Special Announcements

April 30th is the deadline for filing your 2007 Income Taxes. Even if you did not earn enough income to pay taxes in 2007, it is important for you to file a return. Failing to do so could result in suspension of your GST, Child Tax Benefit, or other federal programs and supports.

In order to assist constituents, Irene is pleased to be able to offer her office again this year as a location for the Canada Revenue Agency's "Volunteer Income Tax Clinics".

Merna Forster, a Canadian historian and author of 100 Canadian Heroines famous and Forgotten Faces, is working to promote the recognition of women in Canadian history.

To celebrate and bring awareness to Women’s History month, Ms. Forster is holding the Canadian Heroines contest, asking that Canadians send in their favourite Canadian heroines.

For more information on the contest (which ends November 30th) and women in Canadian history please visit: www.heroines.ca.

Were you aware that October was Women’s History Month in Canada?

Through several measures implemented over the past months, Passport Canada offices can now process applications in up to three weeks.

However, applicants might be facing long wait times before they can meet a passport officer. Due to very high volume, it may take up to 10 weeks to process applications received by mail.

To avoid further delays in getting your passport, make sure your application is complete by using the checklist found below, detailing the most common errors when applying for a passport. Delays may vary according to application volume.

For the fastest service, constituents should visit the London passport office in person.
The London passport office is located at 400 York St. Suite 201 on the second floor.

Should you experience Passport difficulties, please contact my office and we will do what we can to assist you.

Canada's new Food Guide was recently released. You can download a .PDF copy of the basic english language food guide below.

For more information about eating well visit: Canada's Food Guide

OTTAWA - As part of the ongoing effort by the NDP to force action on climate change, all 29 NDP MPs, along with NDP youth wing co-chairs Jennifer Hassum and Starleigh Grass, have added their names to the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition declaration. (OurClimate.ca)

"Our party is committed to forcing the Conservatives to live up to Canada's signature on the Kyoto protocol and we are always eager to work with like-minded grassroots organizations who share our environmental concerns," said NDP MP Irene Mathyssen.

Among other demands, the Youth Climate Coalition declaration calls for deep emission reductions that meet and exceed our international obligations, and the implementation of renewable energy strategies, as well as the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies.

"These demands are in line with what our party has been calling for in the House of Commons," added Mathyssen. "We are happy to join the chorus of young voices calling for immediate action on climate change."

The NDP is the only federal party whose entire caucus has signed onto the declaration.

"Young New Democrats are thrilled that our federal MPs have simultaneously displayed their commitment to respecting Kyoto, and to providing a real voice to Canada's youth," said NDYC co-chair Jennifer Hassum.

OTTAWA – New Democratic Party governments have the best fiscal track-record among all parties, balancing the books more than twice as often than Liberal governments, according to a federal finance department government report.

"This complete contradicts the myth repeated for decades by the Liberals and Conservatives that the NDP is fiscally irresponsible, and shows that the NDP is ready to govern nationally." said Irene Mathyssen. "We can invest in things like affordable housing, reducing student debt burden, innovative approaches to public healthcare, and programs to protect and clean our environment, while pursuing fiscally responsibility."

The report shows that NDP governments have balanced the books 46 per cent of the time. Manitoba’s NDP government has posed surpluses every year it has been in office and Saskatchewan’s NDP government posted 11 consecutive balanced budgets after ending a decade of Conservative mismanagement and corruption.

Despite frequent pronouncements on fiscal responsibility, Liberals have the worst fiscal record overall. Liberal federal, provincial and territorial governments have posted year-over-year budget deficits an astonishing 79 per cent of the time.

Conservative governments have only a slightly better record than the Liberals, logging deficits 65 per cent of the years in which they’ve been in power.

The report issued by the Martin Liberal government’s Department of Finance looks at federal, provincial and territorial accounts over the past 22 years.

Reference: Fiscal Reference Tables, September 2005

"For 12 years, while the Liberals did nothing to stop rising pollution, the Conservatives said they had a better plan. Unfortunately, Canadians are learning that their plan was just hot air," said NDP Leader Jack Layton (Toronto–Danforth).

"This government has no plan to deal with rising pollution in our air and water or to invest in a green economy and their inaction has become an international embarrassment.

"That's why we're putting forward a set of realistic proposals to help conserve energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, attract green investment and create jobs."

London-Fanshawe MP Irene Mathyssen invites Londoners to read for themselves the NDP's practical plan to tackle this important issue.

Click to read each of the 5 Initiatives in the NDP plan:

The 39th Parliament of Canada opens Monday April 3rd. The first item on the agenda for the new minority parliament is the election of the Speaker. On Tuesday April 4th the Speech from the Throne will be delivered from the Senate Chamber by the Governor-General Michaelle Jean. The Throne Speech lays out in general terms the direction and agenda the Government will focus on.

Newly elected Member of Parliament, Irene Mathyssen (NDP, London-Fanshawe), will take her seat as the first woman to represent the riding, and the first New Democrat ever elected federally to represent a London riding. One of Irene’s most treasured personal items is a pin from the founding convention of the New Democratic Party. The pin was a gift from Anne Vowles, one of the first woman candidates to ever run in the London area. Anne passed away a few years ago at the remarkable age of 100, passing the pin on to Irene. Irene will honour Anne’s memory, and the memory of all the remarkable women who fought for women’s rights before her, by wearing the pin into the House of Commons when she takes the seat for London-Fanshawe for the first time.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 27, 2006

Ottawa — In introducing his new Shadow Cabinet, NDP Leader Jack Layton announced that London-Fanshawe MP Irene Mathyssen will be the party’s national critic for Housing and the Status of Women.

“You’re looking at the most talented and balanced NDP caucus ever,” Layton said. “This team will ensure that the voices of working people are heard in this minority Parliament. And Irene will be an integral part of this team.”