Cre 3 5M NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY HOUSE OF COMMONS ” CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES JAN CANADA 3 1978 BUREAU DU CHEF NOUVEAU PART! DEMOCRATIQUE OFFICE OF THE LEADER Ottawa, Ontario K1A OA6 December 22, 1977 The Mayor and Council c/o R.A. Freeman ~ Clerk 2272 McAllister Avenue Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, V3C 2A8 Your Worship: I am writing to you concerning our growing unemployment problem. The New Democratic Party has been pressing the federal government to re- allocate their existing expenditures so that more funds be directed towards job creation programs. Unless this takes place, we will fall back into another recession ~ perhaps worse than the one from which we are currently emerging. Unemployment places a great strain on our economy. In addition to lost production and lost wages, the federal government has estimated that next year unemployment insurance payments will cost Canadians in excess of $4 billion. On top of this, of course, are the additional welfare costs imposed on your budget, as well as that of senior levels of government. , One of the suggestions which the New Democratic Party has made to the federal government, in an effort to offer unemployed Canadians work instead of support payments, is thar a Federal—Provinciail-Municipal Capital Works Program of $400 million be introduced immediately. For such a program to work, funds should be made available for capital, operating expenses and labour. Applications from provinces or municipalities participating would have to be processed quickly, with a minimum of red tape. . I have attached a copy of a resolution passed by the Borough of Etobicoke Council on November 22, 1977, calling for a Winter Works Incentive Program. Would your municipality support the idea of such a program? If so, could you indicate to me the kinds of projects which could be carried out in your munici- pality on very short notice? I appreciate your consideration of this proposal and will look forward to your reply. Yours sincerely, Da Lb Ba vackbid fer tee 4 bac a “ne obbaling encl.