Dennis Bevington

[Points of Order, September 24th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, part of the purpose in putting forward a point of order is to ensure that disorder does not remain in the House. When we have a situation where the Conservative Party is using the voting record in this fashion, we are getting into a situation where there is disorder in this House because the actual record of the House is being impugned.

[Points of Order, September 24th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, as I rose yesterday on a point of order regarding the Conservatives' misrepresentation of my voting record on Bill C-391, I am rising again today because, of course, the member for Saskatoon—Wanuskewin also did that.

This is not a subject of debate. This is a subject of the record of this Parliament for the voting that took place in an orderly fashion on Bill C-391 at second reading, where I voted clearly in one fashion, and also on the motion that was in front of this House on Wednesday evening, where I clearly voted again in a fashion. I stood in my place. This is part of the record of Parliament.

Mr. Speaker, I would ask you to rule on this and I would ask the hon. members to withdraw their comments.

[The Environment, September 24th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, today the member for Edmonton—Strathcona released a study that shows the oil sands are a bigger environmental disaster than the Conservatives want to admit. Mutant fish, first nations health problems and increased toxins in the water have been linked scientifically to the oil sands. We need to regulate this pollution, start credible monitoring and expedite promised health studies, but the Conservatives continue to do nothing.

Will the government take off its blinders when it comes to the oil sands and start putting the health of northern Canadians first?

[Water, September 24th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, it has been over 10 years since the Mackenzie River Basin Transboundary Waters Master Agreement was signed. Since that time, Ottawa has failed to do any work to get the bilateral agreements between the various provinces and territories finalized.

My constituency in the Northwest Territories is downstream from one of the worst environmental disasters in the world, the Athabasca tar sands. A study of water quality by University of Alberta researcher David Schindler makes it clear the tar sands have added cancer-causing toxins to the environment.

Due to the colonial nature with which Ottawa handles the territories, responsibility for water is still a federal matter. Ottawa has not taken up its responsibility, so there is no effective way to control this pollution.

The NWT wants to move forward and has developed a water strategy, but Ottawa's lack of action is getting in the way. If Ottawa will not take up its responsibility, it should hand over jurisdiction for water to the territories.

[Points of Order, September 23rd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I refer to questions that were raised by the member for Brant and the member for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, both of whom referred to the 20 members in the House who voted for Bill C-391 on second reading and then referred to the fact that they voted against that bill on third reading.

Sometimes members opposite do not read the missives that come from the PMO before they stand in front of the House, but quite clearly this is not a point of debate. The record is your record, Mr. Speaker, of the House, of the voting record of every one of those 20 people.

I would ask the members withdraw their statements.

[Cracking Down on Crooked Consultants Act, September 21st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I had asked this question earlier of the Bloc member and I want to clarify some aspects of this vis-à-vis employees of members of Parliament who act so many times on behalf of immigrants across the country. In some cases they may give advice that would determine the course of action immigrants would take on whether they would move for one type of visa or the other. According to this situation, exemptions given would be under agreements or arrangements the government has. Does that suggest there would be some training or some understanding of how to apply this?

Right across the country, as every MP will indicate, we are the front line for the immigration services of Canada. Is that going to change or are we going to find some way that we can interpret this law so our people can rest assured that they, acting on behalf of us, are not going to be in contravention of the law?

[Cracking Down on Crooked Consultants Act, September 21st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, particularly in my instance, a lot of immigration work comes through my office in Yellowknife. I have very capable staff there but they are not trained, especially by any organization or agency, to a standard that would perhaps be equitable across the country in how they treat these very sensitive immigration files.

I wonder if my colleague has any comments on how this bill might be interpreted by people who perhaps would not get advice that was perfect from employees of members of Parliament. As we all know, the offices of members of Parliament are often the last refuge of immigration appeal or immigration information. How does this work out there? How do we separate this from the concern that the consulting activities of our own staff are protected under this legislation?

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 20th, 2010]

With regard to the regulation of aviation, taking into consideration that airships could be operating in Canada in the near future: (a) has there been research into the need for regulation of airships; (b) has there been research into what regulations should be in place for the safe and secure construction, operation and maintenance of airships; (c) what are the regulatory requirements for the certification of airship pilots; (d) what are the regulatory requirements for the construction, operation and maintenance of airship aerodromes; (e) if there are no regulations concerning airships, will the government develop such regulations and what is the timeline for developing these regulations; and (f) if no preparatory work has been done concerning the development of regulations for airships, why not?

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 20th, 2010]

With regard to the increased authorities provided to the National Energy Board through Bill C-9, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 4, 2010 and other measures: (a) will the Board provide funding to interveners for environmental reviews; (b) what standards will the Board apply to determine if an environmental review is required; (c) will the Board conduct all of its environmental hearings in public and close to the location of a project under environmental review; (d) will the Board be increasing its staff size in order to provide expertise in environmental assessments; and (e) what appeal mechanisms will be in place for environmental decisions made by the Board?

[Northwest Territories Act, June 10th, 2010]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-530, An Act to amend the Northwest Territories Act (borrowing limits).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to introduce this private member's bill, as it is another step on the Northwest Territories' road to becoming more like a province.

Currently, the NWT must come cap-in-hand to Ottawa asking for an increase in the amount that it can borrow. Many of the borrowing requirements in the Northwest Territories are for things that are self-financing. Yet, still, this borrowing limit means that we must obtain the permission of cabinet to move forward with these amounts.

We are not content to remain in this colonial position. Our government is strong and has been fiscally responsible for many decades. For years, the federal government has promised the evolution of provincial-like jurisdictions to the NWT but with no action. Because of this lack of action, the natural resources of the Northwest Territories are in jeopardy.

Without the ability to borrow more money, the territory may be forced to privatize certain facilities, like the Taltson hydro project with the expansion to service the diamond mines, something that is a profitable venture for the public government in the Northwest Territories. However, without the borrowing capacity, it cannot participate in this project. The natural resources of the Northwest Territories should go to benefit the people of the Northwest Territories, especially those where the government has taken an active role in developing a project.

This bill and my previous bill to give jurisdiction over new highway construction would make the Northwest Territories more like a province. Step by step, we can achieve what other parts of the country have and we want to move forward.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)