Charlie Angus

[Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, November 10th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I was quite pleased to hear my hon. colleague talk about the role of the credit union movement.

Where I come from in Timmins--James Bay, my family goes back a long way with the credit union movement. The Anguses were solid members of the Worker's Co-operative, which, in those days, was called the red credit union. My grandfather, Joseph MacNeil, who broke his back in the McIntyre Mine, was the credit manager for the Consumer's Credit Union, which was known as sort of the pink credit union.

These credit unions provided service when no one else would and they kept many people from losing their homes in tough times. In our region now, I am a solid member of the Caisse populaire. I will tell all members that the Caisse populaire in northern Ontario is an essential functioning element in terms of community development.

It seems to me that governments have never paid attention to the role that groups like the Caisse are playing in small towns across the north The government listens to the big banks, to the lobbyists and to the insiders, but it does not listen to the credit unions that are on the ground, doing the work and helping people. Why does the hon. member think that is the case?

[Points of Order, November 10th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period I pointed out and made reference to the May 2005 fundraiser held in the offices of Corus Entertainment. I felt that in the interests of illuminating issues for members of Parliament, particularly because the CRTC appointment in January might be one of the most politically charged appointments made by the government, I would like to table the necessary documents around that fundraiser and the facts about who was on the board of directors at the corporation at the time.

I would seek the unanimous consent of the House to table the documents surrounding Bev Oda's fundraiser with John Cassaday, Phil Lind and--

[Government Appointments, November 10th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the heritage minister's predilection for hitting up for cash the key industries she is charged with overseeing is not a new phenomenon.

I would like to bring to the attention of the House the fundraiser she held in May of 2005 in the very offices of Corus Entertainment. Fern Belisle was on the board of directors of Corus at that time. He is now rumoured to have the inside track as the new head of the CRTC.

My question for the minister is this. Does passing the hat around a boardroom table constitute a fair assessment process for choosing the next head of the CRTC?

[Aboriginal Affairs, November 10th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, continuing on, Mr. Pope said that there was no economic viability in the region. He should tell that to all the mining companies and the diamond prospectors flocking into the Mushkegowuk territory to find another billion dollar project like Victor.

I think it is really convenient to remove people from the land who have section 35 rights, rights that were guaranteed through the Delgamuukw Supreme Court decision to have an economic component.

Is the government willing to enter into a guaranteed treaty with the people of Kashechewan that if they leave their territory they will still maintain economic rights to their traditional lands?

[Aboriginal Affairs, November 10th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the very first step the government took toward the people of Kashechewan was to rip up a signed agreement with them.

Now, through Mr. Alan Pope, the government is making all kinds of promises to entice them to leave their territory. One of the promises Mr. Pope made was that they will be able to go home to hunt and fish on their traditional lands. There are no roads to Kashechewan, and try getting a flight out of Timmins to Kashechewan if one is poor.

I think it does stretch credulity to think INAC will be in the business of maintaining flight service for people to go to their hunting territories.

The people of Kashechewan want to know, what kind of financial commitment will the government put on the table today to guarantee that they will have long term flights to their territories?

[Canadian Forces, November 10th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, this Remembrance Day is especially poignant because it has hit home to every community in this country that we are no longer simply remembering the past, but praying for those who are right now serving in combat missions.

That is why I am so proud of the efforts of the students at Joseph H. Kennedy Public School in Matheson, who are holding a walk today to support Corporal MacLeod, who is serving in Kandahar. I know the MacLeod family. I have spoken with many families in my region who have young people serving over there.

It is a heavy responsibility we have in this House of Commons. We are the ones to debate the wisdom of putting those young people in harm's way. We are the ones who have to make the decision to send them there, but it is all our responsibility, every single Canadian, to let those young people know that when they come home, they will have the complete support of every Canadian and the full support of the Government of Canada to protect them and ensure they have the proper pensions.

I would like to salute the children for the work that they are doing and the message that they are sending to Corporal MacLeod and other people from my riding.

[Canadian Heritage, November 9th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week the heritage minister was caught passing the hat with industry insiders and lobbyists. As soon as we shone the light on it, they scrambled to cancel the event so we would not find out who was at the trough.

When I asked the government for accountability, the President of the Treasury Board stood up and asked for the NDP's help in order to get rid of the influence of big money in politics. I think the implication of his plea is clear. We are going to need an all party strategy to keep the heritage minister on the straight and narrow.

I have done what I could to have a three point plan to maintain the ethical sobriety of the heritage minister: first, reveal the list of those she is putting the tap for money on so we know which lobbyists are rewriting government policy on copyright and deregulation; second, institute a remedial plan so she can learn how to listen to the groups and artists that she is supposed to be representing; and third, ask the House of Commons carpentry staff to head over to the heritage minister's office and paint over the big for sale sign on her door.

[Aboriginal Affairs, November 8th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, this is what government representatives are telling people at the doors in Kashechewan and we have to be perfectly clear about what is being floated here. We are talking about the creation of disposable communities where we force one first nation off its traditional territory and push other people from their homes.

Is this the long term solution for dealing with the poverty of isolated first nations or is this a spoke in the wheel of the Kashechewan agreement? The Government of Canada signed an agreement with the people of Kashechewan. I am asking the minister what steps he will take to implement this agreement and ensure that it is implemented in a timely fashion?

[Aboriginal Affairs, November 8th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I am very disturbed by what I have seen of the government sales pitch to the people of Kashechewan. They are being advised to leave their territory because climate change will ravage their hunting grounds.

They are being encouraged to move to the francophone lumber town of Smooth Rock Falls. Why? Because they can pick blueberries. Why? Because there are 100 houses to pick up and they will “eventually be able to take over the community and its municipal infrastructure”.

My question is for the minister. If the government is going to float this promise to the people Kashechewan, why has it not given a heads up to the people of Smooth Rock Falls?

[Canadian Heritage, November 7th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the minister does not even blush. Everybody knows that the television, broadcast and telecom review is up for grabs. That is the minister charged with the review. We have a lobbyist trying to influence that review and they all come together around a big fancy fundraiser.

I listened to her response. How tawdry. What a sad excuse.

Is the message from the government that if people want access to the reclusive minister, then they need to get out and hustle for her political machine?