Selected Successes to Date

• Collaborated with government ministers to increase federal investment in housing, jobs and public infrastructure in our community, including the largest single federal investment in local infrastructure in Victoria’s history
• Pressured government to ensure our Canadian Forces and their families get the support they deserve when they need it most
• Opened the secretive, fast-tracked process to approve the mega-yacht marina to public scrutiny and debate
• Helped to draft and introduce legislation designed by local Victoria teenager to protect our wild salmon
• Launched non-partisan, all-party Parliamentary Arts Caucus to promote heritage and the arts in our community and nationwide
• Helped launch cross-Canada New Democrat campaign to support sustainable, local food
• Hosted series of non-partisan, all-party discussion forums on creating a federal climate-change strategy
• Secured first major federal increase in university funding in decades (2008 budget)
• Ensured $300 million in expiring post-secondary student access grants were renewed in the new Canada Student Grant program
• Secured a place for a comprehensive, pan-Canadian literacy strategy and recognition of Canadians’ right to learn in the NDP’s 2008 platform
• Successfully advocated on behalf of thousands of constituents with problems they’ve encountered with federal government programs and services, from pensions and taxation issues, to employment insurance and immigration

Key Issues I've Worked on as Your MP

• Pension reform and ending seniors’ poverty – restoring the CPP as the most stable, affordable retirement savings vehicle and increasing Old Age Security payments for the quarter-million Canadian seniors in poverty
• Restoring the federal EcoRetrofit program – lowers heating costs, tackles global warming and creates quality, local green jobs
• Strengthening public health care – hiring more family doctors and developing next-generation solutions like home care and better supports for caregivers
• Protecting consumers – health hazards in toys, food and other products, and from being gouged by banks and telecom providers
• Restoring decorum in Parliament – as Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, initiated and supported cross-party attempts to raise the tone of political debate in parliament and amongst the Canadian public
• Banning oil and gas tanker traffic on the BC coast – tabled a formal motion in Parliament in 2007; mounted 3-year campaign with environmental groups and First Nations; Parliament passed motion in 2010!
• Green commuter campaign – legislation to make transit, carpool and bike commuting benefits tax-free has collected support from municipal leaders from Halifax to Saanich
• Harbour safety – making Victoria harbour safer by pressing Transport Canada to finally publish regulations on float planes and water aerodromes after a decade-long delay
• Affordable housing – drafted legislation that would re-direct $2 billion in annual Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation unused revenues into affordable housing, and stimulate investment in affordable housing through deferred capital gains taxes