House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2019, with 8% of the vote.
Canada Revenue Agency October 20th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, since 2012 the Conservatives have spent $13.5 million harassing charities that have been critical of their policies, especially environment, social justice, and anti-poverty groups. Now the government is wanting birdwatchers—yes, birdwatchers—in southern Ontario to stop their apparently partisan activities.
Does the Minister of Finance really think that spending millions of dollars to audit birdwatchers is a good use of taxpayers' money?
Employment Insurance October 10th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have raised EI premiums for years, at a huge cost to small-business owners and workers. Now there is a job-killing tax.
The PBO says this wrong-headed approach would cost 9,000 jobs. Many workers in Thunder Bay—Superior North have been cheated out of their EI benefits, and now even more will lose their jobs. Will the Minister of Finance reverse his foolhardy approach on EI?
Jean Forsyth Case Morrison October 9th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, I pay tribute today to a great Canadian.
On September 22, Jean Forsyth Case Morrison passed after 87 years of service to our country. A historian who brought alive the fur trade and the Northwest Company at Fort William Historical Park, she also wrote books on the labour history in turn of the century northwestern Ontario.
Jean used the lessons of history to help to guide us on building a better future. She opposed fascism of every kind.
Along with her late husband Ken, Jean contributed time, treasure and talent on the social and economic justice fronts and helped individuals with a hand out or a hand up whenever they needed it.
Jean was a founder and pillar of the Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship. She supported several political parties over her lifetime, and believe me, she knew how to hold her politicians feet to the fire.
Jean Morrison will be greatly missed.
The Environment October 6th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, it is true that the Conservatives are copycatting U.S.A. emissions standards, but while it will hit its Copenhagen targets, we are not even going to come close.
The Conservatives are throwing their alleged Conservative principles out the window in rejecting this simple solution. Carbon fee and dividend is not a tax. It will not cost jobs. It is market-driven and fair. The government would give back every dollar to Canadians, and no new bureaucracy is needed, unlike the NDP's cap and trade scheme. It is right up the alley of the Conservatives.
Through quarterly dividend cheques to every Canadian, carbon fee and dividend will reduce poverty on a national scale and will reduce our emissions at the same time. The NDP should adopt it.
It is time for the Liberals to stop waffling and pick a price on carbon. Carbon fee and dividend is the best and most moderate system, and I hope the Liberals will consider it.
For all these reasons, the Green Party is totally supportive of carbon fee and dividend. It would enable us to steadily and progressively reduce our emissions without hurting our economy. It will help Canada to become a leader in green technology.
To reiterate, it might just get the government re-elected in next year's election campaign.
The Environment October 6th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, in May I asked the government if it would finally consider taking real action on climate change and implement a carbon fee and dividend system. In typical Conservative fashion, I did not get a real answer. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment had the gall to claim the Conservative non-approach is actually working.
The parliamentary secretary referenced his favourite non-truth, which is that carbon emissions have declined thanks to Conservative “action”. The facts do not bear out that claim. While emissions did drop in 2009, the decrease had nothing to do with the Conservatives, unless they wish to take credit for the global financial crisis.
Since 2009, owing to Conservative inaction and non-action, Canada's carbon emissions have been and are steadily rising. Our emissions will continue to rise without some kind of plan to address them. Without new measures by the government, we will not hit even the Conservatives' watered-down emission targets.
According to the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, an important advisory group that was terminated by the Conservatives at the height of their anti-environment fervour in 2012, without real action climate change will cost Canada at least $5 billion each year just a few years from now and up to a whopping $43 billion each year by 2050. While the Conservatives pad the pockets of their big oil friends with billion-dollar subsidies, it is Canadians who will be paying the real price, and that is not just future generations: we are seeing those costs now.
How do we get out of this mess? One would think with such an obvious problem and such glaring inaction by the government that the solution must be really complicated, but it is not. The Conservatives are ignoring a very simple solution: we just need to put a price on carbon.
Canadians are smart people—much smarter than the government, it seems. They see the growing costs of doing nothing, the billions of dollars that their children will be forced to pay, and they are ready to make an investment. Canadians are telling pollsters and politicians that they are ready to pay a little bit now to avoid paying much more down the line, but the government continues to ignore them.
The Conservatives are not just ignoring Canadians; they are ignoring the experts also. Carbon pricing has been endorsed by scientists and economists alike. Agenda-setting finance organizations such as the IMF and The Economist support a price on carbon. So do Shell Oil and BP. Why would they not? Carbon pricing has been very successful in other jurisdictions: in Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, and even B.C.
Here in Canada, a price on carbon has actually coincided with economic growth in B.C. Since its introduction, emissions there have declined 10%, and B.C. has outpaced Canada's GDP growth over the same timeframe.
Carbon fee and dividend is a no-brainer. It is 100% revenue neutral, and not a penny would go to government. Though the price of carbon-intensive products will rise as companies pass the costs down, every dollar will be paid in a dividend cheque to Canadians on an equal, per capita basis.
No Canadian would be taxed under carbon fee and dividend, and those who choose to turn to more environmentally friendly products or to reduce their consumption will actually make money. It can provide a guaranteed annual income to every Canadian, so the NDP should like it.
Carbon fee and dividend reduces our carbon emissions and pays dividends to each and every Canadian, so why will the Conservatives not consider it? It might even get them re-elected.
Petitions October 6th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, I continue to get petitions from across Canada on the issue of missing persons and the DNA database. Although we have now established, in theory, a program to deal with this, it is not funded.
The petitioners are concerned that the program actually be funded and implemented for a missing persons index, a victims index and a national DNA database.
Department of Public Works and Government Services Act October 3rd, 2014
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to support this bill by my friend, the member for Jonquière—Alma.
This bill seeks to require preference be given to the concept that promotes the use of wood while taking into account the factors of cost and greenhouse gas emissions. The forestry sector has been in a huge decline for the last half a decade and Canada has shed over 130,000 jobs in that time.
I commend the hon. member on his excellent bill, and I will give him the opportunity to respond further, if he so chooses.
Petitions October 3rd, 2014
Mr. Speaker, this summer I got to paddle for a week through the islands, shoals and riptides of the west coast of B.C., so I can understand this petition signed by people from all over Canada.
The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to establish a permanent ban on crude oil tankers on the west coast to protect fisheries, tourism, coastal communities and natural ecosystems.
National Defence October 3rd, 2014
Mr. Speaker, our Prime Minister is about to send Canadian soldiers to war in Iraq. He will give us just one day to debate a motion that would put the lives of Canadians at risk. This decision could engage Canada in a costly and unwinnable war with no end in sight.
Will our Prime Minister allow the House to have a full debate? Will he agree to not limit debate?
The Environment September 30th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe it. The Conservatives say they want regulations. The industries do not want regulations. Most Conservatives and most countries do not believe in regulations.
Two of the most pressing problems facing Canada are the large and growing income gap and too much CO2. We know that more and more Canadians are struggling to make ends meet, and the gap between rich and poor is way too large. We know that both have real economic impacts.
With carbon fee and dividend, we have a simple solution that will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Big companies like Shell and BP want a price on carbon. The Conservatives are not listening.
As well, it would go a long way to reducing poverty and providing a basic income for each and every Canadian.
In light of all these facts, in light of the proven success of carbon pricing, in light of the potential for dividends to help families make ends meet, will the Conservatives listen and take enlightened self-interest and consider carbon fee and dividend?
To repeat, it might just get them re-elected.