Lost his last election, in 2011, with 25% of the vote.
Supply February 8th, 2000
Madam Speaker, I wonder why more members across the floor do not take their questions outside to the media.
People see through what the opposition is saying but they are very concerned that the hard earned tax dollars they give to the Government of Canada are well looked after by the departments within government. What assurances can the minister give my constituents in Haldimand—Norfolk—Brant that the money is well spent and is going toward the things for which it is meant?
Supply February 8th, 2000
Madam Speaker, I have looked at the motion put forward by the opposition party on this issue. I have also listened to a number of remarks in the House over the last couple of days during question period.
As a member of parliament who represents one of the ridings which has one of these 37 so-called boondoggles, or billion dollar mess-ups that the opposition likes to say, I would like to explain to people exactly what the one is in my riding. The Fanshawe College, with the help of Human Resources Development Canada, got a grant of $19,800 to promote summer student jobs.
I am in a rural area with a lot of small communities. It was Fanshawe's responsibility over the last couple of years to go to the small communities to promote summer student employment. It did a very good job.
When it came to reporting time, Fanshawe College came to HRDC and said that it was an educational institution and that it want to know what it should do about the GST in terms of its input cost. It wanted to know if it could claim back 100% like it had in other areas.
Because Fanshawe College was one of the 475 projects that was picked out, the auditors came from Montreal. They went through the college's books and said that everything was fine, but that it could only claim 50% of the GST not 100%. So Fanshawe College had to give back $200 in GST. That is one of the 37 examples that those people across the floor keeps saying is mismanaged money.
Summer jobs for students is vitally important in my riding. The jobs that Fanshawe College has provided, and the jobs that the department and the minister have provided in terms of more money going toward summer student employment, has helped my riding and the young people living there.
Hearing that fact, does the hon. member not agree that without knowing all the facts on these cases the motion put forward by his party is a little off base?
Employment Insurance December 15th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for bringing this matter forward tonight. I would encourage him to come to the foreign affairs committee, which has discussed this issue in the past a number of times. His colleagues on the committee might remind him of the times that we discussed this issue at the foreign affairs committee. It is a very important issue for Canada.
In his intervention the member raised the anti-dumping investigation on live cattle which was recently concluded by the United States. It is important to say that the International Trade Commission ruled that Canada's shipments of live cattle are not injuring the U.S. industry. Therefore, dumping duties will not be assessed. The Government of Canada is very pleased with this decision.
As an export driven economy, Canada is concerned with the use of trade remedies such as anti-dumping by growing numbers of countries. These measures can significantly impair access to foreign markets. In this regard we recognize that there is scope for improvement in the rules which allow considerable discretion by investigating authorities. That is why we are seeking multilateral negotiations to clarify anti-dumping rules.
Agriculture December 3rd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, that is somewhat funny, coming from the Reform Party which is the only party in the House that did not support the united position of all farm groups across the country on a strong united front for Canada to stand up to the European Union and for Canada to stand up to the United States in terms of export subsidies.
In Seattle today the Minister for International Trade and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food are in very important meetings doing exactly that.
Trade December 3rd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member likes to quote President Clinton. Let me also quote him. He said “We know that countries which have opened their economies to the world have also opened the doors to opportunity and hope for their own people. Where barriers have fallen, by and large, living standards have risen and democratic institutions have become stronger”.
The hon. member should know that the Canadian government supports core labour standards. The Canadian government at every opportunity at the ILO stands very forcibly on this issue. The fair rules of the WTO are good for Canadian jobs, good for Canadian labour and are certainly good for the Canadian economy.
Trade December 2nd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian government and the Minister for International Trade are in the forefront on this issue in trying to get the Europeans and the Americans to get rid of their export subsidies. It is those export subsidies which are hurting Canadian farmers.
Why is it that his party is the only party not supporting the united front of all farmers across this country which supports the position of the Canadian government at the WTO? Why is his party the only party not supporting that united front?
Trade December 2nd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, it is somewhat surprising that the hon. member's question is inconsistent with his party's position. How can he on the one hand say that the Government of Canada should be giving more aid to western Canadian farmers when on the other hand his party is asking us to let go of all the barriers that protect some of the farmers in eastern Canada?
This party stands for all Canadian farmers and we will continue to do that around the international trade table.
World Trade Organization December 2nd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should know, if she has read the standing committee report in this regard, that the standing committee wanted the federal government to make sure there was more co-operation between the WTO and the International Labour Organization and, in terms of the environment, to make sure that environmental standards were high on our list.
The Government of Canada has certainly done that. It has brought forward these issues and has supported the idea at the WTO that there be a working group on labour so that we can talk about these issues and make them a priority in the WTO.
Trade November 29th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, our agenda for the world trade talks is to get access to those markets and at the same time to make sure that our social programs are protected.
At the same time, the hon. member knows there are other avenues in which Canada takes a leading role in making sure that human rights are protected. In fact, the Prime Minister, the Minister for International Trade, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs on many occasions have stood up internationally to make sure that child labour and human rights issues are at the forefront of the agenda.
Ontario Legislative Internship Program November 29th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I welcome eight members of the Ontario Legislative Internship Program to Ottawa, a program in which I participated during the early 1980s. Similar in nature to our own program, the Ontario interns, who are recruited in a competitive process, provide valuable assistance to members of the Ontario legislature.
An integral part of their program is the unique opportunity to visit Canada's federal and provincial legislatures to strengthen their understanding of the parliamentary system at both levels of government.
During their stay in Ottawa they will attend several conferences on the parliamentary system and meet with many members of different political parties.
I encourage all members of parliament to join with me in recognizing the importance of such internship programs in shaping our political future and our community leaders. Please, if members see them wandering the halls, stop and say hello.