Corneliu Chisu

[Foreign Affairs, October 10th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I have been proud to see that Canada remains among the strongest international supporters of Ukraine's efforts to restore stability, and implement democratic and economic reform.

Canada continues to call on Russia to follow through on its commitments to de-escalate the crisis and cease its aggressive tactics in Ukraine. Ukraine sovereign territory must be respected and the Ukrainian people must be free to determine their own future.

Could the parliamentary secretary please update the House of Commons on Canada's latest moves to isolate Putin's autocratic regime?

[Dunbarton High School, October 10th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the Canada Green Building Council has named Dunbarton High School of Pickering, in my riding, as the greenest school in Canada for 2014.

Of the many schools invited to participate, Dunbarton High displayed exceptional progress in reducing its impact on the earth and raising necessary environmental awareness.

The school has started an enviroclub, geared towards helping the school community become more environmentally friendly.

It has worked on an on-campus biodiversity program, in which they planted 70 trees and 22 native species in an effort to reduce the school's reliance on air conditioning, and they have participated in rehabilitation efforts in local parks.

This achievement did not come easily to the school; it is the result of hard work, commitment, and passion from students and staff. They have made their school proud.

I am honoured to share with this House that I am part of a community and a city, Pickering, which has one of the greenest schools in Canada.

[Rouge National Urban Park Act, October 8th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the Rouge national urban park would be unlike other national parks. It would include major highways, rail lines, homes, businesses and hydro corridors as well as farmland.

Ecosystems have integrity when their native components are intact, because ecosystems are constantly changing. Conservation strategies, which have ecological integrity as their primary goal, should maintain or resolve key ecological processes that reflect their natural condition, such as fire, flooding, death and disease outbreaks, among others. These aspects make the concept of ecological integrity inappropriate for the national urban park.

Ecological health is an approach that recognizes the park's increasingly urban surroundings. Parks Canada would manage the park in an adaptive way so that it stays healthy and strong while respecting that the park is located in an urban centre. This approach allows us to balance the pressure of an urban environment.

Does the member recognize that there is a need for legislation defining an urban national park, which is different from the legislation of a national park?

[Rouge National Urban Park Act, October 2nd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I listened attentively to the member opposite talk about the issues related to Rouge Park. The Province of Ontario is showing a complete disregard for the creation of the park based on cheap political calculations and has expressed its so-called ecological concern at this late date.

I live 100 metres from the park and the lower Rouge Park is in my riding. I can tell members that the state of the park and its bare administration during the years has translated into continued neglect. This neglect was also briefly alluded to by the member for Scarborough—Guildwood.

I am asking the hon. member this. Does he or does he not support the creation of the first national urban park or is he endorsing the Ontario provincial Liberal government's steps to decide to deny and to delay the creation of the park?

[Assaults Against Public Transit Operators, September 29th, 2014]

moved for leave to introduce Bill S-221, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (assaults against public transit operators).

Mr. Speaker, it is a great honour to introduce Bill S-221 in the House for first reading. I would first like to thank and recognize the recent hard and diligent work on Bill S-221 and the carriage of this bill by Senator Runciman in the other place.

This bill aims to address the far too frequent abuse and mistreatment of our public transit operators by implementing stricter penalties for those who aim to harm these people while they are carrying out their duties. This bill would act as a deterrent against violent incidents upon public transit operators in our communities and would increase overall safety on public transit.

(Motions deemed adopted and bill read the first time)

[Terrorism, September 29th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, in the dark and dangerous world we live in, it is important that any responsible government takes steps to keep Canadians safe. That is why our Conservative government has made it a criminal offence to go overseas to engage in terrorism. We have also taken steps to be able to strip the citizenship of those convicted of terrorist offences.

Despite this, the Liberal leader has a different approach. He says that the Boston bombing was caused by a feeling of exclusion. The senior Liberal member for Kingston and the Islands says that Liberals see a light and beauty inside every person, specifically citing a terrorist who beheaded three western journalists. Most shockingly, the Liberal leader goes shopping for votes in an extremist mosque in Montreal and has the temerity to expect the government to tell him he should not associate with those who condone the subjugation of women.

Our Conservative government will stand up for law-abiding Canadians against radical extremists.

[Parks Canada, June 19th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the recent launch of the national conservation plan by our Prime Minister makes a commitment to connect Canadians to nature, particularly people living in urban areas. The problem is there are no national urban parks in Canada. What is our government doing to make this a reality?

[Rouge National Urban Park Act, June 19th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I was listening attentively to the presentation by my colleague. I have heard a lot of misinformation presented to the House regarding the park. She said she participates in many activities in the park. Unfortunately, I have not seen her very much. I go there. I live in the park.

I would like to ask my colleague if there is a difference between a national park and an urban national park. Does she think Highway 401 should not be in Rouge Park, that the 401 should be destroyed, and that they should block the entrance to the park to everyone but the NDP? I would ask her to tell me, please.

[Second World War Soldiers, June 18th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour four compassionate Canadian soldiers: Lloyd “Red” Oliver, Paul Hagen, Mert Massey, and Doug Walker.

During the Second World War, Operation Husky, in Torrice, Italy, these soldiers went above the call of duty to save Gino, a young and starving orphan. They adopted Gino as their own, providing him with food, care, and kindness. As they departed Italy in 1945 to join the rest of the Canadian army in northwest Europe, young Gino had recovered from his injuries and was safe from danger. He was left with an Italian family who eventually adopted him.

After great efforts in 2012, Gino Farnetti-Bragaglia was given back his true identity and is now in Canada to tell his story.

The selfless actions of these Canadian heroes must never be forgotten. Lest we forget.

[Canada-Hungary Relations, June 11th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate half a century of diplomatic relations between Canada and Hungary. It was exactly 50 years ago, on June 11, 1964, that Canada and Hungary established diplomatic relations. Still under Soviet domination at the time, Hungary was unable to act entirely freely, but establishing diplomatic relations with countries like Canada eventually helped it to achieve independence and democracy.

The freedom fight of 1956 was a bold attempt by Hungarians to establish solidarity away from the long arm of Soviet and communist rule. Many Hungarians fled their homes afterward, and 38,000 were welcomed to Canada with warmth and compassion, where they have made a significant contribution to our national wealth.

Since 1989, the year of regime change in eastern Europe, Canada and Hungary have become close allies.

Canadian–Hungarian relations demonstrate that democracy, freedom, the rule of law and citizen-driven governance are the only solid foundations for prosperous societies in the 21st century, and indicate a strong commitment to further deepening diplomatic and commercial ties.