Jack Layton on crime, education, and New Westminster-Coquitlam’s newest candidate

Federal NDP leader comes to New West, introduces local candidate

By Liam Britten, Editor-in-Chief

ost patrons of Brooklyn’s Bar and
Grill in New Westminster come
for $3 Jolly Rancher shooters, or

maybe for a plate of wings. It should be no
surprise that federal New Democratic Party
leader Jack Layton’s visit was for a different
purpose; although he did make sure to have
a pint before he left.

Layton was in New Westminster
to introduce Fin Donnelly, the NDP’s
candidate in the upcoming by-election for
the riding of New Westminster-Coquitlam.
He was hoping that by lending some star
power, the NDP candidate Donnelly could
keep the riding.

The by-election in the riding was
caused by the decision of former NDP
Member of Parliament Dawn Black to
vacate her seat in order to run in the
provincial election this past May.

Layton had already held a press
conference earlier in the day at the New
Westminster Quay where he introduced
Donnelly and spoke about his qualifications.

The event at Brooklyn’s had more of
a celebratory
atmosphere and
was attended by
NDP supporters
and NDP MP Don Davies and Member of
Legislative Assembly Dawn Black, whose
former riding is up for grabs.

“We’ve worked together on a number
of issues, and I’m very pleased to see him
run for the NDP in my riding,” said Black of
Donnelly.

After being welcomed by NDP
supporters, Layton addressed the crowd,
praising Donnelly and criticizing Stephen
Harper and the Conservative Party. He and
Donnelly both gave speeches to the faithful,
and encouraged them to aid in the campaign.
After the speeches were over, Layton and
Donnelly took time out to be interviewed by
The Other Press.

“Inevitably, the bottom line is that students are
finding themselves in greater and greater debt.”

Layton highlighted his party’s
positions on education, particularly access
to education and what he sees as corporate
influence in education. In terms of funding
for education, he said his party has wanted
for some time to replace the Canadian
Millennium Scholarship Fund and replace it
with a system of needs-based grants.

However, he said the system proposed
by the Conservatives to replace the fund is
“a pale shadow of what’s required.” The
NDP is proposing an act of parliament that
would spell out federal responsibilities to
post-secondary education and ensure federal
funding.

“Otherwise what you’re going to get
[are these] on-again, off-again, cabinet-level
budget initiatives and every time you come
into an election they’ ll want to package it up
a little differently and try to make a splash,”
he said. “Inevitably, the bottom line is that
students are finding themselves in greater
and greater debt.”

Layton also said that the NDP feels that
business interests have too much sway in
education matters. He said the Conservatives
have brought a bias into graduate-level
grant funding
that gives
business
researchers
more funding at the expense of other
disciplines.

“There’s nothing wrong with doing
research into business, but the idea that only
that gets funded ... is very short-sighted,
and wrong, and frankly, offensive to the
principle of the free pursuit of knowledge,”
state Layton.

When the discussion turned to the
subject of crime, Layton spoke about
his party’s opposition to Bill C-15, a bill
currently before the senate that would
propose minimum jail sentences for
many crimes involving marijuana. The
Conservatives introduced the bill and have
lambasted the senate for not passing it into

 

Jack Layton and Fin Donnally

law fast enough.

“We see it as part of a George Bush-
style war on drugs that has been proven
ineffective and we’ve been opposing this
legislation.” He continued, “We don’t
believe that someone who’s growing a
plant or two in their homes for personal
consumption should be given minimum jail
sentences. This is really the wrong direction
to go.”

Layton told The Other Press he feels
the government should be more focused on
crime prevention initiatives such as after-
school programs to give young people an
alternative to “the seductive culture of the
gang scene.” He also said his party would
push for the rights of municipalities to ban
handguns and for more police officers on
the street.

“Connect the police with the
community in a very visible, friendly but
present way, and if you can do that, you’re
going to reduce crime,” he said.

While Layton had plenty to say about
his platform, he had much to say about his
new candidate, Donnelly. He noted that
while Dawn Black will be missed in the
NDP shadow caucus, he had a lot of faith in
Fin Donnelly.

He noted how Black was important in
her role of defense critic, especially when
the NDP called for Canada to withdraw
troops from Afghanistan.

“When Dawn stood up, she had a
presence, and a kind of a gravitas when she
talks about this sort of issue that really put
the NDP’s position on the map in a very
credible way,” he said.

Layton said he first met Donnelly
through his environmental work, particularly
how he swam the Fraser River to bring
awareness to issues surrounding the Fraser.

Layton also expressed that Donnelly’s
experience on Coquitlam City Council was a
valuable asset and that good city councillors
have a strong understanding of their
communities, how to work with factions
within their communities, and how to make
tough decisions.

Donnelly himself spoke next and
spoke about challenges facing the riding of
New Westminster-Coquitlam, particularly
the economy, public transit, homelessness
and affordable housing. He also said that
he liked to think of bigger picture issues,
particularly climate change.

“What I’m running on is sustainability,
which deals with the economic issues, the
social issues and the environmental issues
integrated. And that’s what we, as a national
party need to focus on: a vision forward,”
Donnelly stated.

While no date has yet been set for
the by-election, it is expected to take place
sometime in August.

 

Student to represent Douglas as torchbearer

Douglas College is currently selecting the student who will represent the college as torchbearer for the 2010 Olympic games.

By Shaylee Perez, Staff Reporter

s the 2010 Olympics quickly
approach, so does an
opportunity that will likely only

come around once in a lifetime for a
deserving student. Douglas College is
currently selecting a student to act as a
torchbearer,
a process
that will
leave one
student with
an epic privilege resting in hand—the
Olympic Flame.

While the exact route is as yet
unknown, the event is set to take
place on February 9", 2010 and is
expected to last for two to three hours.
The torchbearer will be outfitted
in the official Olympic torchbearer
uniform, designed by the Hudson’s Bay
Company. The outfit includes a jacket,
pants, toque and mittens coloured in a

6

Sea to Sky palette, mainly white with
blue and green accents. The uniforms
also contain reflective elements for
safety as well as displaying the Olympic
rings and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic
Torch Relay emblem. Furthermore, in
addition to keeping the outfit, they will
be allowed to keep the torch they will be

carrying.

the over 12,000 other torchbearers
across Canada in carrying the torch for
roughly 300 meters out of a total 45,000
kilometer trip across Canada. Starting
off in Olympia, Greece, the flame

will travel to Victoria, where it will
commence its 106 day journey, ending
at BC Place on February 12", 2010.

“Douglas College is currently in selecting a student to act as a torchbearer, a process that creativity. Students
will leave one student an epic privilege resting in hand - the Olympic Flame.”

The selected student will join

Prospective selectees were asked

to forward a 200 word introductory
summary, detailing how they exemplify
the ideals of community responsibility,
innovation, diversity, and the betterment
of oneself. These values in turn

align with the Vancouver Organizing
Committee for the 2010 Olympic
Games’ ideals of team, trust, excellence,

from September 2009 to April 2010.
Students must also adhere to VANOC’s
mandatory requirements and sign a
waiver prior to the event.

Though the deadline to apply for the
position for Douglas College’s leg of the
journey has passed, those interested in
becoming a torchbearer can find more
information at vancouver2010.com

sustainability, and

must be available
for various
College events