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Alternative government will put economy first

ISSUE

Liberal Leader Stphane Dion, New Democrat Leader Jack Layton and Bloc QubcoisLeader Gilles Duceppe have agreed to form a cooperative government to address the impactof the global economic crisis on Canadians. The NDP will support this agreement until June30, 2011.

The Bloc Qubcois has agreed to support this government until June 30, 2010.

KEY MESSAGES

The Liberals are putting partisan politics aside and working with the other parties to create aplan to put our economy and Canadians first.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has no plan to effectively address this crisis. His

governments bad management of the economy has plunged our country into deficit withoutoffering any economic stimulus. Now he is stalling for time and changing policy positions on adaily basis.

How can Canadians trust this government to get our economy back on track when its all overthe map?

The Conservatives just dont get it. The issue is and always has been about the economy.

Canadians dont want another election. We are ready to form a new government that will putour economy and Canadians first.

ADDITIONALMESSAGES Mr. Dion has informed Governor General Michalle Jean of the agreement between our

parties.

Given the significant economic challenges facing our citizens, and that the last federalelection was held less than two months ago, he has called on her to exercise herconstitutional authority and call on himself as Leader of the Official Opposition to form a newcollaborative government supported by the other two opposition parties at her firstopportunity.

A new Liberal-led government will help get our economy back on track by:

getting much-needed infrastructure funding (such as transit, clean energy, water,corridors and gateways) into the hands of cities and communities as soon aspossible;

Investing in the manufacturing, forestry and automotive sectors to create and save jobs and ensuring that these industries have a plan to be successful in the 21

st

century economy;

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Eliminating the two-week waiting period for employment insurance and guaranteeingthat all revenue from EI premiums go to providing benefits and training for workers;

Ensuring that Canadian workers learn the skills needed to keep pace with the rapidlychanging economy;

Lowering the minimum required RRIF withdrawal for seniors for 2008 by 50 per centto help them protect their life savings;

Implementing an income support program for older workers who have lost their jobsin order to help them make the transition from work to receiving retirement benefits;

Supporting the Canadian Wheat Board and Supply Management to help Canadianfarmers get a better price for their crops;

Cancelling the Conservatives cuts to the arts and cultural industries which providejobs for approximately 1.1 million Canadians; and

Pursuing other common goals such as immigration reform, a cap-and-trade system, a

North American cap-and-trade market with absolute emission targets and improvedchild benefits and an early learning and childcare program.