Bev Shipley

[Foreign Affairs, February 26th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, it seems that every day we hear new reports of barbaric atrocities committed the jihadist terrorist organization, ISIL. Sadly, today is no different. According to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, ISIL fighters have now abducted at least 220 Christians in north-eastern Syria.

The deliberate targeting of religious minorities is absolutely unacceptable. I ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs if he would provide Canada's reaction to these latest crimes committed against humanity by the organization called ISIL.

[Anti-terrorism Act, 2015, February 23rd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I found it interesting that yesterday all the newscasts reported that al Shabaab members had come out and threatened areas of our great country of Canada where a great deal of innocent people gather every day. They hate the freedoms we have in our great country every day.

I know my colleague wants to sit down with those people and talk to them about not doing that. These threats are coming through on the Internet and social media from other parts of the world.

The member talked about the need to put resources on the ground. In fact, we have increased our resources for security. We may have stopped some from the top, but we have increased the numbers. The unfortunate part is that NDP members talk about that, but they never stand and support giving them any money or adding people to our security forces.

My question is about our freedoms and at the same time protecting our security. Does the member see any way that they can run in parallel?

[Rail Service Resumption Act, 2015, February 16th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, it is an interesting discussion we are having today, particularly the one that we just heard.

I noticed a lot of focus on rights. One thing I never heard, though, was a reference to rights in conjunction with responsibilities.

The other focus was on 10 hours of work. It is interesting that nurses in Ontario work 12-hour shifts saving lives, and we do not hear about these issues from our nurses. Their standard hours are 12-hour shifts, although they do not work every day of the week.

With respect to the time, the discussions and negotiations started back in November, about three and a half months ago.

Where I come from in Ontario, agriculture and the auto industry are the largest industries. The rail system is used to move grain out west and to bring in fertilizers and potash. The auto industry hires tens of thousands of workers. How do those members feel when those plants shut down and union workers do not have work?

Hospitals in most places up north require the rail system to deliver propane and fuel to run them. How does the member feel knowing that the north does not have the energy to run them, especially on a day like today when it is so cold? I wonder how the member feels about those union workers who do not have a job but likely do have health concerns. How does the NDP plan on telling all these—

[Business of Supply, February 5th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his great intervention and for his understanding of our policies.

I am surprised sometimes by the hypocrisy in the House, though I guess after nine years, I should not be. The NDP is trying in some way to duplicate what we have done, as my colleague across the aisle talked about, with the capital cost allowance and lower corporate taxes. That ship already sailed a long time ago, and New Democrats actually voted against it.

Small businesses are crucial. What makes small businesses? It is the middle-income group, so I would ask my colleague to talk a bit about the new family tax package, not the one issue that the Liberals talk about. What benefit does that package have, not only to small businesses but to the families that own them?

[Petitions, February 4th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition comes about as a result of a documentary that revealed that ultrasounds have been used in Canada to determine the sex of an unborn child and to terminate pregnancies if the unborn child is a girl.

Surveys and polls have shown that 92% of Canadians believe sex-selective pregnancies should be illegal. Different societies are opposing the non-medical use of fetal ultrasounds. Therefore, the petitioners condemn discrimination against girls occurring through sex-selective pregnancy termination.

[Petitions, February 4th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege and an honour to present two petitions today.

The first one follows what was said earlier. Recognizing the interests of public safety, these citizens of Canada want to see tougher laws and the implementation of new mandatory minimum sentences for persons convicted of impaired driving causing death, and a change to the Criminal Code to redefine impaired driving as vehicular manslaughter.

[Petitions, December 11th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present two petitions with a lot of signatures.

The petitioners, citizens of Canada, acknowledge that the current impaired driving laws are too lenient. In the interest of public safety, these citizens of Canada want to see tougher laws and the implementation of new mandatory minimum sentences for those persons convicted of impaired driving causing death.

The petitioners are also calling for the Criminal Code of Canada to be changed to redefine the offence of impaired driving causing death as vehicular manslaughter.

[Committees of the House, December 10th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food in relation to its study of the order of the House referring back to the first report of the committee.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109 of the House of Commons, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

[Taxation, December 2nd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, Christmas and New Year's are fast approaching, and it is time to take advantage of the enhanced children's fitness tax credit. Hockey, ice skating, and other winter sports are high priorities on many children's Christmas wish lists.

Now mom and dad have a large Christmas gift as well. We have doubled the children's fitness tax credit to $1,000 and made it refundable. In addition, families in Lambton—Kent—Middlesex will be able to claim the new family tax cut of income-splitting savings of up to $2,000 a year. They will receive the enhanced universal child care benefit of almost $2,000 for each child under the age of six and $720 for those aged six to 17. They can also start saving receipts for the extra $1,000 per child in increased child care expense deductions.

The Conservative government is about giving to Canadians. The opposition says that it will take it away. Now, that is not very Christmaslike.

[Committees of the House, December 1st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, in relation to its study of the supplementary estimates (B) for the fiscal year 2014-15.