Lost his last election, in 2006, with 32% of the vote.
Income Tax Act October 28th, 2002
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-262, an act to amend the Income Tax Act (deductibility of expense of tools provided as a requirement of employment).
Mr. Speaker, this is a very common sense private member's bill. It would allow people to deduct from their income tax the cost of the tools they use in their work. It would be a very credible thing to do in terms of the expense it costs people to do their jobs.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Drug Supply Act October 28th, 2002
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-261, an act to ensure the necessary supply of patented drugs in cases of domestic emergency or to deal with crises in countries that receive assistance from Canada.
Mr. Speaker, this is an enactment to provide for the development of a plan for the supply of drugs to protect the public from biological and biochemical aggression by means of terrorism or warfare. The plan includes the provision for necessary powers and reasonable compensation for drug suppliers and a proposal for any amendments to the Patent Act.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Parliamentary Reform October 28th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister.
A candidate for the Liberal leadership said, in Brandon, Manitoba in 1984, that one of the first things he would do if elected Prime Minister would be to introduce a system of proportional representation. That candidate is now the Prime Minister.
Last week Law Commission of Canda insisted “Public engagement on the issue of proportional representation is essential to maintain a healthy democracy”.
Canadians are ready for this debate. A recent Environics poll said that PR now stands at 62% popular support.
Will the government keep the commitment made to the Canadian people by the Prime Minister and will this be part of his legacy?
Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 October 7th, 2002
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-218, an act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985.
Mr. Speaker, this act would make a number of changes to the Pension Benefits Standards Act. Among those changes, it would also give the members and beneficiaries of pensions in this country some representation on the boards of trustees of the pension funds, on the pension committees and on the pension councils, as well as about five or six other important things I do not have time to enumerate today.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Business Development Bank of Canada Act October 7th, 2002
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-217, an act to amend the Business Development Bank of Canada Act and the Canada Student Loans Act to provide for a student loan system that is more supportive of students.
Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this enactment is to establish the Business Development Bank of Canada as a lender of guaranteed student loans and to provide that student loan interest rates are set at the rate of inflation for the previous year and adjusted annually.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Referendum Act October 7th, 2002
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-216, an act to amend the Referendum Act.
Mr. Speaker,it is a very sensible act. The bill would amend the Referendum Act to allow a referendum to be held on any question relating to the reform of the electoral system and here I thinking about the introduction of proportional representation where the people would have the final say in the kind of system we want in this country.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation October 7th, 2002
Let me explain further, Mr. Speaker. Howard McNutt has ties with both the Liberal Party and Compass Communications. Compass Communications is a member of the Groupaction consortium that is at the centre of an RCMP investigation of government sponsorship contracts. Even more, Compass is one of the firms that has lost its exclusive contract in management sponsorship grants.
My question for the Deputy Prime Minister is the following. Can the government explain why it rewarded Mr. McNutt, an individual with links to a firm currently under RCMP investigation?
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation October 7th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister.
Last week the government announced the appointment of Howard McNutt as the director of the CBC. The press release listed many of Mr. McNutt's previous occupations and stated that he is a member of the board of directors of a number of organizations in the country. What the release failed to mention however is that Howard McNutt's relationship is with the Liberal Party and with Compass Communications, which is a long time Liberal tied marketing agency in Halifax.
Could the Deputy Prime Minister explain to the House why the government made a political appointment to the board of the CBC?
Committee Business and Reinstatement of Government Bills October 7th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, my question is on the same bill, Bill C-61. It is a question I was asked last week by the first nations veterans who came to Ottawa and sat in the gallery for question period. They had a press conference on the Hill. They wonder whether they will be included in Bill C-61 when it comes back before the House.
They were discriminated against after the second world war and the Korean war. Non-first nations people fell under Veterans Affairs and got all kinds of benefits, while first nations people fell under the Indian Act and got virtually no benefits whatsoever. This is a wrong that must be righted. They have made the case for many years. They are now wondering whether, when the bill comes back before the House, there will be clauses included to apologize to them, to provide them adequate compensation and to do justice to the aboriginal and first nations people because of what went wrong many years ago.
They want an answer as to whether that be in the bill?
National Revenue October 1st, 2002
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance as well.
We have just heard from my colleague about how some of the poorest of the poor are being shafted by the government in terms of the disability tax credit. While this is happening, the finance department is now proposing, get this, a tax change that would give a wealthy family in Montreal, the founding family of the Vidéotron company, a $180 million tax gift. They are among the wealthiest of the wealthy in this country.
I want the Minister of Finance to explain this. Why would the government consider giving a $180 million tax gift to a very wealthy family at the same time it is cutting back on a tax credit to the disabled people in this country? That is absolutely scandalous. The minister--