Julian Fantino

[Victims Bill of Rights Act, February 20th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to thank the hon. minister for his work, and the team's work, with respect to the background and consultations. I was present with the minister at one of these consultation processes in my own area, where we had educators, parents, and police officers. The overwhelming support that came forward, I believe, has certainly been reflected in the construct of this bill.

Drawing on my own experience over some 40 years in law enforcement, I can say with all honesty that this bill has been a long time in the making. The whole issue of victims' rights has been neglected over many years. The overwhelming majority of effort over the years has been in the area of the victimizers, the accused, the kinds of rights and entitlements to which the accused are given from the beginning to end of their involvement in the system.

I would also like to indicate that the bill is nothing new; it is something that the system has been trying to do. However, what is new is the mandated codification, if you will, of processes, regards, and concerns about the plight of victims and their role in the judicial system.

I would like to ask the hon. minister if he could briefly highlight the degree of consultation and involvement of partners in the criminal justice system that has enabled him and his people to deliver what I believe is a timely, long-awaited, and badly needed address of our victims' plight in the system.

[Privacy, January 28th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, this government will track all foreign-based threats that pose a risk to Canadians. In accordance with the law, data collection is focused on foreign entities to protect Canadians against terrorism and cyberattacks.

The CSE commissioner has found that all of CSE's activities are within the confines of the law and within the authorities provided to it. Canadians expect us to do no less, and we will continue doing so.

[Privacy, January 28th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, having spent over 40 years on the front lines combatting criminals and terrorists, I am honoured to use my experience to help Canadians who are working hard to safeguard not only our country but also our people.

CSE's foreign signals intelligence plays a vital role in revealing the efforts of foreign terrorists to carry out attacks against Canadians here and abroad. These CSE actions have been sanctioned by the commissioner, who has indicated that its actions are lawful.

[Veterans Affairs, December 11th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, as recently announced, there are a number of initiatives that we have undertaken that will in fact address the mental health situation. This is something that we have been doing all along. There are initiatives under way that will enhance service delivery at the front line. There are new clinics and expanded clinics being put in place.

We have been responding and we will continue to do that for the mental health needs of our veterans and their families.

[Veterans, December 11th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, we have brought in real services and real programs for our veterans, and we will continue to do so in spite of the NDP voting against all of these things.

The reality is that the New Democrats keep voting against every program or measure that we have brought forward. They voted against disability and death compensation, earnings lost and supplementary retirement benefits and the veterans independence program.

There are no lessons to be learned on this side of the House from that party which votes against the very things we are trying to achieve for our veterans.

[Veterans, December 11th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, all of us on this side of the House are proud of the fact that we have been, and continue to, looking after the needs of our veterans and their families. We do that through the delivery of programs and services.

Let me give the House just one example where the NDP voted against a program, and that was disability and death compensation benefits for our veterans. The New Democrats voted against that.

[Veterans, December 11th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the work that we on this side of the House have been doing, while the opposition constantly votes against our programs and services for veterans.

We opened or announced new front-line medical facilities for veterans' mental health. We are working with family resource centres to support medically-released veterans and their families. We have shrunk the application and the paperwork to deliver more services upfront for our veterans. We have created new monthly financial benefits totalling thousands of dollars each year for seriously injured veterans.

The opposition votes against all these things.

[Veterans, December 11th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, since the advent of the new veterans charter, what this government has done consistently year after year, while the opposition has voted against it, is enhance the benefits, the services and the delivery of programs for veterans and their families.

We have been delivering for our veterans. We continue to do so, while the opposition opposes everything we do.

[Veterans, December 11th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we support our veterans. The reality is that we voted for many of the benefits and services for veterans and their families.

However, let me just inventory a few of the items that the Liberal Party voted against. They are the veterans independence program, the earnings lost benefit, the supplementary retirement benefit, the financial support program, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, career transition services, the disability allowance, and many more.

Again, the hypocrisy is more than anybody can really believe.

[Veterans, December 11th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, we have brought in real services and real programs for our veterans, and we will continue to do so in spite of the opposition voting against every one of those items.

The reality is that those members voted against disability and death compensation. They voted against the earnings loss and supplementary retirement benefits. They voted against the veterans independence program.

I hardly think we need to take any lessons from a party that says one thing and does exactly the opposite.