News

(News, The Sault Star, Feb 08, 2010)  While he's concerned about Jack Layton's health, Sault Ste. Marie MP Tony Martin backs the federal NDP leader's decision to keep working while fighting prostate cancer.

   Layton, 59, was diagnosed with the disease in December. He told his caucus, including Martin, about his diagnosis during a conference call Friday morning.

    "I was saddened by the news and certainly concerned," said Martin.

Statement by Jack Layton, delivered to the media today.

Good afternoon. Thank you all for coming.

As some of you may know, I hurt my back last week.  Everyone  who leads an active lifestyle knows what it's like to pull a muscle at the gym - it can be pretty painful.  My back is better now, but today I want to let you know about an unrelated health matter.

2 Projects for Seniors Would Ease Housing Crisis
 
SAULT STE. MARIE – With only a fraction of $3.4 billion in federal housing money spent, Sault MP Tony Martin wants 2 area projects approved to ease a housing crisis for frail and ‘at risk’ seniors.

“The federal money is still trickling out seven weeks before the end of the fiscal year. The government needs to get moving and where necessary shift funds to help those who have no housing options,” Martin said. “We are in a crisis.”
 

SAULT STE. MARIE – Sault MP Tony Martin is urging residents, municipalities and organizations to submit their recommendations for the 2010 federal March budget.

“The government has an economic action plan and it is important it gets a reality check from people on what has worked, what problems there still are and what this plan neglects to address,” Martin said.

Harper government’s lack of job-creation strategy has unemployed needing help
 
OTTAWA – More than 500,000 Canadians who are unemployed and who have exhausted their employment insurance benefits need an extension, New Democrats said today.
 
New Democrat Employment Insurance Critic Yvon Godin (Acadie—Bathurst) is calling on the Minister of Human Resources to help the more than half a million still who have not found work in the recession.
 

OTTAWA – Two days before the home renovation tax credit expires, New Democrats urged the Conservative government to maintain and enhance the popular measure.
 

OTTAWA (David Ljunggren, Reuters, Jan 28, 2010)) - The opposition Liberal Party has pulled narrowly ahead of the governing Conservatives in public support for the first time since last July, according to an opinion poll released on Thursday.

The Ekos survey put the Liberals at 31.6 percent support, up from the 30.9 percent in a poll done by the same firm last week. The Conservatives slipped to 31.1 percent from 31.5 percent while the left-leaning New Democrats slid to 14.6 percent from 14.9 percent.

Decision as Early as This Week
 
OTTAWA – With a decision imminent on Ontario short-line rail funding, New Democrat MPs are campaigning flat out to save vital rail infrastructure such as Huron Central Railway’s Sault Ste. Marie to Sudbury line as part of a larger pan-Northern Ontario transportation solution.
 

Canadians need clear, binding conventions' on shutting Parliament

(Les Whittington, The Toronto Star, Jan 26 2010)  OTTAWA–Prime Minister Stephen Harper can't be trusted to protect Canada's democratic system and needs to be reined in by opposition MPs, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says.

He announced his party is joining with the NDP in proposing rules to curb a prime minister's power to suspend, or prorogue, Parliament.

SAULT STE. MARIE -- The death today of Sault native Sgt. John Faught is very sad news, a time to offer our prayers and thoughts to his family.

I spoke tonight to his mother, Donna, who at one time was the first female president of the local Labour Council. John came from a good working class background and so to die on the job, serving his country, working to keep us all safe over here, as his mother said, somehow fits his character.