Loyola Hearn

[Fisheries and Oceans, June 18th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's question is actually a pretty good one.

First, let me ensure that everyone knows the EU itself has not banned or will not ban seal products. It has admitted that the seal hunt is conservationist. Second, it is looking now at the humaneness of the hunt, and we hope to be able to prove that also.

Individual member states, some of them including Belgium, have banned seal and seal products. This is a serious precedent. We cannot put up with it and we will take action.

[Equalization Formula, June 18th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, let me assure the hon. member of a couple of things. First, clear commitments were made to provinces. Second, if we talk about relations, it takes two to tango. We have been trying to do the dance but we are not getting much go ahead from our partners.

Let me also say that in relation to squid, squid is known mainly because it moves backward. This government is moving forward.

[Equalization Formula, June 18th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question but let me point out a couple of things. If he looks at what others say, including other agencies, about the report put out by APEC, they say that the figures it used and the projections it made are certainly not accurate.

I would also let the hon. member know that the commitment has been made that no province will be disadvantaged by the government and we will stick to that.

[Atlantic Accord, June 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I would just say to the hon. member that for his weekend reading he should go through the budget and list the things in the budget that benefit him and his people. He should look at the benefits to the people of Canada.

The crowd opposite are almost as bad as the premier at home. They overlook all the positive things that are done and they will take one little issue and start nitpicking. They lost their credibility a long time ago.

[Atlantic Accord, June 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I suppose the best answer I could give him is that we had a very poor example to build on.

However, the financial structure being put in place by this finance minister and y this government puts the country back on a solid financial footing, which is a place it has not been for at least 13 years.

[Atlantic Accord, June 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, a couple of quick things. First, certainly no cuts at all to adult literacy, and second, the Atlantic accord is fully protected.

If the Premier of Newfoundland, instead of nitpicking, bitching, complaining, demeaning and accusing, would develop the Hebron project, the Hibernia South project and the Lower Churchill, we would be the highest non-receiving province.

[Atlantic Accord, June 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, it is quite clear that an error was made in the letter. For that, certainly, we apologize. Anybody else would have recognized that, made a quick phone call and got it straightened out, because the budget sets clearly in front of everybody the parameters.

However, Mr. Williams as usual has made a charade of it and has gone to the press, and of course it is much ado about nothing.

[Fisheries and Oceans, June 14th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, one of the places in our great country, which is very near and dear to my heart, is Prince Edward Island. I have spent a lot of time there dealing with the fishermen.

I have a number of letters, including three “thank you” cards, signed by hundreds of fishermen for helping them out. I even helped put some wharves in the member's riding.

The quotas were set based upon history. That is the right and proper way to do it.

[Atlantic Accord, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the hon. member and his colleagues who sit on the backbenches and snipe whenever they have a chance, we are the ones who do stand up for the province.

We have never denied that in our blue book as government we said to the provinces that we will take non-renewable resources out of the equalization formula if they wanted it. It was the provinces that said to us, “We do not want it. Give us a formula that is predictable, that is fair”. We gave it to them. It is called the O'Brien formula.

[Business of Supply, June 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, let me say to the hon. member, I have been around politics for a long time. I entered provincial politics in 1982. I have been involved in politics since I could walk. There was not a campaign in my riding in which I did not participate, and I ran in 98% or so of them.

I have been around, so let me say to the hon. gentleman, ever since I have been involved in politics I have served under a number of leaders. I have served under two premiers, and I have served under two or three leaders here in Ottawa. At no time did any of them ever try to dictate to me what to say or what to do. I would like to think it was because of two reasons. One, they know I am a stubborn Irishman and two, they do not have to because I try to do what is right and principled. Never has anybody told me what to do or say in this or in any other place, except maybe at home.