Tim Uppal

[Volunteer Firefighter, April 21st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to honour one of my constituents, Mr. Walter Tomaszewski, a volunteer firefighter with the Fort Saskatchewan Fire Department for the last 62 years. Mr. Tomaszewski started in April 1947.

Walter was a soldier from 1942 to 1945, fighting for Canada and the Allies in World War II. While stationed overseas, Walter met Alice, his future wife of 62 years. Walter and Alice have raised seven children, all in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.

After the war, he attended Alberta College, where he became a bookkeeper.

Walter no longer responds to emergency calls, but he does attend every Tuesday evening practice and is the department's historian.

I want to take this moment to recognize Mr. Tomaszewski's contribution to the community of Fort Saskatchewan and to his country. It is people like Walter who make me proud to be a Canadian.

[Points of Order, March 13th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as you know, I was cut off during my member's statement before my time was up. I agree that decorum is very important in this House and it should include S.O. 31s. I respect your position as the Chair to preside over that. I would also ask you to look at Hansard. I was simply pointing out the fact that the Liberal Party and the Liberal leader were stalling the economic action plan. That plan is very important for Canadians. This is a fact. What I was saying was in no way a personal attack on anyone.

[The Economy, March 13th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians across the country are feeling the pain of the global economic downturn. Under the leadership of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, the government put together an economic action plan to lead Canada through these difficult times.

Could the Minister of State for Transport please provide the House with details on how this government is getting money out the door and providing jobs for Canadians?

[The Budget, March 13th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, my research has shown me that fear of criticism is usually caused by an intense negative experience from one's past, perhaps a sponsorship program that did not go so well. A major symptom of this fear is having difficulties with decision making out of fear of being criticized. For example, let us say the Liberal leader said he would support the economic action plan. Then he said he may not. Then he said he may. Then he said he may not. Then he had his senators hold it up. Once he actually read the plan, he forced his senators to pass--

[Points of Order, March 12th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order with regard to the issue of statements by members, also known as S.O. 31. As you will be aware, both myself and the member for Beauport—Limoilou were cut off during our one minute statements by the Chair.

I am aware of a ruling you made earlier today, Mr. Speaker, with regard to decorum in this chamber, and I agree that ensuring the decorum of the House is extremely important. However, I draw your attention to the debate of May 31, 2006, when the former Liberal member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River, Ken Boshcoff, rose and virulently attacked the current Prime Minister during statements by members.

The former Liberal member for Brant, Lloyd St. Amand, also attacked the government and former staff members of the Prime Minister's office in statements by members on June 7, 2006, which you could find in Hansard.

Members of the Liberal Party continued these attacks throughout statements by members that day and on subsequent days, which I am sure you could review in Hansard.

There are numerous other examples from the Liberal Party over the past months and years, attacking members on this side of the House, members of their staff, and many others to which you did not intervene or rule were out of order.

I am only asking that the rules be applied equally to all members.

I believe if you review the blues from today's statements by members, Mr. Speaker, specifically my intervention and the intervention by the member for Beauport—Limoilou, you will find only quotations from past members' statements published in the public domain, such as yesterday's Edmonton Journal, which quotes the leader of the official opposition. Even taking into account the ruling made by yourself earlier today, I do not believe that my statement or that of the member for Beauport—Limoilou, come close to the line of what you set out earlier today.

Expressing opinions on quotations from the national media is what we do in the House every day and constitutes robust debate. We may not like to be reminded of what we have said in the past, but Canadians who elected us to sit in the House have every right to hear our statements and opinions on the issues of the day.

If we cannot quote each other in this chamber, if we cannot express our opinions, then what is this chamber for?

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I would ask that you take the time to review the blues and come back to the House with perhaps more clarification for members on what can or cannot be said, since I do not believe that my statement or that of my colleague have gone beyond the standard you set out this morning.

[Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, March 12th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, an article in yesterday's Edmonton Journal raises serious concerns about past comments made by the current Liberal leader.

It quotes his book Blood and Belonging, in which he states, “Ukrainian independence conjures up images of embroidered peasant shirts, the nasal whine of ethnic instruments”. The Liberal leader goes on to say, “My difficulty in taking Ukraine (its sovereignty) seriously goes deeper...I'm also what Ukrainians call a Great Russian, and there is a trace of old Russian disdain for these 'little Russians'.”

These offensive statements are unacceptable for a man who wishes to lead our country. The Liberal leader's 36—

[Carbon Tax, March 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, last week in Edmonton the Liberal leader continued his attempts to hide from the Liberal carbon tax. Too bad that the carbon tax was the Liberal leader's idea. He first advocated it as part of his 2006 leadership campaign. He said that we needed to “put a price on carbon” and that we have to burden other Canadians who are able to bear energy costs.

During the 2008 campaign, the now Liberal leader, along with the former NDP premier, defended the Liberal carbon tax plan, saying:

We are in complete agreement with our leader, [the member for Saint-Laurent—Cartierville], regarding the implementation of the Liberal Green Shift plan. Like our leader, we have said clearly and consistently that we believe it will be good for the Canadian economy.

Good for the economy? Canadians clearly voiced their opinion just months ago. Try as he might, the Liberal leader cannot hide from his brainchild, the Liberal carbon tax scheme.

[Citizenship and Immigration, February 12th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, during the early 1980s recession, the Liberals cut immigration levels in half. Today we learned that a Liberal senator said that the government should halt the programs of foreign workers. She was not talking about temporary workers but all foreign workers coming to Canada. The Liberal Party must end this ugly anti-immigration rhetoric.

Could the Minister of Immigration tell us the government's position on this issue?

[Bryce Keller Memorial Bursary, January 29th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend one of my constituents, Sarah Keller, a member of the Canadian Forces, who has created a bursary at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.

On August 3, 2006, Corporal Bryce Keller, Sarah's husband, was killed in a firefight in Kandahar. He was awarded the Medal of Military Valour for his actions. I am honoured to inform the House that the Corporal Bryce Keller Medal of Military Valour Memorial Bursary will annually allow a student at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology to pursue his or her dream of higher education.

I ask the House to recognize the great sacrifices the Kellers have made on behalf of all Canadians.

[The Budget, January 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member forgets to note that this economic crisis was not created in Canada. It started in the U.S. and has gone across, and Canada has been affected.

This is one of the quickest budgets to come forward. It is a budget that will help Canadians. Money will flow. We have met with the provinces and have agreements in place to make sure that infrastructure money will flow. We have reduced red tape and we have eliminated the need to duplicate certain procedures--