David Tilson

[Orangeville Food Bank, May 15th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank the Orangeville Food Bank and its 70-plus volunteers for 25 years of service to our community.

Founded in 1992, the Orangeville Food Bank services upwards of 500 people a month. Its founders remain a part of the volunteer team to this day. This terrific organization operates out of a 3,600-square foot facility that allows it to share with other local organizations, such as Choices Youth Shelter, Family Transition Place, the Lighthouse, and The Salvation Army.

In 2016, the Orangeville Food Bank underwent major renovations that included the installation of a walk-in fridge and freezer, which now allows it to accept donations of perishable goods.

I particularly want to thank the founders, Nancy Rampley, Eleanor Elston, Jack and Yvonne McEwan, as well as the late June Daley, for their tireless dedication. The residents of Dufferin—Caledon are grateful for their outstanding contribution to our community.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 1, May 9th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, on almost every one of his answers, the Minister of Finance has commented that they want to move the matter into the finance committee so these matters can be properly studied. The difficulty is that the finance committee has sent off letters to four, possibly five, committees asking them to review the issues pertaining to their particular committees.

In the immigration committee, for example, there are a number of issues in the budget implementation bill that affect immigration. The immigration committee, through the majority of the Liberal voters, has said it does not want to study it, so the matter is not going to be studied in the immigration committee, and I do not believe it is going to be studied in the finance committee. Therefore, my question for the finance minister is this: why is the PMO, or whoever is giving instructions to the committees, saying that the committees will not review these matters?

[Committees of the House, April 11th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I had the experience of being in opposition in Queen's Park in the province of Ontario when Bob Rae was the New Democratic premier. He passed a bill called the quota bill. For anyone who wanted to work for the civil service, priority was given to people of colour, women, aboriginals, and a couple of other categories. When the Conservatives got into office, the bill was quickly repealed, because it was discriminatory.

The Prime Minister, since he came into office, has taken great pride in the number of women in his cabinet and in the equality of those women. The question, of course, is whether they are there because they are women or because of their experience and qualifications for cabinet, which is most important in the running of this country.

Could the member comment on whether it is discriminatory and whether the best people are in cabinet?

[Interparliamentary Delegations, April 4th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian Parliamentary Delegation of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the fourth part of the 2016 session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and its parliamentary mission to Malta, the next country to hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, held in Strasbourg, France, and Valletta, Malta, from October 10 to October 19, 2016.

[Business of Supply, March 21st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I asked this question to one of the member's colleagues this morning. I wonder if she could tell me what her party means when its members talk about the middle class. Who is the middle class?

[Business of Supply, March 21st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the member could tell us who the middle class is.

[Bullying, February 23rd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to rise today to recognize the achievements of a young leader in my riding.

Scott Smith is a 10th grade student at Orangeville District Secondary School and he lives with Asperger's syndrome. Scott was bullied as a young boy and has since dedicated himself to combatting bullying.

In grade 5, Scott developed a website to poll students on bullying, hosted an anti-bullying T-shirt design contest, and raised funds to bring guest speakers to his school to educate students on the effects of bullying.

Scott's education program has reduced incidents of bullying at Belfountain Public School by 50%. Schools in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Kentucky, and Colorado have expressed interest in Scott's program.

Scott is currently developing a community unity program, which aims to bring the local police and the community together to put an end to bullying.

Please join me in congratulating Scott and wishing him well on his future endeavours.

[Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, February 21st, 2017]

Madam Speaker, I do not really have a question, but I want to congratulate the member for an excellent summary of the problems of people who have ALS. As the member may know, I have a private member's bill outstanding to make June amyotrophic lateral sclerosis month. If I ever get a chance, I hope to do that.

The member gave an excellent summary of the problems and how we have an obligation to make the public aware of this terrible disease. We saw Mauril and the problems he had. I have never seen the disease move so fast as it did with him. On the average, the disease takes about four years, but for him it seemed to just come out of nowhere.

[Report Stage, November 28th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I asked this question of the member previously, and I hope he has had a chance to revise his answer.

Seniors today know that this bill will not help them one iota, not a bit. How do we tell seniors today that this bill is not going to help them?

[Petitions, November 28th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by a number of representatives from my riding of Dufferin—Caledon, particularly veterans from the Orangeville Legion, who are concerned with the plans for the 150th anniversary of Confederation, which is approaching next year. They point out that medals have been issued previously, in 1867, 1927, 1967, 1992, and awarded to deserving Canadians to commemorate Confederation and the 60th, 100th, and 125th anniversaries of Confederation.

These petitioners, who are citizens of Canada, are calling on the Government of Canada to issue a commemorative medal as part of the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Confederation.