House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2006, with 42% of the vote.
Business of Supply May 16th, 2007
Mr. Chair, the reality is that while the minister is announcing new money for museums for students for the summer, her other minister is announcing that they will be cancelled.
Would the minister guarantee, in her new program, that all the kids who will not be working in my riding this summer will get the jobs that she has talked about tonight?
Business of Supply May 16th, 2007
Mr. Chair, it is not a matter of how I feel about it. It is a reality. The hole was in the ground. The building was being built. I think the minister could show the same graciousness as her colleagues, the minister of multiculturalism and theparliamentary secretary responsible for the Vancouver Olympics.
I have a question for the Minister of Heritage. Does the Minister of Heritage realize that all the good being done by her apprenticeship program for museums is being undone by the fact that all students who were going to work in the museums this summer are not going to have their jobs because of cuts that were made by her colleague minister, the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development?
Business of Supply May 16th, 2007
Mr. Chair, the parliamentary secretary responsible for the Olympics acknowledged the work that was done in preparation for the Olympics. The minister of multiculturalism showed the same graciousness. In fact, construction began even before the election.
Would the minister not acknowledge that was the direct result of the 2003 action plan that the Prime Minister denied this afternoon in question period?
Business of Supply May 16th, 2007
Mr. Chair, my first question will be for theminister responsible for official languages. In her opening statement earlier, she mentioned the opening of two official language community centres in Saint John and Fredericton, New Brunswick.
Would the minister acknowledge that those two facilities were in fact the result of the official languages action plan of 2003?
Second Language Education May 4th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate the University of New Brunswick on the expansion of the National Second Language Research Institute. I would like to acknowledge the Department of Canadian Heritage for providing $1.7 million to this initiative and to UNB for providing matching funds.
As a national research centre, it will conduct, publish and circulate research, scholarship and creative work in second language education and provide expert advice to a variety of partners.
New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province in Canada. In my riding the numbers of students pursuing second language education is constantly increasing and is a source of great pride.
This expansion is consistent with the official languages plan, “The Next Act: New Momentum for Canada's Linguistic Duality”, established in 2003.
Professor Sally Rehorick and I have worked together on this project since its inception.
Congratulations to her and to the University of New Brunswick.
Fredericton Climate Change Summit April 23rd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, Climate Change Summit 2007 was held in my riding on April 10 as a lead-up to the launch of Fredericton's planned city-wide greenhouse gas reduction campaign in May.
More than 150 participants attended. Summit attendees watched a dynamic presentation that included the science and impact of climate change, an outline of the city's own current and future GHG reduction initiatives, and details of the status of key GHG emission sources across the city.
It was encouraging to see individuals and groups come together and express themselves on how citizens can help find a solution. Fredericton's plan is to be the first municipality in Canada to achieve Kyoto targets. The campaign will target a 6% community reduction and a 20% corporate reduction in GHGs by 2010.
I am proud of my community and its citizens.
Canadian Forces April 16th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I wish to pay tribute to our fallen soldiers in Afghanistan.
Corporal Aaron E. Williams, 23, and Trooper Patrick Pentland, 23, were from Lincoln and Geary in my riding. Private David Greenslade, 20, Master Corporal Allan Stewart, 30, Corporal Brent Poland, 37, Sergeant Donald Lucas, 31, and Private Kevin Kennedy, 20, all served at CFB Gagetown also in the riding of Fredericton. Corporal Christopher Stannix was serving with the Halifax-based Princess Louise Fusiliers.
I ask the families and friends of those courageous soldiers to please accept our prayers and sympathies.
For our troops still in Afghanistan we send our hopes for a safe return. Canadians are proud of their dedication and unwavering commitment to serving Canada proudly.
Hockey March 26th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, it is a proud day in Fredericton as the University of New Brunswick has captured its second Canadian Interuniversity Men's Hockey Championship.
The Varsity Reds won the University Cup with a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory against the top ranked host, Université de Moncton. It was a sweet win, given les Eggle Bleu knocked off UNB to claim the Atlantic title just two weeks ago in double overtime.
UNB advanced to the national final by edging Saskatchewan and blanking Trois-Rivières. Congratulations to these fine student athletes, head coach Gardiner MacDougall, his staff and the entire athletics department.
Last night's game was another testament to the quality in the Atlantic Hockey Conference. It will be great to see another championship banner hanging from the rafters of the Aitken Centre.
Distinguished Citizens March 23rd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate a number of my constituents who were honoured this week. The Fredericton Chamber of Commerce has recognized four individuals in the annual Distinguished Citizen Awards.
They are: the late Ira Beattie, a founding partner with ADI Group and former head of the University of New Brunswick civil engineering department; family physician and provincial health minister Dr. Russ King; and long time artists Molly and Bruno Bobak. In fact, a street on Fredericton's north side is being dedicated to the Bobaks.
The 16th annual Fredericton Sports Wall of Fame inductees are: former Canadian national team triathlete Elizabeth Seiffert; long time midget hockey coach Kevin Pottle; Minto hockey coach and administrator Bob Deap; and Frank “Mush” Morehouse who is 91 years young, who played senior hockey in Fredericton, Toronto and Quebec from 1931 to 1950.
University of Ottawa quarterback Josh Sacobie has been named Fredericton's athlete of the year.
Commendations to them all.
New Brunswick February 26th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased that Fredericton was among a delegation of communities from Atlantic Canada to visit Ottawa to advance their priorities and concerns. Their projects remain in limbo because of government inaction.
In my riding, there is Fredericton's proposed convention centre, to which we committed $8 million. While the Conservatives said “me too” in the last election, no progress has been made because they failed to replenish the strategic infrastructure fund.
On the route number 8 Marysville bypass, I am concerned that the government is putting feeder routes on the back burner. The people in Fredericton and Nashwaak Valley cannot wait any longer for this safety issue to be addressed.
We have yet to see a new round of the municipal rural infrastructure fund despite the minister's assurances it would be replenished for New Brunswick by December.
Lastly, victims exposed to agent orange and other herbicides at CFB Gagetown are still waiting for the government to deliver on its promise of full and fair compensation.
This minority government is not getting things done in New Brunswick.