Question and answer with NDP candidate Janet Routledge

Photo courtesy of Janet Routledge

As we lead up to the provincial election, I will feature different points of view from each of the political parties. Janet Routledge is the Burnaby North NDP candidate.

1.What issue do you think is most important to your constituents?

Since I was nominated as the NDP candidate in Burnaby North I have knocked on the doors of more than 10,000 voters and had conversations about the issues that concern them most.

One frequently mentioned issue is the high cost of post-secondary education. I met a recent graduate who is working at three minimum wage jobs to pay off her student loan. I met a family who sold their house so they could afford to send their son to college. I met a senior who is only able to stay in his own home because his granddaughter moved in with him – so she could afford to go to SFU. I have also met leaders in emerging high tech industries who can't find enough locally-trained employees and must advertise outside B.C.

2. What would you and the NDP do differently if elected?

Adrian Dix and the NDP are making post-secondary education and skills-training a top priority. For example, once elected we will re-instate a tax on banks and earmark $100 million of the revenues for non-refundable, needs-based  student grants. We have made a commitment to tell the voters what we will do and how we are going to pay for it.

3. Many people are concerned about the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline, what is your position on it?

 Like many of the people in Burnaby north, I am concerned about the potential environmental impact of a pipeline expansion and the risks associated with significantly increased tanker traffic in Burrard Inlet.

The B.C. NDP is publicly opposed to the Enbridge pipeline. Many of the concerns we have about the Enbridge pipeline also concern us about a Kinder Morgan expansion.

 Adrian Dix has already announced that, within a week of being elected, an NDP government will revoke the equivalency agreement that surrendered jurisdiction over the environment assessment of the pipelines to the federal government of Stephen Harper.

 Kinder Morgan has yet to make a formal application to expand its pipeline. Should such an application be made to an NDP government, it will be subjected to a rigorous made-in-B.C. environmental assessment process.

I welcome any of the candidates to contact me and I will present your point of view as well.  thuncher@shaw.ca

Electronic petitions touted by Burnaby MP

Photo courtesy rayduffable

Burnaby-Douglas Member of Parliament Kennedy Stewart is putting forward a motion to allow electronic petitioning in the federal government.

As Stewart told CBC radio, “We have a democratic deficit here in Canada.”  He feels the way petitions are traditionally put forward — the old paper and pen way— is not engaging enough people.

With electronic petitioning more dispersed communities and youth would be more involved, said Kennedy. 

His motion has two parts. The first is to make it legal for those interested to sign a petition online. The second part is for a petitioner to gather 50 thousand signatures and the support of five MPs.

It is this gathering of support that Kennedy said will protect the process from being highjacked by special interest groups. “The reputation of MPs is pretty important,” said Kennedy.

“Since the 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms, big issues have gone to the courts,” said Kennedy. If there were electronic petitioning, more issues would be under debate in Ottawa.

Kennedy has support from unlikely sources. Preston Manning, former leader of the Reform Party of Canada and former NDP leader Ed Broadbent.  “Both have worked to improve democracy in this country,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy's bill,  M-428, will come up for debate in the House this spring.