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Libby's Open Letter to a Minister

Letter to Ministers Flaherty and Baird urging them to defend Canadian-US citizens being pursued by the IRS
October 14, 2011

Honourable Jim Flaherty, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Finance
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6

Honourable John Baird, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Foreign Affairs
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6

Dear Ministers:

RE: United States Internal Revenue Service; Enforcement Policy against Dual Canadian-US Citizens

As you are aware, the United States Internal Revenue Services is pursuing a series of measures aimed at addressing tax evasion and the use of offshore accounts to shield assets from US taxation. As you are further aware, these measures have been directed at Canadian citizens who are residents of Canada holding US citizenship in a most punitive, unfair, and unacceptable manner. These measures include the imposition of onerous filing and reporting requirements, unreasonable penalties (even in the absence of any taxes owed) and privacy-violating disclosure obligations.

Our riding offices have received calls and letters on almost a daily basis from constituents who are dual citizens. They are justifiably concerned with, and upset at, the prospect of disclosing their confidential banking information to an agency of a foreign government, particularly when they have no earnings there. In many cases these accounts are held jointly with Canadian-born spouses who are forced to disclose their information to the IRS. All are fearful of heavy penalties on their families’ savings in Canada for non-compliance with US tax laws they did not know were relevant.

Libby supports the Purple Letter Campaign!
October 6, 2011

Christy Clark, BC Premier
West Annex
Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC V8V 1X4

George Abbott, Minister of Education
Rom 310, Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC V8V 1X4

Dear Premier Clark and Minister Abbott,

I am writing in support of the Purple Letter Campaign to urge you to ensure there is a province-wide policy in every school in BC, to make schools safe and inclusive for all students and to end discrimination against students based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

This community-based campaign has raised enormous awareness about the need to eliminate homophobia and transphobia. I know that many youth have participated by writing personal letters, based on their own experiences and the need to take action.

Libby and Don urge Minister Raitt to support locked-out Rocky Mountaineer employees
September 14, 2011

Don Davies, MP (Vancouver Kingsway)
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Libby Davies, MP (Vancouver East)
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

September 9, 2011

Hon. Lisa Raitt
Minister of Labour
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

Dear Minister,

Re: Lockout of Workers by Rocky Mountaineer Rail Tours (Vancouver, BC)

We are writing to respectfully request your immediate intervention in the ongoing labour dispute at Rocky Mountaineer Rail Tours.

About 108 workers have been locked out by management since June 22, 2011, over 80 days. We have been advised that the management chooses to lock out workers instead of negotiate, hires replacement workers, and refuses to cooperate with the union. These circumstances are not conducive to bargaining in good faith.

BC Caucus' Letter in support of BC Shipbuilders
August 18, 2011

The Hon. Rona Ambrose, PC, MP
Minister of Public Works and Government Services
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6

August 17, 2011

Dear Minister Ambrose:

We are writing in reference to the upcoming decision of your government to allocate $35 billion in federal contracts to build combat and non-combat vessels within the framework of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy.

Your government has stated that two Canadian marine construction yards will be selected through the bid submission process to complete the bulk of the contracts:

“One shipyard will be selected to build combat vessels and another to build non-combat vessels. The two shipyards selected will be those that represent best value to Canada.”

Libby's Response to the Medical Marijuana Access Program Consultations
August 8, 2011

Hon. Leona Aglukkaq
Minister of Health
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6

August 8, 2011

Dear Minister,

I am writing about the proposed changes to the Health Canada’s Marijuana Medical Access Program (the Program).

Since its inception in 2001, I have written the Health Minister on a number of occasions with various concerns about the execution of the Program. The Program has been found unconstitutional by several courts, and been criticized by medical professionals, law enforcement agencies, advocacy groups, and patients.

Considerable evidence points to the fact that the Program is ineffective in many ways, particularly in Canadians’ ability to access the Program.

Libby urges PM Harper to pressure Syria for Dorothy Parvaz's release
May 4, 2011

Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2

May 4, 2011

Dear Prime Minister Harper,

I am writing you with my concerns about the detainment of Canadian journalist Dorothy Parvaz, who has been held by Syrian government since her arrival in the country on April 28, 2011. Ms. Parvaz was travelling to Syria as a part of her work with the television channel Al-Jazeera, and is being held without reason by the Syrian government. I am concerned about her welfare and safety at this time and I’ve heard from many constituents who share this same concern.

Libby expresses her concerns about the dangers of cell phone towers
December 17, 2010

December 10, 2010

Hon. Tony Clement
Industry Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

Hon. Leona Aglukkaq
Health Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

Dear Ministers,

RE: Cell Phone Towers

I am writing on behalf of constituents who have contacted me about their concerns about cell phone towers in their neighbourhood. I am including a letter from Janice Evans, who articulates the neighbours’ concerns, for your background. Theirs is a widespread and growing problem across Canada, and I respectfully request that your respective offices investigate this matter.

Specifically, the concerns are threefold:

•First, the primary concern is the health effects of the towers, especially on children; and the risk of placing them in residential areas, especially near schools.
•Second, visual blight created by the towers compromises views and property values for homeowners.
•Third, local municipalities must be included in the decision making on this issue.

Libby asks for national action on bedbugs
November 25, 2010

November 24, 2010

Hon. Leona Aglukkaq
Minister of Health
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6

Dear Minister,

I am writing you about the issue of bedbugs. Bedbugs are a huge problem in my riding of East Vancouver, and indeed across Canada.

Reports of bedbug infestations have been on the rise for the last twenty years, and we need a national strategy to address this. Bedbug infestations cause stress and negative health effects, and are often hard to address. Many people have chronic infestations, which can cause financial hardship as well as ongoing stress.

Libby calling for fairness for Marc Emery
October 22, 2010

Libby and 12 of her NDP Colleagues sent the following letter to Canada's Public Safety Minister, calling for action to ensure Marc Emery can serve his sentence in Canada.

The Honourable Vic Toews
Minister of Public Safety
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Minister Toews,

I write to urge you to take all necessary steps to ensure the timely transfer of Canadian Marc Emery from the United States to Canada so that he may serve his prison sentence nearer family, friends and supporters.

In May, 2009, your government took a rare and unnecessary step and extradited a Canadian citizen to serve a prison sentence in the US for actions that are not worthy of prosecution under Canadian laws.

Libby calls for release of LGTB rights activist in Russia
September 21, 2010

His Excellency Ambassador Georgiy Enverovich Mamedov
Embassy of the Russian Federation in Canada
285 Charlotte Street
Ottawa ON
K1N 8L5

Dear Ambassador Mamedov,

I am writing to express my concern over the arrest and detention of Nikolai Alekseev. Mr. Alekseev is a prominent human rights activist, and I am concerned about the ongoing persecution of him and other lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) activists in Russia.