Albina Guarnieri

[National Flag of Canada, February 15th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, today Canadians celebrate National Flag of Canada Day. Forty-three years ago the maple leaf flew for the first time over this Parliament and the nation it represents.

Today presents an opportunity for all Canadians to reflect on what our flag represents.

As we all share this iconic symbol, the national treasures and common values it signifies are shared with all of us. We all feel the respect and friendship the maple leaf attracts when we travel abroad. We all cherish the universal education and health systems that we share at home. And we all honour the current and future veterans whose sacrifice gives future generations the freedom and privilege that comes with life under the maple leaf.

On this National Flag of Canada Day, I ask all my colleagues to join me in celebrating our past achievements, as well as looking ahead toward an exciting future that we will share under our common flag.

[The Environment, February 5th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, last year the federal government added only confusion and confrontation to the provincial equalization formula, which remains devoid of national objectives.

Meanwhile, there remains no effective national program for reduction of greenhouse gases by provincial power producers. Now is the time for an environmental equalization program.

For an investment of little more than one-tenth of the surplus announced in the fall, the government could provide provinces with $5,000 per gigawatt hour of clean energy and deduct $5,000 for every gigawatt hour produced from coal and half of that amount for natural gas. This would reward provinces such as Ontario that have committed to get out of coal and would provide a powerful incentive to provinces rich in natural gas to stop using coal as their primary source of power.

An environmental equalization program would link federal transfers to the national challenge of the century and it would be a vehicle to reduce Canada's greenhouse gas emissions.

[Canadian Forces, February 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General's latest examination of military health care proves that the government is failing Canadian soldiers returning from Afghanistan. Uncertified health practitioners are not allowed to treat civilians but are allowed to treat soldiers while a shortage of resources has forced many to go outside the military for medical help.

How can the government claim it is standing up for our soldiers when their health care service is breaking down?

[Government Policies, December 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party chose to abstain from voting on last month's economic statement because the government has itself abstained from acting on the crucial issues facing the nation.

The cost of employing Canadians is now 50% higher in U.S. dollars than it was just five years ago. The pressure on exporters to cut costs and cut jobs is growing. Yet the government remains so oblivious that it is actually trying to boost imports from Korea with an unfair trade agreement that will cost Canadian jobs.

On the environment, a $14 billion surplus did not shake a dime free to support action on climate change. The government could have given the provinces more green for being green by providing a cent for every kilowatt hour of green energy they produce, but there is not a penny for our thoughts if our thoughts are about the environment.

The government has had a surplus of opportunity, but suffers a deficit of direction on the crucial issues of our time.

[Identity Theft, November 26th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, last week the government claimed to be addressing identity theft without touching industries that traffic in surreptitiously obtained personal information and credit histories.

There is nothing to prevent retailers from violating the privacy of customers by selling purchase histories, unlisted phone numbers, and credit information to U.S. based telemarketing firms.

Worse, these firms are under no legal obligation to reveal the source of credit histories they purchase to target Canadians for U.S. credit card companies. Regrettably, the same information that makes someone a candidate for pre-approved credit also makes the person a candidate to be a victim of fraud.

I ask the government to take immediate steps to prevent companies from selling personal information without obtaining consent.

If the government is serious about curbing identity theft, it cannot allow a free for all in the possession and sale of the ammunition that makes identity theft possible.

[Infrastructure, November 13th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, in Canada, nation building is about building our cities into stronger economic engines and better homes, but instead of cities growing stronger, they face a crumbling future under a $100 billion municipal infrastructure deficit and a federal government that refuses to share its record surplus.

Last week, when they appealed to Ottawa for investment, the Conservative government effectively told our cities to get out of town. And now Mississauga's Hazel McCallion has told property taxpayers to expect huge tax increases to fill the funding void left by Canada's new government.

I call on the government to stop choosing short term vote buying over long term nation building and start funding the future by funding our cities.

[Remembrance Day, November 2nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, last Remembrance Day, 28 young Canadians serving in Afghanistan were among those who stood to honour fallen friends and a century of sacrifice by our nation's veterans.

This Remembrance Day, they are among those we pause to remember. They are among the more than 116,000 Canadians who have given their lives in the wars of their time so we could have peace in our time.

In their silent moment on November 11, Canadians should reflect on the price of the peace that surrounds them and remember that every year lived in freedom is a year owed to a veteran.

[Sri Lanka, June 13th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, after a year during which the Sri Lankan army killed humanitarian workers and bombed civilians, we learned last week that Tamil civilians had been driven out of the capital at gunpoint.

When international groups protested these mass expulsions, the Sri Lankan defence secretary accused the international community, especially the U.K. and European nations, of bullying his country over human rights.

Meanwhile, the Government of Canada has remained relatively silent, and has not followed the lead of Great Britain, Germany and the United states by cutting off aid to Sri Lanka.

It is time for Canada to finally suspend aid and trade until the Sri Lankan government starts respecting the human rights of Tamil civilians.

[Veterans Affairs, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is a broken record defending his broken promises.

In addition to stalling a $3 billion election promise on agent orange, the minister has reversed his pre-election position that agent orange disability claims should be automatically approved. In fact, in just the last fiscal year, over 700 agent orange claims have been rejected while only 19 have been approved.

Why has the minister taken so long to deliver so little after promising so much?

[Veterans Affairs, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister told Nova Scotians that if they wanted him to keep his word, they would have to go to court.

Veterans affected by agent orange are already going to court as the Prime Minister continues to stall a compensation package in cabinet.

I ask the Prime Minister, will he finally pay up, or does he plan to betray veterans the same way he betrayed Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Saskatchewan?