House of Commons photo

Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word was afghanistan.

Last in Parliament March 2011, as Liberal MP for Etobicoke—Lakeshore (Ontario)

Lost his last election, in 2011, with 35% of the vote.

Statements in the House

International Co-operation February 15th, 2011

Mr. Speaker, the minister is tied up in “nots”. She did not listen to her officials. She did not take responsibility. She did not tell the truth. She did not have the integrity to resign.

How can the Prime Minister not demand her resignation?

International Co-operation February 15th, 2011

Mr. Speaker, I did not receive an answer.

The minister cut funding to a religious, Christian organization that is doing a good job. She then altered a document to misrepresent her relationship with her bureaucrats. She also misled the House.

How can she still be a part of cabinet?

International Co-operation February 15th, 2011

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of International Cooperation cut funding to a reputable church organization, then doctored a document from her officials to make it look as if they agreed with her judgment when they did not, and then she misled the House. This is conduct unworthy of a minister.

My question is for the Prime Minister. What consequence will the minister face for misleading the House and the Canadian people?

Taxation February 9th, 2011

Mr. Speaker, we have tax breaks for the richest corporations. We have tax hikes for small business. We have no break for the ordinary middle-class family. Family care is too expensive. The government is spending 40% more over the last five years and has no credible plan to get this deficit under control.

The whole story just does not add up. When will the Prime Minister listen to Canadians and reverse these reckless economic choices?

Taxation February 9th, 2011

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister will have to explain to the country how the country cannot afford family care, but it can afford billions on prisons and billions on jails.

The Conservatives' tax cuts will benefit only 5% of Canada's richest corporations. Small businesses are not getting anything. Worse yet, their payroll expenses are going up. Small businesses are paying more so that corporations can pay less.

How does the Prime Minister justify that?

Taxation February 9th, 2011

Mr. Speaker, the government is pressing ahead with corporate tax cuts that Canadians do not support and the country cannot afford.

Borrowing $6 billion to hand out to the richest corporations in the country makes no sense when it has just landed the country in a $56 billion deficit.

When will the Prime Minister listen to Canadians, reverse those corporate tax cuts, and give middle-class Canadians a break instead?

Canada-U.S. Relations February 8th, 2011

Mr. Speaker, I would assume the Prime Minister would respect Canadian law, but that is not the issue. The issue is how much private information the Canadian government will hand over to the Americans in the harmonization of entry and exit systems. It is a question to which an answer should be given.

Will we keep control over who gets into Canada in terms of our immigration and refugee policy and will the Prime Minister bring this deal to Parliament before an agreement is signed?

Canada-U.S. Relations February 8th, 2011

Mr. Speaker, these vague answers do not reassure Canadians. There are fundamental questions about the rights of Canadians to which the government has no answer.

I repeat the question: what biometric information on Canadians will the Conservatives surrender to the Americans? When will the Prime Minister tell Canadians and Parliament the truth?

Canada-U.S. Relations February 8th, 2011

Mr. Speaker, a perimeter security deal that has harmonization of entry and exit standards will confer on the U.S. government unprecedented amounts of information about Canadians. I do not think the Prime Minister is being straight with Canadians about this issue. The deal would impose U.S. homeland security standards on this side of the border.

Why is the Prime Minister even contemplating the surrender of Canadian privacy rights to U.S. homeland security?

Canada-U.S. Relations February 3rd, 2011

Mr. Speaker, first we have the Minister of Public Safety telling us that he does not know anything about the security side, then we have the trade minister saying that he does not know anything about the trade side and now we have the Minister of Foreign Affairs saying that he knows nothing about anything.

This is becoming a stealth deal and a bad stealth deal at that. Bad stealth deals are bad for Canadian democracy.

Why is the Prime Minister and the government refusing to tell Canadians what they are negotiating behind our backs?