Darrel Stinson

[Veterans Affairs, December 13th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Gordon Read, who served in the air force for 32 years, has discovered that his wife of 10 years will not be eligible for his military pension upon his passing. Why? It is because Mr. Read married after the age of 60.

How dare this Liberal government decide if a widow or widower should receive a veterans pension based on the age the veteran marries. This is an atrocity.

Our veterans put their lives on the line for our country. Is this how we repay them, by having them worry about what will happen to their loved ones after they are gone?

[Petitions, December 10th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table a petition from my riding of Okanagan—Shuswap concerning serious violent crimes by repeat offenders living at the Vernon halfway house.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to require that Correctional Service Canada take stronger steps to protect law-abiding citizens by ending statutory release, informing the public immediately when a violent offender does not report back on time from day parole or other release into the community, and immediately investigate why the Vernon halfway house has the worst record in Canada for its inmates committing violent crimes.

[Justice, December 10th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the man accused of killing Vernon auxiliary RCMP officer Glen Eveley in a crash with a stolen vehicle has walked away from jail due to errors which RCMP have called “an accidental release”. This is no comfort to a city that has suffered at least three murders in eight years due to failures of the prison and parole system.

In October, the Deputy Prime Minister told me she would review the system. I would like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister, is she at peace with herself knowing that her inaction has caused so much misery to so many people?

[Esteem Team, December 10th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Esteem Team program, a national not for profit organization that leaves a great impact on youth with their message and challenge for them to be the best they can be.

Esteem's vision is to inspire young people in grades 4 through 12 in the schools, community centres and sports clubs. High performance athletes from this program spark imagination, thought, dialogue and help youth understand and accept triumph as well as failure.

Over the last dozen years, Okanagan Landing school in my riding of Okanagan—Shuswap has had the good fortune of hosting a member of this great team of sports people and communicators.

I support this program as it can make a difference in young people's lives.

[Petitions, October 27th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I pleased to present a petition signed by more than 1,600 residents of my riding of Okanagan—Shuswap who are concerned about serious, violent crimes by repeat offenders living at the Vernon halfway house.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to require that Correctional Service Canada take stronger steps to protect law-abiding citizens by ending statutory release, informing the public immediately when a violent offender does not report back on time from day parole or other release into the community and immediately investigate why the Vernon halfway house has the worst record in Canada for its inmates committing violent crimes.

[Correctional Service of Canada, October 22nd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I suggest the minister get her head out from wherever it is buried and look at the facts.

There is growing evidence all over that our prisons are out of control and that criminal activity is on the rise. Security staff reports show that inmate assaults on staff, drugs, alcohol and gang activity are all common occurrences in Canada's prisons.

There are walkaways from our halfway houses. Tragically, a parole officer was killed earlier this month. There have been three murders in my riding alone by offenders living in halfway houses.

Can the minister tell us when the government is going to get rid of statutory release and make our prisoners earn their parole?

[Trans-Canada Highway, October 19th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, in his letter last month to the Mayor of Salmon Arm the present minister of highways stated:

--highway segments that comprise the Trans-Canada Highway, with the exception of components in the national parks, are within the jurisdiction of the Province of British Columbia. The province is responsible for the design, construction, and financing of the Trans-Canada Highway within its provincial boundaries.

It is not fair that Canada's national highway should be a provincial responsibility except in national parks. Despite the billions of dollars flowing into federal coffers from fuel taxes, much of the Trans-Canada Highway from Chase in my riding to the Alberta border remains a killer highway where hundreds have been killed or injured since the Liberals took office in 1993. Think of the suffering as well as the health care costs a safe highway could prevent.

When will the government accept full responsibility for funding Canada's national highway and make it safe for the travelling public?

[Petitions, October 6th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by residents of Vernon and Coldstream in my riding of Okanagan—Shuswap who are concerned about serious violent crimes by repeat offenders living at the Vernon halfway house. The petitioners call upon Parliament to require that Corrections Canada take stronger steps to protect law-abiding citizens.

[Petitions, May 11th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my constituents of Okanagan—Shuswap, I am pleased to present a petition calling upon Parliament to pass legislation to recognize the institution of marriage in federal law as being the lifelong union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

[Taxation, May 4th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, last summer's devastating fires in British Columbia have many landowners caught in a log salvage, higher income, no tax deferment situation. Is the Minister of Finance going to help B.C. landowners by allowing income tax on this emergency profit to be deferred and paid over 10 years, yes or no?