David Sweet

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, May 3rd, 2018]

With regard to employee assignments at the Canada Revenue Agency, as of March 1, 2018: (a) how many full-time equivalents are assigned to investigate tax avoidance by high-income individuals; and (b) how many full-time equivalents are assigned to investigate tax avoidance in relation to individuals earning tips or gratuities?

[Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, May 1st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, after a particularly long winter season this year, the beautiful spring weather is finally arriving, and I and many others cannot wait to get out on our motorcycles and ride. There are close to one million motorcyclists in Canada from every walk of life. For some it is a family affair, for some it is a hobby, and for many it is an opportunity to get away from everyday life and just enjoy the open road.

There are those who use it as an opportunity to give back. In the riding of Flamborough—Glanbrook, which I represent, and across the greater city of Hamilton, there are many great charity rides and organizations that do just that. The North Wall Riders Association is just one of those groups. It does great work supporting and advocating for our veterans, those who put their lives on the line to defend our country and our freedom.

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and motorcyclists, passengers, motorists, friends, and family members can go to motorcycling.ca and take the motorcycle safety pledge. As the long-awaited warm weather finally arrives and motorcyclists hit the road, I ask all motorists to keep an eye out for motorcycles. I wish all motorcyclists a happy and safe riding season, and to keep the rubber side down.

[Infant Loss, April 27th, 2018]

Madam Speaker, I wonder if you seek it, if you would find unanimous consent to see the clock at 2:30 and give me the full time at the next reading of this motion.

[Anti-Semitism, April 25th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, B'nai Brith Canada released its 36th annual audit of anti-Semitic incidents. While 2017 was a year of celebration for most Canadians, it was truly a difficult year for our Canadian Jewish community. Last year, as in the year before, anti-Semitism reached record-breaking highs, with acts of vandalism having doubled and acts of violence increasing by almost 50%.

The audit highlights disturbing instances of anti-Semitic occurrences on campuses, including calls for physical violence by a student leader at McGill, bomb threats at York, and an attempt by the University of Ottawa student union to revoke the status of a campus Jewish group.

What is even more disturbing is that this year there is a section called “anti-Semitism in the political sphere”, which discusses the actions of elected officials, including members of this House. Many experts who study racism refer to anti-Semitism as “the canary in the mine”, an indicator of general patterns of racism across the country. I call upon all members of this House to be active and loud in denouncing all acts of racism, particularly anti-Semitism. Anything short of that brings shame upon this place.

[Petitions, April 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by Canadians from across the country calling upon the Government of Canada to advocate for the return of the bodies of Israelis Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, who were taken after being ambushed by Hamas terrorists during a United Nations negotiated ceasefire in 2014. The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to condemn Hamas for its violation of the UN humanitarian ceasefire of August 1, 2014, and to make representations to the United Nations Secretary-General to use his good office to secure the return of the remains of the bodies of Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul to Israel for burial, as mandated by the Geneva Convention and the fundamental precepts of human rights and human dignity.

[Points of Order, March 21st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order pertaining to the session on the presentation of petitions.

I noticed in today's session that the Standing Orders have been ignored. When members present a petition, they should not state whether they are for or against the petition. They should simply state what the petitioners are presenting.

I noticed that the member for Kingston and the Islands stated that he was personally in support of a petition, and I am not particularly centring him out. I have noticed it on several occasions, particularly this time. I just wanted to point that out and let members know that the Standing Orders are clear. Members can present petitions from their constituents but they cannot speak to whether they support them or not.

[Bob Morrow, February 7th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker our nation and my city, Hamilton, Ontario, lost a statesman and a leader this week with the passing of our longest serving mayor, Mr. Robert Morrow. He was immediately hailed as a kind-hearted man, and that he most certainly was. As Hamiltonians have recounted their stories and memories, including my parliamentary colleagues, it is clear that Bob Morrow was an extraordinarily selfless person in so many ways. He was also a relentless promoter of Hamilton. That is what I want to focus on in the celebration of his life.

A strong proponent of revitalizing Hamilton's waterfront, Mayor Morrow famously plunged into the Hamilton Harbour for a swim on a media dare to prove that the water was clean enough. Never missing a single opportunity to boost Hamilton, he often travelled back from his vacation cottage in Muskoka to attend a store opening or a community event, and then he would drive back all night. As a citizenship judge in the last decade, he welcomed thousands of new Canadians to the city he loved so much.

Bob Morrow was one of the most truly honourable people I have had the privilege of knowing. Bob is and will be sorely missed by all. Rest in peace.

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, January 29th, 2018]

With regard to Chart 2.1 on Page 27 of the Fall Economic Statement 2017 and specifically the chart titled “Nearly 300,000 Children Lifted Out of Poverty”: (a) what income level was used as the poverty line for the chart; (b) if the income level used in (a) differentiates between regions, what are the various income poverty lines used for the chart, broken down by region; (c) does the government consider families who’s income is slightly higher than the poverty line to be “middle-class”; (d) is there a classification for income levels which is between “poverty” and “middle-class” and, if so, what is that classification known as and what is the associated income level; (e) of the “nearly 300,000”, what is the breakdown by (i) province, (ii) municipality; (f) as of what date are the figures referred to in (e) representative of; (g) what was the start date to which the figures in (e) were compared to in order to make the 300,000 claim; and (h) what is the government’s definition of poverty and what official measure is used to track it?

[Questions on the Order Paper, December 11th, 2017]

With regard to access to the National Holocaust Monument: (a) during what time periods will there be (i) access restrictions for pedestrians, (ii) closures for maintenance purposes, (iii) closures for non-maintenance purposes; (b) for each closure in (a)(ii), what are the details of the maintenance performed; and (c) for each closure in (a)(iii), what is the purpose?

[Jewish Refugee Day, November 30th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, today is Jewish Refugee Day, a day that is set aside to commemorate the 850,000 Jews across the Middle East who were displaced from their homes as a result of religious persecution during the 1940s to the 1970s.

This year, B'nai Brith has once again put together a campaign to commemorate these refugees in a bid to promote awareness of this great injustice.

I am proud to share with the House that this year, B'nai Brith Canada has teamed up with Judy Feld Carr, a Canadian activist who single-handedly and secretly helped 3,228 Jewish Syrians leave Syria over a period of 28 years.

B'nai Brith is doing truly outstanding work in honouring and educating people on the horrors that Jewish families and individuals have faced.

Mindful of the stories and memories of Jewish refugees on this day of commemoration, please allow me to assure the Canadian Jewish community, on behalf of my colleagues, that we will always fight against anti-Semitism and racism in any form and in any place around the world.