John Godfrey

[Softwood Lumber, April 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the Prime Minister and his representative do not realize this but, like all ministers, they are supposed to negotiate on behalf of all Canadians, and not on behalf of the American softwood lumber industry.

I therefore ask the Prime Minister the following: now that we have seen the catastrophic results of the negotiations in which the Minister of International Trade took part, is the Prime Minister going to ask him to sign on as a lobbyist for the American lumber producers, since the minister already seems to be working for them?

[Softwood Lumber, April 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his representative can try to justify this sellout deal all day but the fact remains that industry leaders and people in Ontario who made their livings in the softwood lumber industry know that our province has been sold down the river and jobs will be lost.

Why did the Prime Minister back down from his earlier stance of demanding a return of 100% of the illegally collected duties on Canadian softwood lumber from the United States? Why did he leave $1.5 billion in the hands of American lawbreakers?

[The Budget, April 26th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, this has nothing to do with the budget. Agreements have been signed with the provinces. The money has been spent. It is also worrisome that the NDP appears all the more willing to trade electoral prospects for billions in social programs.

When it comes to last year's budget, we have flip-floppers to the right and sellouts to the left. How are flip-flops, sellouts, and budgetary secrecy supposed to instill confidence in Canadians just days before the budget?

[The Budget, April 26th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, last May the Prime Minister tried to make the government fall by voting against the budget.

Now, in another flip-flop by this government, the Prime Minister is trying to implement $3.8 billion from that very budget.

Will the Prime Minister admit that he has already committed most of this funding, which according to him was a pact with the devil?

[Question No. 191, November 14th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, negotiations are ongoing with Manitoba for the sharing of federal gas tax revenues with the province’s cities and communities. As stated in the budget plan 2005; “In each large urban centre, investments will be targeted to one or two of the following priorities: public transit, water and wastewater, community energy systems, and treatment of solid waste. In smaller municipalities, eligible funding will be considered more broadly to provide flexibility to meet priorities. In all municipalities, some funds may also be used for capacity-building initiatives to support sustainability planning.”

Projects for roads and bridges may be eligible for funding through the Canada strategic infrastructure fund. For example, the federal government contributed $13 million dollars through the Canada strategic infrastructure fund to the Winnipeg Kenaston underpass project for the construction of a railway underpass and other associated roadwork.

Under the Canada-Manitoba municipal-rural infrastructure fund, “local roads” (including bridges) are an eligible category.

[Aboriginal Veterans, November 4th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, it seems ironic that this question should be put today after the Minister of Veterans Affairs has just returned from Europe with an interparliamentary group to honour aboriginal veterans. The focus of today's ceremony in the Senate was precisely to honour aboriginal veterans.

[First Nations Oil and Gas and Moneys Management Act, November 3rd, 2005]

moved that the bill be read the third time and passed.

[Air Canada Public Participation Act, November 3rd, 2005]

moved that Bill C-47, An Act to amend the Air Canada Public Participation Act, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

[Municipalities, October 17th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, our involvement in the infrastructure initiative is based on dividing up priorities into three groups, namely national, provincial and municipal priorities, in an attempt to find a common ground and to work together by uniting our efforts to achieve the same goal and the same objective.

[Municipalities, October 17th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, we have always respected provincial jurisdictions when it comes to municipalities. At the same time, since our cities and communities are the target of our social, environmental and economic efforts, we should work closely with Quebec departments to understand Quebec's priorities at the municipal level and support them in the area of infrastructure, among others.