Karen Redman

[Afghanistan, May 2nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, there are no versions of the truth. The Prime Minister is at the centre of all these contradictions. For two weeks the government has had changing stories on very straightforward questions.

Six different cabinet ministers have given confused explanations on what happens to detainees once they leave the control of Canadian soldiers. They are either providing disinformation or they just do not know. Neither is acceptable.

Our military deserves better and Canadians expect more. When will the Prime Minister take control of this crisis?

[Afghanistan, May 2nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, this detainee debacle continues every day with a different story from the elevator scrums of Conservative ministers.

First, it was the Red Cross. Then it was Correctional Service Canada. Then the allegations were false. Then there were no allegations. And yesterday, the Prime Minister again got involved in this disinformation campaign.

When will the Prime Minister cut loose the symbol of this scandal and fire his incompetent Minister of National Defence?

[Committees of the House, May 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, Liberal members will be voting in favour of this motion. However, I would like to point out that the member for Scarborough Southwest has left the chamber.

[Afghanistan, May 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the reputation of our soldiers in Afghanistan is above reproach. Unfortunately, the government seems to be doing everything in its power to jeopardize our soldiers and Canada's reputation with a new and less believable story every day.

How can this House continue to have confidence in the Minister of National Defence when he will not even stand in his place to defend the soldiers he represents?

[Afghanistan, May 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the government is simply missing the point when it comes to allegations of torture among Afghan detainees. The purpose of respecting the Geneva convention is to protect human rights, including those of Canadian soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

Does the government honestly think Canadians are buying its Bush-style “if you are not with us, you are against us” tactic?

When will the government realize that it cannot pick and choose which human rights are to be respected and stand up for the Canadian Forces serving in Afghanistan?

[April 30th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order and I do this with some regret. I understand my hon. colleague is very sincere in her commercial for the Conservative government, but it strikes me that she may want to refer to her colleagues by their role as minister of their portfolio rather than their names, as that is not proper protocol in the House.

[The Environment, April 30th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, Al Gore and David Suzuki, not to mention every other credible environmentalist in the country, have unmasked the government's global warming plan for the fraud that it is. However, the environment minister still claims that it is a real plan to fight climate change even though it would allow greenhouse gas emissions in Canada to increase for another decade.

This Parliament has written a strong, aggressive plan that would get Canadians real results. When will the government stop thumbing its nose at the will of Parliament and bring back Bill C-30 before the House?

[Broadcasting Act, April 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, while I see that four members were of two minds on this vote, and I appreciate them clarifying it, the Minister of Natural Resources has left and I see another member who is now resuming his seat. Therefore, I would ask that the vote then reflect the absence of the Minister of Natural Resources.

[Afghanistan, April 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the defence minister has a history of misleading the House.

The government refuses to ensure international law is respected and it is putting Canada's international reputation at risk. When will the government admit that once again it has misled Canadians on the issue of Afghan detainees? When will the Prime Minister fire his incompetent Minister of National Defence?

[Afghanistan, April 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government claims not to have known about the abuse of detainees, dismissing them as Taliban rumours, but foreign affairs knew, Madam Justice Louise Arbour knew, the Afghan government knew, and Corrections Canada, with officials on the ground, knew. Even the Prime Minister's floor-crossing personal adviser to Afghanistan knew.

How is it that the only people claiming ignorance sit on the Conservative frontbench?