David McGuinty

[Chalk River Nuclear Facilities, February 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, another year, another Conservative crisis at Chalk River. The minister has refused to tell us how much radioactive tritium was released at Chalk River. She has refused to tell us what she was told on December 6. She will not even tell us what the status of the leak is, nor its cause, and she will not explain why, over a week after these leaks began, she informed Canadians that isotope production was “reliable”.

What is reliable about producing isotopes in a facility while it is leaking radioactive water?

[Nuclear Energy, January 30th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, here is the problem. On December 15, the minister released a statement on Chalk River. Eleven days after two radioactive leaks had occurred with no knowledge of the cause and with 7,000 litres of heavy water a day leaking into the Ottawa River, the minister told Canadians, “the reactor at Chalk River continues to produce isotopes reliably”.

Was the minister negligent in the performance of her duties, or did she simply mislead Canadians?

[Nuclear Energy, January 30th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the minister acknowledged yesterday that she was aware of what she described simply as “problems” at Chalk River on December 6.

Can she clarify for the House the exact nature of the details known to her or her office that day, and can she tell us exactly when she or her office was informed of these radioactive leaks?

[Nuclear Energy, January 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister fired Linda Keen, it sent shock waves of fear throughout the public service. Just as in that case, the lack of truth and transparency with respect to nuclear safety continues under his government.

If the minister is so certain that the events at Chalk River had no adverse affect on human health or the environment, will she immediately release the test results that would demonstrate to the House what levels of tritium have been and are being released into the Ottawa River as we speak?

[Nuclear Energy, January 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, instead of going public about the leak at Chalk River, AECL cited “technical challenges” and the Safety Commission was silenced. Once again, Canadians were kept in the dark. While thousands of litres of radioactive heavy water continue to flow into the Ottawa River, the minister cannot be pinned down.

Since the cause of the leak remains undetermined and it could happen again, what exactly do the Conservatives intend to do?

[Ottawa Transit Strike, January 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow marks the 50th day of the public transit strike in the city of Ottawa. Students are dropping out of school, cancer patients cannot get to their treatments, and seniors cannot get out to buy their groceries. This is under the authority of the federal government. Ottawa's economy has been badly hit, with almost half a billion dollars in lost economic activity, jobs lost, and businesses closing.

The federal government chose to intervene by forcing a union vote. Do the Conservatives actually have anything further planned to help the parties settle their dispute and bring an end to this transit crisis?

[The Environment, June 20th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the race is on to compete in the carbon constrained 21st century and, instead of leading, the Prime Minister has no interest in seeing Canada become the greenest and cleanest economy in the world.

Let me say what is truly crazy. What is crazy is a Prime Minister who will not act now to help ensure that future generations have a sustainable atmosphere.

What is crazy is a Prime Minister who is shutting Canada out of what Goldman Sachs describes as a $3 trillion environmental technologies market.

Why does the Prime Minister not understand that environmental leadership is economic leadership?

[The Environment, June 20th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, we have a plan to help Canadians reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and to mitigate the rising price of energy.

After his unproductive, pale green visit to Europe, the Prime Minister said that the economic models espoused by countries like Norway, Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Italy and the Netherlands, with their carbon taxes, are just plain crazy.

Does the Prime Minister think that these European countries are crazy?

[The Environment, June 20th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, since the Conservatives came to power in January 2006, energy prices have skyrocketed. A litre of gas at the pump is 45% higher. A litre of diesel is 50% higher. Home heating oil is 72% higher.

The Liberal green shift plan will help Canadians to adjust to these new prices by offering billions of dollars in income tax cuts and other benefits. We are shifting taxes off income and innovation and onto pollution and helping Canadians.

How does the Prime Minister intend to help Canadians offset these massive increases in energy costs incurred on his watch?

[Points of Order, June 19th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, throughout question period, the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism referred to a document called the “Green Shift”. I would welcome him tabling the “Green Shift” in English and in French, as both copies are available for Canadians, or as an alternative, Canadians can also go to www.thegreenshift.ca.