Brad Butt

[Situation in Syria, June 5th, 2012]

Madam Chair, I was delighted to be in the House earlier this afternoon when the hon. member for Ottawa Centre moved the resolution on Syria and it was unanimously supported by the House. It was a great afternoon for all of the parties in the House to unanimously agree on a series of things that we as the Parliament of Canada can do to continue to exert the appropriate pressure through international agencies.

Could the parliamentary secretary tell us how important that is in our Department of Foreign Affairs when we are dealing with the UN or other international bodies to demonstrate that the Parliament of Canada is unanimously united behind resolutions with regard to the situation in Syria? Does it not make a huge difference in Canada's credibility that a unanimous resolution was passed by the House on the actions Canada and others should be taking?

[Situation in Syria, June 5th, 2012]

Madam Chair, it must be a considerable challenge to deal with two issues at the same time. One is the brutal regime and the difficult situation that is going on in Syria. At the same time, because we are Canadians, we believe in our hearts that we have a responsibility to provide international aid and international development and to do the very best we can for the most vulnerable people in difficult situations.

The parliamentary secretary talked a bit about some of the things that we have been doing. Could she tell the House tonight about some of the challenges and how we have been able to overcome some of the challenges and ensuring that we continue to provide the appropriate level of international aid and development assistance to the people of Syria who really need it in these very challenging times?

[Act to Provide for the Continuation and Resumption of Rail Service Operations, May 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments made by the hon. member for Trois-Rivières, but here is my basic concern about the opposition. Those members do not have a national perspective. They have a very specific perspective in a very finite group of people whom they propose to represent.

CP Rail provides services all across this country. I know that NDP members are no fans of western Canada. We know that quite clearly. They have made that very clear in lots of things they have said. CP Rail provides extremely important services to many areas of western Canada, and when CP Rail is not running, we know we see a significant economic hardship in those areas. I am just wondering if the member might share some of his experience and expertise about how it will affect western Canada if we allow this work stoppage to continue.

[POOLED REGISTERED PENSION PLANS ACT, May 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound. He very articulately explained the benefits.

What I like best about the new pooled registered pension plan, and I would like the member to comment on it, is the flexibility it would have for workers and employers to participate. We know what is happening with the workforce. We know there is fluidity. We know that people are not staying at one job for 30 years any longer, but are moving around. This is one of those pension scheme systems that would allow employees to have a pension that would be portable to wherever they choose to work.

Would the member comment on that and share some anecdotes about how it would specifically help businesses and residents in Owen Sound?

[Petitions, May 17th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition on behalf of close to 200 residents of the city of Mississauga who are expressing their views on section 223 of the Criminal Code with respect to when human life begins.

[Safe City Mississauga, May 16th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to pay tribute to Safe City Mississauga, our city's excellent crime prevention organization. This association is led by Victor Oh, chair, and Teresa Burgess-Olgivie, executive director, who is joining us in Ottawa.

Safe City Mississauga is celebrating a 20 year legacy in our community of crime prevention. It conducts research into the causes of crime, develops evidence-based ways to approach them, and pilots new projects and program offerings to prevent crime.

I am proud to have been the founding chair of Safe City Mississauga and to have seen it grow and prosper through a number of important programs, including Neighbourhood Watch, Counter-Act, Aspire at risk neighbourhood program, and through hosting an annual crime prevention forum and justice luncheon.

Our communities will only be safer when we all pitch in to help. It is through the work of Safe City Mississauga and its partners that Mississauga continues to be the safest city in Canada.

[Walk So Kids Can Talk, May 11th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, May 6, along with hundreds of great supporters and volunteers, I attended the Walk So Kids Can Talk event in Streetsville Memorial Park supporting Kids Help Phone. This walk raised more than $150,000 in Streetsville and $2.5 million nationally.

Walk So Kids Can Talk is held in over 40 communities across Canada and helps kick off Mental Health Awareness Week, which is concluding this weekend. Kids Help Phone is Canada's leading phone and online professional counselling service for youth. For more than 23 years, professional counsellors have been available to youth 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This service is funded exclusively through fundraising and corporate support, such as the millions raised at last Sunday's walk. Unfortunately, one in five youth will develop mental heath struggles, but of those, only one in five will receive the support he or she needs.

I would like to congratulate the team at Kids Help Phone and thank them for being there to listen to our youth, often at times when no one else will.

[Jobs, Growth and Long-Term Prosperity Act, May 11th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, actions speak louder than words.

We only need look at the actions of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance during the worst worldwide economic recession in my lifetime and compare Canada's results to the world's. We are the envy of the world in how Canada reacted to that crisis and the work that our Minister of Finance continues to do. There is no question that we have lots to be thankful for in Canada because of that leadership.

We have lots more to do, and that is why Bill C-38 needs to be passed by this House. We need to get on with the job.

[Jobs, Growth and Long-Term Prosperity Act, May 11th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, during our last two week break I actually held a half-day seniors' forum. We talked about a whole variety of issues. I was pleased to do that for my constituents in order to update them on things that were going on.

It is interesting that when one sits down and talks to seniors today about the proposed changes that will start 11 years from now and one explains the numbers and demographic changes, it is amazing how they get it. They understand. They want the OAS system to be there so their children and their grandchildren will be able to collect it, just like they are collecting it today.

Generally speaking, in talking with constituents, I find they understand the challenge we have with respect to the long-term viability of the old age security system and that they generally support the direction in which we are trying to go.

[Jobs, Growth and Long-Term Prosperity Act, May 11th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, like all journalists, Mr. Coyne is certainly welcome to his opinion. I read him thoroughly and there are days I agree with him and days I do not.

If the hon. member had been listening, he would know that I spoke about timely leadership in difficult times. That is why we have brought forward a budget that is comprehensive. It does a lot of things, no doubt. However, we will have the longest debate we have seen in 20 years on this budget bill. Members of Parliament have a lot of time to have input on a wide variety of issues that are covered under this budget bill.

The bill is about moving Canada forward in a responsible way in the near, medium and long-term. I think the hon. member should get on board and support the initiatives.