David Sweet

[Petitions, June 17th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions with hundreds of names on them. The petitioners request that the Parliament of Canada recognize that Canada is a nation that has a great record of human rights and a high regard for life. Since 1988, there has been absolutely no restriction on access to abortion. The petitioners call on Parliament to pass legislation for the protection of human life.

[Committees of the House, June 17th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs entitled, “Shared Experiences: Comparison of Veterans Services Offered by Members of the Commonwealth and the G8”.

[Extension of Sitting Hours, June 9th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague mentioned optics and political agenda a couple of times. It is clear we have an agenda. The agenda is law and order. The agenda is to stimulate the economy. The agenda is to provide more trading opportunities for our farmers and manufacturers. That is what we would like to debate.

My colleague said that discussion produces positive results. We all agree with that. If the NDP disagrees with legislation before us, then let us debate it. Let members of the public see what we are debating and they can draw their own conclusions.

The other issue I had with my colleague's comments was that she said we had separate singular bills but we could have aggregated them. In the past when we have aggregated bills together, the NDP has said that we have hidden things within certain bills, which is erroneous because bills are printed for all to see.

Why would my colleague's party object to more discussion that brings about better results?

[Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, June 4th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I always find it refreshing listening my colleague on the opposite side and have grown to admire his frankness. However, today I think he is exercising a little bit of hyperbole when he is talking about dungeons, et cetera.

I like his illustration regarding bad loans and a need for a more effective loan approval process. Certainly, that is part of it, but it is only part of it. Collections actually do play a role in the whole process, as in the justice system where we need to prevent crime. We have invested significant money. In fact, I remember making an announcement in the riding I represent to an organization that reaches out to youth to keep them from crime.

However, we also need to make sure that for those law-abiding citizens in our communities, we not only do justice but that we appear just as well. That means that we make sure that those people who break the law actually have a sentence that is requisite to the crime they have committed.

I would like to ask the member opposite this. Does he not think that there are many facets to the whole process of justice and that sentences are a part of it, not just keeping people from crime?

[Veterans Affairs, June 1st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, thousands of allied veterans who fought alongside Canada in the second world war and Korea were abruptly cut off from potential federal benefits in 1995. These brave veterans fought against the same evils Canadians did. They stood up for the same values we did. In fact, a number of them had already been living in Canada before they returned to serve with the armies in their native countries. Others came here later at our request to build Canada.

Could the minister please tell the House what the government is doing to keep its promise to allied veterans, a promise to restore benefits to the deserving group of people that fought side by side with Canadians?

[Scleroderma, June 1st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, during the month of June, thousands of Canadians hope to draw attention to a little known but devastating disease called scleroderma. According to some medical experts, it is now more prevalent than multiple sclerosis or muscular dystrophy.

While more has been learned about this disease in the past decade than in the previous century, more needs to be done to end the suffering of thousands of Canadians. Sadly, almost 80% of the sufferers are women, often diagnosed before the age of 50.

In the past my family has had to deal with the devastating effects of scleroderma. This dreaded disease took my mother and now threatens to take the life of many of my friends within the scleroderma-stricken community.

I call on my parliamentary colleagues and all Canadians to assist the Scleroderma Societies of Canada and the provinces by raising awareness in our communities, particularly now in June, as this is National Scleroderma Awareness Month.

We look forward to the day when a cure is finally found for this terrible and ultimately fatal disease.

[Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act, May 14th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I just listened to the member from the Liberal Party talk about the fact that he was astounded by the principle of the bill. The principle of the bill is to give a very vulnerable community the same rights as the rest of the community, to give aboriginal women property rights.

The parliamentary secretary to the minister said very clearly that there were 103 consultations and that millions of dollars were spent consulting the broader community. It is a principle in many of our laws that when there are communities of vulnerable people , we have special provisions in law, vis-à-vis the law we have for those who are trafficked and get into a situation where they cannot speak freely.

We have done due diligence to ensure these consultations have gone deep. We have really listened to the broad spectrum of those who are vulnerable.

Does the parliamentary secretary have any idea what the motivation could be to stop a bill concerning fundamental human rights? I do not understand but maybe he understands the agenda that is at play here.

This bill needs to happen. It cannot be hijacked for six months. It needs to be done. The international community is even saying that. We need to ensure that vulnerable women in our native communities have the same rights that the rest of Canadians enjoy.

[Petitions, May 14th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from 200 individuals asking the government to recognize its obligations under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and to particularly focus on the right to life. Since 1969 there has been no law to limit abortion in Canada. They are asking the government to enact legislation to the protect the life of the unborn.

[Petitions, May 14th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, today I have two petitions I would like to table. The first is on employment insurance.

[Message from the Senate, April 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I think if you were to seek it, you would find unanimous consent to see the clock at 5:38 p.m.