Andrew Telegdi

[New Canadian Program, October 27th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the New Canadian Program, an organization in my riding of Kitchener--Waterloo, has received one of 20 Citation for Citizenship awards.

This honour is given every two years to groups and individuals from across the country which have demonstrated exemplary citizenship by assisting newcomers to Canada to successfully integrate into Canadian society.

New Canadians are part of our labour market future and successfully integrating them into our communities and our workforce must be a priority.

For the past 13 years, the New Canadian Program has assisted close to 1,500 professional newcomers to Canada in connecting with businesses that can use their skills. Of these clients, 65% to 75% have found employment in their related professions.

Congratulations to the New Canadian Program and continued success in the future.

[Committees of the House, October 6th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 12th report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration and citizenship issues entitled, “Updating Canada's Citizenship Laws: It's Time”.

In tabling this document, the committee calls on the government to fulfill its commitment in the throne speech to present the House with a citizenship act. We have had three previous attempts at reforming the citizenship laws since 1997 which were Bill C-63, Bill C-16 and Bill C-18.

In concluding, citizenship is the most sacred covenant between the citizen and the state and it is time we had citizenship laws that reflect that reality.

[EinsteinFest, October 4th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics is hosting North America's most comprehensive event marking the 100th anniversary of Albert Einstein's miracle year of 1905.

EinsteinFest is taking place until October 23, 2005 at the institute's award winning research facility in Waterloo, Ontario. Perimeter Institute's EinsteinFest is a spectacular event that celebrates Einstein's most pivotal year by exploring our rapidly changing civilization and setting his prolific contributions in context with the science, philosophy, politics, art and music of the day.

Einstein's pioneering accomplishments of 1905 are being commemorated worldwide as part of the world year of physics 2005, a United Nations endorsed international celebration of physics.

More than 30 nations are participating in year long festivities to highlight the importance of physics in the coming millennium and inspire a new generation of scientists, Einsteins of the future.

[Committees of the House, June 28th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, discussions have taken place between all parties with respect to the 11th report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration which I tabled in the House yesterday concerning the request by the said committee for a 30 day extension to consider Bill C-283.

Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find consent for the following motion. I move:

That the 11th report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, tabled in the House on Monday, June 27, 2005, be deemed concurred in.

[Committees of the House, June 27th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 11th report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration on an extension of 30 days to consider Bill C-283, an act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Immigration and Refugee Regulations.

[Petitions, June 21st, 2005]

Madam Speaker, I have two petitions to present.

The first calls on the government to recognize the last group of Vietnamese boat people as refugees under the country of asylum class and allow the resettlement of some 500 individuals on humanitarian and compassionate grounds during the 2005-06 fiscal year. These signatories are from across Canada.

The second petition asks Parliament to increase the quotas for parental sponsorship admissions and reduce time for sponsorship applications.

[An Act to Authorize the Minister of Finance to Make Certain Payments, June 20th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I listened to the hon. member and I cannot help but think that he is practising voodoo economics. I really wish at some point in time that the Conservatives would stand up and repent that they are responsible for $300 billion of the debt.

We are going to be paying something like $23 billion to finance that portion of the debt. Somehow they reinvent history. In nine years they had nine deficits and added $300 billion to the debt. In 12 years, after we were able to turn the ship around, we had eight surpluses, and much of the money was used to pay down the debt.

When is the member going to stand up and say that members of the Conservative Party repent for their sins and recognize what they have done, and look to the government for good fiscal management?

[An Act to Authorize the Minister of Finance to Make Certain Payments, June 20th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Vancouver Island North commented that a balanced budget is responsible and to not balance a budget is irresponsible.

We had nine years of Conservative rule in this country before the Liberals came into power in 1993, and I say to the member opposite that by his accounting the Conservative government was irresponsible for nine years. Would he please comment?

[An Act to Authorize the Minister of Finance to Make Certain Payments, June 20th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I really enjoy listening to the economics of the Conservative way. Let us take a look at what happened in 1993 because that is when many of us came here. We had an unemployment rate of over 10%. We had an interest rate which was very high which hurt everyone who had a mortgage to pay. When we talk about tax cuts, we have to keep in mind that people are paying record level low mortgages, so to pay 4% versus 8% on a $100,000 mortgage would equal $4,000 a year.

However, I want to put into perspective the $4.5 billion the hon. member mentioned. We have a one time expenditure of $4.5 billion, but the portion of the national debt that grew each and every year the Conservatives were in office went from $200 billion to $500 billion in nine years, at a cost to each Canadian of $1,500 a year and it repeats year after year. We are talking about investing in Canadians in very critical areas. My hon. colleague mentioned a one time payment of $300, but the Conservative portion of the debt is $1,500 a year, year after year. I wonder if my colleague could put that into perspective.

[Committees of the House, June 16th, 2005]

Madam Speaker, discussions have taken place among all parties concerning the 10th report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration presented to the House on Tuesday, June 7. I believe that you would find consent that the 10th report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, presented in the House on Tuesday, June 7, be concurred in without debate.