Lloyd St. Amand

[Business of Supply, February 8th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the member opposite for his speech. He talked about many environmentally related things.

He talked about wind, and we do not hear enough about wind energy, solar energy and what the federal government should be doing to promote alternative forms of energy.

He talked about automobiles. As I understand the science of global warming or climate change, automobiles account for 12% of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada, and automobile manufacturers are doing more and more, as I understand it, to manufacture automobiles which will emit fewer greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

The member also talked about targets and the difficulty that we as a country have had in meeting our Kyoto targets. As he may know, heavy industry's large final emitters account for the vast majority of greenhouse gas emissions. I am sure the hon. member opposite would agree with that.

He may also know that the oil sands industry was to have produced one million barrels of oil per day by the year 2020. It reached that target as of two years ago, so the growth in the oil sands industry has been unprecedented, almost unbelievable, and the oil sands industry is a huge emitter of greenhouse gas emissions.

Does the member opposite see, as I do, a clear link between the incredible growth in the oil sands in the last five years and our inability as a country to meet our Kyoto targets?

[Business of Supply, February 8th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague's speech was very thoughtful and articulate. I heard him say that Canada was 1 of 168 countries in the world that signed on to the Kyoto protocol.

During the parliamentary secretary's 10 minute speech, not one word was mentioned about Kyoto or the Kyoto agreement.

In the hon. member's knowledge of the history of this country, has a single Canadian government ever failed to follow through on an international commitment or an international treaty? It rather seems to be the mindset of the present government that, for the first time in Canadian history, an international commitment will not be honoured by Canada.

Is the hon. member's knowledge of history any different from mine?

[Criminal Code, February 6th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest to the member's speech. I heard him allude to the high profits realized by banks. I heard him refer specifically to, in his view, the diminished level of service or quality of service that is provided to customers of banks and to the closing of certain branches of banks.

I heard all of that, but at the same time, he rather seems, as I understand his comments, to be in favour of allowing other institutions, payday loan institutions, to be allowed to continue to charge rates of interest which are, in my view, far in excess of what a bank would charge and to impose on the consumer additional charges and fees, with the result that the consumer ends up paying an exorbitantly high amount for the loan received.

How does the hon. member opposite reconcile those two views?

[Economic Development, February 2nd, 2007]

Mr. speaker, I rise to bring attention to the lack of long term federal investment in rural southern Ontario.

Across Canada programs such as the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the northern Ontario development program and the western diversification program are making a meaningful difference to the citizens of those areas.

Southern Ontario is the only part of Canada where rural economic development funding does not exist.

Despite what many policy makers believe, southern Ontario does face a significant amount of economic challenges. The declining farm, manufacturing and tourism industries are combining to cause financial distress to many communities.

In my riding of Brant, many families, businesses and individuals are finding it difficult to survive under these conditions.

I call on the government to recognize the need for a southern Ontario regional economic development initiative and to increase opportunities for citizens of Brant and all of rural southern Ontario.

[Petitions, December 13th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present three identical petitions containing many signatories who are calling upon the Government of Canada to cancel negotiations for a free trade agreement with Korea, which would worsen the already one way flood of automotive products onto the Canadian market.

[Susan Malcolm, December 11th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Susan Malcolm from Brantford, a terrific woman who was tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident recently.

To know Susan was to like her. Indeed, if a person did not like Susan Malcolm, then that person was incapable of liking a fellow human being.

Susan tremendously enjoyed the life which she shared with her husband, Scott. Together, they raised three children of whom they were justifiably very proud, Hunter, Emily and Robert.

Susan was a highly respected teacher and positively touched the lives of thousands of students who came into contact with her during her lengthy teaching career. She was always positive, never cynical, always looked for and spoke of the good in other persons and was not judgmental.

About her, it can sincerely and truthfully be said: “Let us be grateful for people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom”.

Susan Malcolm brought happiness to the lives of many, particularly her family, and made many souls blossom. She fought the good fight and is gone to her just reward.

[Canadian Heritage, November 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the daily newspaper in my riding, The Expositor, commented on the funding cuts to Canada's museums and said that if MPs did not give a hoot for our history, how could they appreciate who we are? The government seems to care only about the price of programs with no regard for their value. Canada's rich history is displayed in museums from coast to coast and the recently announced 50% funding cuts will sever this generation's link to our past.

Does the Minister of Canadian Heritage not understand the value of these museums and if she does, will she then immediately restore full funding to them?

[The Québécois, November 24th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I enjoyed the speech from the member opposite and found it quite interesting.

One of the primary difficulties or impediments that I see with respect to the motion by the Bloc is that, by my reading of it, it speaks not at all to those French speaking Canadians who live outside the province of Quebec, some half a million in Ontario alone, let alone all of those other thousands and thousands of French speaking Canadians who live in other provinces.

I would like the member opposite to comment on his view of that and whether or not the motion by the Prime Minister, which refers specifically to the Québécois, is in fact as significant as I see it to be.

[SOFTWOOD LUMBER PRODUCTS EXPORT CHARGE ACT, 2006, November 22nd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite made a compelling speech on what she terms the ill-advised bill. I have come to know the member opposite relatively well. I am honoured to serve with her on the natural resources committee. I have certainly come to understand how sensitive she is to the needs of her community and how, in a macro way, she understands issues facing Canadians.

She has described the bill as ill-advised. Could she comment on what she would like to see done to remedy or fix the ill-advised motion before the House?

[Petitions, November 22nd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by many residents or constituents in my riding of Brant dealing with the literacy cuts recently announced by the government.

The signatories to the petition recognize that reading and writing is a difficulty for a significant percentage of the adult Canadian population and that those difficulties cost society billions of dollars on an annual basis. The petitioners wish the government to reinstate the funding cuts recently announced.