Andrew Scheer

[Finance, January 31st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, of the many scandals that have plagued the Liberal government since it came to power in 1993, one of the most disgusting was the stripper scandal that took place in November and December last year. The minister of immigration has since resigned, not out of any respect for ministerial responsibility, but to try to save her own political career.

There have been many contradictions from the then minister of immigration as well as from many government officials. We have seen the disgusting habits of ministerial staff doing business in strip clubs to get those permits issued for erotic dancers.

Canadians need to have confidence in their government in every department. The government has allowed legitimate immigrants to wait for unacceptable lengths of time while erotic dancers are fast tracked into this country.

In November the former immigration minister said in the House, “I was going to bring a book with me, which is thick, full of all the requests I get from all members of the House” for intervention in immigration cases.

In December I asked the former minister to please table the book and a list of all ministerial interventions broken down by riding or postal code. This has not yet been done. Just because the former minister was forced to resign in disgrace does not mean that the House should not see this alleged book or a list of ministerial permits granted.

I would like to know if the new Minister of Citizenship and Immigration is in possession of the book, or has it mysteriously disappeared? Canadians have a right to know how many ministerial permits were issued, especially during the election campaign, and in which ridings they were granted. Is there a disproportionate number of permits granted to immigrants in ridings held by Liberal MPs? That has been raised, I think. The confidence of Canadians has been shattered because of the scandal. It would not be out of the realm of the possible for that to go on in the government.

I would like the new minister to respond to that. Let the House know, will such a report of ministerial permits granted, broken down by riding, be tabled so that all Canadians can know what went on in the immigration department?

[Citizenship and Immigration, December 10th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, we learned yesterday that security officials have confirmed that one of the minister's former staff is being probed for allegations relating to national security. This is really simple. We are not asking her to make comments on the investigation, just to confirm if there is in fact any police investigation, RCMP or otherwise. She knows she is allowed to say yes or no to that.

[Citizenship and Immigration, December 3rd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, this is really simple. Every immigration application has an address on it. Sort the database by postal code and we will know which riding they are in. Even the minister herself could figure that out. We know she is having a bit of trouble staffing her office, but I am sure somebody there knows how to hit “print”.

Will the minister either table her big book of requests or give the House a breakdown riding by riding?

[Department of Social Development Act, November 26th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I have a quick question for the hon. member for Winnipeg Centre.

He spoke a lot about the damage done to his riding when social development programs are not applied equally. However I think the tone of his party in particular is very discouraging. He referred to it as an industry in his riding.

Would the member not agree that the best way to address poverty line issues and child poverty would be to create jobs in the areas that need them, and that instead of having an industry of public programs and social assistance, to pursue economic policies that would actually result in the creation of new jobs?

In my riding in Saskatchewan, which, unfortunately, is under a regime of socialism and communism, the jobs are not there because the policies of the NDP, which we have seen federally and provincially, discourage the creation of jobs and drive business out of those areas and then we see a further cycle of dependence on public programs and social assistance.

[Citizenship and Immigration, November 26th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, how can they keep saying that this matter is before the Ethics Commissioner when these are brand new reports? The lines must really be humming between the minister's office and the ethics office.

Today's reports indicate that the minister's staff read the member for Winnipeg Centre a list of applications from his riding and implied they would be denied if he attacked her in the House for her role in fast tracking visas for strippers.

These new tactics further undermine the credibility of the minister. Does the Deputy Prime Minister support and condone these actions?

[Supply, November 25th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I know my hon. colleague is as committed to freedom and the fundamental rights of Canadians to property rights as I am.

I would like him to speak to the heavy-handedness of the Liberal government of the day, taking property away from farmers, who, in many cases, had purchased the land and had lived on the land for generations. For no valid reason, other than the political will of the government at the time, it took the land away. Liberals are so famous for grandiose schemes, these white elephants like the gun registry. They have wasted land on which people have grown up.

Could the hon. member enunciate the fact that the property rights of these people were so tragically dismissed by the government?

[Ukraine, November 24th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I too want to add my voice to the unanimous sentiments of the House in condemning the actions of those who would usurp the democratic process in Ukraine.

As anyone in Saskatchewan knows, there is a large Ukrainian community there. A very large number of immigrants came to Saskatchewan and helped build that province. As Saskatchewan celebrates its centenary in 2005, we recognize that community in particular played such a key role in building Saskatchewan. Almost every small town in Saskatchewan has some link with the Ukrainian community, so there is a very significant emotional attachment with the people. In my riding in particular, across Canada and in large cities like Toronto, the Ukrainian population has come out. I know back home people are very concerned as well, and that is important for us to realize.

Canada needs to stand and protect democracy around the world. That is why I am encouraged by the debate tonight. We need to send a clear message to the world and to those who would usurp the democratic process, like in Ukraine, that they stand alone. Those people who would take away the rights of voters, who would usurp the process, regardless of the country in which they are, need to know from the government and the country that they stand alone in that.

People of eastern Europe and Ukraine have for generations lived under the cloud of tyranny and dictatorship, going back throughout the Soviet years and during the war when the threat of fascism was so close. Finally, for the past couple of decades, we have seen democracy get a toehold and start to entrench itself there. This is a direct threat on those accomplishments.

On that note, I want to reiterate that Canada needs to send a clear message to the world and to those in Ukraine who would usurp the democratic process that we are opposed to that. We believe in due process. To those people of Ukrainian descent living in Saskatchewan, in Regina--Qu'Appelle and throughout Canada, everyone in the House thinks this is a matter of great importance.

[Food and Drugs Act, November 24th, 2004]

Madam Speaker, I want to briefly make a few comments.

In my riding, in particular, we have seen some of the effects of fetal alcohol firsthand. We know that it affects many of our communities in Regina--Qu'Appelle, both urban and rural parts.

I am very encouraged to hear the constructive comments about addressing the serious issue in terms of education and in terms of getting the message out to our young people: that drinking during pregnancy can cause such horrible effects.

[Supply, November 18th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, my main concern with this motion, and I am often concerned with anything that comes from the socialist party, is the idea that the government is here to be every Canadian's nanny, from cradle to grave, helping Canadians along the way with every decision in their lives. We do not trust them to make decisions on what they eat, and this is another example of that.

The hon. member made some comments that the market is incapable of responding to the desires of Canadians for healthy lifestyle choices.

It did not take an order in council for fast food chains to provide a healthy alternative from burgers and fries to subs and other types of meals. It did not take a government order to get soft drink companies to provide low carb alternatives. It is clear that Canadians are quite capable of effecting change in the nutritional industry by sheer market force, by demanding a change.

It is very important for all members in this House to realize that government has a scope.

Does the hon. member agree that there is a natural scope of government, that it is not here to be the nanny for every Canadian from the time he or she is born to the time he or she dies, in all elements of his or her life?

[The Senate, November 18th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, in a few days voters in Alberta will have the opportunity to vote for candidates running to be that province's next senator.

Prior to the election campaign, the Prime Minister made several statements indicating that he would work to end western alienation and bring about real Senate reform. However, like all his promises, they lasted only as long as the 36 day writ period. Just as his promise for 5¢ a litre to cities and municipalities and his promise to allow the Atlantic provinces to keep 100% of their offshore resources, his commitment to addressing the democratic deficit has evaporated.

Recent statements by his cabinet stating clearly that the government will not appoint the successful senatorial candidates is Liberal backpedalling at its finest. Far from being one of his dozens of top priorities for the Prime Minister, ending western alienation is clearly on the back burner. As long as the government does not trust Canadians to choose their own representation in the Senate, the democratic deficit will continue to grow and western Canadians will continue to be alienated from the Liberal Party.