(OTTAWA) - Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada and Member of Parliament for Saanich – Gulf Islands, issued the following statement regarding today’s report from the Auditor General of Canada.
“Once again, we have an independent analysis that shows Stephen Harper failing Canadians. The chapter on preparing male offenders for release confirms what we already knew from Harper’s legislative agenda: the Conservatives do not believe in rehabilitation.
“Corrections Services Canada is simply not delivering programs with the intent to release prisoners on parole. Even though preparing offenders for early release is proven to be safer for the community, more humane, and more cost effective, the Auditor General found that a full eighty percent of male offenders were incarcerated beyond their first parole eligibility date – this is an embarrassment.
“With respect to the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance, Stephen Harper has again displayed his allergy to national strategies, at our peril. The Federal government has a unique role in forging intergovernmental strategies to solve complex social problems. With the very serious danger posed by antimicrobial resistance we see the utter inadequacy of the Harper administration’s approach to federalism. Harper has botched his duty to develop and implement a pan-Canadian strategy to address a problem that will eventually affect us all.
Ms. May concluded, “The chapter on tax expenditures shows an administration that has no interest in actually paying attention to the money it is spending. Though the Harper Conservatives constantly tout their financial management skills, the report found that ‘The Department does not have complete information to determine if these tax measures are relevant and performing as intended.’”
Bruce Hyer, Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada and Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay-Superior North, continued:
“The Auditor General’s report is clear. We are failing remote communities. We need to follow the recommendations of this report. The first step towards getting adequate access to health care for remote First Nations communities is for Health Canada to work with First Nations communities. Together, Health Canada, First Nations communities, provinces, and health service providers need to ensure that First Nations individuals living in remote communities have adequate access to health services.
“I hope that the Government will listen to the Auditor General’s recommendations. These issues are too important to keep ignoring.”
-30-
For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Julian Morelli
Director of Communications
Green Party of Canada
cell: (613) 614 4916
office: (613) 562 4916 (224)
julian.morelli@greenparty.ca