House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2021, with 40% of the vote.
Aerospace Industry June 20th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, that is totally not true. The aerospace industry is doing very well in Quebec. To date, the following regional amounts have been announced by Boeing and Lockheed Martin: for Atlantic Canada, more than $294 million; for Ontario, more than $341 million; but for Quebec, more than $660 million; for western Canada, more than $341 million; and that is only the beginning.
Gasoline Prices June 13th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, the Competition Bureau has laid charges against 13 individuals and 11 companies accused of fixing the price of gasoline at the pump in four Quebec markets. Three companies and an individual have pleaded guilty for their part in criminal conspiracies to fix gasoline prices. The court has imposed fines totalling over $2 million against the companies so far. The individual was fined $50,000.
The Competition Bureau has investigations under way in all other regions of the country. I am confident the Commissioner of Competition will take appropriate action where it is warranted.
Copyright Act June 13th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, our approach is a balanced approach. We have the comments of the stakeholders on this, and most people are very happy. It is a difficult approach, but we are quite confident that Canadian consumers will be happy with this balanced approach.
Copyright Act June 13th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, that is just flat wrong. We have a made in Canada approach. The educational exemptions are made in Canada. The format shifting exemptions are made in Canada. The time shifting exemptions are made in Canada. The private copying of music exemption is made in Canada. The Internet service provider liability provisions are made in Canada. The statutory damages provisions are made in Canada.
My friend's comments about the U.S. DMCA are total rubbish.
Competition Bureau June 13th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, first of all, the Bloc member does not understand his own bill. Bill C-454 would do nothing to lower the price of gas.
The government is taking action because we will not tolerate high gas prices. If we look at what the Bloc proposes in its platform, it is a $500 million increase in taxes for petroleum companies. As always, the Bloc members say one thing, but their platform says the other.
We will not tolerate high gas prices.
Competition Bureau June 13th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, the government is very proud of the Competition Bureau. It does a very good job on what the member is talking about.
We are standing up for consumers and we are getting things done. In this specific case, 13 individuals and 11 companies have been charged with price fixing and 3 companies have already entered guilty pleas. These are the first such charges since 1955.
We will not tolerate price fixing for gas companies, but what we would like to see go away is the Liberal leader's plan to put a carbon tax on everything. It would raise the price of gas and energy for all Canadians. That is something we definitely will not support.
Automotive Industry June 6th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, these are my friends. These are my neighbours. I see them every single week.
I am really disappointed in the member for Markham—Unionville for using somebody else's misfortune for political gain. Everything that we have done to keep jobs in Oshawa, our auto innovation fund, our investments in research and development at the local universities, he has voted against. He has voted against and he has not supported the auto industry.
I have been here working hard to make sure that we get a new mandate for Oshawa. That is what we want to do for the people of Oshawa. That is what I am doing to support them, not taking cheap photo ops like the member for Markham—Unionville.
Automotive Industry June 6th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for that question, because it gives me the opportunity to let him know that it was the CAW leader, Buzz Hargrove, who said that the radical Liberal environmental plan would kill manufacturing and it would be suicidal for the auto industry.
On everything that this government has brought forward, including our automotive innovation fund for new innovative automobiles, the member has not stood up in this House to support any of them. On everything we bring forward for the manufacturing sector, he either sits on his hands or votes against it. It is a shameful display. We are fighting for auto jobs in Oshawa and in Canada and he should stand and let the people know where he stands on the carbon tax.
Automotive Industry June 6th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, as the member of Parliament for Oshawa, I want everyone in this House to know that our hearts really go out to the families that are affected by this closure. They are my friends. They are my neighbours. I have actually worked in that plant. I know what they are going through right now.
I have been working all week on this. I have been on the phone with General Motors. We are actually working to partner with General Motors to see if we can get a new car mandate, a new investment into Oshawa. One of the things we will not do though is to put on a carbon tax. I would like the member to stand and let us know if he supports his leader's carbon tax which it is said will be the nail in the coffin for the auto industry. Is he supporting his leader's carbon tax, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, she talks about platitudes. That is what she and her party have been about for the last 13 years. Workers need action and that is why we put forward an automotive action plan on February 28 of this year. If she were doing her homework, she would know that.
What is more important is that we are offering $21 billion in tax relief this year. It is a stimulus for the economy. She should get up off of her hands, and if she actually believes anything she said here today, she should vote and support the government for the wonderful things it is putting forward for the auto industry. It is a challenging time.
To have her stand in the House and say the words she did, as the member of Parliament for Oshawa, I am personally offended by them. It is time for action. It is not time for platitudes.