FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2012

Over 400 BC delegates to attend National Liberal Policy Convention
to push for a National Housing Strategy

Vancouver, BC - Over four hundred federal Liberal Party members from British Columbia will be attending this weekend's national biennial convention in Ottawa. This record number of delegates will be pushing hard for a national housing strategy as a priority in the Party's next election platform. Members will debate and vote on this resolution from BC on Sunday morning.

"This is a record and overwhelming response from BC members to attend the convention," said LPCBC Executive Director Don McDonald. "They are determined to do everything in their power to pass this priority resolution. Every Canadian deserves a safe and secure place in which to live."

The BC housing resolution calls for the development of a comprehensive national strategy that includes social housing, low-income rental housing, co-op housing, and middle-income housing in partnership with other levels of government service providers and business. It will recommend creative legislative and tax policies to encourage the construction and maintenance of long-term affordable rental housing and the inclusion of specific measures to prevent and address homelessness.

The BC delegation is being led by four past BC candidates from the 2011 election: Roma Ahi (Vancouver East), Janna Francis (Okanagan-Shuswap), Renée Hetherington (Saanich-Gulf Islands), and Sangeeta Lalli (Cariboo-Prince George).

"Provincial jurisdiction over housing has created a fractious system that promotes an environment in which some provinces and cities work hard to combat homelessness and to create affordable housing while others do little or nothing," said 2011 Vancouver East candidate Roma Ahi. "Concerns about accessing affordable housing and homelessness are not limited to large or medium sized communities. It is an issue in all communities across Canada and I hope my Liberal colleagues from across Canada will be supporting this resolution."

The BC delegation is being hosted by Vancouver Centre MP Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry and Vancouver Quadra MP Joyce Murray. They have been working to secure support for the resolution from the Liberal Caucus across the country.

Full lists of the policy resolutions being debated at this weekend's convention are available at http://convention.liberal.ca/convention-documents/.

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For more information:
Don McDonald
don.mcdonald@lpcbc.com