Liberal Accomplishments in the First Session of the 39th Parliament

Ottawa —The Liberal Opposition ends the first session of the 39th Parliament with a list of accomplishments all Canadians can be proud of, said Official Opposition Leader Bill Graham.
“From Private Members Bills to amendments crucial to the well being of Canadians, we have spent the last five months providing a progressive voice on issues that matter to Canadians and holding the minority Conservative government to account,” said Mr. Graham.

Since Parliament resumed in February, the Liberal Opposition has worked together to ensure a Liberal economic vision was adopted in the House, supported our dairy industry, and supported an Opposition Motion to ensure Canada meets its global climate change obligations under the Kyoto Protocol.

We also held the Conservative government to account, forcing them to pull out of a deal negotiated by a Conservative lobbyist to lease the former JDS Uniphase complex in Ottawa for $594 million more than it’s worth.
The Liberal Opposition has also been working hard to ensure that Canada’s Aboriginal communities are not forgotten by the Conservative government.

“Canada’s First Nations are an integral part of our country and as the Official Opposition, we are committed to ensuring issues vital to our Aboriginal communities are recognized,” said Mr. Graham. “We want to guarantee that the voices of Canada’s Aboriginal peoples are heard in the House of Commons.”

This past session, the Liberal Opposition passed an Opposition Motion calling on the Conservative government to implement the Kelowna Accord and successfully pressured the government to honour the Liberal agreement on residential schools.
We also raised serious questions about the judgment and leadership of Conservative MP Maurice Vellacott, forcing him to resign as Chair of the House Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

Following the tabling of the Conservative Accountability Act, the Liberal Opposition also successfully amended the act to exempt First Nations.
“We know that it is vital that we stand firm on our objectives and ensure that Canadians get the policies that best reflect their values,” said Mr. Graham.