House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 44% of the vote.
International Trade June 20th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister says that he has made no concessions, but the trans-Pacific partnership negotiations began two years ago. There have already been 12 rounds of negotiations. The Prime Minister said yesterday that he will not try to undo what has already been done.
So the question is: What did the Prime Minister give up to get Canada a seat at the negotiating table?
International Trade June 20th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, for months the Conservative government has been begging to be let into the trans-Pacific trade negotiations. The question now is what the Prime Minister gave up just to get a seat at the table. Did he agree to limit access to low-cost prescription drugs? Did he sell out poultry, dairy and egg farmers by agreeing to dismantle supply management the way he dismantled the Wheat Board?
Could the Prime Minister tell this House right now that he will not limit access to generic drugs and that he will not dismantle supply management? Could he simply tell us for once, yes or no?
Government Accountability June 19th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the culture of secrecy is contaminating the entire government. It uses a budget bill to hide social and environmental changes that have nothing to do with implementing a budget. The Access to Information Act is repeatedly ignored. The Federal Accountability Act guarantees members of the House free and timely access to any financial or economic data in the government's possession, but the Conservatives are refusing to provide that information, despite the legal opinion received by the Parliamentary Budget Officer.
What do they have against transparency? What do they have against accountability?
Government Legislation June 19th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative's plan this spring was to ram their Trojan Horse budget bill through Parliament without anyone noticing what was actually in it. They hid their proposals, but even Conservative MPs can tell us, Canadians are taking notice.
Bringing in another omnibus bill, another ominous bill, to change Canada in ways they never talked about during the election is simply wrong.
Why will the Conservatives not allow MPs to study their proposals properly. Canadians are calling for it, we are certainly calling for it and even Conservative MPs are calling for it. Why will they not show some respect for Parliament? What else will they try to hide this time?
Government Legislation June 19th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, Canadians were right to hope that after yesterday's vote on the omnibus bill, the Conservatives would give it a rest.
Unfortunately, the Minister of Finance admits that he is plotting another omnibus bill for the fall. The Conservatives should learn their lesson.
Will the Conservatives confirm that they are gearing up to make the same mistake again? Will they at least think twice before they start showing contempt for our democratic institutions again?
Government Accountability June 18th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the law is crystal clear. The Federal Accountability Act requires that members of Parliament be given “free and timely access to any financial or economic data in the possession of the department”. That is the law. Financial and economic data sounds like the sort of thing that Conservative members might like to see themselves before they vote on the budget.
Why is the Prime Minister showing his own MPs such blatant disrespect?
Government Accountability June 18th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, they are breaking the law.
The President of the Treasury Board said that he could not give specific information about the cuts because of the unions. Yet the unions have written to the Clerk of the Privy Council specifically asking that that information be made public. MPs are about to vote on this omnibus bill at third reading without having all pertinent information, and even government members are starting to complain. By hiding this information, the Conservatives are wilfully breaking the law. That is an order that only a prime minister can give.
When will the Conservatives start respecting law and order?
Government Accountability June 18th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, once again the Conservatives are trying to hide the truth about their Trojan Horse budget. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has told the Prime Minister's Office that they are breaking the law by refusing to hand over information to Parliament. Now the PBO's legal counsel, among the most respected in Canada, have told the Prime Minister the same thing, saying, “The 64 departments that have not yet provided the requested information to the PBO are not acting in compliance with the act”. This is the Prime Minister's own accountability act that we are talking about.
Why is the Prime Minister breaking his government's own accountability law?
The Environment June 13th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has already admitted that his Trojan Horse budget will be used to slash funding for any group that has the gall to disagree with Conservative policy. That apparently includes the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy because it gives him facts that contradict the decisions he has already made.
Last year, the Supreme Court had to order the Prime Minister to practise fact-based decision making, not decision-based fact making. Why does he keep getting it wrong?
The Environment June 13th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Prime Minister.
Let us get back to the mammoth budget bill. Today, the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy released a scathing report on the Conservatives' failure to take action on climate change.
The report is clear: Canada will not meet its greenhouse gas reductions target and, by not taking action now, the Conservatives will force future generations to pay a high price.
Is the real reason why the Prime Minister is dismantling the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy that it is doing its job well and condemning the Conservative government's failures in environmental policy?