Dominic LeBlanc, MP

The Hon. Dominic LeBlanc Asks Fisheries Minister Ashfield to Intervene and Assist Fishers, Helpers and Plant Workers

SHEDIAC, July 30th, 2012 – With the lobster fishing season opening in zone 25 next week, the Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, M.P. for Beauséjour, is asking the Hon. Keith Ashfield, P.C., M.P., Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, to take action to quell the mounting uncertainty affecting fishers, their helpers and plant workers.

“The people who depend on lobster fishing are seriously concerned they may receive a price for their catch which will be unexpectedly low, to the point it could be the lowest in a generation”, said Mr. LeBlanc. “These circumstances will create a crisis where hundreds of families won’t be able to find work because fishers cannot be expected to fish at a loss. This will affect people they employ directly as well as plant workers across the region”.

Although preliminary findings seem to indicate that the health of the stock is strong, thereby ensuring a good catch for fishers, both in quantity and quality, there is enormous concern that the price offered to fishers for their catch will not permit them to cover their costs – thereby discouraging them from fishing altogether.

“I have shared my concerns with representatives of the industry and fishers. The Federal Government cannot turn its back on this serious situation and must take immediate steps to adress this crisis”, added Mr. LeBlanc. “Minister Ashfield has to personally meet with fishers, processors and representatives of all parties involved. He must ensure that the Federal Government acts to protect plant workers and helpers from a work shortage, ensure that fishers receive a fair price and that he assists processors in marketing their product to new and better markets, ensuring that they also get a fair price for their product”.

Traditional markets for lobster from Atlantic Canada have been weakening in recent years. However, the Federal Government has refused to help assist processors to market their product in non-traditional markets such as Europe and all parts of Canada. Finding new and better markets will give processors more incentive to offer a fair price to fishers for their catch.

“Keith Ashfield lives in New Brunswick. He knows the risks of failing to intervene. I hope he acts quickly to reassure the hundreds of families who find themselves facing this unacceptable situation”, concluded Mr. LeBlanc.

The Hon. Dominic LeBlanc Defends Workers in Seasonal Industries Against Conservative Attacks on Employment Insurance

SHEDIAC, May 24th, 2012 – The Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, M.P. for Beauséjour, is outraged at the changes to employment insurance (EI) the Conservatives announced earlier today, which will severely disadvantage those who work in seasonal industries and their employers.

“These announcements clearly demonstrate how badly out of touch the Conservatives are with rural and coastal communities in Atlantic Canada,” said Mr. LeBlanc. “With these new measures, Conservatives have shown their disdain for workers in seasonal industries and their beliefs that they are worthy of punishment for not finding full time, year-round, well paying jobs that frequently do not exist. I feared the Conservatives would implement a two-tiered system, but they went beyond that and decided to implement a three-tiered system.”

The new Conservative EI regime will differentiate between long-tenured workers, frequent claimants (workers in seasonal industries) and others. In the case of workers in seasonal industries, they will only have 7 weeks to find a new job which pays them a minimum of 80% of their previous salary, before being forced to take a job which gives them only 70% of their previous salary – or be cut-off from EI benefits and have to go on Provincial Income Assistance.

“These new Conservative measures mean a person will have to take the first job that comes around with a 30% pay-cut,” added Mr. LeBlanc. “This will drive down wages in areas of low employment and seasonal work. Atlantic workers are hard working people who often undertake physically demanding jobs at low wages. Maybe Conservatives should have spoken to workers and their employers in rural and coastal communities, instead of only listening to bureaucrats in an office tower in Gatineau, Québec.”

Conservatives Intent on Cutting Links between Canada and the World

For Immediate Release
May 17, 2012

OTTAWA– The Conservatives’ decision to dump the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade’s (DFAIT) Understanding Canada program is a clear sign that this government is intent on cutting the links between Canada and the rest of the world, said Liberal Foreign Affairs critic Dominic LeBlanc today.

“The Understanding Canada program is an important, low-cost, diplomatic tool that has academic, cultural and economic benefits for Canada by providing support to Canadian Studies programs abroad that promote better knowledge and understanding of Canada and its role in the world,” said Mr. LeBlanc. “By eliminating this program, the Conservatives refuse to encourage the rest of the world to learn more about our great nation.”

The Understanding Canada program gives grants to international scholars to conduct academic research, teach courses and hold conferences about Canada. The modest funding of $5.4 million that DFAIT invested in Understanding Canada made it possible for the program to leverage more than $200 million. The elimination of this program means a severe decrease in international awareness of Canadian culture, history and values. It also fails to recognize the very considerable economic and trade benefits which come from increasing the understanding of Canada outside our borders. It is estimated that for every dollar invested by DFAIT in this program, $14 is added to the Canadian economy by members of the international Canadian Studies community.

“This is an investment for Canada’s reputation abroad and foreign knowledge of our country, yet the Conservatives are ignoring its many benefits,” added Mr. LeBlanc. “Understanding Canada is an effective and self-financed tool to help improve our relationship with other countries. This continues the shift we are seeing with the Conservatives’ Foreign Affairs agenda where the government is cutting development and knowledge in favour of subsidizing the operations of profitable companies abroad.”

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The Hon. Dominic LeBlanc and Bertrand LeBlanc Condemn the Conservatives’ Cuts to Kouchibouguac National Park and Fort Beauséjour

SHEDIAC, May 3, 2012 – The Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, M.P. for Beauséjour, and Bertrand LeBlanc, M.L.A. for Rogersville-Kouchibouguac, strongly criticize the cuts announced this week by [...]

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Apply to Attend the Next Teachers Institute on Canadian Parliamentary Democracy

The Library of Parliament is currently accepting teacher applications for the 16th annual Teachers Institute on Canadian Parliamentary Democracy to be held November 4 to 9, [...]

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The Hon. Dominic LeBlanc Opposed to the Closing of the Senator Hervé J. Michaud Research Farm in Saint-Joseph-de-Kent

SHEDIAC, April 13th, 2012 – The hon. Dominic LeBlanc, M.P. for Beauséjour, strongly criticizes the Federal Conservatives’ decision to close the Senator Hervé J. Michaud Research [...]

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Conservatives Refuse to Help Hard Working Canadians Combatting Illnesses

OTTAWA, February 16th, 2012 – During yesterday’s vote in the House of Commons, the Conservatives voted against Bill C-291, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance [...]

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Liberal Statement on the United Nations Security Council Resolution Condemning the Violence in Syria

SHEDIAC, NB– Liberal Foreign Affairs critic Dominic LeBlanc made the following statement today on the United Nations Security Council resolution condemning the violence in Syria: “We [...]

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The Hon. Dominic LeBlanc Opposes Conservatives’ Plans to Modify Old Age Security

SHEDIAC, February 3rd, 2012 – The Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., M.P., is concerned with the Conservative Government’s plans to make changes to Old Age Security (OAS). [...]

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Liberal Statement on the Egyptian Soccer Riots

OTTAWA– Liberal critic for Foreign Affairs Dominic LeBlanc made the following statement today on the soccer riots in Egypt: “We extend our deepest condolences to the [...]

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