Apr
27
By Denise Savoie
With the arrival of spring, I'm always delighted to see the return of open air markets dotting the city, including James Bay's own Market we can enjoy on Saturdays. The Market did a superb job of hosting Seedy Saturday again this year and it seems that we Victorians will continue to lead the way with our enthusiasm and support for local food, urban gardening and sustainable agriculture.
This time of year it is always such a treat to visit Ogden Point, watch the waves and walk along the breakwater that is now so beautifully decorated with the Coast Salish Land and Sea Murals. Or to stroll around Fisherman's Wharf and watch the activity at the colourful and enterprising houseboat community. This small community, so integral to Victoria's heritage and character, appears fearful of its future because of yearly increases in fees by the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority. I have met with the houseboaters and the harbour authority representatives and hope that a solution can be found to keep this attractive corner of our city.
Thousands of residents have by now also expressed their concern with a threat of a different sort, the proposal to build a marina for large luxury yachts. No decision has been taken yet; I have worked very hard to represent the strong concerns expressed by so many Victorians to all levels of government. And I will continue to engage in a public dialogue with them and residents on this issue. Few people would object to a marina but I believe it is a question of how big is too big for our busy harbour and the importance of protection of public spaces like our Inner Harbour.
Another issue that I continue to work on is the pension needs of Victorians; many face an uncertain retirement. The $1.5-billion corporate tax cut in the March federal budget flew in the face of a quarter-million Canadian seniors living in poverty, who received a special new Seniors' Day instead of pension reform.
I hosted a well-attended public meeting on pensions in James Bay in February to answer your questions about pensions and tell you about the New Democrat proposals that would fully eliminate poverty among Canadian seniors. I am following up on that success with another public meeting, Fixing Our Pension Crisis, to be held Wednesday, May 19, 7-9 p.m., at the BCGEU Building, 2994 Douglas Street. I will be joined in a panel discussion with Sylvain Schetagne, senior economist with the Canadian Labour Congress, and Dr. Michael Prince, Lansdowne professor of social policy at UVic.
This federal government does not see the daily challenges of Canadians. They have downloaded responsibility to other levels of government. Meanwhile, local governments have to hike property taxes and cut services to cope with reckless federal tax policy.
My colleagues and I are working on numerous fronts to address the issues that affect us all on a daily basis. Our three-pronged economic recovery plan would create jobs, protect the jobless and end handouts to well-heeled corporations. We are seeking important pension reforms that would double CPP benefits, fighting against the Conservatives' attempts to kill federal environmental assessments and advocating to retain the important role of government to regulate the safety of our food, water and consumer products, including cars.
My own private member's bills, aimed at creating more affordable housing and providing incentives for environmentally sustainable commuting, have gained the support of national organizations.
As we head into the summer I look forward to spending more time in Victoria, to meeting with many of you, and to attending and participating in many wonderful community gatherings. This always energizes me for the hard work that lies ahead in Parliament. I hope to be in Victoria June 16 to attend the James Bay Community Picnic.
As always, I appreciate hearing from you so that I can represent your views and concerns in Ottawa. I also invite you to follow my activities by visiting my website at