David Sweet

[Scleroderma, June 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, sufferers of scleroderma endure such things as their skin becoming like parchment paper that tears at the slightest bump, internal organs shutting down, weeping ulcers, and joints seizing, a symptom that appears much like leprosy.

June is the month that scleroderma societies choose to have focused educational and fundraising events to get the word out to Canadians regarding this diabolical disease.

Scleroderma victimizes those between the ages of 30 and 50, four out of five of whom are women. More people endure the hardship of scleroderma than either multiple sclerosis or muscular dystrophy.

There is good news on the horizon with two new substantial research projects now under way. Researcher Dr. Johnson at Toronto Western Hospital and Dr. Baron at the Montreal Jewish General Hospital are bringing new hope to the community of scleroderma sufferers.

We are hopeful that these research projects, and efforts by local champions in Hamilton such as Peter Woolcott, will be joined by others so we will soon see the day when scleroderma is defeated.

[Environment Week, June 5th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, June 3 to 8 is Canadian Environment Week and today is Environment Day worldwide. There are great opportunities to reflect on how the environment affects us all. As Canadians participate in various activities across our great land, I urge them to continue to protect our precious resources and natural wonders.

What better way to recognize Environment Week than to be on the global stage at the G-8 demonstrating to the world how seriously Canada takes the climate change challenge. After years of waiting, Canada finally has a concrete plan to significantly reduce smog and greenhouse gases.

Yesterday the Prime Minister and the German chancellor, as president of the European Union, signed an important agreement on a variety of issues, including climate change. We agree with the European Union to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by at least half by 2050.

The government is clearly taking responsible and effective action, both here at home and on the world stage to fight climate change. The Conservative Party has always been dedicated to clean air, clean land and clean water. We continue to demonstrate that commitment by taking action and getting the job done.

[The Senate, May 30th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians knew it all along but now it is official. We finally have confirmation that Liberal senators have been caught manipulating democracy by their disingenuous use of their majority in the Senate.

Their unaccountable behaviour in pushing Bill C-288 through a Senate committee in mere seconds has been found by the Speaker of the Senate to be a violation of the privileges of the Senate. These Liberal senators have been caught red-handed.

Canadians are also concerned that these same Liberal senators have now delayed the Senate term limits bill for one full year. Not a happy birthday. Liberal stonewalling continues to demonstrate to Canadians that the party opposite is more concerned with protecting its entitlements than delivering accountability.

Despite being on record in favour of Senate term limits, the Leader of the Opposition has been unable or unwilling to persuade his Liberal colleagues to accept the change.

The choice is crystal clear for Canadians. The Prime Minister is delivering strong leadership and this Conservative Party is delivering accountability.

[Lincoln Alexander Day, May 16th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, February is Black History Month and the third Monday is Heritage Day across Canada. Now a bill has been introduced in Queen's Park to make the third Wednesday of February in Ontario, Lincoln Alexander Day.

Lincoln MacCauley Alexander is well known for his compassion, charisma, hard work and generosity. He sat in this House as an MP for Hamilton, was a Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, is a Companion of the Order of Canada and a Member of the Order of Ontario.

Linc's credentials are far too long for me to list in their entirety in the brief time I have. One that does need to be mentioned is that last June, Linc was named the greatest Hamiltonian of all time. Daily, when I use the Lincoln Alexander Parkway when I am back in the riding I represent, I think of all the values that Lincoln Alexander still stands for today.

No one single person who I know embodies black history and heritage as does Lincoln Alexander. In a spirit of non-partisanship, I strongly encourage all members of the Ontario legislature to support Bill 220 and make the third Wednesday in February in Ontario, forevermore, Lincoln Alexander Day.

[Liberal Party Candidates, May 4th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, first Jim Curran, the Liberal nominee in Niagara Falls withdrew his candidacy because he was arrested on fraud charges. Then we learn of Farhan Chak, who has finally resigned his candidacy in Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont.

The real question is why the Liberal leader is so weak that he would not fire Chak outright. We told him about Chak's intemperate views about Israel. We told him about Chak's sympathy toward suicide bombers. We told him about Chak's conspiracy theories about terrorist attacks. It was left to us to tell him about Chak's weapons charges related to a nightclub shooting.

Apparently, Chak did not think it was a big deal. Nor did the Liberal leader because he still did not see fit to fire Chak. It was Chak who realized he was not fit to stand for election.

The Liberal leader should grow a backbone. He would not stand up to Farhan Chak. Will he at least stand up to Elizabeth May and ask her to resign her candidacy in Central Nova?

[Criminal Code, May 4th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his vote of confidence in the bill but I do have some problems with his criticisms of the bill.

Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale is part of the amalgamated city of Hamilton. In Hamilton we have a secure release facility where some of the most dangerous offenders are housed.

Years ago, one of those dangerous offenders walked across the road to a shopping mall in downtown Hamilton, one of these places where the member previous to that member spoke about one of those unusual stories happened, and repeatedly stabbed a young woman. It took the crown attorney in Hamilton almost two full years, under the existing legislation, to build a case to finally have this man labelled a dangerous offender and put him away.

It is necessary for us to have this reverse onus so that our crown attorneys have the capability of building the case required in order to accomplish this with what both the last two Liberal members said, effective law enforcement legislation.

What does the member mean by lack of effectiveness when this would clearly give a tool to the crown attorneys to put these dangerous offenders away much more effectively?

[Health, May 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, it has been 15 months since Canadians decided to choose a Conservative government to provide the leadership they desired and deserved.

One very crucial area where the government has demonstrated the importance of innovation and leadership is health research.

Could the Minister of Health inform the House what our government is doing to support health related research in Canada?

[Asthma, April 30th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, May 1, is World Asthma Day. In Canada this day reminds us of three million Canadians who suffer with asthma.

One in five children make up that number, causing an estimated 10 million missed school days every year. That is a significant impact on our nation's ability to educate tomorrow's leaders.

As we know, those who suffer from asthma have their condition exacerbated from rising levels of air pollution and smog. It is this government that is taking action not only to reduce greenhouse gases but also to cut levels of air pollution in half by 2015.

As part of World Asthma Day, the doors will be open at the Lung Association office in my home community of Hamilton tomorrow. Sandy Lee, the volunteer coordinator, will be there to welcome all, raise awareness and get the word out on how Canadians can make a positive difference in the lives of asthma sufferers. In fact, Lung Association offices all across Canada will be doing the same.

I call upon all Canadians who want to help make the lives of the three million Canadians and 600,000 children who suffer from asthma a bit easier to stop by their local Lung Association office tomorrow to learn more and to make a generous contribution to asthma research.

[Tibet, April 25th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, today is the 18th birthday of Tibet's Panchen Lama. He is the second most important religious leader for the Tibetan people after His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

He also became the youngest political prisoner in the world when, in 1995 at the age of five, he and his parents were arrested by Chinese authorities. His only crime was being chosen by the Dalai Lama to become a great spiritual leader for the people of Tibet.

The Dalai Lama received honorary Canadian citizenship after a unanimously accepted motion that I presented here in the House June 22, 2006. That motion and subsequent citizenship recognizes, among other things, the Dalai Lama's relentless commitment to non-violent conflict resolution and tireless work for genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people within China.

Despite the Dalai Lama's best efforts for reconciliation, the Tibetan people continue to be denied their basic rights. I call on the government of China to deal in good faith with the Tibetan people and the Dalai Lama, and release the Panchen Lama and his family immediately.

[National Blood Donor Week Act, April 24th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak on Bill S-214. I would like to say that one of the things I have done in the past is support and sponsor blood donor clinics.

There is a need to encourage people to give blood, not only for the first time, as my colleague mentioned, but to continue the practice on a regular basis. It becomes more and more important.

One of the other aspects of this is that our world is becoming more dangerous. There are situations such as car collisions or cataclysmic weather or, God forbid, where there is a heinous criminal act and not one person but many people are hurt. To have this encouragement for people to get out to the blood donor clinics, and to have a good supply on hand if this kind of thing takes place, that is what we want to promote and encourage.

I join with the other members who have said they support the bill. I support it. As well, we must make sure that we do our best to encourage all of our constituents to get out to these clinics.