NEWS COLUMN
Jack Ramsay, M.P. for Crowfoot
June 6, 1997
                                                                                                                                                                  
The long anticipated and hard fought federal election is now over.  The 
crops are in, the warmer weather is upon us and children are getting 
restless as the final days of this school year draw nearer.  It is now 
time to relax - a little - and enjoy the long hazy days of summer.

I, for one, am looking forward to spending as much time as possible with
my family this summer and travelling throughout the riding.  I sincerely 
hope I get an opportunity to greet and thank as many constituents as 
possible for returning me to Ottawa for another term to represent Crowfoot.

I would like to thank the voters for their overwhelming support on June 
2nd and I would like to thank Paul Marshall, Redford Peeples and Bill 
Scotten - all honourable opponents - for a race well run.  I wish all of 
them well in their future endeavours.  Also, thank you to the Rose City 
Handivan Society for helping to get our citizens out to vote.  Thank you 
to the Crowfoot Reform Association and all the volunteers who worked 
tirelessly on my campaign.  Your efforts during this election and your 
support for the last three and a half years paid off - the Reform Party 
is now the Official Opposition and we fully intend to make a difference 
in this country.  And, finally, thank you to my wife Glenna and my 
children Anne Marie, Jackie, Spencer and Sterling for enduring my long 
absences while in Ottawa, travelling throughout the country and criss 
crossing the riding time after time.

During the week of June 16th, the Reform Caucus will meet in Ottawa to 
discuss our future plans and to prepare for the next session of 
Parliament presumably to begin in September.  We have a lot of work 
ahead of us keeping the federal government accountable to the people of 
this country.

The national debt, Canada's peace keeping role, unity and criminal 
justice were the main issues, among a number of very important topics, 
that emerged during the 35th Parliament.  The government will continue 
to be pressured in these areas this Parliament, as they have not yet 
been resolved.  The government has neglected to adequately deal with 
these problems.

The Liberals' four federal budgets did not meet Canadians' expectations 
for a reduction in government spending as promised by the Liberals in 
their first red book nor did it reflect our concerns regarding the 
negative effect of our mounting debt.  Unprecedented taxes continue to 
burden Canadian households and dampen consumer spending - an integral 
ingredient needed to spur on our sluggish economy.

Unity also topped the list of issues during the 35th Parliament and, 
with the Bloc as the Opposition, hijacked the federal agenda preventing 
us from initiating and debating more pressing issues.  Hopefully, 
during the 36th Parliament we will finally put to rest the issue of 
unity based upon the equality of all provinces and citizens.

The deplorable state of our justice system also received considerable 
attention during the 35th Parliament.  Justice Minister Allan Rock was 
by far the busiest Minister introducing some of the most contentious 
and ineffective legislation.  Throughout Allan Rock's reign, Canadians 
from coast-to-coast expressed their outrage over a system that places 
the rights of the criminal ahead of the rights of victims and law 
abiding citizens.  The ultimate protest against the Liberals' misguided 
justice philosophy came, not directly from the people, but from the 
Canadian Police Association who waged a billboard war during the 
election.  The CPA targeted a number of Liberals who voted against 
eliminating the despised faint hope clause (Section 745 of the Criminal 
Code) which bestows on killers an unjustifiable right to early release.  
I predict justice will once again be a major issue during the next 
Parliament.

The debate on most of these issues, and various others such as the GST, 
multiculturalism, official language programs, aboriginal land claims, 
Pearson Airport, MPs' pensions, the prosecution of Nazi war criminals, 
agriculture, and Parliamentary reform did not die with the end of the 
35th Parliament - the debates have just begun.  Therefore, if you have 
any concerns regarding any of these topics or other federal issues, 
please write me at my Ottawa office Room 747, Confederation Building, 
House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 or at my Constituency Office 
at 4902-49th Avenue, Camrose, Alberta, T4V 0M8.  I hope to hear from 
you!  Until then, may I wish you and your families a safe and enjoyable 
summer.