Blair Wilson

[Carol Harry, November 3rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, a great woman in my riding passed away from cancer recently.

Carol Harry was a remarkable woman with an incredible heart. Born of the Squamish Nation, she was an integral part of the whole Squamish community. She carried herself with dignity and grace.

Carol always had a wonderful smile for everyone, and was always friendly and generous with others. She could truly fill a room, enchanting everyone with her warmth. No matter what challenges she faced throughout her life, Carol always had time to help others. It is no wonder that she was so widely looked up to by the entire community.

Some truths can only be known firsthand. Carol Harry has shown us just how warm, generous and strong someone can be, no matter what the circumstances. Carol will be greatly missed.

[Business of Supply, November 1st, 2006]

Mr. Chair, as part of the Conservative government's $18 million cut to literacy, British Columbia, and in particular Literacy BC, will lose support for a number of specific activities, including training and development for literacy practitioners in the field and a project working with community literacy groups to define and measure outcomes for their work. This government cut will undermine the ability of literacy groups to measure and to be held accountable for the results.

Why does the government keep talking about accountability and then turn around and cut programs that create accountability?

[Minister of Public Works and Government Services, October 23rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, that was not a real answer. Once again, we get nuanced answers and double-talk whenever we ask straightforward and direct questions.

The Minister of Public Works promised Canadians that his appointment to the other place was a short term fix. The fix is getting longer by the day. Will the Minister of Public Works take this opportunity to prove that he is not afraid of the people and show some accountability and run in the next byelection?

[Minister of Public Works and Government Services, October 23rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Works and Government Services promised that he would run as a Conservative candidate in the Montreal area in the next election. The constituency of Repentigny is even closer to Montreal than the minister's current senatorial division. It sounds like a perfect fit.

Will the Minister of Public Works leave his comfortable seat in the Senate and let the people of greater Montreal decide whether they want him to represent them in cabinet or whether they do not?

[The Environment, October 19th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, Strange things are done in Ottawa for fun
But the strangest that's ever been done
Was an MP who tried
To make Kyoto die
The MP from Spruce Grove--Edmonton.
She started her job with a wink and a nod
To green Canadians from coast to coast
But one moment later, she said see ya later
To programs that helped out the most.
From cutting out RPPI and slicing WPPI
To deep sixing things like EnerGuide.
The cuts barely paused to examine the cause
Yet still she sits beaming with pride.
Now she's all a twitter with a new clean air fritter
She's baked with nary a care
For a fact that she's fiddling
While all Canada's burning
'Cause gasses are cooking our air.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, strange things are done in Ottawa for fun
But the best I hope to see
Is a night on the Hill when we'll all kill this bill
And shame that Spruce Grove MP.

[Business of Supply, October 19th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I listened intently to the comments of the hon. member. I have a couple of questions and a comment.

Judging from the details of his speech, how narrow an approach the Conservative government has taken to many difficult problems and specifically with respect to the economy and the finances of this country.

For the past 13 years, the Liberal government that was in charge of our economy recognized that it had to take a balanced approach. It had to cut taxes, it had to pay down debt, and it had to enhance productivity. We need to take a balanced approach and attack all three. We cannot just focus on one.

What that has produced over the last 13 years is a record $13.2 billion surplus that the Conservative government has now inherited. It has also inherited the lowest interest rates in Canada, the lowest unemployment rates in Canada, and a booming economy.

I would like to draw the hon. member's attention to the fact that it was because of a balanced approach to deal with debt reduction, tax reduction and productivity.

Why does his Conservative government refuse to listen to Canadians and take a balanced approach but instead takes a narrow approach? It increased spending to the military, cut government programs, and actually increased taxes to those at the lowest level of our economy.

[Literacy, October 17th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives are failing to tell the truth about trashing adult literacy programs. They say adult literacy is important, then they cut $17.7 million in what, literacy training.

The Prime Minister brags about $80 million spent on literacy, but wait a minute, that is $17.7 million less than when he started.

The Mike Harris President of the Treasury Board denies ever saying government should not be trying to do repair work after the fact. Then he is caught on tape.

This is a Prime Minister who cuts the heart out of literacy funding at the exact same time his wife is raising charity money for literacy.

When it comes to adult literacy, how can Canadians not conclude that this minority government is failing to tell the truth?

[Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Act, 2006, October 17th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, what we need to ask ourselves is whether this is a good deal or a bad deal. On the face of the fact that we have been winning case after case against the United States and the fact that duties have been dropping from 23% to 8.5%, why would anyone, let alone Conservative politicians, accept a deal where we would give up $1 billion and increase duties to our own producers?

[Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Act, 2006, October 17th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question seeing as he is one of the few Conservatives who is willing to come to the House to debate this important Canadian issue today.

The question comes down to this. We have a floor crossing minister who imposed an artificial deadline for himself that he had to meet. Why, when one goes into negotiations, especially with the United States, would one impose a deadline on oneself?

[Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Act, 2006, October 17th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, it gets back down to those three key points, but before I go into those three key issues, the question we all have to ask ourselves is, why would the Conservative government capitulate to a deal right now? We are winning in the courts. We have been winning in the courts. The rate at which duty has been applied has been consistently dropping from 27% to 11% to 8%, and now as of last Friday it was going to go to 0%.

I ask the Conservatives to rethink the process here. We have been winning every single court case that we have entered into.

At the same time, they decide that they want to now get in bed with the Americans and say that maybe they will capitulate to a deal. Of the $5 billion-plus that was our money in the first place, that is owed to the producers of Canada, they will leave $1 billion on the table for the Americans and $500 million of which can be used any which way they want. Then they come to Parliament to see if they can ram this down parliamentarians' throats.

We all need to stand up and say no, this deal is not good enough for Canada. It is not good enough for the House of Commons and it is definitely not good enough for our industry.