KARYGIANNIS: HARPER: Respect the Equitas Lawsuit
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 3:35 pmKarygiannis calls on the Harper Conservatives to Walk-the-Walk with respect to the Equitas Lawsuit
[ http://jimkarygiannis.createsend1.com/t ... 7C670A6B9F ]
March 20, 2014
Statement by the Honourable Jim Karygiannis, Member of Parliament for Scarborough-Agincourt and Liberal Critic for Veterans Affairs
Just before the Battle of Vimy Ridge, Canadian Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden spoke to the soldiers who were about to go into battle. In his speech, he said “As you go forward into this action, know that your courage is known to the Nation and know that no man, whether he comes home or remains in Flanders shall have cause to reproach the government for having broken faith.”
When one joins the Canadian Armed Forces, one is required to swear an oath to “be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second”. This oath is between the Canadian Forces member and the people of Canada, as represented by the Queen. In order to be valid, an oath must be reciprocal – the member promising to defend us and our way of life and the people to Canada, through the Queen, to act according to our respective laws and customs.
On January 31, 2014, the Harper Conservatives filed its “Response to Further Amended Notice of Civil Claim” in the Equitas lawsuit.
Unfortunately, in this document, the Harper Conservative Government, through its lawyers, alleges “that the statements made by Sir Robert Borden and the coalition government in 1917 were political speeches that reflected the policy positions of the government at the time and were never intended to create a contract or covenant” and “that at no time were these statements intended to bind future governments.”
Every Canadian knows, in their heart, that we owe a great deal to the men and women who have agreed to defend us and our way of life. We know that if they do not come home, we must remember them and their ultimate sacrifice. We know that if they come home wounded, mentally or physically, we have an obligation to ensure that they are looked after and are able to live their lives in hope and with dignity and respect.
The Harper Conservatives have made a great show of remembering those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. However, they are giving short shrift to those who have returned home.
It is unconscionable that the Government of our country seems to care more about The War of 1812, than it does about the men and women who have returned home and are suffering. They have closed centres where veterans could go for one-on-one service and replaced them with Service Canada offices where veterans are told to call the 1-800 number or visit the Veterans Affairs website. They have not hired enough medical professionals to help those suffering with PTSD. In fact, one of their Members of Parliament, Cheryl Gallant, whose riding includes CFB Petawawa, said that "The stigma that has to be overcome is a stigma within themselves.” when referring to members of the Canadians Forces who do not seek help for their PTSD for fear of being declared unfit for service and losing their jobs.
Just yesterday, March 18, 2014, Prime Minister Harper declared that May 9th would be a national day of honour and "will recognize those who fought, remember those who fell, and salute all" who served in Afghanistan. He went on to say "We will stand together and honour the strength of our men and women in uniform, we will honour the strength of the Canadian families who faced heart-wrenching loss, we will honour the strength of our communities that supported them." Unfortunately, there was no mention of honouring and supporting those who came home injured.
When the Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, Justin Trudeau, met with a group of veterans, he made a commitment to them that a future Liberal Government will re-open the closed Veterans Affairs Canada Centres and would open more Centres, if needed. At the Liberal Party of Canada Biennial Convention in February, Liberals promised our veterans:
THAT a future Liberal government will uphold the principles of this social covenant in its defence and veterans policies, and will live up to our country’s sacred obligation to care for veterans and their families throughout their lives by allowing them to maintain a quality of life that is worthy of the sacrifices that they have made for Canada;
AND THAT a future Liberal government will introduce legislation to strengthen the New Veterans Charter to reflect this commitment.
It is time for the Harper Conservative Government to stop fighting our veterans. It is time the Harper Conservatives started to Walk the Walk and not just Talk the Talk. - 30 -
= = = = =
What is the Equitas Lawsuit?
[ http://mdlo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/ ... points.pdf ]
= = = = = =
Critic of Veteran Affairs Critic
[ http://jimkarygiannis.createsend1.com/t ... 7C670A6B9F ]
March 24, 2014
Dear Friends:
As you may have heard, I have resigned as the Liberal Critic for Veterans Affairs. This was done for personal reasons. It has been an honour and privilege to serve you and advocate on your behalf.
I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the support and advice you have given me during my time as the Veterans Affairs Critic.
Mr. Frank Valeriote has been named the new Liberal Critic for Veterans Affairs. His office can be reached at Frank.valeriote@parl.gc.ca or 613-996-4758.
Once again, thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Regards,
Hon. Jim Karygiannis M.P
Scarborough-Agincourt
Constituency Office
3850 Finch Ave East Suite 206
Scarborough Ontario M1T 3T6
Tel: (416) 321 5454
fax: (416) 321 5456
jim@karygiannismp.com
www.karygiannismp.com
Twitter: @jimkarygiannis
= = = = = =
Jimmy K resigns his parliamentary post
[ http://www.macleans.ca/politics/questio ... s-resigns/ ]
The longtime Liberal will run for Toronto city council
by Nick Taylor-Vaisey April 1, 2014
Jim Karygiannis gave the House of Commons a dose of genuine emotion after the faux-theatre of today’s Question Period. The Liberal MP who represented Scarborough-Agincourt in the House of Commons for 25 years, four months and 11 days—he kept an exact count—resigned this afternoon.
“Many people say I’m the last samurai in our party,” said the known political brawler.
Karygiannis paid tribute to anybody who contributed anything to his political victories. He broke down, composed himself, went on, broke down, composed himself, and went on. Karygiannis cared about the place where he stood. As ever, he was rough around the edges. He assured his colleagues that, despite Ottawa’s reputation for ruining marriages, he remained faithful to his wife.
Tributes from all parties recognized Karygiannis’s devotion to global human rights. Just the other day, he was crusading against the allegedly brutal Venezuelan government. The House sought to unanimously condemn the repressive actions of President Nicolas Maduro’s administration, but Karygiannis was steadfast in urging the Commons to adopt a more strongly worded motion. He failed in that endeavour, but the House was unanimous—thanks, at least in part, to Jimmy K’s insistence.
Scrumming with reporters in the House foyer for the last time, Karygiannis lamented, as many do on their way out the door, the lack of collegiality in the chamber behind him. He was, as ever, candid.
MORE:
[ http://www.macleans.ca/politics/questio ... s-resigns/ ]
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The end of Canadian involvement in the Italian Campaign - Statement by the Honourable Jim Karygiannis
[ http://karygiannismp.com/spip/article.p ... ticle=2311 ]
Member of Parliament, Scarborough-Agincourt and Liberal Critic for Veterans Affairs
February 26, 2014
Early in the morning of July 10, 1943, Canadian and British troops landed on a 60-kilometre stretch of coastline near Pachino, at the southern tip of Sicily.
The fighting in Sicily, through difficult mountainous country, lasted more than four weeks. Canadians suffered more than 1,300 casualties, of which almost 600 were fatal.
The taking of Sicily helped secure the Mediterranean Sea for Allied shipping and contributed to the downfall of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. It also cleared the way for the Allies’ next step – the landing in mainland Italy on September 3, 1943.
One of the most difficult battles was the Battle of Ortona during the Christmas of 1943. Ortona was an ancient town of castles and stone buildings, overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Its narrow, rubble-filled streets limited the use of tanks and artillery. This forced the Canadian troops to fight vicious street-to-street battles and to smash their way through buildings and castle walls or “mouseholing”. The Canadians liberated Ortona on December 28 after more than a week of fighting.
Another notable battle was the Battle in the Liri Valley, as Allied troops continued their march to liberate Rome.
In February 1945, most of the Canadian forces were transferred to northwest Europe to be re-united with the First Canadian Army. There they joined the Allied advance into the Netherlands and Germany.
Canadian casualties in the Italian Campaign totalled more than 26,000, nearly 6,000 of which were fatal. Most of the Canadians who died in Italy are buried in Commonwealth war cemeteries or are commemorated on the Cassino Memorial, located in the Cassino War Cemetery south of Rome.
Today, we remember those brave Canadians who fell or were injured during the Italian Campaign and express our gratitude to those who returned home.
twitter @jimkarygiannis
jim@karygiannismp.com
(613) 992 4501
(613) 995 1612 Fax
Hon. Jim Karygiannis P.C., M.P.
3850 Finch Ave E #206
Toronto Ontario M1T 3T6
Canada
[ http://jimkarygiannis.createsend1.com/t ... 7C670A6B9F ]
March 20, 2014
Statement by the Honourable Jim Karygiannis, Member of Parliament for Scarborough-Agincourt and Liberal Critic for Veterans Affairs
Just before the Battle of Vimy Ridge, Canadian Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden spoke to the soldiers who were about to go into battle. In his speech, he said “As you go forward into this action, know that your courage is known to the Nation and know that no man, whether he comes home or remains in Flanders shall have cause to reproach the government for having broken faith.”
When one joins the Canadian Armed Forces, one is required to swear an oath to “be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second”. This oath is between the Canadian Forces member and the people of Canada, as represented by the Queen. In order to be valid, an oath must be reciprocal – the member promising to defend us and our way of life and the people to Canada, through the Queen, to act according to our respective laws and customs.
On January 31, 2014, the Harper Conservatives filed its “Response to Further Amended Notice of Civil Claim” in the Equitas lawsuit.
Unfortunately, in this document, the Harper Conservative Government, through its lawyers, alleges “that the statements made by Sir Robert Borden and the coalition government in 1917 were political speeches that reflected the policy positions of the government at the time and were never intended to create a contract or covenant” and “that at no time were these statements intended to bind future governments.”
Every Canadian knows, in their heart, that we owe a great deal to the men and women who have agreed to defend us and our way of life. We know that if they do not come home, we must remember them and their ultimate sacrifice. We know that if they come home wounded, mentally or physically, we have an obligation to ensure that they are looked after and are able to live their lives in hope and with dignity and respect.
The Harper Conservatives have made a great show of remembering those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. However, they are giving short shrift to those who have returned home.
It is unconscionable that the Government of our country seems to care more about The War of 1812, than it does about the men and women who have returned home and are suffering. They have closed centres where veterans could go for one-on-one service and replaced them with Service Canada offices where veterans are told to call the 1-800 number or visit the Veterans Affairs website. They have not hired enough medical professionals to help those suffering with PTSD. In fact, one of their Members of Parliament, Cheryl Gallant, whose riding includes CFB Petawawa, said that "The stigma that has to be overcome is a stigma within themselves.” when referring to members of the Canadians Forces who do not seek help for their PTSD for fear of being declared unfit for service and losing their jobs.
Just yesterday, March 18, 2014, Prime Minister Harper declared that May 9th would be a national day of honour and "will recognize those who fought, remember those who fell, and salute all" who served in Afghanistan. He went on to say "We will stand together and honour the strength of our men and women in uniform, we will honour the strength of the Canadian families who faced heart-wrenching loss, we will honour the strength of our communities that supported them." Unfortunately, there was no mention of honouring and supporting those who came home injured.
When the Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, Justin Trudeau, met with a group of veterans, he made a commitment to them that a future Liberal Government will re-open the closed Veterans Affairs Canada Centres and would open more Centres, if needed. At the Liberal Party of Canada Biennial Convention in February, Liberals promised our veterans:
THAT a future Liberal government will uphold the principles of this social covenant in its defence and veterans policies, and will live up to our country’s sacred obligation to care for veterans and their families throughout their lives by allowing them to maintain a quality of life that is worthy of the sacrifices that they have made for Canada;
AND THAT a future Liberal government will introduce legislation to strengthen the New Veterans Charter to reflect this commitment.
It is time for the Harper Conservative Government to stop fighting our veterans. It is time the Harper Conservatives started to Walk the Walk and not just Talk the Talk. - 30 -
= = = = =
What is the Equitas Lawsuit?
[ http://mdlo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/ ... points.pdf ]
= = = = = =
Critic of Veteran Affairs Critic
[ http://jimkarygiannis.createsend1.com/t ... 7C670A6B9F ]
March 24, 2014
Dear Friends:
As you may have heard, I have resigned as the Liberal Critic for Veterans Affairs. This was done for personal reasons. It has been an honour and privilege to serve you and advocate on your behalf.
I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the support and advice you have given me during my time as the Veterans Affairs Critic.
Mr. Frank Valeriote has been named the new Liberal Critic for Veterans Affairs. His office can be reached at Frank.valeriote@parl.gc.ca or 613-996-4758.
Once again, thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Regards,
Hon. Jim Karygiannis M.P
Scarborough-Agincourt
Constituency Office
3850 Finch Ave East Suite 206
Scarborough Ontario M1T 3T6
Tel: (416) 321 5454
fax: (416) 321 5456
jim@karygiannismp.com
www.karygiannismp.com
Twitter: @jimkarygiannis
= = = = = =
Jimmy K resigns his parliamentary post
[ http://www.macleans.ca/politics/questio ... s-resigns/ ]
The longtime Liberal will run for Toronto city council
by Nick Taylor-Vaisey April 1, 2014
Jim Karygiannis gave the House of Commons a dose of genuine emotion after the faux-theatre of today’s Question Period. The Liberal MP who represented Scarborough-Agincourt in the House of Commons for 25 years, four months and 11 days—he kept an exact count—resigned this afternoon.
“Many people say I’m the last samurai in our party,” said the known political brawler.
Karygiannis paid tribute to anybody who contributed anything to his political victories. He broke down, composed himself, went on, broke down, composed himself, and went on. Karygiannis cared about the place where he stood. As ever, he was rough around the edges. He assured his colleagues that, despite Ottawa’s reputation for ruining marriages, he remained faithful to his wife.
Tributes from all parties recognized Karygiannis’s devotion to global human rights. Just the other day, he was crusading against the allegedly brutal Venezuelan government. The House sought to unanimously condemn the repressive actions of President Nicolas Maduro’s administration, but Karygiannis was steadfast in urging the Commons to adopt a more strongly worded motion. He failed in that endeavour, but the House was unanimous—thanks, at least in part, to Jimmy K’s insistence.
Scrumming with reporters in the House foyer for the last time, Karygiannis lamented, as many do on their way out the door, the lack of collegiality in the chamber behind him. He was, as ever, candid.
MORE:
[ http://www.macleans.ca/politics/questio ... s-resigns/ ]
= = = = =
The end of Canadian involvement in the Italian Campaign - Statement by the Honourable Jim Karygiannis
[ http://karygiannismp.com/spip/article.p ... ticle=2311 ]
Member of Parliament, Scarborough-Agincourt and Liberal Critic for Veterans Affairs
February 26, 2014
Early in the morning of July 10, 1943, Canadian and British troops landed on a 60-kilometre stretch of coastline near Pachino, at the southern tip of Sicily.
The fighting in Sicily, through difficult mountainous country, lasted more than four weeks. Canadians suffered more than 1,300 casualties, of which almost 600 were fatal.
The taking of Sicily helped secure the Mediterranean Sea for Allied shipping and contributed to the downfall of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. It also cleared the way for the Allies’ next step – the landing in mainland Italy on September 3, 1943.
One of the most difficult battles was the Battle of Ortona during the Christmas of 1943. Ortona was an ancient town of castles and stone buildings, overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Its narrow, rubble-filled streets limited the use of tanks and artillery. This forced the Canadian troops to fight vicious street-to-street battles and to smash their way through buildings and castle walls or “mouseholing”. The Canadians liberated Ortona on December 28 after more than a week of fighting.
Another notable battle was the Battle in the Liri Valley, as Allied troops continued their march to liberate Rome.
In February 1945, most of the Canadian forces were transferred to northwest Europe to be re-united with the First Canadian Army. There they joined the Allied advance into the Netherlands and Germany.
Canadian casualties in the Italian Campaign totalled more than 26,000, nearly 6,000 of which were fatal. Most of the Canadians who died in Italy are buried in Commonwealth war cemeteries or are commemorated on the Cassino Memorial, located in the Cassino War Cemetery south of Rome.
Today, we remember those brave Canadians who fell or were injured during the Italian Campaign and express our gratitude to those who returned home.
twitter @jimkarygiannis
jim@karygiannismp.com
(613) 992 4501
(613) 995 1612 Fax
Hon. Jim Karygiannis P.C., M.P.
3850 Finch Ave E #206
Toronto Ontario M1T 3T6
Canada