Statement by Bob Rae on the Occasion of World AIDS Day
December 1, 2006 - Bob Rae today issued the following statement on the occasion of World AIDS Day:

“World AIDS Day is an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the challenge of fighting HIV-AIDS and the terrible toll it is inflicting on families and communities around the world. HIV-AIDS is preventable and we must address the challenges that lie before us here at home in Canada among at-risk communities and overseas among some of the most vulnerable. Canada must address this pandemic through more focused foreign assistance programs in key countries and working with leaders in the field on the front lines. It requires more work and collaboration around vaccines and pharmaceuticals, which is why the Toronto World AIDS Conference was such an important event. Here at home we must maintain the national HIV-AIDS strategy which was renewed by the previous government and we must ensure that our programming has an adequate focus on key at-risk communities. We must also ensure access to medicines for people that need them. At home and abroad, this epidemic is closely tied to issues of disenfranchisement, social status and women’s empowerment. The Government of Canada should show leadership in a field where there is still hope, at home and abroad.”

Statement by Bob Rae on the occasion of Remembrance Day
November 8, 2006 – Toronto, Ontario – The Bob Rae campaign issued the following statement today from Bob Rae:

“This coming weekend Canadians will mark Remembrance Day once more. A day set aside to recognize the sacrifice of tens of thousands of Canadians in war. November 11th is also the anniversary of the armistice of the First World War and this year three veterans remain from that campaign. I congratulate the initiative taken this week by representatives of the Dominion Institute calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to offer the family of the last Great War veteran resident in Canada a full State Funeral and will today add my name to the online petition to support this move (accessible at www.dominion.ca).

Each year Canada has taken important steps to ensure the proper recognition that our veterans deserve, such as the installation of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa, the installation of the Valiants Memorial this week at the War Memorial in Ottawa, commemoration of the Normandy Campaign and D-Day in 2004 and VE Day in 2005 and through numerous projects undertaken in schools and communities nation-wide each year to celebrate and increase awareness of the sacrifice and valour of veterans.

I encourage all Canadians to attend ceremonies this weekend wherever they may be this Saturday and to support initiatives to promote remembrance and that we never forget.”

Statement by Bob Rae on the Vote on the Rt. Hon. Paul Martin's
Bill to Implement the Kelowna Accord
Ottawa - October 18, 2006 - "I congratulate Members of Parliament for voting in favour tonight on second reading of the Right Honourable Paul Martin's private members' bill, An Act to Implement the Kelowna Accord. I also congratulate the former Prime Minister for his ongoing leadership on behalf of this cause and his partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The bill calls on the government to fulfill the objectives of the agreement, which sought to reduce over the next decade gaps between aboriginal and non-aboriginal Canadians in education, skills development, health care, housing, access to clean water and employment."

"Kelowna" is not just a word, or a "scrap of paper", as Mr. Harper would have us believe. It is a foundation for reconciliation, a true partnership of equals, and a basis for the improvement of opportunity and living conditions for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The spirit, intent and funding commitments must be honoured. Kelowna was an important step, and governments must complement it with among other measures including, adequate resources to expedite existing land-claim and self-government processes; addressing the challenges facing Canada's urban aboriginal constituency, particularly those faced by Aboriginal women; and an agreement that recognizes the Métis people and supports Métis-specific programming. Again I congratulate those MPs who supported C-292 for their commitment to this cause. This legislation also speaks to the Right Honourable Paul Martin's unswerving dedication to Canada and to his outstanding legacy as both Minister of Finance and Prime Minister of Canada. I am both honoured and proud to support his ongoing efforts on behalf of Canadians."

Statement by Bob Rae on the Occasion of Persons Day
October 18, 2006 - “On this day in 1929, the British Privy Council decided that women were "persons" under Canadian law, and therefore eligible for appointment to the Senate. This decision is known as the "Persons Case," and it came to be through the efforts of Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby, and Henrietta Muir Edwards. Today, as much as ever, we must be mindful of Nellie McClung’s insightful comment that ‘No nation rises higher than its women.’ In light of recent cuts to the department of Status of Women Canada by the Harper Conservative government, and the fact that the number of women elected to Parliament is in decline, we cannot take progress for granted. We need leadership on this issue. Over a decade ago, as Premier of Ontario, representation of women in my Cabinet was 42%. This is the highest ratio of women in Cabinet achieved by any "provincial" government in Canada, ever. I support and will encourage the participation of women in the Liberal party of Canada and at all levels of public life in order to ensure their voice is strong and effective in Parliament and government. I have proposed certain measures to achieve this, including committing that 50% of appointments to the Senate be held by women, ensuring greater efforts to recruit female candidates in winnable ridings and proposing further changes to the Act to provide financial incentives to parties not only to nominate women candidates but to elect them. I also want to acknowledge the ongoing efforts of women across Canada who, following in the footsteps of the Famous Five, are continuing to fight for equal representation in all sectors of society. Much progress has been made, but there is more work to be done. You are leading the way.

Statement on Minister Emerson and the Softwood Lumber File
Ottawa (August 1, 2006) – Today, the Bob Rae campaign issued the following statement from Bob Rae on the Softwood Lumber negotiations:

“Yesterday’s comments by Minister Emerson about the proposed Softwood Lumber agreement speak volumes about the government's predicament. They would still like to jam the industry and the provinces with this deal and suggest that chaos is the alternative.

The only people responsible for this chaos is the government that brought us a deal that can't be sold. This is a bad deal and Prime Minister Harper and Emerson won't admit their mistake.

Harper has even threatened an election over a terrible deal for Canadians. This is not acceptable.

Having worked as counsel to the Free Trade Lumber Council, I know that accepting such a deal would set a terrible precedent for future disputes with the US.

Minister Emerson says the US will not renegotiate. However, the deal is not acceptable to Canada and we must say as much, even if it would be embarrassing for Harper and Emerson to go back to the US and say they made a mistake.

The deal is both a quota and an export tax, and leaves a $1 billion levy in the hands of the US industry. Still more details cause us concern, such as the last-minute addition of a unilateral opt-out at 23 months and unfair administrative burdens on Canadian companies.”

Statement by Bob Rae on the Situation in the Middle East
Ottawa (July 17, 2006) – Speaking today to a gathering of Liberal Party members in Trois Rivières, Liberal Leadership Candidate Bob Rae said that: "All Canadians share a sense of deep loss with the tragic deaths in Lebanon, Israel, and Gaza of innocent civilians. This is a time for all of us to express our strongest desire for peace and stability in a part of the world that is dear to Canada and Canadians."

"But we also expect our government to go beyond words. The Canadian government must respond to the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon."

"Canada must live up to the spirit of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Lester B Pearson, who used his experience and understanding to defuse a crisis."

"Canada should have used the last 72 hours to make the case for UN peacekeepers on the border between Lebanon and Israel, accompanied by a firm timetable for a ceasefire and disengagement. The G8 proposals provide a good framework."

"The issue is not simply Israel's right to defend itself - it is how to police a border, how to reduce tension, how to create the preconditions for dialogue. Israel has a right to live in peace within secure, internationally recognized borders. At the moment this clearly requires the presence of peace monitors. Lebanon cannot and will not do it and has called for a UN presence on its soil to assist in this. The UN must respond."

"Canada's further efforts need to focus on the refusal of both Hezbollah and Hamas to recognize Israel's right to exist. These radical groups, clearly fuelled by money and other assistance from Iran and Syria, point to the biggest obstacle to peace: an inability to accept Israel as a legitimate country in the region. Ideologies that cannot accept the presence of other people, with different religions, languages, and loyalties, are a profound threat to the peace of the world."

Statement by Bob Rae on Stephen Harper's Letter
Ottawa (July 13, 2006) - "Mr. Harper's comments in a July 7 letter to the Calgary Herald are both bizarre and offensive on such a sensitive file."

"His reference to "racially divided fisheries programs" is not at all helpful at the current time. This is an issue around rights and the courts have ruled that the current programming is not unconstitutional."

"In my experience as negotiator in the resolution over the fisheries dispute at Burnt Church, I learned that what is needed in these matters is a willingness to bring people together and work in good faith.

Mr. Harper's language signals the complete opposite." "Mr. Harper also states that his policies represent "an agenda for all 'right-minded' Canadians." This comment as well as his divisive language around racially divided programs call into question his willingness and ability to represent all Canadians."

Statement by Bob Rae on the Softwood Lumber Dispute
Ottawa (July 5, 2006) – Bob Rae issued the following statement today about the ongoing Softwood Lumber discussions with the US:

"With the Harper government's handling of the softwood lumber issue we are seeing a troubling pattern emerge: a government that would rather get serious issues "out of the way" than answer important questions and arrive at sustainable solutions that reflect our values and the best interests of Canadian communities. We have seen this on climate change, Afghanistan, the fiscal imbalance and now trade with the US. This does not show "discipline." It shows sloppiness and disrespect for our most vital Canadian interests.

Numerous concerns surround the hastily concluded softwood deal: the federal government is trying to force on the industry a deal that is both a quota and - if lumber prices fall below $355 U.S. per 1000 board feet – an export tax, while leaving a $1 billion levy in the hands of the US industry. Still more details cause us concern, such as the last-minute addition of a unilateral opt-out at 23 months and unfair administrative burdens on Canadian companies. This flies in the face of the conservative government's assurances of stability for the industry. This sloppy package, together with a high dollar will mean continued upheaval for one of Canada's most important industries.

The companies' difficult financial position and the government's haste to "get a deal at any cost" make for an unfortunate and cynical dynamic. The government should spend less time planning an announcement with the White House Press Office and more time responding to the provinces' and industries' concerns.

Having worked as counsel to the Free Trade Lumber Council, and its member companies, I know that businesses, jobs, and the well-being of communities are at stake. Accepting such a deal has implications far beyond our vital softwood sector. It would set a terrible precedent for future disputes with the US.

We were sold the Free Trade Agreement, and the NAFTA, on the premise it would have a binding dispute settlement mechanism. We cannot so completely undercut the framework within which trade occurs as well as previous legal rulings. We have to recognize the larger protectionist movement in the US Congress for what it is and respond accordingly to defend our long-term interests in this and other sectors.

No one said that working with the US on trade would be easy, but we cannot make crucial sacrifices in the name of an unstable short-term peace and photo ops in Washington. The government must respond to industry and provincial concerns and do what it takes to defend Canada's interests, for the sake of the future of our largest trading relationship."

Statement by Bob Rae on National Aboriginal Day
Ottawa (June 20, 2006) – Today marks National Aboriginal Day and it is a day to reflect both on the culture, history and significance of Canada’s first peoples as well as on the progress and partnership involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

The Aboriginal people of Canada, their traditions and history, are profoundly rooted in this land. They represent Canada’s oldest and first cultural legacy, and they represent a range of diversity and richness across the country. Today is the day to celebrate that – be it in song and dance, history and art, and respect for the land.

But we must also recognize progress to date between Aboriginal peoples and the national government – or rather progress postponed. Last fall, under the leadership of a Liberal government, First Ministers met in Kelowna and worked in cooperation with Aboriginal leaders to arrive at a landmark agreement to renew housing, health, child care, early learning and essential social services for Aboriginal peoples. This agreement involved the active participation of First Nations, Aboriginal communities, Inuit and Métis. Despite the crying need to take action on housing, health and living conditions and in spite of the remarkable consensus around the next steps to get us there, the Conservative government has shown remarkable indifference to the achievement and opportunity contained in this accord.

The Kelowna Accord is a model both for cooperation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis and also for how Canadian governments can work together to ensure opportunity for Aboriginal.

Challenges and opportunities lie ahead of us, such as helping to ensure Aboriginal Canadians can participate fully in the work force, through early learning and education and skills training, as well as ensuring Aboriginal governments have the tools and resources to reach their community objectives. I believe that government has an obligation as well as an opportunity to achieve these goals and I want to work with Aboriginal Canadians and our partners to build that future. The time is now.

Bob Rae Outlines Vision for Prosperity and Opportunity
Ottawa (June 6, 2006) – In a speech today before the Economic Club of Toronto, Bob Rae outlined an economic policy plan that seeks to build upon Canada's strengths and make Canada's economy innovative, productive, sustainable and ensure it delivers opportunity for more Canadians to participate in the economy.

An Education, Training and Research Strategy: education, training, commercialization and ready access to the Internet are foundational elements of an innovation agenda for Canada, and must re-emerge as priorities of the national government. Mr. Rae proposes among other things revamping the Canada Student loans program to provide more direct aid to students for living expenses, direct federal support for university research, promotion of apprenticeships, and greater recognition of foreign credentials.

Strategic Investments in Green infrastructure: forward-looking and progressive investments that will help keep our national economy moving, promote innovation, help Canada meet Kyoto objectives, and keep our prosperity and competitiveness on an environmentally sustainable footing.

Renewing the Architecture for Income Security: working with Provinces to eliminate "welfare walls" and "poverty traps" caused by our current EI and welfare systems so that all who are able to participate in our economy can do so with dignity and pride. Bob indicates support for the directions laid out in the recent City Summit Alliance on this topic.

A Smart Tax and Smarter Regulation Agenda: including balanced budgets, lower income taxes, a simpler and greener tax system, competitive corporate taxes, and better use of the regulatory and procurement apparatus of government to provide more opportunity and fewer impediments for SME's. Mr. Rae assailed the current Conservative government's budget plan as an unfocused "grab bag" of measures, which he believes is both regressive and complicates a tax system that is already overly complex.

Bob Rae's campaign for leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada is setting forth an achievable agenda for Canada in the 21st Century that promotes prosperity, sustainability, shared opportunity, and a positive role for governments. This agenda will put Canada and Canadians on track to compete and thrive in the global economy of the 21st Century.