Anthony Rota

[Quilting, February 24th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Annie Boomhour, a resident of North Bay, whose business Homestead Stitches and original quilting patterns will be featured in the May edition of the Quilt Sampler.

The Quilt Sampler is a U.S.-based publication which has been profiling North America's top quilt shops for the past 13 years. Over 3,000 contestants were asked to submit a detailed application of their history, business promotions, charitable work and design philosophies.

At just 25 years of age, Annie already has a well-established reputation for her unique sewing kits and creativity, and now her talents have helped Homestead Stitches earn recognition as one of the top 10 quilt shops in North America. Annie will be the only Canadian quilter being featured in the upcoming publication.

On behalf of the people of Nipissing—Timiskaming and all hon. members, I would like to extend my sincerest congratulations to Annie Boomhour on being honoured for her work and wish her continued success as a business owner in downtown North Bay.

[The Economy, February 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, either the minister is not listening to northern Ontarians or he just cannot be bothered. The mayor of Sudbury says that they are not getting the help they need now and there is no hope of any help in the future from the government.

Last December the Prime Minister went to unprecedented lengths to save his own job. Will he explain to northern Ontarians why he has not done the same for them?

[The Economy, February 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, this week Léo Montpellier, his wife and their children were devastated by layoffs in Sudbury. Another 680 families are also in the same situation.

Contracts and promises were made and broken, while the government stood idly by and watched these families lay abandoned.

Why does the Prime Minister ignore thousands of families across northern Ontario like the Montpelliers?

[Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Region of Northern Ontario Act, February 10th, 2009]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-309, An Act to establish the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Region of Northern Ontario.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Westmount—Ville-Marie for his support.

I am pleased to present my private member's bill, which looks to establish the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the region of northern Ontario. The purpose of this bill is to promote economic development, economic diversification and job creation in communities in northern Ontario.

In light of what has gone on in the last budget, we see a differentiation between agencies and programs. It should be equal. There should not be one area having a superior status over another.

Regional development is crucial to the people of northern Ontario and my bill is designed to ensure that FedNor will not be subject to any more cuts or face the threat of elimination altogether by the current Conservative government.

I look forward to the successful passing of this proposed legislation.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Winter Carnival in North Bay, February 6th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the largest francophone festival outside Quebec. I am referring to the Carnaval des Compagnons, held every year in North Bay. This year's event, the 46th carnival, will take place from February 6 to 15.

Since 1963, the Carnaval des Compagnons has brought together the francophone community in my riding. This cultural and social activity is a major event in the life of the community. For 10 days in a row there are all sorts of shows, sporting events, plays, traditional meals and a wide range of family activities.

For many, the centrepiece of the carnival is Bonhomme Carnaval, the mascot of the event, whose identity is never revealed until the last day.

The North Bay Carnaval des Compagnons is a magnificent festival that celebrates francophone culture. I want to congratulate this year's organizers and encourage all Canadians to put on their toques and mittens and come enjoy the carnival.

[The Budget, January 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, when I hear of highways 11 and 17 being under construction I start to get excited because I travel on those highways on a regular basis, whether it is from Ottawa to North Bay or North Bay up to New Liskeard and they are the most dangerous stretches of highway around.

What has been promised by different governments, and I am not going to point out one colour or another, but different governments have said they would put the money on the table but the provinces have to match it or come to the table. This is the Trans-Canada Highway.

Will the funding be for all the work or will there be a condition that will prevent the work from being done? We have seen where the province does not have all the money and ends up not doing the work or the work does not get done because one of the two partners does not have the money.

We are seeing it in the infrastructure setup right now and many municipalities are complaining about it.

[North Bay Jack Garland Airport, November 28th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the North Bay Jack Garland Airport is currently one of only 15 airports in Canada which boasts a 10,000 foot runway and it is used as an official alternate landing site for instances when flights are unable to land in Toronto or Montreal.

Runway 08/26 is nearing the end of its lifespan and requires resurfacing. Rather than resurfacing, Transport Canada wants to reduce the runway to 6,500 feet. It is worth noting that according to current estimates, the cost of reducing the runway length from 10,000 feet to 6,500 feet is significantly more expensive than maintaining the current length.

The importance of maintaining the runway cannot be overstated. Not only does it provide for a safe, reliable alternate landing site, but it also provides endless potential for economic growth throughout Nipissing—Timiskaming.

The new Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities must review this matter carefully and pledge his support for the resurfacing of the full 10,000 foot runway at North Bay Jack Garland Airport.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, November 25th, 2008]

Madam Speaker, this is a question which has come up many times. Why have the Conservatives not brought anything forward? It was one of the promises they made a long, long time ago. This was going to be their platform. They were going to eliminate the gun registry. Well, nothing came up, just like many other promises they made. They just did not bring it forward.

Based on what they bring forward that will determine which way I vote. To have a blank statement that says I am going to vote a certain way on a certain issue, any fool would say he or she is going to vote one way or another without seeing it. However, we have to read the detail and find out exactly what the Conservatives want to do. They have made some promises and brought out topics and bills that really do not make a lot of sense. Initially something might look good, but when it comes down to the vote we have to look at the details. I will look at whatever the Conservatives bring forward and I will vote accordingly.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, November 25th, 2008]

Madam Speaker, infrastructure is one of the areas that we have to promote and get going. Infrastructure is one of the areas where the more money we put into it, it will grow and stay in the country. What happens with some of the throw-away incentives from the Conservative Party is that people might get an extra $100 a month, but it often goes to products that are made abroad. So it helps retail a bit, which is important, but with infrastructure investment, there is money that gets built in and the money gets spent locally and is invested and reinvested. By the time it hits retail, it has actually expanded to more than the original investment.

Part of that infrastructure really does have to take place and help trade across the border. When we look at the United States, it is our greatest trading partner. In this particular case, we have to do everything to increase trade and facilitate that trade, so that there are no barriers between the two countries. Increasing trade and allowing trade to go smoother is definitely something that has to be considered and improved upon as part of the complete infrastructure program.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, November 25th, 2008]

Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Winnipeg South Centre.

I am pleased to rise today to participate in this debate and stand before the House on behalf of the people of Nipissing--Timiskaming in response to the Speech from the Throne.

Before addressing the content of the speech itself, I will take this opportunity to thank the people of my riding for their continued support. My success in the recent election campaign would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of hundreds of volunteers who assisted in my re-election bid and the thousands who turned out to vote for me on election day. I want to make it clear, however, that I am not simply here to represent those who voted for me but every constituent in my riding.

I take great pride in being the member of Parliament for Nipissing--Timiskaming and I will continue to work extremely hard to ensure that the needs of my constituents are being properly addressed by the current Conservative government.

This responsibility begins today, Madam Speaker, as I convey the views I have received from the people in my northern Ontario riding. They believe that this Speech from the Throne does not satisfactorily respond to a number of issues that are important to them.

And so, in a spirit of cooperation and with the hope of working together with my colleagues from other parties, I would like to touch on three key areas during my speech. I hope that the Conservative government will recognize the importance of these issues and will immediately treat them as top priorities.

The first and most pressing issue is Canada's ailing economy. In less than three years, the current Conservative government spent more money than it brought in. The Prime Minister made the decision to leave no buffer, no room to manoeuvre to help to protect our country's finances in the event of an economic downturn.

Canada is now in a vulnerable position, on the edge of recession. Canadians expect the government to present a plan to help our economy in these difficult times. This plan should protect Canadian jobs, houses, savings and retirement funds.

Both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance are trying to blame a global economic crisis for Canada's ailing economy. The truth is they must be held accountable for putting Canada on the brink of deficit. The current economic downturn did not start last month but nearly a year ago. We know that Canada had the worst performing economy in the G-8 for the first half of 2008.

Canadians recognize that it did not have to be this way. Canada could have been better prepared by maintaining its reserve fund and investing wisely in increased productivity and creating jobs.

What exactly happened to get us where we are today? In just two short years the Conservatives have squandered $12 billion in surplus that was left to them by the previous Liberal government. They also got rid of the $3 billion contingency reserve, their rainy day fund used for economic downturns which are here with us now. This is the money that could have helped Canadians in need by creating jobs, stimulating the economy, and addressing seniors' pensions without going into a deficit.

It is also worth noting that the Prime Minister currently heads the biggest spending federal government in Canadian history. It increased annual spending by $40 billion in just three budgets while at the same time generating less revenues than ever before, and called this good management.

Let us not forget that just a day after the finance minister signalled pending public service cuts the Prime Minister increased the bulk of his cabinet by 20%. Now this sends a contradictory message to Canadians who are told that they have to have leaner, tougher times.

Despite the increased size of the Prime Minister's newly minted cabinet, the three ministers responsible for regional economic development agencies, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Western Economic Diversification have been reduced. They no longer have a minister. They now have a minister of state, which is a junior position. This is in the midst of an economic crisis where the regions of the country are most vulnerable.

Of even greater concern to the people of my riding is the fact that the agency for northern Ontario, FedNor has been downgraded and absorbed into the industry portfolio. This is in addition to the fact that the Conservatives have slashed FedNor's annual budget by nearly $7 million since taking office. This serves as a clear indication that the Prime Minister and his Conservative government eventually intend to scrap the program altogether.

The importance of regional economic development programs such as FedNor cannot be overstated. An example of economic development that should be examined is North Bay's Jack Garland Airport. It is currently one of 15 public airports in Canada that boasts a 10,000 foot runway. It is often used as an official alternative landing when flights cannot land in Toronto or Montreal or other larger airports. This ensures safety for passengers and pilots, and it is an economic engine for present and future growth to the city of North Bay and the surrounding areas.

Now the government wants to shorten the runway to 6,500 feet. It is worth noting that according to current estimates the cost of reducing the runway from 10,000 feet to 6,500 feet would be about the same amount. The financial change would be negligible but the real change would be a shorter runway that could not be used.

This is a file that has to be examined. I am confident that in the end common sense will prevail and North Bay will keep its 10,000 foot runway for both the safety of Canadians and the economic growth of northern Ontario.

That brings me to my next point: infrastructure. Canada is facing an infrastructure deficit of billions of dollars. We must invest at once in order to reduce this deficit, and we must partner with the provinces, territories, cities and communities. In these difficult economic times, we, the Liberals, understand that the government must allocate funds to the industries that increase our ability to compete and that also create decent, well-paying jobs for Canadians.

Ensuring that Canada has high quality sustainable infrastructure to meet the needs of Canadians is a critical part of managing our economy. It was in fact a Liberal government that launched the first infrastructure program that created the new deal for cities and communities, which provided a GST rebate to municipalities and transferred the equivalent of 5¢ of every gas tax to municipalities for investment in infrastructure. We recognize that provinces, territories and municipalities need long-term predictable funding to eliminate the infrastructure deficit that faces the country.

The government needs to provide better access to services that are essential to fight against poverty. We need programs such as affordable housing, universal child care and public transit. Unlike the Conservatives, whose ideology leaves no room for vulnerable Canadians, Liberals believe that when we invest in every Canadian, Canada succeeds, not only socially but economically.

Also of grave concern is that the Conservatives have given no indication that they will reverse the cuts that they have made to the arts programs. Currently, there are about 1.1 million jobs that flow from cultural industries. Conservative cuts continue to undermine that important part of the Canadian economy. What is worse is that the finance minister has publicly acknowledged that the cuts were nothing more than political decisions.

The people of Nipissing—Timiskaming, and indeed all Canadians, expect and deserve more when it comes to dealing with our current economic crisis.

My Liberal colleagues and I recognize that greater investment in infrastructure, regional economic development, and addressing the growing deficit in social spending are keys to stimulating Canada's failing economy.

Just before he came to Ottawa, the current finance minister left Ontarians with a $5 billion deficit. He made a mess of Ontario's books as finance minister and now he is looking to do the same thing for Canada. Canadians know that it does not have to be this way.

The Liberals are a party that conquered the $42 billion deficit created by the last Conservative government and we are the party that set the country on a track of unprecedented growth prior to the current government.

I look forward to working with colleagues on all sides of the House to ensure that investment in economic development, infrastructure and social programs are part of a comprehensive strategy to reverse the ongoing trend of Conservative fiscal mismanagement.