Dean Del Mastro

[Business of Supply, September 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, once again I listened with great interest to what the hon. member had to say.

I have to admit that the hypocrisy from the Liberal benches never ceases to amaze me. We hear comments about being meanspirited. We hear comments about cuts.

I would like the hon. member to comment on the cuts made to provincial transfers, enormous cuts on the back of health care, on the back of welfare, cuts that indeed bled down to the municipalities. Were they meanspirited or were they kind cuts? Was that a kind way to cut from the Canadian public?

I think that finding efficient, effective and accountable spending practices here in Ottawa is what the taxpayers want. I would like to hear what she has to say.

[Business of Supply, September 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I enjoyed listening to the hon. member's speech and I listened quite attentively. I think, quite frankly, the opposition is beating a drum that Canadian society is not dancing to at this particular time.

We have read articles in the newspapers and we have certainly heard the TD chief economist, Dale Orr, and another gentleman speak quite positively about the measures the government has taken. Quite frankly, the new government wants to spend funds effectively, efficiently and accountably because it is the taxpayers' money, which is really what we are talking about here.

In fact, we know the government has taken measures that allows us to save $48 million a year just in the operations of government by having a smaller cabinet. That is 20 times what we are talking about here today.

I think what we are really talking about is that the Liberal benches cannot understand how a government that may go to another election is prepared to do so on a banner of effective, efficient and accountable spending and not trying to buy votes. Perhaps the member might comment on that.

[Petitions, September 25th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour today to present a petition on behalf of 170 of my constituents with respect to the minimum age of consent.

The petitioners pray that the government assembled in Parliament will take all measures necessary to immediately raise the age of consent from 14 to 16 years of age.

[Canada Elections Act, September 18th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest to what the hon. member had to say. I am encouraged to hear that it sounds as though he is supporting election reform in this manner. I was, however, disturbed by some of the amendments that the member was proposing with respect to confidence motions in the House.

It seems to me that governments are elected on a mandate and are expected to deliver on the promises they have made. Certainly, this government is making a case for the fact that it will deliver on what it has promised. If bills are going to be constantly debated, and no one has to express confidence in a government, I do not think any government could really go to the people and express that it would deliver on its promises. I would like to hear what the member has to say about that.

[Income Tax Act, June 21st, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest to the member's speech. He is very passionate about this issue. I can tell he cares a great deal about our students, and that is important.

The member seems to indicate in the absence of programs. The RESP program already exists and there are incentives in the it. In fact, we have seen this program grow by sevenfold since 1997, so people are using it.

In its budget, the government provided significantly more availability to student loans. It has provided tax credits, invested in infrastructure at universities, and we are moving toward assisting the provinces in other ways.

While I appreciate the motivations of the bill, I question whether it is useful in any way.

[Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act, June 16th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions is a long term endeavour. It requires a framework that provides clear, long term direction and predictability. It cannot involve short term targets with constantly changing policies and incentives.

That is why the government is committed to developing a made in Canada approach that will focus on achieving sustained reductions of emissions in Canada and transforming our economy over the long term. We want to see real emission reductions and real progress in reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

While the hon. member should be commended for his concern about reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the essence of his proposal that Canada achieve its Kyoto target simply cannot be done, and his overall approach to a workable climate change plan for Canada is seriously flawed.

Respected Canadian, Rex Murphy, remarks that the politics, means and value of Kyoto are a basket of uncertainties or insignificance.

There is a general acknowledgement on the science of air pollution and greenhouse gases. We know enough to realize that action is needed. The first Kyoto commitment period starts in 2008, which is only a year and a half from now. Our greenhouse gas emissions are 35% above our Kyoto target following the Liberal government. This is a huge number, representing more than the annual emissions from transportation in this country.

This brings me to a serious flaw in the conception of this proposed bill. The bill would require an annual climate change plan. That is pretty much what we have had over the past five or six years and it is just what we do not need. We need to lay out a path forward and get busy acting on it. Having a plan is always important but not when it is a substitute for action. Business needs certainty, not annual plans that lay out measures upon measures.

This government is committed to developing a made in Canada approach that will focus on achieved sustained reductions in emissions in Canada and transforming our economy over the long term. We will be working with the provinces, the territories, industry and other Canadians. We will be looking at engaging communities and individual Canadians to reduce not only greenhouse gases but other air pollutants.

This government supports international action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change is a global issue that requires global solutions. Our domestic policy will be our guide in future cooperative efforts to address climate change. We understand that climate change is a global issue and that we need a global solution, which is why Canada is a major player in the United Nations led climate change negotiations for longer term reductions well after the first Kyoto protocol reporting period.

[Health Care, June 13th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the member for Brampton—Springdale stood in the House and falsely accused this government of failing to reduce health care wait times since taking office four short months ago. As usual, the Liberals' opposition is merely an indictment of their own time in government.

This government is committed to wait times guarantees. A guarantee is a guarantee and this government has demonstrated that we honour our commitment to Canadians.

As the member for Brampton—Springdale knows, wait times doubled during the 13 years of Liberal government in this country. The opposition should refrain from being so critical. This government has accomplished more in 130 days than the previous government did in 13 long years.

If the member is so concerned with reducing wait times for Canadians, perhaps she is in the wrong party. We will deliver a wait times guarantee. This government delivers on its promises.

[Criminal Code, June 13th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest to what the hon. member for Etobicoke--Lakeshore had to say and I disagree with him wholeheartedly.

It was not that long ago that a heinous crime occurred in Toronto and the former chief of police, Julian Fantino, indicated that he had had it with the revolving door justice system and that the age of hug a thug, as he put it, was over. Our government never presided over the age of hug a thug but members opposite did. Obviously the whole notion that they are soft on crime is coming from society and not from us.

I would like to suggest that the member opposite look into what occurs in our federal prisons which actually have a very good record of rehabilitating prisoners. He may want to refer to them.

I would like to suggest to him that the bill is about justice, justice for victims and justice for society. Where does that enter into his paradigm of considering whether it is a balanced approach or not? I would like to hear the answer.

[Criminal Code, June 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague made a few valid points. I would agree with him that there are instances where the justice system has been soft on grow operations and I would like to see that halted as well.

What we are really talking about in Bill C-10 is justice. Somehow that has been lost in the whole conversation. We have families, victims and citizens crying in the streets and asking why this is being allowed to happen, why criminals are getting off so soft and why are we not dealing with this. Bill C-10 seeks to deal with it. We are standing up for our citizens and trying to make their streets safe.

Why is the hon. member not delivering what our constituents are demanding, which is justice?

[Criminal Code, June 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest to what the hon. member had to say and I agree with many of his points but I do not think he was speaking to Bill C-10. As we know, Bill C-10 sets out mandatory minimum sentences for violent crime.

I recently had an opportunity to tour Warkworth Institution and I must say that the federal system of prisons is quite effective in rehabilitating prisoners and making them better members of society. Only by getting into the federal system will they have this opportunity.

Furthermore, I think the member is speaking to the failures of the previous government, and I condemn the previous government for the conditions that currently exist in Saskatchewan in the provincial system of prisons. Is the member not speaking of the failures of the previous government and not the initiatives of this government?