Layton says all is OK

Federal NDP leader Jack Layton says he's helped heal the rift that some perceived between his party and Canada's Jewish community.

The New Democratic party leader was in British Columbia over the weekend, on a campaign-style race through the Kootenays, the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.

Though NDP policy supports a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, certain criticism of Israel over the years from leading New Democrats such as former MP Svend Robinson and Vancouver East MP Libby Davies has led some Canadian Zionists to view the party with suspicion. Layton told the Independent Sunday that he acknowledges that this has been the case, but said relations are better now.

"I think that used to be a reaction of some," Layton said of Jewish critics of his party. "I've gone out of my way to meet with the leadership and keep lines of communication very open. We've been very frank about some of the issues, had good frank exchanges and I think the relationship's much more positive now."

Layton expressed his party's position on the Middle East this way: "Just put very briefly, the situation's always changing. There's such flux there now. But in the end, we're hopeful for a negotiated solution that puts on the table all the various issues that are a part of that enormously complex situation, so that there can be two states that can live in security and in a just settlement of the various outstanding issues."

On other issues, Layton is claiming victory after the federal Liberal minority was forced to adopt a range of NDP initiatives in order to survive in a closely divided House of Commons.

The NDP's budget amendments, which were passed by Parliament but may not be implemented until after this fiscal year, included funds for alleviation of post-secondary tuition, spending on affordable housing initiatives, public transit and foreign aid. He is also taking credit for keeping Canada out of the American missile defence program.

Layton is particularly incensed at what he calls the Canadian government's lies to immigrants.

"Many of these folks coming to Canada have essentially been lied to," Layton says of skilled immigrants. "They've been given false advertising by the Canadian government. They've been given lots of points in their applications because they've got doctorates, they've got engineering degrees, they've got years of experience as accountants and professionals and so on. Then they get here and they find out that the points that got them in are not recognized here in terms of their [ability to work in their chosen field]. The result is we have all of these talented people unable to use their talents here. This is a loss to our country."

Pat Johnson is editor of MVOX Multicultural Media Digest.