Lost his last election, in 2011, with 36% of the vote.
Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act March 23rd, 2004
Mr. Speaker, whistleblower legislation must be seen to be trustworthy and workable by the faithful public servant who may need it.
In the bill tabled yesterday, the government still wants to politically control the independent oversight role of Parliament.
Why is the government insisting on undermining employee confidence in this new office by injecting a ministerial filter for reporting wrongdoing?
Interim Supply March 22nd, 2004
Mr. Chair, would the President of the Treasury Board confirm that the bill is presented in its usual form?
(On clause 2)
Supplementary Estimates (B), 2003-04 March 22nd, 2004
Mr. Chair, would the President of the Treasury Board confirm that the bill is presented in its usual form?
Public Service March 22nd, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I recall that it was the opposition that tabled the first bill.
Joanna Gualtieri was a whistleblower in the Department of Foreign Affairs. Is the government now going to apologize for its abuse of this faithful public servant? Will whistleblowers like her be able to go to the courts if the proposed system fails them?
Public Service March 22nd, 2004
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Privy Council minister. The government finally admits it was wrong for 10 years and whistleblowing legislation is coming because it has been caught and shamed into action, but will the consequences for wrongdoing be powerful enough to change Liberal bad habits? Will the government give up internal controls and have its new system report to Parliament instead of a minister?
Criminal Code February 27th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that my Conservative colleague has brought this matter to the House. We know that breaking and entering a dwelling house is supposed to bring a maximum of life in jail and breaking and entering a business 14 years in jail. That is what we in Parliament have said should be the law of the land, but we know that out in the community there is a great dissonance or discordance between what the law claims to be and then the outfall of the consequence.
To respond to that larger picture, we have often proposed a sentencing grid. It would satisfy all these many circumstances where we find a disproportionate view by the public of the results versus the seriousness of the offence.
In other words, what I am talking about is how it is very easy for the justice system to produce the hierarchy of offences and its list of seriousness and then balance by a lateral grid of the history of the offender: that brings sentencing options to a grid point box. Within that box, it describes the somewhat narrower range of the prescription of what the judge must do.
This is related to the community problem that my colleague is referring to. We want to have personal deterrence, general deterrence and denunciation of the offence, but also some personal rehabilitation. I think the public is outraged about what they observe in the community, which appears to be an inappropriate consequence to the offences specifically related to breaking and entering a dwelling house, which is supposed to bring life in jail.
Perhaps the member could talk a little more about what Canadians want rather than system needs and justice needs: not an academic exercise but what the concerns are. I would like to hear more about the public meeting he had and the sense of anger, frustration and disconnection that he found in his constituents with what the government seems to be able to deliver.
Petitions February 27th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I have a petition on a separate topic. The petitioners pray that Parliament take all necessary measures to protect the rights of Canadians to freely share their religious and moral beliefs without fear of prosecution.
Petitions February 27th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I have a number of petitions to present.
The central theme of the petitioners' request is that Parliament take whatever action is required to maintain the current definition of marriage in law in perpetuity and to prevent any court from overturning and amending the definition.
Committees of the House February 27th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates.
The committee has studied the supplementary estimates (B) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2004 and has agreed to report them without amendment.
Liberal Party of Canada February 27th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the coming election is about quality accountable representation in the House of Commons. Can the taxpayer trust that public business will be administered wisely?
The culture of corruption of the Liberals is descriptive of waste and ingrained behaviour that finds ways to cheat the system. It is called pay-off: get public tax dollars paid to Liberal friends.
Liberals think that politically unconnected average Canadians do not care about what goes on. Liberals calculate that the voter will be forgiving with just a cover of excuses.
It is not an inflated observation to say that Liberals cannot manage the people's business. They have no desire to be accountable at the ballot box in between elections or stay within the democratic bounds of ongoing public consent.
In contrast, the new Conservative Party is inherently democratic. High quality accountable representation that respects the taxpayer is a modest, honest, achievable vision that Canadians can fully support.