PM to address Canadians on Nov. 20

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Now that Canadians have re-elected a minority government, federal NDP leader Jack Layton wants to ensure his party's priorities are reflected in the Conservative throne speech on Nov. 20.

"The Liberals are losing seats and the NDP is increasing seats. We believe Mr. Harper should be listening to all parties," he said.

Layton, who met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Wednesday, Nov. 12 to outline the items that he feels must be included in the his address. Layton also summarized his party's throne speech expectations before the provincial council of Ontario New Democrats last Sunday in Toronto.

For starters, Layton, the Toronto-Danforth MP, said that there needs to be a plan to keep Canada's economy strong, more than ever in light of recent reports from the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that a global recession is underway.

"We feel that we absolutely need to create an economic stimulus package in these tough economic times," Layton said Wednesday evening.

"It would need to focus on job creation, protecting savings and pensions and, of course, homes."

Layton said that protecting the value of investments and pensions for seniors is a top priority.

"I said to the prime minister, 'We've got to protect (seniors). They built this country."

Another NDP priority is protecting consumers, not just big banks and financial institutions.

"Big banks are getting million-dollar bailouts, what are we doing to make sure the bank customers aren't being gouged in all of this?," Layton said.

When it comes to cities, he said that the federal government must accelerate its urban infrastructure spending for transit, building retrofits that save energy and reduce pollution, create jobs, improve water systems and sewers and put a focus back on bridge and highway safety.

"We're supporting very much the positions of municipal governments and our own city councils," he added.