House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 73% of the vote.
Atlantic Accord June 7th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, in March 2005 the current Minister of Fisheries and Oceans said about the Atlantic accords, “You cannot ever turn your back on your province on an important issue like this”. It seems the principled stand he flirted with at that time is a distance memory.
How can he and the whipping, flipping, hiring and firing minister from Nova Scotia explain why they turned their backs on their provinces when they voted against the accord two nights ago?
Africa June 5th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, what the Conservatives do not understand is that nobody believes them anymore.
Day after day they preach about real decisive action but they do not even have a clear plan of how they will achieve these targets.
Some leader. What is the government planning to do? We had a pledge of $2.8 billion. It came up with $2.1 billion. Why is the cupboard bare in the government's own estimates for aid to Africa?
Africa June 5th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to hitting international targets, Conservatives shun greenhouse gas reductions but have no qualms about giving us foreign aid reductions. Instead of a firm commitment to Africa, we are getting nothing but cookbooks, monopoly money and now international obstruction from this good for nothing Conservative government.
Bob Geldof said, “I think that's a shame for Canada to take that role.” Why is the Prime Minister, this so-called leader, turning Canada into a G-8 reprobate?
Employment Insurance Act June 1st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Malpeque for being here this afternoon and raising that question.
Yes, the Conservatives asked questions. They asked questions at committee. They said there were other programs, but there are no other programs. There are no other government programs. The other program is welfare, and if someone has a home and a car, that person cannot get welfare. As well, getting onto a disability pension takes a year. They also mentioned insurance systems. For the average person who works in a Tim Hortons shop or in a fish plant, there is nothing for them.
The excuses are getting watered down. I really think that the Conservatives know this is a good bill. It is too bad, because they should have done the right thing and had it in their last budget. They knew it was coming. If they wanted to take credit for it, they could have taken credit for it and put it in their last budget, but they did not do that.
I have talked to many members from the Conservative Party who believe in this bill. I will not name them in this House. Like the member for Malpeque said, every MP across this country has constituents coming to their offices on this issue, and they are finding out these people are losing their cars, et cetera.
One of the most important things we find out about people who get cancer and need chemotherapy is that on top of all the treatment and finding the money for the drugs they are hit with the financial stress. That was brought up in committee by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society. These people have undue stress, which complicates their recovery and prevents them from getting well.
There are no excuses for why we cannot have this bill passed. Our country is doing well. These people have contributed. They have paid in. The employers have paid in as well. Employers believe in this bill.
I think that one of the most important things I can do in this House is to bring this bill forward. A lot of MPs agree with me. I hope in my heart that before the year is done we will have some changes in the EI system to accommodate these people.
Employment Insurance Act June 1st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I am glad that this question has been asked.
There are two ways of looking at this bill. Yes, it is going to cost the EI program. The cost varies. As we realize, a study was done by HRDC, and also by the committee, I might add. It could vary from $300 million to $500 million so it is probably around $400 million. The cost depends on whether everybody fills the whole amount of weeks.
More importantly, it has been found in most European countries that bridging workers when there is illness is a net benefit to society. They are not lost in the welfare system or the pension system. When we bridge them through that sickness to health, they come back to work. Those countries are finding that time and time again. Especially in our society, where there is going to be a shortage of workers, we could keep these sick workers and help them through.
At the end of the day, it is a net benefit to our society. That is why the government should support it.
Employment Insurance Act June 1st, 2007
moved that Bill C-278, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (benefits for illness, injury or quarantine), be read the third time and passed.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to begin the third reading debate on my private member's bill, Bill C-278, an act to amend the Employment Insurance Act. This bill, if adopted, would extend the maximum period for which benefits for illness, injury or quarantine may be paid from 15 weeks to 50 weeks.
Unfortunately, our rules in this House dictate that unless this bill gets the necessary royal recommendation from the Conservative government the question on the motion for third reading will not be put. In other words, the bill will die.
I cannot understand why the Conservative government will not allow this bill to proceed, as the majority of members in this House have supported this bill at second reading and have endorsed it again at report stage.
The Conservative government is aware that we have received support from across Canada and from all 308 ridings. The Conservatives all realize there is support from across Canada for this bill. We have received support from doctors, nurses, oncology departments, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and, most importantly, from constituents all across Canada who are battling illness and whose EI benefits have ended.
I am pleading on behalf of all those people across this country who need our help and I am asking the Conservatives to find it in their hearts to do the right thing and give this bill a royal recommendation.
Africa June 1st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, that is not so. The government makes announcements but the money is not actually going out.
At the 2006 G-8 meeting, the Prime Minister committed $250 million in new funding for AIDS but only $50 million was allocated in the estimates. We do not even see if the money is flowing.
Why is Africa taking a back seat with the government?
Africa June 1st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, at the upcoming G-8 meeting, aid to Africa will be discussed because it is widely agreed that not enough is being done.
The previous Liberal government had a comprehensive plan responding to the new partnership for Africa's development and money was flowing out.
The government has yet to act on its promises to Africa and is no doubt set to make more empty promises.
When will the government stop talking about Africa and start acting and keep its promises?
Afghanistan May 30th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the foreign affairs committee we heard shocking expert testimony about the failures of the government dealing with aid in Afghanistan.
The CIDA minister is bungling Canadian initiatives in development abroad by not delivering the proper aid. Her pitiful response yesterday was an embarrassment to Canadians and to our troops.
When will the Prime Minister show some real progress and real development instead of partisan photo ops?
Fisheries Act, 2007 May 29th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I have to apologize. I should have mentioned, because it is very important, our inland fisheries and our recreation fishers. They will be greatly impacted by the bill.
What I saw in their eyes was concern and fear. They are looking at their MPs and saying that we have a big opportunity to make right things happen for them and for the next generations.
At a lot of town hall meetings, we saw two generations. It could be a guy who started in a little dory and built up a business. He might be 70 or 75 years old. His son and his grandson are there. They are all thinking, what about the next generations? Will there be something there? They are looking at us and telling us to stop for one minute and bring this back to the table.
It is amazing how knowledgeable the fishers are about how the committee works. The fisheries committee came to their communities. They have a lot of faith in it. They want it to go back to committee and then they would like their representatives to make presentations and travel the country.
I have never heard a fisher yet say to me “Let us get it done now. Push it through”. Fishers want to wait a year. They want to have proper consultation. They entrust us as MPs to do that. They are proud that we have hoisted it and we are pushing it forward to do the proper consultation.