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Libby speaking out against harmful regulatory changes

August 30, 2010
Toronto Star
Bawdy politics: Critics say new regulation endangers sex workers' livesIt's hard to picture Claire Jones in bed with organized crime. The curvy sex worker, who has been plying her prodigious assets for seven years now, could one day face five years in jail if she works with other “girls'' at her luxury downtown condo. And she does, at least sometimes. New regulations announced earlier this month by Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, regulations aimed at strengthening “the ability of law enforcement to fight organized crime,'' put her at risk....Ironically, as reports over the past few weeks have revealed, police forces bungled the Pickton case. Sex workers who had evidence that might have prevented more deaths were discounted, just because they were deemed not credible as witnesses. “I actually don't think the government cares about sex workers; to them it's just ‘oh they're going after organized crime,''' says NDP MP Libby Davies, in whose Vancouver east riding serial killer Robert Pickton picked off his victims. “The whole underpinning of the missing women is that they weren't ever seen as people, they were seen as disposable garbage by everybody.''
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Society has failed these women

August 24, 2010
straight.com
Gordon Campbell not in conflict of interest on missing women inquiry, Libby Davies saysNDP MP Libby Davies doesn’t think Premier Gordon Campbell’s former role as chair of the Vancouver police board puts him in a conflict of interest on the issue of whether to hold a public inquiry on the missing women. Davies sat on Vancouver city council during Campbell’s stint as mayor and police board chair from 1986 to 1993, around the time that women began disappearing from the Downtown Eastside. “It doesn’t put him in a conflict of interest,” the Vancouver East MP told the Straight by phone. “He’s the premier. He’s in a different role. A lot more information has come forward since when he was mayor. Back in those days, originally the call was for a special task force, and that was turned down many, many times when I was on council and such. But no, I don’t think he’s in a conflict. He’s the premier and he’s got to uphold the public interest.”
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Libby calls for proof that Criminal Code changes are warranted

August 11, 2010 Open Letters to Ministers & Public Officials

The Honourable Rob Nicholson
Minister of Justice
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Minister Nicholson,

I write to express my concern about your government’s recent announcement of regulatory changes to the Criminal Code, especially in regard to prostitution.

In 2007, the Parliamentary Sub-committee on Solicitation Laws, of which I was a member, heard from over 300 witnesses and examined available literature to come to the majority conclusion that current laws surrounding prostitution are harming women and men working in the sex trade.

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Libby renews call for a public inquiry into Vancouver's missing and murdered women

August 5, 2010 Open Letters to Ministers & Public Officials

Premier Gordon Campbell
Government of British Columbia

The Honourable Vic Toews
Minister of Public Safety
House of Commons

Dear Premier Campbell and Minister Toews,

I write once again to press upon you the urgent need for a public inquiry into the actions of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the investigation of Vancouver’s missing and murdered women.

A public inquiry is the only acceptable course of action given the new horrifying information revealed since the lifting of the court publication ban and the Crown’s decision to stay the remaining 20 charges against Robert Pickton.

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Libby critical of proposed changes to Criminal Code

August 5, 2010
Xtra.ca
NDP MP slams Tories over new organized crime regulationsNDP MP Libby Davies says it's "outrageous" that the Conservative government has quietly enacted new organized crime regulations — which include making bawdy house offences a "serious crime" — while Parliament is on summer break. As part of their plans to crack down on organized crime, the federal government put through several regulatory changes to the Criminal Code in the middle of July. Justice Minister Rob Nicholson announced the changes on Wednesday.
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NDP Calls For Hearings On G8/G20 Security

June 30, 2010 Press Release

On behalf of the NDP Caucus, the NDP Critic for Public Safety, MP Don Davies is calling for parliamentary hearings on G8/G20 Hearings.

NEW DEMOCRATS MAKE FORMAL REQUEST FOR COMMITTEE HEARINGS ON G8/G20 SECURITY

OTTAWA – New Democrat Public Safety and National Security Critic Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway) has written a letter to recall the House of Commons Public Safety committee to study all issues surrounding security at the G8 and G20 summits.

The letter has been circulated to other parties for their signature, and will trigger a committee meeting within five days of its receipt by the committee clerk.

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Libby speaking out against Marc Emery's extradition

March 17, 2010
The National Post
MPs move to block extradition of pot activist EmeryVANCOUVER -- Marijuana activist Marc Emery's battle to avoid going to a U.S. prison got a boost this week in the House of Commons. Three MPs -- Libby Davies of the New Democratic Party, Ujjal Dosanjh of the Liberals and Scott Reid of the Conservatives -- presented a petition asking Justice Minister Rob Nicholson not to sign extradition papers that would send Mr. Emery south to serve a five-year sentence for selling marijuana seeds online in 2005.
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