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Libby's Speeches in Parliament

Libby supports regulations for safer cosmetic contact lenses
January 31, 2012

House of Commons
HANSARD
January 31, 2012

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):

Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to speak to Bill C-313.

I would like to thank the member for Sarnia—Lambton for bringing forward the bill. Some of my colleagues already spoke to the bill in the first hour of debate and signified our support for this legislation and that certainly continues. I do not know that there is more information to add in the second hour of debate, but it is important that we have a second hour of debate.

I want to begin my remarks by speaking more generally about what the bill raises in an important sense.

The health care system in Canada is huge. We have many health care concerns, such as natural health products and the mainstream health system itself. There is no doubt that we live in an age where more and more cosmetic-type therapies, aids and assistance, whether they are in drugs or other forms, are available on the market. One only has to look at television or any form of mass media to see the incredible amount of advertising and promotion of all kinds of products. One the one hand we can say that is a good thing in that consumers have lots of choice in this country. On the other hand, as Members of Parliament we hear stories from our constituents of things that have happened to people or complaints that have been made.

Libby fights for Canadians' pensions
January 30, 2012

House of Commons
HANSARD
January 30, 2012

You can watch Libby deliver this speech at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-WowHFi_Uw

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak to Bill C-25, which is the pooled registered pension plans.

I will begin by commenting on the remarks made by the Minister of State for Finance during the debate earlier this morning and again in question period in response to one of his own member's questions on this bill. He said that they were doing a great job on pensions and helping seniors. I was surprised to hear the minister of state say that Bill C-25 would be accessible. He kept stressing that it would be accessible.

When we look at the bill and the proposal the Conservatives have, there is absolutely nothing accessible about it. How can something be accessible when one cannot afford it? How can something be accessible when to go ahead with this kind of savings scheme would be to put one's money at risk in very volatile markets? How can it be accessible to the 1.6 million seniors who are considered to be living in poverty, as estimated by the Canadian Labour Congress? I was very surprised to hear the Conservatives describe this proposal as something that is accessible.

Libby speaks in support of proportional representation
December 6, 2011

House of Commons
HANSARD
December 6, 2011

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I agree with one comment that my colleague just said, that there has been a very spirited debate in the House today. Sometimes we do not see that as it is quiet. However, this has been a very interesting debate.

I have been sitting here all morning listening to the debate. I do not know if it is because we are talking about our place or our home, so to speak, that we get so caught up in it. Maybe that is a reason. But it raises fundamental issues in terms of how many members of Parliament there are, how they are selected, and what criteria is used. I do think they are important issues.

Libby speaks out in support of the NDP motion to address climate change
December 5, 2011

House of Commons
HANSARD
December 5, 2011

You can also view this speech at: http://www.youtube.com/user/LibbyDaviesMP?feature=mhee#p/a/u/0/HArwjoDijmk

NDP Opposition Day Motion on Climate Change:

That this House urge the government to: (a) play a leadership role in tackling global climate change and ensuring Canadian jobs aren’t lost as the rest of the world moves towards a new sustainable energy economy; (b) work in a leadership role at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Durban towards a binding climate change treaty with the goal of limiting average global temperature increases to 2°C; (c) recognize the real, science-based threat of global climate change, as well as respect and adhere to its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol and the Copenhagen Accord; and (d) take immediate action to lower net carbon emissions in Canada and increase Canadian trade with our major partners in a new sustainable energy economy.

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in Parliament today to speak to the official opposition motion on climate change. I would like to thank my colleague, the member for Nickel Belt, for his very personal and graphic description of the changes that have taken place that he has seen from the air when he is flying over his community in the north. It is a very good example of how serious this issue of climate change is here in Canada, and of how much we are missing the boat on what needs to be done.

Libby speaks out in support of organ donation
December 5, 2011

House of Commons
HANSARD
December 5, 2011

You can also view this speech at: http://www.youtube.com/user/LibbyDaviesMP?feature=mhee#p/a/u/1/hOxQk6DC06s

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):

Madam Chair, I am pleased to participate in this very important debate this evening. In the rough and tumble of the life of Parliament, we can argue and disagree, but every once in a while an issue comes forward, and sometimes it is through a take note debate where there will be no vote, but at least we are able to express the concerns and issues we have around a particular issue. The issue of organ donation in Canada is a very important one. It is an issue that is deeply personal for the more than 4,000 Canadians who are waiting for organ transplants to save their lives.

Last year only 1,803 transplants were performed and there are many patients on waiting lists still. Unfortunately, the reality is that over 200 Canadians died last year while waiting for organ transplants. The greatest need is for kidney transplants. Seventy-five per cent of patients on the lists are waiting for kidney transplants.

Libby speaks out on the Senate Reform Act
November 22, 2011

You can also view this speech at: http://www.youtube.com/user/LibbyDaviesMP#p/a/u/1/TAbOwpLPslA

HANSARD
House of Commons
November 22, 2011

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to speak at second reading on Bill C-7, pertaining to the Senate. As many of my NDP colleagues have outlined today in the House, we have a lot of concerns about the bill.

The first thing I want to point out is that this is the third time the Conservative government has introduced this legislation. Despite repeated campaign promises of an elected Senate that go back even to the Reform days, the Conservatives have let it go so long that it makes one wonder whether it is indeed a priority for them.

On examining the bill, the NDP sees several major issues of concern that leave me unable to support the bill. I think the most basic premise of the bill is that it brings forward measures that are really half-measures, measures that are not going to fundamentally deal with what is a very undemocratic institution.

Libby expresses her concerns about the Copyright Modernization Act
November 22, 2011

HANSARD
House of Commons
November 22, 2011

You can also view this speech at: http://www.youtube.com/user/LibbyDaviesMP?feature=mhee#p/u/2/r0Ypc0dUHxY

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to speak to Bill C-11.

Like the member for Trinity—Spadina, we both represent ridings, mine in Vancouver and the Honourable Member's in Toronto, that do have many artists and people who work in the cultural sector. We very much share that in terms of our ridings. We know how much concern there is about the bill and whether or not it does indeed strike the right balance.

Sometimes legislation can go through Parliament and not be noticed very much. Other times we find there is a huge amount of interest in legislation and there are campaigns to try to stop something, like we have seen with Bill C-10, the omnibus bill on drug crimes and other measures.

Libby speaks out in support of a national suicide prevention strategy
October 4, 2011

House of Commons
HANSARD
October 4, 2011

You can view Libby's full speech at: http://www.youtube.com/user/LibbyDaviesMP?feature=mhee#p/a/u/0/u_JlBR-7k2U

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):

Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Beauharnois—Salaberry.

I am very pleased to participate in the debate today on this very important motion. I thank the member for Toronto Centre for bringing forward this motion. New Democrats support this motion wholeheartedly and are glad there is a thoughtful debate taking place in the House of Commons today. We cannot always say that there is thoughtful debate. This is a very important issue and I know many members will contribute to the debate.

I listened very carefully to the comments by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and while I appreciate that he told the House what it is the Government of Canada has been involved in, I feel there was a lack of information. It seems to me that the debate today, particularly for the Government of Canada, is an opportunity for some reflection, not just about what it thinks it is doing but about what is not being done.

Libby speaks out against the Conservatives' flawed drug bill
September 27, 2011

House of Commons
HANSARD
September 27, 2011

This speech can also be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/user/LibbyDaviesMP?ob=5#p/a/u/0/V-vvV6r3EbU

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, there is possibly one thing we agree on, and that is the Conservatives have branded and wrapped themselves in a cloak of crime and punishment. As a result, they are blind to the evidence, the costs and the fact that we have the lowest crime rate since 1973.

The Conservatives are blind to building safe and healthy communities. They are blind to the horrendous experience of the U.S. in its war on drugs regime, which now is slowly repealed, including the repeal of mandatory minimum sentencing, as my colleague from Winnipeg Centre just pointed out, because of its catastrophic failure to both the people and society. The Conservatives are blind to the evidence in Canada and to the real impact these bills would have on the lives of people and communities overall.

Libby speaks out to defend the rights of refugees
September 20, 2011

House of Commons
HANSARD
September 20, 2011

NOTE: This speech can also be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/user/LibbyDaviesMP?ob=5#p/a/u/1/SxRAmkeFSYY

Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to speak to Bill C-4, following many of my colleagues from the NDP who have pointed out the serious flaws and problems with the bill. Of course, we all remember the bill that was presented in the previous Parliament, Bill C-49.

I want to begin my remarks today by registering my concern about what I have seen over the years from the government. It seems to me that refugees have become scapegoats; they have become political footballs to target and, in many ways, to tarnish. The bill before us today, a continuation of Bill C-49, seeks to do that.