Joe McGuire

[Search and Rescue, June 10th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, both the Ministers of Fisheries and Oceans and National Defence know a young fisherman from the Tignish area in Prince Edward Island, Danny Ellsworth, who lost his life while returning to port from the crab grounds early Sunday morning.

The search for his body by the Canadian Coast Guard was called off the same day. This is totally unsatisfactory to both the grieving family and the community that the Coast Guard serves. The family is deeply disappointed and wants the search for Danny renewed.

Will the minister immediately order the Canadian Coast Guard back in the water to continue the search for Danny Ellsworth?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, May 9th, 2008]

With regard to contracts and investments under the Industrial Regional Benefits (IRB) Policy: (a) which contracts have been awarded by the government since January 1, 2006 that require the prime contractor to make sub-contracts and investments; (b) what were the names of the prime contractor and the clients; (c) what was the description of the contract; (d) what was the contract period; and (e) what were the details of any and all sub-contracts and investments agreed to under the IRB policy, including (i) the name and location of the companies receiving the sub-contracts or investments, (ii) the description, (iii) the value, (iv) the time period, (v) the Canadian content value for each?

[Veterans, May 7th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to the hon. member for Wascana's Fighting Ryans, the Fighting Shaws of Brockton, PEI, in the great riding of Egmont, have “got them beaten” in their contribution to Canada during the second world war.

No less than 10 out of 11 sons of Augustus and Louise Shaw served their country at that time. The recruitment officer rejected the 11th as it was thought that 10 from one family was quite enough.

In fact, there were also four daughters in that family. One, Mae Isabel, also enlisted and married an enlisted man.

Gordon Raymond, Garfield, Bayfield, William, John Avard, Wilfred, John Augustus, Holden Saunders, Perley Sumner, Kenneth Earl, Mae Isabel, Shaws all, and Lloyd Thompson served this country in war and deserve the gratitude of this House.

[Wind Energy Institute, April 30th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Natural Resources is getting out of its meagre financial support for wind energy research in Canada.

Last Friday, the minister for ACOA announced that the cut to the operating budget for the Wind Energy Institute of Canada would be partly restored, to get through the election period, I presume.

Half of the restored cut would come from the regional development agency, so in reality NRCan is restoring one-third of its obligation to the institute. The institute must cut one-third of its operating costs immediately to meet the demands of the federal government.

Why must ACOA take responsibility for a line department's commitment? Where is the 10 year commitment we were led to believe was going to be put in place? Why is the government continuing to fund R and D in the oil sands and carbon sequestration while R and D for wind energy is cut?

In this time of climate change, the government's priorities are upside down.

[Committees of the House, April 17th, 2008]

Be nice.

[Natural Resources, April 11th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the funding for the institute is cut. It is good to have that confirmed by the minister.

I have a supplementary for the Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. The minister of ACOA told me that the wind institute would be the first in line for the next round of centres of excellence projects. How will this happen when the funding is cut?

[Natural Resources, April 11th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, in a speech given in Quebec City on October 2, 2007, the Minister of Natural Resources said:

I have no doubt that the [Wind Energy Institute of Canada] will play a key role nationwide in accelerating the development of wind energy in Canada through research, testing, innovation and collaboration.

How can this be when he just cut the funds for the institute?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, March 7th, 2008]

With regard to contracts and investments under the Industrial Regional Benefits (IRB) Policy: (a) which contracts have been awarded by the government since January 1, 2006 that require the prime contractor to make sub-contracts and investments; (b) what were the names of the prime contractor and the clients; (c) what was the description of the contract; (d) what was the contract period; and (e) what were the details of any and all sub-contracts and investments agreed to under the IRB policy, including (i) the name and location of the companies receiving the sub-contracts or investments, (ii) the description, (iii) the value, (iv) the time period, (v) the Canadian content value for each?

[The Budget, March 3rd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, what the proposal was asking for in regard to the centre of excellence for wind energy was the development of wind technologies for the north and for people who are off the grid, technologies for people with little access to conventional sources of energy. That is what the project was all about.

The centre was asking for a total of $15 million over the five year period, plus the province was going to come in with $4 million. To the little province of P.E.I., it was a major investment that was going to benefit people outside of Prince Edward Island the most, people in developing countries and the north.

[The Budget, March 3rd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad the hon. member for Tobique—Mactaquac enjoyed my speech so much, but I would like him to compare the amount of money that was spent in his riding through the SCIF program to the amount of money that has been spent through the innovative communities program these past two years.

I think he will have to admit that the government of the day spent invested an awful lot of money in the smaller communities in his riding, and not only in the smaller communities in his riding, but at the border, with $1 million put into the entry into Maine. We did not quibble. It was good not only for his riding but for Atlantic Canada to have this improved border accessibility. The facilities were antiquated. We did not hesitate to invest money there.

When it comes to the beef plant, before the federal government would put a penny into the meat plant every provincial government in maritime Canada had to come up with $2 million each. I do not think the Conservatives really thought that the three maritime provinces would get together and come up with $2 million each for a beef plant on Prince Edward Island. I think they were counting on the fact that Nova Scotia and New Brunswick would not take their hard-earned money and put it into a plant in P.E.I., but the Conservatives were proved wrong because they are missing out on the new spirit of cooperation in maritime Canada.

The three premiers are getting together, along with the premier of Newfoundland, and we are working as a cooperative unit. We are working as a region. I would really appreciate it if the federal government would enter into that new spirit and start investing in the centres of excellence and research and development that other parts of this country are enjoying. If so, I think we will see that Atlantic Canada will prosper just as well as other areas.