Nov
29
By Denise Savoie
It has been an extremely busy fall, both in Victoria and in Ottawa. As the MP for Victoria and Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, I was honoured to lay the wreath for Canada at the Victoria Cenotaph on Remembrance Day in a moving ceremony as the parents of two fallen soldiers looked on, followed by visits with veterans at two of our local Legions.
The day before, I attended a Remembrance Day and Memorial Tree Re-Dedication Ceremony at Vic High, where today's students gathered to remember students from the past, some of whom did not come home from the wars of the last century. It was also a time to think about how we as a community and a country can support our soldiers coming home from Afghanistan and other conflicts, many of them suffering from post traumatic stress injuries.
The maple trees planted along Vining Avenue in front of the school in memory of students who died long ago are also a symbol of hope for the future, that we can work toward a more peaceful world where such sacrifices need not be asked of Canadians in the future. Congratulations to the students, and their teachers, for organizing such an inspiring event.
It was also inspiring that week to hear the convocation address of Dr. Dennis Tupman, an ambassador and advocate for music education, who told the graduating class at UVic that he was sharing his honourary degree with all who advocate for music education "in today's world with all its fragmentation, dehumanization and hyper-intensity."
It is worrisome that with cuts to education, some schools simply cannot afford 'luxuries' like music programs. Instead, the Conservative government seems intent on building more prisons, or 'crime schools,' which our neighbours to the south are warning us will be the result if we persist with a 'tough-on-crime' agenda.
More than 250 Victorians came out to a public forum I hosted in November, organized to examine the Omnibus Crime Bill, Bill C-10, comprised of nine separate pieces of legislation. An exceptional panel underscored what we have all been hearing, Sthat we need investment in youth, prevention, restorative justice and treatment programs for people with mental illness and addictions, not more jails. Provinces will be saddled with enormous costs at the expense of education, social services and other essential services.
This government has refused to separate Bill C-10 to allow the portions that no one would disagree with to pass easily while allowing other parts of this sweeping and costly legislation to be examined more closely. Our democracy is undermined when the voices of Canadians are not heard, and the government uses procedural tactics to shut down debate.
The government could learn much from another group of young people I met with on Remembrance Day, in a mock parliament held in Victoria. These students cared about a deteriorating environment and introduced 'legislation' to prevent further degration and sprawl. Their level of debate was smart, witty and respectful.
Their message was reinforced at another public event I hosted during my November riding week - to seek input for my submission to the federal finance minister as he prepares the 2012 federal budget. Industrial ecologist Stephen Salter's argument for a radical but reasonable shift in thinking, towards an ecological approach that would pay for itself was extremely well-received. The federal government could support green infrastructure by setting up a simple sustainable capital fund, he said, giving examples of how other countries have shown that the best ecological option is also the best economic option.
I thank all of you who shared your great ideas with me and I will post my budget submission on my website as soon as it is completed. I would also like to invite you back to my office in December, this time for some holiday cheer at my Annual Holiday Open House, Monday, December 12, 4-6 p.m.