. A 2001 University of Victoria study based on OECD data rated Canada twenty-eighth out of twenty-nine industrialized countries in overall environmental performance. A study commissioned by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities reported in September 2004 that if every person in the world used natural resources at the rate that Canadians do, almost four more planet Earths would be required to supply the demand. Just last year, the UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, the most comprehensive assessment ever of the natural systems that sustain life on Earth, reported that 15 of 24 global ecosystems are in decline. “Nearly two-thirds of the services provided by nature to human kind are found to be in decline world wide. Human activity is putting so much strain on the natural functions of Earth that the ability of the planet’s ecosystem to support future generations can no longer be taken for granted... At the same time, the assessment shows that the future really is in our hands. We can reverse the degradation of many ecosystem243 services over the next 50 years, but the changes in policy and practice required are substantial and not currently under way,” said Dr. Walt Reid, the lead author. “Above all, protection of these assets can no longer be seen as an optional extra, to be considered once more pressing concerns such as wealth creation or national security have been dealt with.” We are on an unsustainable path. New Democrats recognized this at our Leadership Convention in 2003 when we voted to develop “a comprehensive policy framework for a just transition to a sustainable economy, compatible with the principles of democracy and equality.” Social and economic justice is essential to a sustainable society. These have been core values of our party since its inception and they are embodied in our policies. Sustainability has been a core value of our party since 1995. This paper focuses on the environmental component of sustainability, so that environmental sustainability can be integrated with our other values and policies. The 2001 policy “Jobs and Sustainable Development” outlines measures by which jobs can be maintained, increased and improved in a rapidly changing economy. This framework complements that policy by presenting the measures necessary to put us on an environmentally sustainable course, and incorporates existing Party policy on sustainability including the Genuine Progress Indicator (or Index) and all the components of the Green Screen. It is not a detailed policy document but rather outlines the legislative, regulatory and tax changes within which detailed policies and programs can be developed. Where rights and other matters are listed, they add to and do not exclude or supersede ones to which the Party is already committed. Just as this framework was developed to be consistent with the Party’s other values, so all Party policy should be consistent with the sustainability framework. SUSTAINABILITY: THE CHALLENGE The question we are faced with is: how can we transform our economy in a way that will create jobs while protecting and restoring the environment? How do we achieve an economy that enhances our quality of life while working in harmony with planetary life support systems? Recent experience in Europe demonstrates that moving towards sustainability can be good for jobs and the economy. Sweden has set the goal of achieving ecological sustainability within a generation. Sweden is ranked first among OECD nations for environmental protection, and also for quality of life, and the World Economic Forum ranks it in the top five nations for competitiveness. Denmark has set the goal of generating 50% of its electricity with wind turbines by 2010. It has already passed 20% and has become the world’s largest exporter of wind generation technology, which is the fastest growing form of power generation in the world. Most of the measures outlined in this paper are already in practice in various nations throughout the world. Canada is lagging behind. Shifting to an ecologically sustainable economy requires a change in our assumptions. We live in a finite world with finite resources. We are part of the natural world and our societies are embedded in it. Our health is dependent on the health of the biosphere and increasingly, the health of the biosphere is jeopardized by human activity, which in turn further jeopardizes human welfare. Our economy, however, still functions on the myth of infinite resources, and celebrates growth as the key indicator of economic health. Pollution and resource depletion are regarded as “externalities”, costs that need not be borne by the corporations responsible for them. The consequences of this approach are being felt by Canadians in all regions of the country- in climate change and its impacts; in thousands of premature deaths annually because of poor air quality; in unsafe drinking water; in collapsed fish stocks and depleted soil fertility. More than four billion kilograms of pollutants are released into the Canadian environment each year. The list goes on. Now we face the possibility that we may soon reach Peak Oil, the point of maximum global oil production. If this is so, oil prices will continue to rise, giving economic reinforcement to the already urgent environmental need to lessen our244 dependence on fossil fuels. This framework outlines a new set of premises on which a sustainable society can develop, based on the recognition that we must learn to function within ecological limits. SUSTAINABILITY: DEFINITION The generally accepted definition of sustainability, as presented in the United Nations Bundled Report, is the ability to persist over generations, by being far-seeing enough, flexible and wise enough not to undermine either physical or social systems of support. A sustainable society then, is one which is dedicated to the health and preservation of the biosphere in all its diversity, and to the well-being of human beings as part of the web of life. SUSTAINABILITY: PRINCIPLES Democracy People and communities participate in the decisions that affect them. Equality Protection of human rights, including access to clean air, water, food, shelter, education, health care and a sustainable livelihood. The resources and benefits of the natural environment are shared equitably. Peace War is the most destructive of human activities and the antithesis of sustainability. Freedom of Information People have the right to know what is being introduced into their environment and what is in everything they eat, drink or otherwise use or consume. Protection of the Commons We inherit collectively the natural world and all its life support systems and manage our use of and impact on them in trust for future generations. The Precautionary Principle When an activity raises threats to human health and the environment, precautionary measures should be taken, even if some cause-and- effect relationships are not fully established scientifically. In this context, the proponent of the activity, rather than the public, should bear the burden of proof that it is harmless. Best Available Technology and Best Practices There is no excuse for using poor technical solutions and practices if better technology and practices are available. Ecological Design Communities and industry imitate natural systems for their diversity, resilience and lack of waste. Pollution Prevention and Polluter Pays Industrial processes are redesigned to prevent pollution rather than cleaning it up after it is produced. Those who produce pollution bear the costs of cleaning it up instead of imposing the costs on others, including future generations. Resource Conservation Reduced reliance on extraction and use of raw materials. Reuse, recycling and efficiency cut the need for raw materials and energy, and reduce the volume of waste. Food Security Industrial agriculture depends on oil and natural gas, both finite resources, for chemical fertilizers and pesticides as well as for fuel. As oil prices go up, so will the price of food raised by these methods. Sustainable agriculture relies on building healthy soils using organic inputs and methods. Producing as much food as possible locally and sustainably enhances security of supply, supports the local economy, and reduces the distance food is transported, thus reducing fossil fuel consumption and the emissions that produce smog and contribute to global warming. ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS FOR A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY245 To achieve sustainability, policy must integrate short and long term considerations and be good for people, good for the environment, and good for the economy, which is the primary way, as a society, we interact with the environment. An ecologically sustainable economy is based on the following conditions: 1. Protection and restoration of ecosystems are integral to economic planning. 2. Rates of renewable resource use do not exceed their rates of regeneration. Rates of non-renewable resource use do not exceed the rate at which sustainable renewable substitutes are developed. Known toxic chemicals such as persistent organic pollutants are, as a general rule, eliminated. For other substances, rates of emission do not exceed the assimilative capacity of the environment. POLICY FOUNDATION FOR A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY The following elements need to be put in place if we are to achieve a sustainable economy. Vision and Goals Develop and promote a vision of an ecologically sustainable society and set a date by which we will achieve it, with long term goals and targets. Just Transition For New Democrats, Just Transition is the cornerstone of an environmentally sustainable economic policy. A sustainable economy will create a whole new range of jobs and opportunities, and there will be a net gain, but there will be industries and communities that will be adversely affected, at least in the short term. Just Transition is a policy developed by our partners in the labour movement that recognizes the need for change but ensures that no groups bear an unfair burden in the shift to sustainability. The aim is continuity of employment without loss of seniority or benefits. Where this is impossible, there will be a commitment to just compensation, to retraining for sustainable work, and to locating new sustainable industries in communities that have lost jobs in unsustainable ones. For farmers and fishers and those who make their living from the land a Just Transition policy would provide help in making the transition to a sustainable mode of operation. Environmental Bill of Rights Legislating the right of Canadians to a clean, healthy and safe environment will empower citizens to protect the environment, their communities and their health through the courts. It will serve as a protection against environmental racism and environmental injustice. An Environmental Bill of Rights would include the right to information. Legislation to Protect the Commons Legal protection to prevent shared public trusts like water, air, parks, DNA, and knowledge generally, from being privatized, abused or sold into foreign ownership. Sustainability Accounting The present measure of economic performance, the Gross Domestic Product, represents only the total of economic transactions that take place in a year, regardless of cause or impact. We need more comprehensive assessments to measure progress towards sustainability. Full Cost Accounting The environment performs many crucial functions for human beings and other species including provision of resources, assimilation of waste and climate regulation. At present, impacts on the environment such as resource depletion, pollution, habitat destruction and loss of biodiversity are considered “externalities” with respect to conventional pricing mechanisms. Cradle to Grave Life Cycle Analysis, which includes the impacts of extraction, processing, production, transport, use or consumption, and disposal provides the basis for demonstrating the true cost of products and services and including those costs in the price. Genuine Progress Indicator/Index and Sustainability Indices The Gross Domestic Product measures only money changing hands. Therefore poor health, crime, hurricanes and oil spills246 all contribute positively to the GDP. If the GDP is up, for whatever reason, the economy is growing and considered to be headed in the right direction. To foster sustainability we need to use comprehensive indicators that will include full cost accounting, wealth distribution, employment, education, health, culture, the contributions of the voluntary sector and all the other components of a satisfactory quality of life for Canadians. Negative impacts like pollution, resource depletion and crime would be subtracted from the total to provide a measure of whether we are making genuine progress towards a socially, economically and ecologically sustainable society. 6. Rethink Governance Responsibility for the environment is divided between the Government of Canada and the Provinces, with many areas falling into overlapping jurisdictions. It is necessary to work at all levels to address environmental issues by finding new ways to work cooperatively with First Nations and the provinces and territories and to support municipal efforts to become greener. Federal government departments must be reorganized to ensure interdepartmental communication and cooperation to achieve sustainability goals. Departments such as Environment, Fisheries and Oceans and others whose mandate includes environmental research, monitoring, protection and enforcement must be given the staffing and resources to do their job. Socially Responsible Ecological Fiscal Reform Restructuring of the tax system so that prices incorporate social and ecological costs as a normal part of the economic costs of production and distribution, with equity built in to protect those who would be disproportionately affected. Ecological tax shifting is not a way to raise more money but to use the tax system to encourage beneficial activities like jobs and investment and the development and use of alternative technologies and to discourage harmful activities like waste, pollution and resource depletion. The goal is to increase use of human resources, which are under utilized and to decrease use of natural resources, which are over utilized. For New Democrats, the challenge is to design a system during the transition to sustainability that will not have a negative impact on the legitimate needs of Canadians, particularly those of low income or who live in rural areas. Subsidy Reform Phasing out tax breaks and subsidies to the fossil fuel and nuclear industries and shifting them to clean, sustainable and renewable sources of energy. A huge, complex and largely hidden network of tax breaks and subsidies supports the fossil fuel and nuclear industries. This hides their real cost and gives them an economic advantage over renewable, non-polluting technologies like solar, wind and tidal power. Mandatory Energy Efficiency and Emissions Standards Increased energy efficiency standards for buildings and for all motors and appliances. Lower permissible emissions levels for motor vehicles and industries. California has been successful in reducing ground level pollution by mandating emissions standards in motor vehicles. It has recently imposed a new, more stringent set of standards as have New York and a number of other US states. Canada should do the same, and set higher efficiency standards for buildings and for all motors and appliances. This approach has proven successful with refrigerators and should be applied across the board. Extended Producer Responsibility Mandating that corporations be responsible for the entire life cycle of their products, including packaging. This ensures that what was viewed as waste is returned to the front end of the production cycle as potential resource. It prompts corporations to redesign their products so that parts and materials can be reused or recycled. The policy creates jobs while reducing the extraction and use of raw materials. The European Union already requires the take-back of automobiles; at least 29 countries require companies to reuse or recycle packaging and at least nine require manufacturers to take back electronic products.247 Research and Development Commit adequate, long-term funding to sustainability research and development. Measure Population Health Establish an arms length agency that would monitor and analyze impacts of environmental contaminants on human health. Rethink Trade Develop a socially and environmentally sustainable fair trade policy and renegotiate trade deals to safeguard a nation’s right to act in the best interests of its citizens and its environment. This would include the right to protect its labour standards, water, energy, resources and food security. Clear, enforceable and enforced laws and regulations, and taxes aligned to be consistent with sustainability, provide the framework within which it can be achieved. A sustainable energy policy has already been developed that is consistent with the framework but a commitment to sustainability extends into many spheres and requires rethinking in many areas: population and foreign aid; transportation; the role and governance of corporations; food and agriculture; industry and so on. Policies and strategies need to be developed in these areas. This framework allows for the flexibility to adapt to changes in circumstances, whether those circumstances are created by new environmental or human challenges or new technologies. Within this context, policies and strategies can be developed to strike the most effective balance between government action and market measures. Cap-and-trade systems are one sort of market measure. The Government establishes limits on pollutants and lowers the limits over time. It then allocates or auctions annual tradable permits. Companies that reduce their emissions can sell surplus quota to less efficient companies. There are severe penalties for companies that exceed their quota. Canada successfully used cap-and-trade to reduce methyl bromide, an ozone depleting chemical. In the US sulphur dioxide emissions were reduced 39% below the target level using cap-and- trade, saving an estimated $12 billion. Public trusts are a non-market way of protecting the commons, or aspects of the commons such as air, water or watersheds, and ecosystems from privatization and ensuring they are managed to maintain them for future generations. A public trust is an arm’s length, non-profit body mandated to preserve the assets of the area or resource and to ensure that the benefits are equally shared. A public trust might choose cap-and-trade as a way to carry out its mandate. The NDP’s Green Car Strategy and Kyoto Strategy provide models for the kinds of creative solutions that will address urgent environmental challenges while creating jobs and improving the quality of life of Canadians. Canadians consistently rank the environment as a major concern. The Liberal Government consistently failed to take appropriate action to protect it, instead relying on voluntary compliance by industry to reduce emissions, an approach that has failed miserably. In slashing social spending and the budget of the Environment Department, the Liberals “undermined both social and physical systems of support”, the very opposite of sustainability. The Harper Tories seem intent on abandoning Canada’s commitment to Kyoto and revoking what few measures, such as the One Ton Challenge, that the Liberals had put in place. It’s time for the NDP to lead the way by offering a bold new vision of a sustainable society, with the practical steps we can take to achieve it. ALBERTA CFR ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE248 5 J6 WHEREAS Canada is one of the largest per capita energy users and sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the world; and WHEREAS the effects of global warming are increasingly apparent throughout Canada and around the world; and WHEREAS to stabilize the atmosphere at prudent greenhouse gas concentrations will require a rapid and profound reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and significant reductions can be achieved using existing technology while creating opportunities for economic development and employment; and WHEREAS thousands of Canadians die each year as a result of air pollution; and WHEREAS nuclear energy is accompanied by serious concerns of safety, nuclear waste storage and nuclear weapons proliferation and remains uneconomical without being heavily subsidized; and WHEREAS the Kyoto Accord offers a framework within which further reductions in greenhouse gas emissions can be negotiated; and WHEREAS the need for a comprehensive energy policy to address these issues has never been greater, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party of Canada advocate and commit itself to an energy policy based on the following principles: Achieving or exceeding the current targets and timelines set forth by Canada’s international obligations including Canada’s continued participation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change beyond 2012; Conservation, including measures in all policy areas related to energy use; Phased substitution of more efficient and environmentally benign fuels and technologies as transitional measures towards an energy regime based on environmentally benign renewable sources and away from one based on fossil fuels and nuclear energy; Community and worker involvement in energy planning and decision-making, including First Nations involvement, through public ownership and/or regulation of energy generation and distribution; Just transition for affected workers and communities to ensure affected workers are able to benefit from opportunities arising from environmentally sound energy development and affected communities share in the social and economic benefits; Research and development in support of these principles; Technology transfer to less developed countries as well as other fair trade policies in support of these principles; Tax shifting and other fiscal policy in support of these principles; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Federal Party seek out coalition partners among labour, health and environmental groups to mount a popular education campaign at community, regional and national levels to create awareness about the cost and dangers of climate change to our economy, health and survival. PONTIAC NDP GUELPH NDP249 5 J7 WHEREAS many environmental concerns and issues are national or global in scope; and WHEREAS environmental concerns increasingly affect and reach across provincial, territorial and municipal boundaries; and WHEREAS the federal government is in the process of abandoning environmental jurisdiction to provinces, territories and other governments, thus losing both its ability to take action to address this crisis on a national scale, and its credibility at the international level, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Federal New Democratic Party supports strong federal leadership on environmental issues, including a strong federal presence in environmental monitoring, legislation and regulatory enforcement to retain the ability to identify and study adverse environmental impacts and to act in the best interests of human health and the environment. PONTIAC NDP GUELPH NDP 5 J8 WHEREAS the global environment is threatened by the cumulative effects of non-sustainable human activities world-wide; and WHEREAS the nature of this threat is such that the survival of human species is endangered by an escalating loss of the bio-diversity and environmental integrity that nurture and support life on earth; and WHEREAS Canada shares with other countries the adverse impacts on human health and damage to our air, water, land and bio-diversity as well as the responsibility to take action to address this crisis, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party supports a policy that ensures Canada meets its international obligations for environmental protection; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party calls on the Government of Canada to implement explicit targets and timelines for emissions and pollution reduction and other environmental initiatives. PONTIAC NDP WESTERN ARCTIC NDP GUELPH NDP250 5 J9 WHEREAS the Province of Manitoba NDP government has made a commitment to developing a strategy to improve the quality of the Winnipeg water; and WHEREAS the Lake Winnipeg water system involves the intake of international water from the U.S.A. and the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Federal Government of Canada and U.S.A. start to develop an international and inter-provincial strategy to improve the Lake Winnipeg water quality. BRANDON-SOURIS NDP 5 J10 WHEREAS healthy and vibrant salmon stocks are vital to the economic and cultural well- being of BC’s coastal communities; and WHEREAS well managed salmon enhancement, stock assessment, habitat management, enforcement and fishers research programs all contribute to building and maintaining healthy wild salmon stocks; and WHEREAS the DFO’s ability to manage these core programs has been severely curtailed by Liberal cutbacks, mismanagement and privatization, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP will commit to developing a West Coast Wild Salmon renewal policy which includes: Strong public sector support of Fisheries programs; Renewal of funding for the Salmonoid Enhancement Program; Recognition and support of the role that salmon fisheries play in Aboriginal culture; and Rejection of Private Public Partnerships. VANCOUVER ISLAND NORTH NDP 5 J11 WHEREAS Canada has no national water strategy; and WHEREAS the federal government has as many as 22 separate departments and agencies responsible for water; and WHEREAS we as Canadians can no longer take the quality or quantity of our water for granted, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP call on the federal government to establish a Canadian water strategy that would include support for pollution reduction and prevention,251 watershed based planning, research and development, investment in water infrastructure and support for standards for safe drinking water; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP supports the vision that water is a public good that has an inherent importance to Canada's ecosystems and to future generations of Canadians CHURCHILL NDP 5 J12 WHEREAS it is becoming increasingly clear that climate change from the accumulation of greenhouse gases, from the consumption of fossil fuel, is having a significant impact on Canada and the world; and WHEREAS climate change is already having a significant impact on Northern Canada with dramatically increased average temperatures, melting of the Arctic ice cover and impacts on the ecosystems of the North including negative impacts on such species as the polar bear; and WHEREAS climate change is having a particularly negative impact on Northern Aboriginal communities including dramatic impacts on First Nations, Inuit and Métis traditional ways of life, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP call on the Government of Canada to live up to and exceed its commitment to the targets for the reduction of greenhouse gases outlined in the Kyoto Accord; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP urge the Government of Canada to recognize the impact of climate change on Northern and Aboriginal communities and commit to working with those communities to mitigate the dramatic impacts of climate change on people and the environment. CHURCHILL NDP 5 J13 WHEREAS Canada's freshwater fishery is a significant contributor to the economy of many Canadian communities; and WHEREAS the fishery is a major source of employment in many Northern and Aboriginal communities; and WHEREAS the federal government plays a key role in the fishery, through the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corp (FEMC), THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP support the continuation of the key role of the FFMC; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the NDP call for the election of the directors of the corporation by Fishers, similar to the election of directors of the Canadian Wheat Board by producers; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP call on the federal government to reinstate many of the fishery programs and supports in terms of insurance, disaster assistance and support for young fishers that were cut by the previous Federal Liberal Government. CHURCHILL NDP252 5 J14 WHEREAS Lake Winnipeg is the 10th largest freshwater lake in the world and is one of Canada's Great Lakes; and WHEREAS Lake Winnipeg is under stress due to a significant increase in nutrients that is leading to toxic algae blooms; and WHEREAS Manitoba's NDP government has initiated the Lake Winnipeg Action Plan to develop a broad watershed based strategy to improve the quality of Lake Winnipeg, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Federal NDP call on the federal government to commit to a national effort to improve the quality of Lake Winnipeg. CHURCHILL NDP 5 J15 WHEREAS the previous Federal Liberal Government ignored the plight of many forestry and resource communities leading to the closure of numerous operations across Canada; and WHEREAS these closures have had dramatic impact on people and communities throughout Canada; and WHEREAS in contrast, the NDP government in Manitoba worked with the labour movement, company and communities to keep the forestry operation in The Pas open, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED this Convention condemn the previous Liberal government for abandoning forestry and resource committees; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this NDP convention call for a major federal commitment to support the future viability of our resource based communities. CHURCHILL NDP 5 J16 WHEREAS climate change is the most serious environmental problem we face in Canada and the world; and WHEREAS both Conservatives and Liberals have failed to address this issue; and WHEREAS the production and burning of non-renewable fossil fuels is the major contributor to CO2 emissions and climate change; and WHEREAS production of oil from the Alberta tar sands contributes hugely to C02 emissions; and WHEREAS tar sands development threatens water quality and flow in the Athabasca River, the health of local people and those downstream, the boreal forest and wildlife, and socio- economic well-being of communities in the Fort McMurray region, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP Caucus work to:253 Cancel existing tax breaks to all coal, oil and gas companies; Implement a Canada-wide carbon tax which would fund a "Retrofit Canada" initiative supporting transition to 100% sustainable energy; Require oil, coal and gas companies to reduce their C02 emissions to a set level by 2012, and to 80% below the 1990 level by 2025, with provision for "cap and trade”; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NDP encourage Alberta to place a moratorium on all new tar sands projects pending a full assessment of environmental, economic, social and health impacts. SAANICH-GULF ISLANDS NDP 5 J17 BE IT RESOLVED that the Federal NDP appoint a Party task force whose job would be to formulate formal action plans to address environmental concerns, identify and investigate infractions/threats and publicly fight destructive policies sanctioned by the government and its agencies. VICTORIA NDP 5 J18 BE IT RESOLVED that the Federal NDP investigates the benefits of banning the import of radioactive and hazardous waste from global sources for incinerating, processing and storing. The NDP must also ensure Canada's expertise in handling radioactive and hazardous waste is shared with global neighbours to eliminate the need for international shipments of said waste. BRAMPTON-SPRINGDALE NDP 5 J19 WHEREAS Canadians are storing millions of obsolete computers and electronic equipment in their attics, garages and basements because there are inadequate methods of safe disposal. Nor do municipalities have the capability of readily dealing with this toxic waste, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Canada follow the example of the European Union and require manufacturers and distributors of these products to assume responsibility for disposing all e-waste by: 1. Require manufacturers and distributors to take back old equipment for re-using, recycling and safe disposal; 2. Require that future products be manufactured with fewer hazardous elements and more environmentally friendly construction; and254 3. And provide assistance to municipalities in safely disposing “orphaned” computers and electronic products. NORTHUMBERLAND QUINTE WEST NDP 5 J20 WHEREAS many environmental concerns and issues are national or global in scope; and WHEREAS environmental concerns increasingly affect and reach across provincial, territorial and municipal boundaries; and WHEREAS the federal government is in the process of abandoning environmental jurisdiction to provinces, territories and other governments, thus losing both its ability to take action to address this crisis on a national scale, and its credibility at the international level; and WHEREAS the federal government must retain the ability to identify and study adverse environmental impacts and act in the best interests of human health and the environment, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Federal New Democratic Party supports strong federal leadership on environmental issues, including a strong federal presence in environmental monitoring, legislation and regulatory enforcement. WESTERN ARCTIC NDP 5 J21 WHEREAS every Canadian has the right to protection from pollution of air, water and land, and where it has been degraded, to have it restored, for the benefit of both present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that prevent pollution and ecological degradation; promote conservation of all renewable and non-renewable natural resources; preserve species diversity, genetic diversity and ecosystem diversity; ensure that development and the use of natural resources are ecologically sustainable; while permitting justifiable economic and social development within ecological limits; and WHEREAS every Canadian has the right to have reasonable access to information about the environment in the custody or under the control of the Government of Canada; and WHEREAS every Canadian has the right to be consulted and have a reasonable opportunity to participate in decisions that affect the rights set out in this provision; and WHEREAS every Canadian has the right to ensure that the Government of Canada and private entities make decisions that err on the side of caution by allowing for a comfortable margin for error and thereby ensuring that ecological limits and the principles of intra and intergenerational equity are respected; and WHEREAS every Canadian has the right to ensure that the Government of Canada applies the "polluter pays" principle when determining the responsibility of users and producers for preventing and rectifying harm from toxic substances, pollutants and waste; and255 WHEREAS the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) is by itself an inadequate tool for the protection of aforementioned rights; and WHEREAS the Constitutions of 117 countries mention protection of the environment or natural resources and 56 explicitly recognize the right to a clean and healthy environment while a further 20 hold those who harm the environment liable; and WHEREAS there is growing recognition and acceptance that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms should contain the right to a clean environment and provide a tool with which those rights can be defended, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP champion a Constitutional amendment to Charter of Rights and Freedoms that states: Everyone, including current and future generations, has the right to a clean, healthy and natural environment that supports the health and well-being of humans and a full diversity of plant life and animal life. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Canadian Environmental Protection Act also be amended to reflect those rights prior to the enactment of the Constitutional amendment. WESTERN ARCTIC NDP 5 J22 WHEREAS lumber represents Canada's largest single export, Canada's exportation of softwood lumber to the U.S. represents the largest single item of trade between two countries anywhere in the world and forest products contributed over $34 billion to Canada's international trade balance in 2004; and WHEREAS over 300,000 Canadians are employed in Canada's highly interdependent wood, paper and wood manufacturing sector, while some 1,000 communities depend on the forest sector for at least half of their basic factor income; and WHEREAS after the unfair imposition of tariffs and countervailing duties by the U.S. in 2002 Canada launched an aggressive and successful legal challenge to the unreasonable and illegal protectionist measures of the Bush administration and the U.S. lumber lobby; and WHEREAS the Harper Conservative government, advised by David Emerson, a former forest- company executive and former Liberal cabinet minister, nonetheless recently entered into an agreement that sacrifices the interests of Canadian taxpayers and forest-sector workers and communities to the demands of the Bush administration and the powerful U.S. corporate lumber lobby; and WHEREAS this agreement required absolutely no commitment by Canadian firms that they will invest in Canadian jobs or Canadian communities any of the over U.S.$4 billion that will now be returned to them by the U.S. Department of Commerce, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party continue to expose the contradictions in this agreement so that Canadians remember exactly how their interests were sold out to those of George Bush and the U.S. forest companies; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party support measures that ensure that a significant portion of the profits from our forests and the forest industry continue to flow back into forest-based communities in Canada in the form of diversified manufacturing; wood and paper products research and development; market development and market expansion for Canadian forest products; infrastructure and community-support for forest-based communities; workforce training and adjustment programs; reforestation and enhanced256 silviculture investments that ensure the long-term security and stability of forest-based jobs and communities; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party support the use of funds returned by the U.S. government as a result of the recent lumber framework agreement with the U.S. to create a dedicated fund for forest-sector investments including industrial diversification, research, training, infrastructure, reforestation and other measures that will help ensure the long-term future of Canada's forests, forest-based communities and forest industry; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Democrats urge Canadian governments not to release to industry any of the rebated funds held by the U.S. government unless companies first commit to these sorts of specific, productive investments in Canada. USW LOCAL 838 5 J23 WHEREAS at the UN Commission on Human Rights in 2002, Canada was the only country to vote against the Right to Drinking water and sanitation. Canada has clearly stated that it does not believe that international law should recognize the existence of a right to water; and WHEREAS Canada is ranked as the second highest user of fresh water, (U.S. is 1st.); and WHEREAS the notion that water should be bought and sold like any other product is what threatens Canada’s control over its water – to the recognition of water as a human right; and WHEREAS Canada should be open to water sharing, not water selling, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Federal New Democratic Party should recognize the importance of water, research it, and make it an issue in the next election. GUELPH NDP 5 J24 WHEREAS Passamaquoddy Bay, New Brunswick is recognized by the Canadian Government and the United Nations as an area high in ecological value with sensitive marine life; and WHEREAS the existing tourism, aquaculture, and fishing industries are struggling to maintain their viability and would be threatened by the existence of an LNG terminal and the tanker traffic this would entail; and WHEREAS the passage through the planned route would pose a risk for LNG-size tankers, a fact already acknowledged in a ruling by the Canadian Government in 1976, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP, as part of our policy on Canadian sovereignty and protection of Canada’s environment, declare that the waters and shores of Passamaquoddy Bay and Head Harbour Passage, New Brunswick remain off limits to LNG tankers and terminals and heavy industrial development. NEW BRUNSWICK SOUTHWEST NDP257 5 J25 WHEREAS current federal water policy is about 30 years old and therefore out-of-date, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP create a national water policy which, Protects national waters from privatization, commoditization, bulk diversions and commercial export; and Builds a national water conservation and management policy. NEW BRUNSWICK SOUTHWEST NDP 5 J26 WHEREAS Canada has an agro-industry that ensures its food self-sufficiency; and WHEREAS animal agricultural pollution cause health problems for all Canadians through Greenhouse gas emissions because of manure and liquid manure; and WHEREAS use of chemical fertilisers damages our soil quality and mortgage future generations; and WHEREAS there are technological and ecological solutions to ensure a sustainable development of our agricultural resources; and WHEREAS Canada delays the integration of this type of technology and equipment to rebuild its agricultural production structure; and THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that systems be set up for the recovery, transformation and recycling of manure and liquid manure into renewable non-polluting energy and into organic fertilizers that will have a reduced impact on the environment, following the example of countries like Germany and other European countries, to reach local energy self-sufficiency and end the use of chemical fertilizers on our land as stipulated in the NDP Canada program. QUEBEC SECTION258 P CONSUMER AFFAIRS 5 P1 WHEREAS an estimated two million dog and cats are slaughtered annually for their fur; and WHEREAS these animals are cruelly treated before they are killed for profit and deserve our protection; and WHEREAS dog and cat fur is being imported into Canada for use in for-profit consumer items such as trim for clothing, novelties and ironically toys for pets; and WHEREAS eight countries to date have banned the importation of dog and cat fur (U.S., Italy, France, Switzerland, Australia, Greece, Belgium and Denmark), THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the NDP oppose the mistreatment of these animals and works to ensure that Canada also bans the importation of dog and cat fur. VANCOUVER EAST NDP 5 P2 WHEREAS financial institutions implement mortgage loans based on loan applications supported by lawyer’s documentation with title and funds transfer instructions, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party urge the federal government to require that financial institutions on receipt of mortgage loan applications provide written notification to the attention of ‘Property Owner’ at the ‘Property Address’ to inform the occupants as pending debtors of a credit approval in progress. OAKVILLE NDP 5 P3 WHEREAS financial institutions are known to encourage loan sales with selective disclosure and commissions and bonuses, known in the industry as ‘Hungry Banker’s Syndrome’, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Democratic Party urge the federal government to require banks and financial institutions to publish their sales plans and disclose such information to consumers involved in loan application procedures. OAKVILLE NDP