With one week to go until the Founding/Organizing Convention we are reposting all of the resolutions that have been received to date. These resolutions would be in addition to the policy planks already adopted, (but which will be voted on again) over the two years of the Ginger Project that can be found in the Ginger Platform document and which have also been added at the end here in resolution format.http://ndpleft.blogspot.com/2010/04/revised-ginger-platform-for-democratic.htmlAll resolutions will be brought to the floor and all that are duly moved will be voted on by the convention. If passed they will become a part of the platform of the party.If you have any resolutions or policy platforms to propose, please send them in.Resolution 1: A Resolution Concerning Religious FreedomWHEREAS, the Ginger Project participants support, without qualification, the freedom of religious beliefs; andWHEREAS, the Government of Quebec has attempted to prohibit access to government services on the basis of religious dress; andWHEREAS, there is no contradiction between the principles of a secular society and tolerance for religious beliefs;NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that a Democratic Socialist government in Ontario will pass no law restricting access to government services due to a citizens manner of dress;THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a Democratic Socialist government in Ontario will not deny access to government services to a citizen on the basis of their religious beliefs;Proposed by Andrew KlochekPosted May 30, 2010A Resolution Concerning Proportional VotingWhereas the present “first-past-the-post” system of electing parliaments in Ontario results in governments that do not actually reflect the will of the voters; andWhereas a list based system of voting would not reflect our traditions of electing individuals to represent us in parliament directly through the use of electoral districts;Be it therefore resolved that a Democratic Socialist government in Ontario will introduce legislation to replace the present “first-past-the-post” system of voting in provincial elections with a Single Transferable Vote (STV) system such as that existing in Australia providing both proportional representation and ensuring that votes are explicitly cast for individual candidates rather than party lists.proposed by Michael LaxerPosted: May 30th 2010A Resolution Concerning the Creation of a Regional Transit Authority for the GTAWHEREAS, public transportation is vital to the prosperity and well-being of a large, metropolitan area; andWHEREAS, the population of the City of Toronto has grown to 2.5 million people, and is expected to grow to 3 million by 2031; andWHEREAS, the Greater Toronto Area has a population of over 5 million people; andWHEREAS, there are 9 different public transit agencies operating within the Greater Toronto Area; andWHEREAS, no mass transit development, other than the Sheppard Subway has occurred within the Greater Toronto Area within the last 20 years; andWHEREAS, provincial funding for public transportation within the City of Toronto was eliminated in 1995; andWHEREAS, additional funding cuts have rendered the current transit city plan insufficient for the needs of the Greater Toronto area;NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that a Democratic Socialist government in Ontario will create a provincial agency, known as the Greater Toronto Transit Agency (hereafter, referred to as GTTA) that will replace all public transit services with York, Peel, Halton and Durham Regions and the City of Toronto;THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the GTTA will be responsible for the development and implementation of a mass transit policy within the aforementioned municipalities;THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a mass transit policy developed for the Greater Toronto Region must have, is one of its initial objectives, an extension of the Yonge Subway into Richmond Hill, the Bloor Subway into Mississauga, and an addition subway line in Downtown Toronto connecting the financial district with the inner suburbs of the City of Toronto.proposed by Andrew Klochekposted May 30, 2010A Resolution Concerning the Creation of a High Speed Rail Corridor in the Province of OntarioProposed by James LaxerPosted June 6th, 2010 In a world in which climate change and peak oil (the point at whichglobal oil production peaks and begins to decline) pose severe threats to humanity and the biosphere, it is essential to plan for a sustainable future and to rebuild our cities, our agricultural system, and our transportation systems to that end. Allowing unregulated free enterprise to cope with the challenges we now confront dooms much of humanity and the life systems of the planet to destruction.A democratic socialist programme must analyze the threats that confront our world and propose ways to deal with them.One way, among others, is to begin the reconstruction of the transportation systems in Ontario.Be it therefore resolved that a democratic socialist platform forOntario will include an undertaking to construct a high speed train system from Windsor to the Quebec border. The system would include links to the major cities across the south of the province including Ottawa. The high speed train network would be a public works project,to be paid for and owned by the people of Ontario, through the government at Queen’s Park. The network would operate on dedicated lines and the trains would be electric powered. A high priority would be given to the use of Canadian technology and Canadian research and development in the conceiving of the line, and in the construction of the line and the trains to be used on it.Negotiations would be undertaken with the government of Quebec to extend the system into Quebec to Montreal, Quebec City and other regions such as the Ottawa-Montreal corridor and the Eastern Townships. The federal government would be urged to participate in the planning and funding of the system.The construction of a high speed train system would involve a shift intransportation priorities and spending from highways and airports (incooperation with the federal government) to rail between cities and within urban areas. This is a long term shift to be fully achieved over the next several decades. The high speed inter-city system is a first step and it can be begun immediately.A Resolution Concerning the Creation of Universal “Freecycling” DaysProposed by Sandy PricePosted June 7th, 2010Whereas it is the stated objective of all of our levels of government to encourage the recycling and reuse of manufactured goods and;Whereas many municipalities in the province of Ontario make it illegal to both put out household items to be given away for reuse and make it illegal to take items from the “garbage” and;Whereas many perfectly reusable household items end up in landfill and;Whereas the culture of destructive and rampant consumerism is fostered by a sense that new is better;Therefore be it resolved that a Democratic Socialist government would enact legislation overriding municipal by-laws and creating quarterly “Freecycling” days where citizens would be allowed to put out reusable household items to be available for others to take, free-of-charge, to be used in any way they see fit and without any threat of fine or other legal punishment.This will help the environment by both diverting reusable items from landfill and preventing the unnecessary manufacture of items otherwise available. A Resolution Concerning the Creation of Basic Public Pharma, Dental and Eye Care Coverage in OntarioProposed by Ron Waller & Michael LaxerPosted June 9th 2010Whereas, with prescription medication playing an increasing role in health care delivery, it no longer makes sense to have universal health care that excludes drug coverage and;Whereas dental health is related to overall good health and; Whereas the costs associated with proper eye care means that many have to do without it and;Whereas it is important that children of the working poor have access to dental hygiene, drugs and eye care so they can have the same advantages and opportunities as wealthier children and become successful, prosperous members of society;Be it therefore resolved that a Democratic Socialist government would introduce basic prescription, basic dental and basic eye care coverage for all. The money would be raised partly through payroll taxes and general taxes. This would expand universal health care to be truly inclusive and ensure that access to such care is available to every citizen of Ontario. A Resolution Concerning a Referendum on Seperate School FundingProposed by Joey SchwartzPosted June 9, 2010Be it resolved that the Ginger Project believes in democratic principles; therefore, it endorses a province-wide referendum, to be held during the next provincial general election, that will ask whether to continue to financially support separate-school funding, or make all publicly-funded schools, non-sectarian and fully public. A Resoution Concerning the Repeal of the Safe Streets ActPosted June 17, 2010WHEREAS, the Safe Streets Act has an ambiguous definition of aggressive panhandling; andWHEREAS, the Safe Streets Act was enacted following cutbacks to programs for the poor and disenfranchised; andWHEREAS, poverty is, at its root, an economic and social problem, not a criminal problem; andNOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Ontario government will repeal the Safe Streets Act in its entirety A Resolution Concerning the Creation of Paid Paternity LeaveProposed by Natalie Lochwin & Michael LaxerPosted June 22, 2010Be it hereby resolved that a Democratic Socialist government in Ontario would create a period of 12 weeks of non-transferable paid paternity leave for all Ontario employees in addition to the existing maternity leave laws on file. This “paternity” leave would apply to the secondary partner, as decided by the parents, and would exist regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of the parents. A Resolution Regarding Social Ownership:Proposed by: Adam Fulsom, OttawaDate: 13/04/04Whereas the labour power and natural resources of a society should be used in an ecologically compatible, equitable and sustainable manner for the benefit of all, including future generationsWhereas the economy of a truly democratic society should also be cooperative and democratically managed so that citizens can be active in the running of their workplaces as well as planning the direction of economic development Whereas such an equitable, cooperative and democratic economy that planned for the future and took full account of the needs of both people and the planet would be less wasteful, more inclusive and would help to solve many of the pressing problems facing the worldBut Whereas the private accumulation of vast sums of capital, an inevitable result of the capitalist system, prevents equitable distribution of wealth and real democratic participation And Whereas the capitalist system, which has profit as its only consideration, promotes and relies on unsustainable growth in population, expansion and consumption and does not take the needs of people or the planet into account. And Whereas this private accumulation of wealth and power has created a situation where CEOs may make in a few hours what workers make in a year, where global warming advances rapidly, pollution and chemicals poison our air and water, species are becoming extinct and natural habitats are under threat, where it is increasingly difficult to find decent employment and retire at a reasonable age with security and dignity, and where many people suffer needlessly from povertyBe it resolved that the (insert party name here) will work actively, through government and social movements, for the social ownership of natural resources, large manufacturing, electricity, high-tech, large agro-corporations, and other important industries. Socially owned companies must form the core of the economy, thus enabling planning and democratic management of the economy. Be it further resolved that socially owned companies must make the betterment of society and the environment their top priorities and consider these objectives even before profit. Profit made will go towards improving the company, community, working conditions and the environment and will not be used for the enrichment of a small group. These companies will be democratically managed by a board made up of workers, citizens, experts and government. Be it further resolved that the socialized sector of the economy, which is to be the largest sector, will work cooperatively with small and medium sized enterprises while encouraging and promoting co-operatives and other social, non-profit organizations.A Resolution on PolicingProposed by: Michael LaxerDate: 18/04/11Whereas, those entrusted by the citizens and government of Ontario to enforce the laws that we democratically enact are meant to serve and protect the citizens who employ them, while also being accountable to them;and whereas all too often these same civil servants work in a culture of entitlement in which they feel that the badge and the gun means that they dictate law and justice as opposed to the citizens who are supposed to govern them;and whereas, the historic injustice of the police forces of Ontario against people of colour, the LGBT community and the Native people of the province needs not only redress, but the institution of genuine civilian oversight;Be it therefore hereby resolved that a Socialist government in Ontario will;Enact, in full, all 29 recommendations of the LeSage Report On The Police Complaints System In Ontario as found here:http://www.scribd.com/doc/53479820/Section-7Further, be it hereby resolved that a Socialist government, in addition to these recommendations, will also make an officer’s willingness to comply with the internal investigations of their department a condition of employment. Failure to comply with civilian oversight will result in termination of employment;Further, be it finally resolved that a civilian, public inquiry will be formed to investigate not only the abuses of the G20 weekend in Toronto, but also the historic abuses of civil rights against our province’s many diverse communities by the police that were supposed to protect them and whose salaries they paid. This will be done in the interests of basic justice. A Resolution Regarding the Police:Proposed by: John Becvar, OttawaDate: 21/04/11Be it Hereby resolved that a Socialist government in Ontario would enact legislation that would result in the immediate disarmament of Ontario’s police forces.Be it further resolved that to qualify to serve as a police officer, individuals would be required to meet certain minimum educational requirements in the fields of Social Work, Diversity Training and Women’s Studies.Proposed by D. O’ConnorDate: 29/04/11Whereas the Internet allows a much greater degree of participatory democracy then was possible before, because everyone can equally and easily contribute to the debate and it makes the logistics of voting much simpler.Whereas representative democracy in any form lends itself to corruption and debate over personalities rather then ideas.Whereas Internet based decision making doesn’t have the costs, inflexibility and inconvenience of traveling to meetings or conventions.Whereas some people may be intimidated by using computers and the Internet, many more people are intimidated speaking in front of groups.Whereas a few people may not have access to a computer and the Internet at home almost everyone has free access from a library, far more people don’t have the time or money to travel to meetingsWhereas a conventions and meetings can only occur periodically, resulting in delayed decision making, poor accountability and forces much to be delegated. Internet allows continuous discussion and voting which means debates can have more depth and people can take more time to consider their arguments, yet because discussion is ongoing, decisions can be made faster without the need to wait until meetings or conventions.Be it resolved that the party establish an Internet site where all members can discuss and vote on policy, elect people for positions and make other decisions for the party.And that once established, the decisions made by members on this website be declared the highest body of the party.Discussion:It is generally accepted that the printing press was the enabling technology for the democracy we have now, such as it is. I believe that the Internet is the enabling technology for Socialism. Previous attempts at large scale Socialism have failed, falling into totalitarianism as their leaders become corrupt. The Internet allows for a much greater control by the grassroots and minimizes the need for leaders to make unilateral decisions. Democracy can become an everyday occurrence rather then once every few years.I am a member of the Pirate Party of Canada and it has been successful making all its decisions online, primarily using IRC meetings. IRC allows real time discussion on the Internet. It solves the problem of geography, but requires people to be available at the same time. What I propose will allow people to go on at any time to discuss and vote on the issues facing the party. A Resolution Regarding Sex Trade Workers:Proposed by: John Becvar, OttawaDate: 21/04/11Be it hereby resolved that a Socialist government in Ontario would enact legislation to immediately decriminalize sex trade work in Ontario and that such work would be classified as hazardous work. Be it further resolved that sex trade workers would be automatically unionized and that they would have democratic managerial control over their workplaces. A Resolution Regarding Poverty and Social ExclusionProposed by: Carol-Anne Hudson, HamiltonDate: 09/05/11Whereas we are committed to living in an Ontario without poverty and; Whereas we are committed to living in a society where all citizens are considered equal and;Whereas we are committed to living in a society where there are no barriers to full participation by all people in supportive governance structures as well as the social, economic and cultural development of the province, in particular, those persons who face discrimination on the grounds of their race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status or who are other abled and;Whereas we are committed to living in a province where every person can achieve her or his full potential and to contribute to the development of a fair and compassionate society according to their abilities and;Whereas we are committed to the principles of respect, dignity, inclusion, co-operation, diversity, and the centrality of community;Be it resolved that (party name) will work to strengthen the Poverty Reduction Act (2009) and establish:• Specific poverty reduction targets at least every three years;• Community-based data accounts with comprehensive facts and figures and linked to the government’s statistical data base with full public access;• A permanent, inter-ministerial working group compromised of at least 50% of those living with poverty and historically excluded groups including immigrants, women, single mothers, people who are other abled, aboriginal peoples and racialized groups, 25% members from the Third Sector, 15% government representatives (including civil servants and elected officials) and 10% from the business and academic sectors;• Annual progress reports that fully disaggregates data;• Public participation extended beyond biannual consultations to also include a permanent policy network linking communities to the government-based working group;Be it resolved that the elimination of poverty and social exclusion will be based on three core goals as determined by the people of Ontario in their petition for a poverty-free society (2008):• Ensuring livable incomes that affirm the dignity for all Ontarians- including those unable to work.• Investing in strong and supportive communities where opportunity and equitable inclusion is a reality for all, through enhanced access to affordable housing, early learning and child care, education and community programs that help people connect and thrive.• Achieving sustaining employment through a good jobs strategy that assures a living standard above poverty for any adult who works full time throughout the year and that pursues equitable access to work, fair pay and stable working conditions for all Ontarians. Be it further resolved that the (party name) will work co-operatively with all sectors to act immediately and to invest in high priority areas such as food supplements, pharmaceuticals, childcare, transportation, building and restoring affordable housing units, increasing and indexing social income support benefits, and broadening eligibility for social programs and services. Be it further resolved that the (party name) does not seek to restore or rehabilitate the Keynesian Welfare State, rather it seeks to promote the full integration of all citizens in a manner that reaffirms the party’s determination to transform society from the existing neo-liberal, capitalist system that has only profits as its primary consideration to one that privileges social cohesion and is truly democratic, inclusive and poverty freeA Resolution Concerning Equal Political Representation for Women and Men in the Legislature Proposed by: Ken Ranney, Peterborough, OntarioDate: 16/05/11Whereas the small proportion of women in the Ontario Legislature reflects the inequality of women in society and political parties have to date been unable to provide a means or mechanism to resolve the gross inequality of representation; andWhereas gender balance achieved by having an equal number of men and women would provide greater democracy and lead to policies and laws which would remove barriers to equality of men and women in society; andWhereas proportional representation has the potential to increase the number of women, but it is no guarantee; andWhereas it is long past the time when women should have a guarantee of equal representation. Therefore be it resolved that the Socialist Party of Ontario supports the principle of combining electoral districts in pairs and having two members elected from each, one from a list of women candidates and the other from a list of men, without increasing the number of legislative seats.A Resolution Regarding the Prevention of CancerProposed by Ken Ranney, Peterborough, OntarioDate: 24/05/11Whereas we are currently facing an epidemic of cancer and other diseases whose cause is unknown; andWhereas a study by McGill University Health Centre has shown that “women living in the areas with the highest levels of [traffic-generated] air pollution were almost twice as likely to develop breast cancer as those living in the least polluted areas”;andWhereas such studies are almost unheard of in capitalist society, which is reluctant to investigate areas which might interfere with profit.Therefore be it resolved that the {Socialist Party of Ontario}, whether in or out of power, will encourage studies which will compare the prevalence of cancer and other diseases which have no identified cause and no cure with exposure to traffic-generated air pollution, radiation, chemicals in food, water and air, proximity to industrial plants and other factors, so that the cause of each disease can be identified and eliminated.A Resolution Regarding a Socialist Media and Outreach StrategyProposed by Ken Ranney, PeterboroughDate 25/05/11Be it resolved that, the {Socialist Party of Ontario}, ignore the capitalist media as much as possible and concentrate instead on the direct approach, explaining the philosophy and benefits of socialism via pamphlets, Internet, door-to-door, and any other available means of communication. At the same time we should present an analysis of the evils of capitalism, with emphasis on the dire consequences, such as increasing climate change, which will inevitably ensue if we fail to eradicate capitalism. A Series of Resolutions:Proposed by Andy Lehrer, TorontoDate: 25/05/11A Resolution Regarding the EnvironmentWhereas climate change is a growing threat to survival on the planet.Whereas capitalism provides no viable or sustainable solutions to the environmental crisis;Be it therefore resolved that a Socialist government shall:Fight global warming through massive public investment in the research, development and implementation of publicly owned clean renewable energy and efficiency technologies to rapidly replace fossil fuels; Put Ontario’s natural gas utilities under democratic public ownership. End private leasing of nuclear power facilities and phase out nuclear power within 20 years; Invest in a massive program to retrofit large buildings with green roofs, require all future construction of large buildings to include green roofs, and invest in retrofitting homes, office and apartment buildings with energy efficient green technologies, insulation and modifications; Invest in a massive expansion of mass transit and intercity rail to provide alternatives to the car. Public transit will be well-funded and democratically controlled; Create a publicly owned network of battery change/recharging stations for electric and hybrid cars and create a publicly owned, province wide, car sharing program to provide a cheap, environmentally friendly and accessible alternative to private car ownership;and be it further resolved that all workers in polluting industries should be guaranteed re-training and new living-wage jobs in socially-useful green production. A Resolution on the Party as a Campaigning PartyBe it resolved that the (Socialist) Party of Ontario is not strictly a parliamentary or electoral party but a campaigning party which builds and works in movements in in solidarity with socialists and people in struggle locally and across Ontario, Canada and the world. The Socialist Party supporting workers in struggle and works to bring movements together.Be It Further Resolved that the Socialist Party shall include education and popularization of socialist ideas. A Resolution on HousingWhereas Housing is a right;Be it therefore resolved that a Socialist government will create at least 20,000 units of new affordable, publicly owned housing in its first term; Upload public housing to the province and restore full funding in order to rehabilitate and expand housing stock. Public housing shall be under democratic control;Aggressively combat bed bugs and other infestations in public housing and require landlords to do the same in private housing;Reimplement real rent controls to prevent landlords from raising a unit’s rent through eviction;Licence landlords in order to ensure that landlords adhere to certain standards and are penalized and lose the right to be landlords if they do not;Double annual spending on services and shelters for the homeless. Ensure that homeless shelters are operated in a humane and compassionate manner;A Resolution Regarding Reproductive rightsBe it Resolved that a Socialist government shall include free contraception as well as free fertility treatments for all who require them;Be it Further Resolved that a Socialist government guarantees women’s rights to reproductive choice and guarantees access to free abortion on demand for all women. All hospitals will be required to provide abortion services and free transportation will be available for women living in rural and remote areas who need to travel to obtain abortion services and for women in small cities and municipalities who wish to travel to obtain their abortion services out of town for privacy reasons. A Resolution Regarding Disability BenefitsProposed by: Jan Maxwell, TorontoDate: 25/05/11Whereas people with disabilities are 11 times more likely to be unemployed than other Ontarians;Whereas the Ontario Disability Support Program provides a maximum of $1, 054 per month for a single person, which is below the poverty line by almost $7,000 per year; Whereas ODSP reduces that amount by 50 cents for every dollar earned by a person receiving benefits;Be it therefore resolved that a Socialist government shall:Implement the recommendations of the “What Stops Us from Working” report sponsored by The Dream Team, Houselink Community Homes, and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health;Increase monthly work-related benefits to $150 from $100;Exempt the first $300 per month from 50 per cent earnings clawback for one year.Reconcile earnings yearly instead of monthly;Streamline treatment of EDSP earnings with programs such as subsidized rent, child care and student loan repayment;Expand ODSP employment supports to include training and on-the-job support.Raise asset limits. The Ginger Resolutions: After its formation in late 2008 the Ginger Project held a series of public meetings with the intent of creating a Democratic Socialist electoral agenda for the province of Ontario.Out of these meetings flowed a whole series of ideas and policy statements many of which found their way into the Ginger Platform. They were a collaborative effort, and thus no names are attached directly to these resolutions. Now that the Ginger Project is giving way to the formation of a new socialist party (name to be determined), these have to be looked at again. We have therefore, where possible, broken down the existing platform into a series of resolutions for proposal for inclusion in the platform of the new party.These resolutions are as follows:A Resolution on the Creation of a Minimum Living Wage:Be it hereby resolved that a socialist government would create in Ontario a Minimum Living Wage for all Ontarians and would further create an Ontario Living Standards Act that will seek to do for income what the Canada Health Act has done for medical care.A Resolution on Worker’s Rights:Whereas a search for true social equity and equality must also include a true commitment to the defense of worker’s rights;Be it hereby resolved that a socialist government would strictly enforce all labour laws and would expand the numbers of public service workers whose function is to enforce these said laws. Be it further resolved that it would reintroduce anti-scab legislation and ban the use of replacement workers during strikes. Be it further resolved that it would ban the use of back-to-work legislation and would oppose it in all instances while in opposition;Be it further resolved that it would reverse all legislation designating workers other than police, fire fighters and paramedics as “essential services”. A Resolution on PayDay Loan Agencies:Whereas while not seeking to prevent those who need short term loans from access to them it is clear that the gouging of workers by PayDay loan agencies with interest rates that amount to usury must end;Be it therefore resolved that Payday Loan Agencies must be properly regulated and the interest rates that these agencies charge must be comparable to that levied by banks on loans to businesses and individuals.A Resolution on Vacation Time:Be it resolved that a socialist government would introduce a legally mandated third week of vacation time for all workers in Ontario and therefore increase the amount paid by employers to employees for vacation time from 4% of their yearly salary to 6%of their yearly salary.A Resolution on a 35 Hour Work Week:Be it resolved that a Socialist Government in Ontario would introduce a 35 hour work week in the province of Ontario.A Resolution on the Minimum Wage:Be it hereby resolved that a socialist government will introduce an immediate increase of the minimum wage to $15 an hour in Ontario and will have it indexed to increase every year at the rate of inflation.A Resolution on Making EI Fair for Workers Again:Whereas the Employment Insurance programme was originally intended as a benefit to be paid out in times of need to workers who had lost their jobs, and workers supplied the premiums to the system and they were to benefit from it when required;and whereas instead, due to changes made by Liberal and Tory governments to help subsidize their handouts to their corporate friends through tax cuts and bailouts while still maintaining a balanced budget, the EI fund has become a cash cow for the federal government that pays out less in benefits than it takes in from workers.;and whereas further, the fund especially penalizes Ontario’s workers as Ontario pays 38% of all of the fund’s premiums but receives only 29% of benefits, only 37% of Ontario’s unemployed are even eligible for benefits while the self-employed, the casual worker and many part-time workers are entirely excluded as are the long-term unemployed, and whereas we continue to be regarded as a low unemployment area despite having an unemployment rate higher than the national average;Be it therefore resolved that a socialist government would advocate making EI a provincial jurisdiction again, as is the province’s right, if the federal government refused to stop financing its corporate agenda with worker’s money; Be it further resolved that it would force or create itself a revenue neutral fund that pays out to workers when they are in need what they have paid into it. Be it further resolved that it would expand eligibility and the length of coverage and it would pledge, in times of prosperity, to never use the funds of EI for any other purpose, but rather to sit on any surpluses and the interest they generate so as to maintain the fund when the economy goes through a downturn or slump.A Resolution on Taxes:Whereas a socialist party believes that it is through taxes that we fund the programmes that benefit the working and middle class;And whereas the responsibility for taxes should fall progressively on those who can most afford to pay and who have benefited most from our society’s grotesque income inequality;And whereas consumption taxes unduly burden those who can least afford them;Be it therefore resolved that a socialist government would, in its first budget, reverse all of the personal and corporate tax cuts that have been introduced in Ontario since 1995, to be phased in over a period of four years.Be it further resolved that it would repeal the HST and would then progressively eliminate the PST by a gradual reduction of one percentage point per year until it was eliminated.A Resolution Regarding Tuition Fees:Whereas an entire generation benefited from relatively inexpensive university education and then slammed the door on the children of others by continuing to gratify themselves at the expense of those who came next;and whereas we favour a commitment to promote social mobility and equality;Be it therefore resolved that a socialist government would immediately reverse all tuition fee increases since the year 1995;Be it further resolved that it would eliminate these fees entirely by the end of its first mandate.A Resolution Regarding Early Childhood Education:Be it hereby resolved that a socialist government would introduce an early childhood education system based on the one in France, that would allow parents to receive free full-day education for their children starting from the age of two.A Resolution Regarding Healthcare:Whereas a socialist government must work to provide accessible, comprehensive healthcare coverage for all Ontarians;and whereas since the cuts of the 1995 Federal Budget (and additional cuts by successive provincial governments) Ontarians have seen a reduction in healthcare services covered, hospital closures and privatizations that have led to increased costs for services;and whereas while acknowledging the impact that budget cuts have had on the healthcare system, we as socialists must also recognize, that an effective healthcare system must not simply be measured by how much money is spent, but by the actual health and welfare of it’s population;and whereas for a publicly funded healthcare system to be effective, it must pool it’s resources to serve the needs of the population effectively, particularly the working class, visible minorities and with individuals who do not have private, comprehensive healthcare coverage.Be it therefore resolved that a socialist government should advocate the following reforms in healthcare:End the funding of private “boutique” clinics for MRIs, CT scans, and other services.Establish long-term strategic plans for health-care funding based on population demographic trends.Increase investment in IT to provide electronic health records for all Ontarians.No longer utilize the P3 business model for the construction of new hospitals.Ensure full transparency in bidding process where private sector is used in short-term projects.Increase the number of spaces within Medical schools in Ontario.Provide incentives to graduating medical students to work within remote areas of Ontario.Increase the number of chronic disease beds to 1993 levels.Increase investment in preventative medicine and chronic disease management.Where the private sector is utilized for government projects such as construction, consulting or other services, the bidding process must be completely accessible to the public.Ensure that the provincial government implements no policies that violate the Canada Health ActA Resolution Concerning the Recreation of POSO:Whereas many socialists feel that the banking sector is in urgent need of reform, and some would even go so far as to favour the nationalization of some or all of the Big Banks;and whereas this, however, is a constitutionally federal matter and cannot be done, in part or whole, by a provincial government;Be it therefore resolved that a Socialist government in Ontario would recreate the publicly owned Province of Ontario Savings Office (POSO), which was a government owned savings bank that offered higher interest rates than commercial banks on a variety of savings accounts;Be it further resolved that POSO, would also be allowed to advertise, which it was not in the past, and to offer limited, low-risk loans and to, as it once did, offer lower interest loans to the government of Ontario itself as its deposits went into Ontario’s consolidated revenue fund.A Resolution regarding Legal Reform:Whereas the legal system in Ontario is great need of reform, especially in administrative areas, ad as a province we are grossly underspending and the result is that the system is overburdened and in danger of falling apart;and whereas fixing these problems is of tremendous importance to ensure the proper protection of the rights of those before the courts and to avoid miscarriages of justice, which undermine the system’s credibility;Be it therefore resolved that a Socialist government would:1)Hire more judges, clerks etc. Courts are currently extremely overburdened, especially in the suburbs. Often in our criminal courts it takes over a year to get a trial date in even the simplest case. Trials are being thrown out because they take so long, and thereby end up violating the rights of the accused. There are equally grave problems in the family courts. This results in many cases of injustice as people take deals that they shouldn’t because they can’t wait any longer, people spend too long in prison waiting for trial or too long without spousal support, etc. 2)Fund legal aid better: The underfunding in this area is an absolute disgrace. Without access to proper legal representation for all there is only justice for the rich. The very poor alone qualify for legal aid and even then only in certain areas of the law. There is a huge segment of the population, primarily the middle and working classes who can neither get aid nor afford proper legal assistance. This must end.3)Fund prisons better. Poor conditions in our prisons and jails are neither morally right nor in the interests of prison guards. Further, many in jails have only been accused of crimes, not convicted. Forcing them to live in substandard conditions when they may never be found guilty of anything is unacceptable.4)Synchronize court rules. There are different procedures in different courts across the province. This results in delay and extra costs as most lawyers represent clients in many different courts.AMENDMENTS:A Series of Proposed AmendmentsProposed by: Andy Lehrer, TorontoDate: 25/05/11A Proposed Amendment to A Resolution on the Creation of a Minimum Living Wage:Be it further resolved that a Socialist government will work to start to end poverty by implementing a guaranteed annual income of no less than $18,849, with annual adjustments for inflation, for each individual adult plus a child allowance. As an interim measure, the Socialist Party advocates the complete reversal of the Harris era cuts to welfare and advocates the restoration of social assistance rates to their 1993 level with adjustments for inflation as well as the full restoration of the Special Diet program. A Proposed Amendment to a Resolution on Worker’s RightsBe it further resolved that The right of unions to be certified on the basis of a “card check” system once 50% +1 of a workplace sign a union card will be guaranteed. Victimization of union activists by employers is not permitted and will result in automatic unionization if it occurs during a union drive. A Proposed Amendment to a Resolution Regarding Tuition FeesBe it further resolved that a Socialist government shall provide a living wage to students in order to ensure they have sufficient funds to buy books, pay their rent and have a decent quality of life during their studies. If you have any further resolutions or amendments to propose, please email them to info@thegingerproject.org
