I learned through the grapevine that the bill Dr.Ed Doherty introduced in the House was going to be defeated because it’s the Liberals who bought forward this Bill after the Lord Government mentioned the bill in their Throne Speech.
This is the reason I love living in the Capital. All the Generals are in one location.
I know it passed a second reading but no one seem to know when it’ll be official.
I walked into the Legislature and wanted to meet with the Legislative Clerk.
Of course the Commissionaire Andre Ouellette asked me-
– What was my questions?
I haven’t chatted with the guy ever since he degraded me in front of the Contractor so I told him that it was personal!
He went the office and this woman came out in the hallway.
I was surprise that she spoke in a loud way while she looked at Andre.
The phone rang in her office so we went back inside.
The Commissionaire was watching me like a hawk and it made me feel very uncomfortable.
I waited at the door while she was on the phone. Andre couldn’t see me so he came close to me and demanded that I move back in the hallways.
I told the Quebecer that it was ok because I’m leaving anyway.
I went in the Library and minutes later, Andre came to see me and told me that I could go back in the office.
I refuse to meet with the woman so I went at the Centennial building and once there?
There were two commissionaire and the head macho of security - also a Quebecer > Richard Tremblay.
I wanted to chat with someone from Brad Green office.
Once again, they wanted me to give them the info but I told them that it was personal.
I just wish to chat with someone.
It was an impossible task to chat on the phone with someone who could explain to me the system.
I decided to go outside and a Liberal MLA walked by and once again told me that the bill will be dead because it’s the Liberals who bought it up in the House.
I was totally confused!
Trevor Holder told this to the Irving’s newspaper-
Mr. Doherty stole some thunder from the Tories Wednesday by introducing his bill first, which according to House rules will force the government to deal with the Liberal bill before the Tory one can be tabled.
Mr. Holder was quick to dismiss the Liberal bill.
"Quite frankly I don't care what they are doing. This is the first time that I can ever remember the Liberal Party of New Brunswick raising this issue on the floor of the legislature."
He said previous Opposition bills have often been flawed.
"I don't suspect that they have had the same kind of consultation with officials at the building inspectors office in Saint John like we have. And we are going to do that and we are going to have to continue to do that," he said. "I want legislation that makes sense.
I want legislation that's done by consulting with the municipality in terms of what they need and that's what I intend to do."
So? Is Trevor speaking out against this needy bill?
I must get all the fats on this issue.
I met a bureaucrat who explain to me that it was indeed politics that could kill this bill!
In a matter of speaking? Both parties could be blamed for this needy bill to be passed in the House.
The Bernard Lord Government bought it up in their throne speech and the Liberals presented a bill the day afterwards.
I wasn’t done with this issue. Not from a long shot!!!
I walked into Brad Green office on Regent Street.
I heard his voice in the back but I never said a word.
His assistant came out and chatted with me. I might add that I was very very very stern with my concerns and I wanted someone to look into this issue.
I wish to know if this needy bill for the poor citizens of this province will be defeated because of politics? I just want some answers???
I want to know when the bill will be introduce in the Legislature so I can witness who would vote against roomers having rights?
I told the worker that I had a letter to the editor printed in today’s Irving paper.
Here’s the letter-
Daily Gleaner | Readers' Forum
As published on page C7 on December 12, 2005
It's about time that roomers and boarders have some
rights
The legislature has opened its doors and it seems that
boarders and roomers will be added to the Landlord and
Tenant Act.
My reply to this news? It's about time.
Have you ever lived in a rooming house? In Saint John,
I lived in a building where I had my own shower,
kitchen and bedroom.
I adjusted to living in these conditions. It was
smaller than an apartment but it was home.
I didn't have any problems until I arrived in the
capital, where I took a room in a building.
At first there were no problems, but after a few
months the caretaker got out of hand. The Fredericton
police were called on a few occasions.
The police told me to go to the rentalsman's office.
Once I got there, I was told that roomers and boarders
weren't covered under the act.
I might add that they told me they receive at least
six phone calls a week from roomers, but they are told
there's nothing that can be done.
The police were tired of being called by this
caretaker.
They told me to go to the New Brunswick Human Rights
Commission to form a complaint under social
conditions.
The situation was so bad that the caretaker told a
roomer that he wasn't allowed to use the washroom.
He had to use a garbage bag and relieve his bladder in
a bottle.
The worst thing about this issue is that the caretaker
was within his rights to act the way he did because he
knew these poor people had no rights.
I believe the bureaucrats want it this way.
These people live in contaminated buildings and they
cannot complain because they would be evicted on the
spot.
Charles LeBlanc
Fredericton
A couple of hours later, I’ve received this email from
Brad Green office???
Mr. LeBlanc:
Re your request of Minister Green regarding the status
of the Residential Tenancy Act.
The Premier announced protection to roomers and
boarders under the Residential Tenancies Act in
November and confirmed that commitment in the Speech
from the Thorne.
We anticipate having the legislation in place in 2006.
The Thorne Speech (Third Session of the 55th
Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, December 6,
2005) states on Page 8:
“Your government will also modernize the Residential
Tenancies Act by introducing amendments to bring
roomers and boarders under the protection of this
legislation.”
Government also supported Bill 9 An Act Respecting the
Protection of Low-income Occupiers introduced by Dr.
Doherty. The bill has passed 2nd. Reading.
Ministers Green and Holder both spoke to the bill
supporting it.
Maureen Conley
Executive Assistant to
Hon. Brad Green, Q.C.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs
Phone: (506) 453-2583
Fax: (506) 453-3651
E-mail: Maureen.Conley@gnb.ca
So will politics play a roll in defeating this Bill
for the poor? I sure hope not but stay tune for more
action in the Capital!!!!
There’s never a dull moment in this activist life!!!!
Always something!!!
3 comments:
Don't despair yet Charles, it is true that both parties share some of the blame. The liberals certainly weren't pushing for this legislation until the by-election. They've had six years that they could have brought in the bill.
However, it WAS in the throne speech, and it has gone past two readings. WHile the liberals could have at least presented two bills (duh!), it IS in committee, and since it was part of the throne speech I think it will be hard to 'kill it' on the floor. They'd basically be shooting themselves in the foot.
If I'm not mistaken, the two parties are tied, with the tory speaker making up the 'tie breaking' vote. We know the liberals will vote for it-its their bill. This means that it needs only TWO PC members to vote for it. And since it was in the tories OWN throne speech, it will look VERY bad if they vote against something they brought up in their own throne speech. Having come so far this alone could ruin somebody's election chances if they voted against giving rights to tenants. While not a lot of New Brunswickers know much about this issue, slowly but surely we are getting the message out.
So two final things, first, while I don't think it will be 'killed', I think it WILL take its sweet time getting to third reading. The tories can always introduce their own changes to the legislation. Personally, I think it could be more inclusive and if the tories actually made the Residential Tenants Act more like Nova Scotia's or PEI's then they'd definitely be 'one upping' the liberals.
No doubt they will change the second part of the bill since it has some specific numbers in there and they'll want to put their own mark on it.
Finally, some 'insurance' might not be bad so we need to find those tory MLA's who barely got elected last time and let them know that you will be playing just as big a role in THEIR riding as you did in the Saint John By-election, if they vote against the bill. While there's no way of knowing how much influence you had, there was definitely SOME influence there. A lot of people don't like that kind of politics-screw them, THIS is important.
But it's difficult to do at this point because the electoral boundaries are going to change. However, 'generally speaking' the ridings will still be at least fairly constant.
The Liberal bill will come to committee and Third Reading when the Tories says so. In other words, never.
The Tory bill will show up sometime between April and November 2006.
Is the above just a guess or does the information have a source?
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