Support bill C-501 moving through the Canadian Parliament

The following message appears on the NRPC website and urges you to write to the Canadian parliamentary ministers to help establish a new bankruptcy law that will provide better protection for retirees.

The time for strong action has arrived. This is one of the most important times affecting our future that requires your active participation and that of your family members and friends.

The second reading on C-501, an Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and other Acts (pension protection), has begun in order for it to be voted into a committee. This bill would increase claims for former employees above the unsecured status during restructuring and bankruptcy. There is support by the three opposition parties, the only holdout is the CPC government. They are influenced by the very active and well financed bank and junk bond holder lobbyists both from Canada but predominantly from the USA, to prevent changes to the status quo.

Please write Prime Minister Harper, Minister of Industry, Tony Clement, and Minister of Finance, Jim Flaherty, with copies to opposition leaders Layton, Ignatieff, and Duceppe. Keep your letter simple and just indicate your need and your support for the bill to be referred to a committee. Ask all parties to put their differences aside for justice in bankruptcy to prevail. Do not forget to ask it to be retroactive to January 13, 2009 in order for it to be relevant to us. At this stage, what counts is the volume of the letters and the rapidity of your reaction. We need thousands of letters to go the trio Harper-Clement-Flaherty offices during the period of this debate over the next couple of weeks. Please also ask your riding MP to vote in favour for the bill to go to committee study.

The following are emails and addresses for the ministers. These e-mail addresses are protected from spam bots, so you need JavaScript enabled for them to view it

Prime Minister Stephen Harper:Post: House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 Phone:(613) 992-4211 Email: HarpeS@parl.gc.ca

Minister Tony Clement: Post: House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 Phone: (613) 944-7740 Email: ClemeT@parl.gc.ca

Minister Jim Flaherty:Post: House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 Phone: (613) 92-6344 Email: FlaheJ@parl.gc.ca

Mr. Michael Ignatieff (Leader of the Opposition, Lib.): Post: House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 Phone: (613) 995-9364 Email: IgnatM@parl.gc.ca

Hon. Jack Layton: Post: House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 Phone: (613) 995 7224 Email: LaytoJ@parl.gc.ca

Mr. Gilles Duceppe: Post: House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 Phone: (613) 992-6779 Email: DucepG@parl.gc.ca

Sample email or letter proposed by the NRPC.

As a Nortel Pensioner, I am urgently asking for your positive support of Bill C-501. to amend the outdated Bankruptcy & Insolvency Laws in Canada.

I am asking for your cooperation in setting aside any other differences you may have with the Opposition Parties in Canada and/or any influences that are being brought upon you by outside sources. YOU are the Ruling Government and we are confident you will feel obligated to support the people you represent. The amendment of this Bill would come at NO expense to you or to the taxpayers of Canada.

Justice in bankruptcy must prevail in Canada for our future and the future of our generations to come.

It is our sincere request and our urgent need that this Bill be made retroactive to January 13, 2009 for the sake of those of us who now face bankruptcy ourselves without your intervention.

Sincerely,