Rec'd from the Office of Bill Siksay, MP, Burnaby Douglas
From Rob Rainer,
Executive Director,
CANADA WITHOUT POVERTY,
Dignity for All
Ottawa, ON
May 13, 2010 Bill C-304 (“An Act to ensure secure, adequate, accessible and affordable housing for Canadians”) would require the federal government to work with all levels of government and stakeholders to develop a pan-Canadian strategy to end homelessness and pave the way to ensuring adequate housing as a fundamental human right for everyone in Canada. The Bill gives explicit recognition to the human right to housing, as encoded in international human rights law. Were it to pass into law, the Bill would ensure a pan-Canadian housing strategy rooted in this human rights framework. Bill C-304 is at a critical stage: Third Reading on the Bill begins in the House this afternoon, with the first hour of debate. A second hour of debate is to be scheduled for the remaining weeks of the current legislative session, although could possibly be delayed until the fall. After debate, a vote on the Bill would be held, with majority support meaning it would be referred on to the Senate for further consideration. We understand, however, that there may be an effort by the government to move the vote to as early as next Wednesday when, in all likelihood, the Bill would be defeated. At present, we understand the Bill has the support of the Liberal and New Democratic parties but not the Conservative Party nor the Bloc Québécois, the latter who were supportive until late last week when a ruling by the Speaker, on an aspect of the Bill as formulated at that time, caused the Bill to be amended in such a way as to dissatisfy the Bloc. It is timely now for individuals and groups to contact Conservative and Bloc Members of Parliament to encourage their support of Bill C-304. To aid in that contact, attached are the following documents: - Bill C-304 (PDF) in its present form - A press release issued today by nine NGOs (including four groups from Québec), seven of which were present for a press conference on this issue this morning on the Hill (watch for media coverage accordingly): download press release here; - A sample letter to Members of Parliament;: download sample letter here - Excel lists of Conservative and Bloc MPs providing names, mailing addresses, email addresses and phone numbers. download Bloc MP info here download Conservative MP info here The more on this issue that MPs from the Conservative and Bloc parties hear from individuals and groups across Canada, the more likely they will be to coming round to supporting Bill C-304. If you are able to take any action in this regard, we welcome receiving from you any results that materialize from your contact. Thank you. | 
