John Weston

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, June 17th, 2015]

With regard to government funding in the riding of West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, for each fiscal year since 2007-2008 inclusively: (a) what are the details of all grants, contributions, and loans to any organization, body, or group, broken down by (i) name of the recipient, (ii) municipality of the recipient, (iii) date on which the funding was received, (iv) amount received, (v) department or agency providing the funding, (vi) program under which the grant, contribution, or loan was made, (vii) nature or purpose; and (b) for each grant, contribution and loan identified in (a), was a press release issued to announce it and, if so, what is the (i) date, (ii) headline of the press release?

[Canada Shipping Act, 2001, June 17th, 2015]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-695, An Act to amend the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (prohibition against abandonment of vessel).

Mr. Speaker, it is with a sense of pride on behalf of B.C.'s coastal communities that I introduce a long-awaited private member's bill to counter the increasing problem of vessels abandoned on B.C.'s coastal waters. As of last year, Transport Canada had identified 245 boats that might be deemed abandoned off B.C., in addition to vessels abandoned on the east coast.

The bill is called a prohibition against abandonment of vessels, and it would provide jail time and fines for people who intentionally abandon a vessel. I hope that all members in this chamber will work with me to get this bill passed.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Canadian Heritage, June 12th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the principles of habeas corpus, no taxation without representation, the rule of law and other fundamental pillars of a free and democratic society trace their roots to the Magna Carta. In my own life, appreciation for these things drove me to become a constitutional lawyer and to found the Canadian Constitution Foundation.

On behalf of all Canadians who love freedom, could the Minister for Democratic Reform please update the House about the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta?

[Cycling Fatalities, June 12th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the tragic deaths of three people, including two cyclists, in my riding last week. On June 7, Ross Chafe and Kelly Blunden were cycling north of Whistler when they were struck and killed by a driver who was reportedly impaired. They were both fathers and key figures in the community.

Also killed was the passenger in the car, Paul Maurice Pierre Jr., a member of the Lil'wat Nation. The driver had three previous convictions for impaired driving. He was prohibited from being behind the wheel.

Our grief can compel us to action. We need good safety protocols for cycling and we need to incarcerate impaired drivers. My hope is that initiatives such as the Attorney General's new proposed law, the cycling town hall I convened in Ottawa on May 25, and the forum on cycling safety that I have organized for June 20 in Squamish will create positive change.

For the sake of Ross and Kelly and those who loved them, and for all who bike, may we bring about enhanced rules and policies for both drivers and cyclists.

Fellow members of the House, please rise with me in a united spirit of condolence for those who grieve the loss of Ross, Kelly, and Paul.

[Proper Use of Prescription Drugs Act, June 11th, 2015]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-692, An Act respecting a federal framework on the proper use of prescription drugs and establishing National Prescription Drug Drop-off Day.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to present to the House a bill that would create a federal framework that responds to the need for the proper use of prescription drugs and would create a national prescription drug drop-off day.

This responds to rising trends such as the fact that Canadians are the second largest per capita users of opioids in the world, and that we have rising rates of fatalities and hospital visits relating to improper prescription drug use. This is supported by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and by the national association of pharmacists, and I am pleased to be working very closely with the health minister, the member for Oakville, and the member for Kootenay—Columbia, who all together represent many Canadians who share this concern. I invite all my colleagues to help me get the bill passed.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[National Health and Fitness Day, May 15th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the fourth National Health and Fitness Day is just around the corner on June 6. Each year the day will be celebrated on the first Saturday in June, according to the newly passed Bill S-211, which made this important event a formal part of our laws and traditions.

A big thanks to those MPs who have modelled healthy behaviour by participating in the parliamentary fitness initiative runs on Tuesdays and swims on Thursday mornings.

Congratulations to the many members who have approached their mayors and councillors, including most recently the Minister of Veterans Affairs. One hundred and ninety-five cities have proclaimed the day, and we are aiming for 300 by June 6. Canadians can help their cities proclaim and plan the day by visiting my website for access to a tool kit for MPs, towns, and cities.

I am working to make health and fitness core to Canada's 150th anniversary celebrations, in partnership with the Trans Canada Trail, YMCA, Participaction, and others.

On May 25, we will kick off Bike Day in Canada, which leads up to National Health and Fitness Day. We should grab a family member or friend and get out to enjoy Canada's natural beauty in our communities. Let us make Canada the fittest nation on earth.

[Iran Accountability Week, May 5th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, it has been said that there are many paths up a mountain. There are many leaders and advocates in this House who promote freedom for the people of Iran, and I thank my colleague for that question, because he is certainly one of them.

I would first like to mention that it was a historic day when our Prime Minister attended a Nowruz event this past year, the first time ever that a Canadian Prime Minister has formally attended the great celebration of the Iranian spring, a strong statement by our government, on behalf of all Canadians, that we stand with Canadians of Iranian background and that we certainly stand against the oppression in Iran.

Concerning the discussions that are going on that deal with stopping Iran from expanding its nuclear capacity, I can only hope that the P5+1 governments have the guts to sign a good agreement, but even more that they have the guts to not sign a bad agreement. We have an international community to hope for restraint, to know that there will be inspections, and to know that the government that has flouted United Nations conventions on inspections concerning their nuclear program will adhere to those before any long-lasting agreement is signed.

[Iran Accountability Week, May 5th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, it is both serendipitous and ironic that it was just World Press Freedom Day and so many journalists are imprisoned in Iran, such as bloggers and people who merely desire to express their views in a free way.

The Government of Canada has been consistent, and in fact has led in the General Assembly of the United Nations year after year, in calling for Iran to change direction and pull away from its oppression. We are known around the world for our leadership on this. We all wish there was more we could do.

We are supporting the program run out of the Munk School whereby we send messages to the people in Iran to encourage them and give them some sense of what is really going on in the world and to make sure that people who desire freedom know that they have friends in other parts of the world.

We are also doing our best to support people of Iranian background here in Canada who desire freedom everywhere in the world. They are ultimately leaders here in Canada who can raise us up to a level of freedom not only in Iran but everywhere else. They know what oppression is like. They appreciate their freedom, and I am so honoured to call many of them my friends.

[Iran Accountability Week, May 5th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, the questions raised by my colleague are very intelligent ones, and I thank her for them.

I believe that the answer lies partly in the role of Canadians of Iranian background here in Canada who can educate us concerning the best things we can do. There are people like Davood Ghavami, the head of the Iranian Canadian Congress, and Nassreen Filsoof, of the Canadian Iranian Foundation, who do their best to bring about a level of understanding here.

When the government appointed me the first-ever government liaison to the Canadian Iranian community, I anticipated that I would play three roles. First, I would be a voice for people of Iranian background here in Ottawa. Second, I would help communicate to that community what our government is trying to achieve. Third, and perhaps most ironic, given that I am not of Iranian background, I would promote the Persian culture here, or at least help people of Iranian background do that here in Canada. It has been an honour to do that for the past six years.

I believe that part of the answer also lies in the diplomatic relations between the countries. This is obviously a matter of great sensitivity, as there are no embassies between our two governments. However, I call this day upon the government of Iran to appoint a protector in Canada, not a protector in the United States, because the people of Iranian background who need diplomatic services could benefit from that. That would be something the Iranian government could do.

Finally, I would like to say, and I believe I share this with every member in the chamber, that we know there will be a day when there will be a Persian spring, when Nowruz will come, the freeze will melt away, and Iran will become the bulwark of democracy in the Middle East. We must do everything we can to bring that day about and bring it about soon.

[Iran Accountability Week, May 5th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague very much for her question.

I think that we are all working together this evening to move beyond words and identify concrete measures. For example, the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto supports a radio program for Iranian citizens. Our Minister of Foreign Affairshas brought forward a number of initiatives to the United Nations and other international organizations.

We continue to be the friends of the oppressed in Iran, and the people of Iran know that they can count on the Canadian government.