House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2021, with 49% of the vote.
The Environment June 8th, 2007
Some model, Mr. Speaker. A model toy train, perhaps, but nothing serious for the planet.
This Prime Minister failed the G-8 summit leadership test. He refused to adopt absolute emissions reduction targets, deciding that he would rather promote a resolution that will do nothing more than “seriously consider”—maybe, someday—a world greenhouse gas reduction target.
Seriously, what is there to be considered?
The Environment June 8th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, the Bush administration says it feels vindicated today after G-8 countries chose to endorse its go slow approach to climate change: no firm targets; no clear limits; no real action.
It did not have to be this way. The Prime Minister could have rallied his G-8 partners around the German chancellor's original goals. He could have held up Parliament's clean air and climate change act to the world as a model for real action on the environment. Instead, he helped to build a bridge to nowhere. Why did this Prime Minister fail the world?
Business of Supply June 7th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I would like to read for my colleague and for those who might be watching or listening to this debate the actual motion we are debating:
That, in the opinion of the House, the government has failed to live up to verbal and written commitments made to Premiers by the Prime Minister during the last election campaign with respect to the Equalization Program and the Atlantic Accords.
I would like to present a few facts to my colleague. The Minister of Finance said in March of this year, two and a half months ago, “I can say, as the Prime Minister has said, that we will respect the Atlantic accords”.
“It's signed, sealed, delivered, and it's something that the province need not have any fear” of, said another member of the Conservative caucus.
The Prime Minister, in a door to door flyer distributed to the entire province of Newfoundland and Labrador, wrote this:
The Conservative Party of Canada believes that offshore oil and gas revenues are the key to real economic growth in Atlantic Canada. That's why we would leave you with 100% of your oil and gas revenues.
The Prime Minister said that there was no small print, no excuses, no caps.
Can the member help Canadians who are watching understand to what extent the claims here, the comments made by the Minster of Finance and the Prime Minister before, during and after the election and in the budget of 2007, are not interpretable by average Canadians as a completely false set of circumstances and a great misleading of the Canadian people?
Business of Supply June 7th, 2007
Don't pay off the mortgage.
Business of Supply June 7th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, for many maritime Canadians, it is their first exposure to the Minister of Finance, but for Ontarians who suffered under a Conservative right wing ideology in the previous government for years, this is not new. I would like to put to the member the following question.
The Minister of Finance was the minister who hid a $5.6 billion deficit in Ontario and then misled Ontarians about it when he left office. This is the same Minister of Finance who, with his cabinet colleagues at the time, was the government of Walkerton and the government of Ipperwash. This is the same Minister of Finance who stood up and announced that this was the end of bickering on fiscal imbalance in the country, when he has in fact lit brush fires across the country.
For many of our Canadian neighbours, friends and family who live in maritime Canada, this is their first exposure to a right wing, ideological Minister of Finance who cannot be trusted. Perhaps the member can help us understand what the real impact is now on the credibility of the Minister of Finance and the government in our important maritime regions.
Business of Supply June 7th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the minister's remarks. They follow hard on the heels of the remarks from the minister for Atlantic Canada.
I have a couple of pointed questions. They are specific questions and I think Canadians deserve specific answers.
In 2006 the Conservative Party of Canada's election platform said very clearly:
A Conservative government will:
Work to achieve with the provinces permanent changes to the equalization formula which would ensure that non-renewable natural resource revenue is removed from the equalization formula to encourage economic growth.
It went on to say, “We will ensure that no province is adversely affected from changes to the equalization formula”.
Slightly after, the Conservative Party circulated a mailing to Newfoundland and Labrador residents in the Prime Minister's name, then as leader of the opposition, in which it was written in bold black and white letters:
The Conservative Party of Canada believes that offshore oil and gas revenues are the key to real economic growth in Atlantic Canada. That's why we would leave you with 100 per cent of your oil and gas revenues. No small print. No excuses. No caps.
Could the minister please tell us if the Conservative Party was misleading Atlantic Canadians then or is the Conservative government misleading them now?
Environment Week June 7th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honour of Environment Week. Unfortunately, this year Environment Week is a reminder that the Conservative government celebrated its return to power by slashing over $5.6 billion in environmental spending.
Following a strategy of deny, delay and deceive, the government released a climate change plan rejected by 9 of 10 provinces and not endorsed by any independent third party. True to form, it allows emissions to increase well past 2010 and contains gaping loopholes for the oil sands.
After rewriting the clean air act, Bill C-30 has been suppressed and debate around it censored. Just an hour ago, at the environment committee, we confirmed that the Minister of the Environment misled all Canadians by claiming that his ecotrust funding had been delivered.
After all the photo ops, after all the gimmicks and after all the bravado, now we learn that his department cannot confirm the status of $1.5 billion while the Prime Minister works to weaken G-8 commitments abroad.
It is Environment Week. How unfortunate that Canada has been tossed into complete uncertainty about its environmental future.
The Environment June 4th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, we are learning once again that the Prime Minister has absolutely no intention of reducing greenhouse gas emissions before 2050. We are reminded of the plan his last environment minister came up with.
What is more, Canada has no plan to attack the problem before 2015, even though emissions are expected to increase indefinitely. Even the Minister of the Environment has admitted that his plan is a draft that needs a lot of work and negotiation.
Why is the Prime Minister not showing initiative instead of deceiving the world on the international stage?
The Environment June 4th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, instead of leading a race to the top of successful global action on climate change, Canada's Prime Minister leads a race to the bottom. Today he actually called for a global move to intensity targets, and not a single group supports him.
The Deutsche Bank says that the Conservatives' weak targets will not be achieved and that our emissions will continue to rise until at least 2020.
Having failed completely at home, why does the Prime Minister insist on doing George Bush's bidding by fighting to weaken the G-8's response to climate change?
Canadian Forces Day June 1st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the courageous men and women of our armed forces past and present as Canadians celebrate Canadian Forces Day this Sunday, June 3.
We are a nation with a proud, distinguished and outstanding military history. From the Battle of Vimy Ridge to Juno Beach to our role in the Korean war, the bravery and dedication of our soldiers has never been doubted.
The importance of these celebrations on Sunday cannot be overstated.
We hold close in our thoughts and prayers those who currently wear our uniform in Afghanistan as they fight for the freedom of the Afghan people and for the security of our own proud nation.
I ask all members of the House to join with me in celebrating Canadian Forces Day this Sunday and to say thank you to those who have worn and continue to wear the uniform of the Canadian army, air force and navy.
Their sacrifices for our freedoms will not be forgotten.