Dean Del Mastro

[The Environment, May 18th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the residents of the Peterborough riding to applaud this new government's commitment to a made in Canada solution for the environment.

Under the previous government, air quality in our Peterborough riding steadily declined. Invasive species were permitted to enter our rivers, lakes and streams unimpeded, the result of dumping in our Great Lakes. I am encouraged that this government's commitment is to measurable, positive environmental improvement for all Canadians as opposed to the previous government's commitment to a protocol with no plan on achieving the unattainable targets set out.

As a member of the parliamentary Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development, I look forward to working with the Minister of the Environment in contributing to a cleaner Canada and a cleaner planet.

[Canada-U.S. Border, May 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the former Liberal revenue minister claimed we could not arm our border guards. Remarkably, he said it would make our border guards 3,000 accidents waiting to happen.

While the Liberals think of our border guards as glorified tax collectors, the government understands the importance of their position. Our border guards are the front lines at protecting Canadian borders and deserve to be fully equipped to do that job.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety tell us what is being done for our border guards?

[Business of Supply, May 11th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest to the hon. member's speech and found it very interesting. I agree with him. Canada's record on the environment is deplorable. There is no question about that. We should be doing much, much better, and I believe we will. I believe that the made in Canada plan for the environment will achieve success.

The NDP ran in the last election campaign under the slogan of getting results for people. I think that is a very important slogan. We want to get results for the environment. Will the NDP join us in helping get real results for the people who live in Canada with a cleaner environment?

[Business of Supply, May 11th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I believe the government shares the member's passion for cleaning up the environment and addressing our concerns. In fact, we have an action plan that we want to bring forward.

I sit on the environment committee with one of the hon. members across the way. We look forward to bringing forth some constructive ideas on how we can fix the environment. Would the member be prepared to support the government in positive approaches that will lead to a cleaner environment in Canada?

[Business of Supply, May 11th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a couple of comments on the hon. member's speech.

In Peterborough in 1993 smog was something that we would usually hear about from television stations in California and we certainly never had to witness it. Also, in 1993 emissions in Canada were significantly lower than they are today. We also did not have things like invasive species coming up the Trent-Severn waterway from dumping in our Great Lakes. However, in 1993 we did have a new government come into power and it did not display any leadership on the environment whatsoever.

The hon. member referred to the Liberal government as being a leader. We are second last or last in virtually every key indicator with respect to emissions.

Will the hon. member now admit before the House that the Liberal Kyoto plan was nothing more than a marketing plan and had nothing to do with sound environmental stewardship?

[Peterborough Petes, May 4th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, this being the first time I am rising to formally address the House, I would like to begin by thanking the constituents of the Peterborough riding for placing their trust in me as their representative.

I rise today to pay tribute to my hometown Peterborough Petes. They have advanced to the Ontario Hockey League championship for an unbelievable 14th time in franchise history. This year, the Peterborough Petes are celebrating their 50th anniversary and will face the London Knights in what promises to be a very exciting series. I am proud to report to this House that no other team in major junior hockey has produced as many NHL players as my hometown Petes.

In closing, I would like to submit that Peterborough, Ontario, truly is hockeyville. We love our Petes. We say go, Petes, go, all the way to the Memorial Cup championship.

[Business of Supply, May 4th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I enjoyed listening to what the member had to say.

I am actually very blessed to have a lot of experience in this field and a lot of understanding. My wife is in ECE, as is my sister-in-law. They have a long history of working in licensed child care centres. As such, I have a couple of questions, but first a comment specifically relating to my riding.

My riding is a big winner under this plan. The riding of Peterborough was slated to receive $2.5 million and will now receive about $7.8 million. My riding is very happy as a rural riding to be treated fairly and equitably with other ridings around the country.

I wonder if the hon. member is aware that licensed day care centres often employ people who are not ECEs, people who have no formal training whatsoever in day care. As such, they are no more qualified than anyone else is to provide early learning.

I would like to hear a comment from the member with respect to that.

[Norad, May 3rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I know the Norad agreement has provided safety and security for decades to North America as a whole and that has always brought me, personally, and my constituents a lot of comfort.

I would like to ask the hon. member a couple of things. Prior to 9/11, he made reference to the fact that, with respect to nuclear ballistic missiles, he does not believe there is any threat from those missiles. I believe that on September 11, 2001, we became aware that there are unforeseen threats that Norad can defend us from and I believe that there is a lot of value.

Does the. member intend to support the Norad agreement? Does he appreciate the opportunity for this debate this evening, which I view as a promise kept by our government?

[Norad, May 3rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I commend the hon. member for supporting Norad. It is very important to the defence of Canada and it is something of which I am very proud.

I am also very proud of the government for this debate in the first place, and the fact that this is going to come to a vote. I would like to point out to the member that it is very common in business and so forth for an article of intent to be signed. We certainly see this in real estate and we see it in the automobile industry. Where articles of intent are signed and if certain conditions are met, an agreement is reached. In this case, it would be ratified by a vote in the House and the agreement would come into effect.

Would the member not agree that this is very similar to what we see here, that we are going to respect the will of the House in ratifying this agreement?

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, April 6th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take issue with a couple of things the hon. member indicated in his speech. I found a couple of things troubling.

The throne speech should not be noted for what it does not say but for what it does say, which I think is very dynamic. It really is the direction in which the government is headed. What we saw from the previous government was a government that did not have direction. It listed a large number of items that it could not possibly accomplish in any short order. This throne speech is an action plan for the future. I am very proud of it, particularly the five priorities that matter to Canadians that we carried through the campaign.