Bradley Trost

[Canada Grain Act, April 2nd, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I have a comment and then two quick questions.

The people who are watching these proceedings on TV or following them later in Hansard should be aware that all the members of Parliament who represent producers and grain growers in the entire Wheat Board area of western Canada are supporting the government's legislation.

The opposition to this legislation is coming from members of Parliament who do not have producers in their riding. The people responsible to the producers are supporting it and the people who have no direct responsibility to producers are opposing it. That is my first comment to those watching.

Second, I have two questions. The hon. member pointed out that with this legislation passing, the system would be less expensive and less costly. Does the hon. member not agree that these costs are often passed on to farmers and that we as members should therefore try to reduce costs for producers? That is my first question.

The second question is this. Based upon this legislation, Canadian grain customers will receive the same Canadian Grain Commission certificates and assurances they are accustomed to. Does my hon. colleague no longer believe in Canadian Grain Commission certificates and assurances?

[Ticketmaster, March 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, for Canadians to secure tickets to their favourite sporting events and concerts, it can often be a very costly process. Often, as tickets go on sale, consumers complain of immediately being redirected to websites where prices are exponentially higher than face value.

I note that this week, the Ontario attorney general announced that he was launching a probe into Ticketmaster's practices and the Government of Saskatchewan is also investigating this matter.

Could the minister please inform this House of the actions our government is taking?

[Democratic Republic of the Congo, February 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, for more than a decade, war has ravaged the eastern Congo in a conflict that has largely been forgotten by the western world. An estimated 5.4 million people have perished, a number that increases by some 1,000 lives every day.

The conflict in the Congo does not have the same geopolitical or domestic political significance that other conflicts may have. It does not have an evil, imperialistic western power for the western press to vilify. It is merely a local conflict about greed and the lust for power, but that does not mean it deserves to be forgotten.

It is important that we remember that the purpose of Canadian foreign policy is ultimately to advance Canadian values throughout the world.

The Government of Canada has acted in the region in both a diplomatic and humanitarian fashion and will continue to act in the future. It is important that these efforts be redoubled so that the Congo comes to a final peace.

It is too late to change the past, but let us not forget it. Let us not forget the people of the eastern Congo who so desperately need our help.

[Resumption of debate on Address in Reply, November 20th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my hon. friend on his first address to the House and his time here.

As a member of Parliament for Saskatchewan, I was very much interested in his remarks on the long gun registry. As he may know, all provincial parties in Saskatchewan, the provincial Liberals, the provincial NDP and the provincial Saskatchewan Party, have all come out firmly against the long gun registry. As a member of the government party, a member sitting in support of the government, my question to him is very simple.

What can we do as members to help him so that he will find it easier to vote for the repeal of the long gun registry and other members of his caucus will be able to join him in that effort, having spoken with veteran members of that caucus who are also prepared to vote for the repeal of the long gun registry?

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, November 20th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my hon. colleague on his re-election to the House.

Part of his party's election platform advocated $12 billion in spending cuts. I also remember that in the previous Parliament his party criticized the cuts to the GST.

My two-part question for the hon. member is very short and fairly simple.

First, does he still stand by his party's position that the GST is too low and should go back up to 7% to solve the fiscal stresses we have now?

Second, what specific programs does he suggest for the $12 billion in cuts that his leader campaigned for in the last federal election?

[Nuclear Liability and Compensation Act, June 19th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The legislation that we are currently debating today deals with nuclear liability not with energy efficiency, so I will challenge the hon. member to demonstrate relevance with his remarks as he is going on about the NDP energy efficiency plan.

[Religious Freedom, June 3rd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, one of the most fundamental freedoms is the freedom of religion. Whether and how to worship God freely is a special right. It is a right that touches on man's relationship to his maker. It is the only right that deals with man's relationship with eternity.

Canadians have a long history of standing up for freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, which includes freedom of religion. Many immigrants, including some of my own ancestors, have come to Canada, because in Canada everyone is allowed to worship in the way of one's own choosing.

Canadian foreign policy will continue to stress this fundamental right. We must be clear on the world stage. Governments that oppress their religious minorities are morally deficient. They lack moral legitimacy.

Canadians owe it to the oppressed of the world to be their voice, their spokesman, to say that the unalienable right to freedom of religion extends at all times to all people to all cultures everywhere.

[Business of Supply, May 29th, 2008]

Mr. Chair, I appreciated the parliamentary secretary's remarks. I would particularly like to return to his references to the continent of Africa.

As he rightfully noted, the continent has made some progress of which I think all people of the world are quite happy for. But there are still challenges and there are still difficulties involved in Africa.

There have been a number of conflicts and while some of them have successfully progressed, I think particularly of the situations in the Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Burundi and the Ivory Coast. They have all progressed in a positive way, but there are other situations that continue to concern me and concern other Canadians who have an interest in the welfare of the people of Africa.

In particular, let me note a few of the countries and perhaps the parliamentary secretary can respond in each situation on what the government's response has been. I think particularly of the Sudan and the humanitarian situation there, the ongoing violence. I know the UN and the African Union are involved there.

There is the situation in northern Uganda with the fanatical Lord's Resistance Army still causing a major disruption.

In Somalia, again, there is still an ongoing problem internally with its long problems of political, humanitarian and other forms of unrest.

More recently, we have seen problems in Zimbabwe and Kenya. In Zimbabwe it has been with the current election turbulence and the economic collapse in the country. Kenya, long regarded as one of the pillars of Africa, has gone through an election situation that has been somewhat stressful. Hopefully, it has moved to a positive resolution.

I would appreciate the parliamentary secretary's response on what the government is doing to assist in these countries.

[Petitions, May 9th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I, too, have received petitions from my constituents who are concerned that under the current federal law an unborn child is not recognized as a victim with respect to violent crimes.

The petitioners began the petition when the member for Edmonton—Sherwood Park introduced his private member's bill. They are very much in line with his position and call upon the House to enact such legislation.

I am very proud to present this petition on their behalf.

[Petitions, April 7th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure today to present a petition signed almost exclusively by my constituents. They drew up the petition before Bill C-484 was introduced, but that is essentially what they are supporting. In particular, the petitioners are calling on Parliament to enact legislation to recognize unborn children as separate victims when they are injured or killed during the commission of an offence. As this House has voted upon it, it is a timely petition.