House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2015, with 38% of the vote.
Senate Reform Act November 22nd, 2011
Madam Speaker, I would like to commend the hon. member for Rivière-du-Nord for his wonderful speech about the Senate.
Many provincial premiers have said that the Senate should be abolished. Why does the hon. member think that the government does not hold a referendum to find out what Canadians want to do about the Senate?
Senate Reform Act November 22nd, 2011
Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate the hon. member for Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord.
Ontario and Nova Scotia have publicly called for the Senate to be abolished. The Premier of British Columbia, Christy Clark, has said that the Senate is useless. Manitoba is in favour of abolishing the Senate. Does my colleague think that the government does not want to hold a referendum to hear the opinion of Canadians because it sincerely believes it will lose?
Senate Reform Act November 22nd, 2011
Madam Speaker, my colleague from York South—Weston made a comment about sober second thought, meaning that maybe someone from the opposite side of the House thinks that we are all drunk here, but we are not.
A couple of weeks ago we had a motion in the House to ban asbestos. The Conservatives, even the good doctor over there, voted against all science that clearly indicates asbestos causes cancer. They voted against the Canadian Cancer Society, against doctors and against Canadians. They actually stood in the House and said that asbestos does not cause cancer.
Since my colleague mentioned sober second thought, does he think that members on the opposite side of the House were not sober when they voted against the motion to ban asbestos?
Senate Reform Act November 22nd, 2011
Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate the hon. member for Louis-Hébert on his speech on this bill. We must not forget that the Liberals and the Conservatives have always appointed Liberal or Conservative senators to raise money for their parties. They have appointed candidates who were defeated in elections: candidates whom Canadians did not want as representatives. The government then appointed them to the Senate to raise money for its own party. Their expenses are paid by Canadians. I would like my colleague to comment on the fact that senators are appointed to raise money for the Conservative and Liberal parties.
Senate Reform Act November 22nd, 2011
Madam Speaker, I wish to congratulate my hon. colleague from Laval—Les Îles on his speech on the bill. I have a simple question for him.
The Prime Minister is under no obligation to appoint someone who has been elected by a province or territory. This bill therefore does not change how senators are appointed, since the Prime Minister is still free to choose whomever he wants to appoint to the position of senator.
In the member's opinion, if the Prime Minister can do whatever he likes when it comes to appointing senators, does this bill change anything?
Asbestos November 21st, 2011
Mr. Speaker, the minister can feed us the same old lines, but that cannot hide the cracks showing in the Conservative ranks.
The Conservatives are wondering the same things as all Canadians. How can the government continue to export asbestos even though the risks are known? Why is the government abandoning workers in regions that produce asbestos?
Will the government present a plan to help these regions make the economic transition?
Asbestos November 21st, 2011
Mr. Speaker, cracks are starting to appear in the Conservative caucus over the Prime Minister's support of deadly asbestos.
Conservative MPs are willing to risk the wrath of the Prime Minister and go behind his back to meet asbestos experts. Public health officials disagree with the Conservatives' dangerous approach. Scientists and doctors disagree. The Canadian Cancer Society disagrees. Canadians disagree.
When will the government take action to ban deadly asbestos?
Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act November 18th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the member mentioned the election on May 2. I would like to remind him again that the Conservatives were elected by 39% of the Canadians who voted. That is a long way from a majority.
I would like to quote from an email that I received from a farmer in Saskatchewan, of all places. This is from Dianne and Ken: “We are cereal and pulse growers operating 1,800 acres in southwest Saskatchewan. We have been permit holders for 43 years and have been certified organic for 19 years. We support the Canadian Wheat Board single desk selling of Canadian grains for the following reasons”.
I am sorry I cannot give the member the reasons. My time appears to be up.
Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act November 18th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I would like to first comment on the government's majority. We all know that 39% of Canadians who voted, voted for the government. That is not the majority of Canadians.
To answer the other part of the member's question I would like to quote from an email that I received from the acting executive minister of the United Church:
[T]here wouldn't be any attempt to impose dual marketing on the CWB unless a majority of producers voted for it. According to the CWB, [the minister said,] “Until farmers make that change, I'm not prepared to work arbitrarily.... They [farmers] are absolutely right to believe in democracy. I do, too”.
Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act November 18th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, farmers have already indicated through their own plebiscite that they want to keep the Canadian Wheat Board, but the government does not want to bring it to a vote because it would lose that vote. I just told the member why the government does not want to bring it to a vote. It does not want to bring the issue to a vote because surely it will lose the vote and then lose face with the farmers in western Canada.
Just a while ago the member for Saint Boniface said that MPs from Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia should not be defending these farmers because we do not represent them, but the last time I was in Saint Boniface I noticed that there are no farmers there. We were elected to represent all Canadians.
The Conservative government should bring this to a vote so farmers can have their say.