Dave Van Kesteren

[Criminal Code, May 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, we heard a lot today about crime and punishment. I would like to challenge some of those statistics and some of the statements.

I grew up poor and I would bet that there are a lot of people here who grew up poor, too. All my friends grew up poor. Quite frankly, we did not break the law, but we did get into a lot of trouble at home.

I want to challenge some of these things that members are talking about and then I will ask the member a question. Another thing that I hear repeatedly is prison being referred to as repression. I wonder where we are going with all this.

Crime is going down. I have heard that so much. I have two sons who are police officers. We just listened to the hon. member on the other side. My sons tell me crime is not going down but the reporting of it is going down. The police and public are reporting less. The police are frustrated and I would suggest that the public is getting frustrated, as well. We have a system that just does not seem to be working.

Whether or not we agree on these issues, and we could debate them for a long time, but the underlying issue is, should the time be indicative of the crime? Is this repression we are talking about or should there be punishment for wrongdoers, and should it reflect what they have done?

[Conservative Government, May 17th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, it has been roughly 100 days since the Prime Minister and this Conservative government took office. We came into office promising to clean up government, to do things differently in Ottawa, respect Canadians and deliver real results for them.

In 100 days we have cut the GST by 1% and delivered a budget with tax relief for all Canadians. We have given parents the choice in child care through a universal benefit for all families. We introduced legislation that will finally get tough on criminals. We introduced the federal accountability act, a landmark document that will give Canadians a clean government. We are the first government to take a hard line on Hamas. We have given Quebec a greater voice within our Confederation. We have settled the softwood lumber dispute and negotiated a new long term agreement.

We have accomplished more in 100 short days than the previous government did in 13 long years, and we will continue to deliver for all Canadians.

[The Budget, May 3rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, under the guidance of our finance minister, this Conservative government delivered its first budget and it delivered for all Canadians.

There is immediate tax relief for all families through the GST reduction and child care allowance. There is relief for students, apprentices and seniors, and significant investment in public security and health care.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Canadian Urban Transit Association have applauded this budget for its major investment in infrastructure, and it has been endorsed by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Canadian Cancer Society, Canada Council, and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges.

In my riding of Chatham-Kent—Essex, the $1.5 billion investment in agriculture will give farmers the help that they so desperately need.

The previous government overtaxed and hoarded our money for 13 years. Canadians deserve a focused government that invests in them and addresses their needs and the budget of 2006 did just that.

[Darfur, May 1st, 2006]

Mr. Chair, I am listening with interest as we debate the atrocities that we are seeing unfold before us. It strikes me as strange that we have not yet addressed the obvious facts that much of it, if not all of it, is a result of religious conflict.

I listened with interest too, to the Bloc and was reminded of Jefferson, of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We seem to have a desire in the House to export our democracy, but we have missed the obvious point that in order to do so, we must be prepared and we must be forceful in our ability to encourage other countries to also have the expression of religious freedom that we have in this country.

I would like to ask the hon. member, as we talk about it, will we have the courage to address the fact that much of the atrocities that are going on are as a result of the Muslim north and the Christian south? Will we be able to say to these other countries that we want them to have the same freedoms that we have here if we are to expand our democracy? Will we have that courage?

[International Bridges and Tunnels Act, April 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the town of Leamington is within my riding of Chatham-Kent--Essex. As members know, Leamington is the largest producer of greenhouse products in North America, as a matter of fact. My constituents have repeatedly shown concern about the movement of goods to over two hundred million customers that lie south of the border.

With the tabling of this bill and from what we have heard today, can I go back and tell my constituents that we as a government are moving in the right direction, that we can ensure that these goods produced in Leamington will continue to flow and that trade will continue as well?

[Promised Land Project, April 27th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, Chatham-Kent—Essex is a riding that is rich with tradition and history.

One of our most famous historical footnotes is that Chatham-Kent—Essex and surrounding area is the end of the underground railroad.

Between 1840 and 1880, one-third of Chatham's population was made up of people of African descent, a diverse society that included an elite class of free people of colour. Their resources, education and experience connected the area to a sophisticated network of abolitionists and enabled them to make important contributions to the community as a whole.

The Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society, the Dresden Community Development Association and the University of Ottawa are partnering to restore this lost history in a new project entitled, “Promised Land: The Freedom and Experience of Blacks in the Chatham and Dawn Settlement”. This project will create an accurate picture of black settlement and black contribution and will create a greater appreciation of the diverse backgrounds and talents of early black settlers.

I am proud of the tradition and history that our first black settlers brought to my riding of Chatham-Kent—Essex.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, April 24th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Leeds—Grenville.

First, I would like to thank the people of Chatham-Kent—Essex for the confidence and trust they have placed in me by giving me the great and noble honour of representing them in this, the 39th Parliament.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my wife, who is sitting here today in the gallery, as well as the rest of my family for the support they have given me over the past few years to help make it possible for me to be here today.

I would also like to thank the Minister of Agriculture for coming to Chatham-Kent—Essex and meeting with 30 farm leaders, including the grassroots group, and five local members of Parliament to discuss and hear their ideas and suggestions toward the creation of a new, workable farm program, one that will ensure future prosperity for all Canadian farmers.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate you on your appointment to the Chair. I look forward to working with you and all 307 of my colleagues in this Parliament.

I would like to take this time to honour the soldiers who gave their lives and to offer my most humble and sincere condolences to their families. We are forever indebted to their bravery and sacrifice. God bless all of them.

Our military is fighting for a strong Canada, defending our sovereignty and giving security to our citizens. Internationally, it is becoming more and more apparent that we are living in an increasingly dangerous and hostile world where many do not share our world vision, but if we are to be a light to the nations, a beacon of hope to the oppressed, we need to encourage others to share in the blessings and benefits of democracy and freedom. We must be ever vigilant.

Our anthem states, “O Canada, we stand on guard for thee”. Standing guard implies a show of force, a deterrent to those who war against free speech, freedom of religion and freedom-loving people, and so we support the government's resolve to strengthen our military and supply our brave men and women in our forces with the equipment and training they so desperately need.

I am proud of the bravery displayed by our forces in Afghanistan. My parents came from a country that was overtaken by a foreign army led by a murderous tyrant who posed a horrific threat to mankind's struggle for freedom. My father fought in the underground and lost a brother to the Nazi death camps. I know at first hand what the fight for freedom has brought my family. If it were not for the bravery shown by the Canadian Forces back in World War II, many, including me, would not be able to share in our blessed freedom. Today, children in the Netherlands gather every May 5 and lay flowers at the graves of the mighty and the brave who fought for freedom. Let me say with the Netherlands what has been said since May 1945, “Thanks, Canada”.

On January 23, the people of Chatham-Kent—Essex voted overwhelmingly to clean up government. I support the government's commitment to change the way we do business in Ottawa with the tabling of the new federal accountability act. The act will bring openness and transparency to government and will renew public trust in our institutions and elected officials.

The GST reduction is also something that is being eagerly awaited by the people of my riding. They are tired of paying high taxes. This reduction is a clear indication of the direction the government is taking and will continue to take, giving back to hard-working Canadians the money they have earned and need. This is a visible tax reduction. Perhaps the government's brave action may spur on similar actions in our provincial governments.

In Windsor this summer, along with leaders in law and security, I had the privilege to sit with the task force on safe streets and healthy communities. I listened as they expressed their concerns and their frustration with a system that is failing Canadians and hog-tying law enforcement officers. I am encouraged by the government's commitment to bring back safe communities by tackling crime and improving the security of our border.

I personally have two sons who serve as police officers and have seen and heard the frustration experienced by the men and women in blue who guard our streets and homes. They need and deserve our support and they welcome a government that is working with them to improve our nation's law enforcement.

As the father of eight children, I, with my wife, am especially proud of this government's commitment to support our families with the commitment to encourage families to choose and to make their choices for child care. As a parent, I can assure members that parents know and want to make the choice for child care. The parents of Chatham-Kent--Essex have repeatedly expressed support for this program.

The people of my riding are expressing an increasing level of angst about patient wait times. Our government's commitment of a patient wait time guarantee is long overdue and is welcomed by all with whom I have discussed the plan. Our government will finally provide Canadians with the quality health care they deserve.

The government has also made a commitment to the great people of Quebec, something that the people of Chatham-Kent--Essex applaud. This government shares with the people of Quebec its vision of an open and federalist Canada that recognizes a Quebec in a united Canada. The prospects of mutual respect and collaboration have proven to attract Quebeckers, as evidenced by the strong results made by this party in the last election.

I am also encouraged by the government's direction of restoring and improving relations with our best friend and trading partner. In Chatham-Kent--Essex, the importance of good relations with the United States is especially so for our vegetable and greenhouse growers, who rely on open borders without delay, as most of their product goes south to over 200 million customers. They must get their products there quickly.

The greenhouse growing industry around the town of Leamington in our riding is the largest in North America. The hard-working people who operate these facilities and those who are dependent on its well-being deserve nothing less.

Manufacturers in our riding are also committed to timely delivery of the products by way of just in time delivery. We need open borders.

We have a saying in Chatham-Kent--Essex where we remind one another that we cannot curse our neighbours and expect to sit at their banquet table.

We are indeed privileged to serve, in these great halls, a great and brave people, and I am proud to serve today with a government which will ensure that the principles of honesty, integrity, hard work, family values, justice and bravery will be lived out in a place that rewards the people of this great land with a good and honest government that cares for the needs of all its people.

[Canada's Commitment in Afghanistan, April 10th, 2006]

Mr. Chair, this being the first time I have had an opportunity to rise, I would like to thank my constituents in Chatham-Kent--Essex for the support and confidence they have placed in me as well.

This is a country that has harboured an organization determined to export its brand of revolution across the globe. This group of terrorists think nothing of mass murder, treading on the rights of women and setting back education by centuries. It is a group that has absolutely no tolerance for any other religious group other than its own.

My question for the hon. member is this. Will this mission work toward establishing a government that ensures that freedom extends to the religious freedom we cherish so much in this great land?