House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 36% of the vote.
Petitions November 19th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition from thousands of Canadians to save the ELA, Canada's leading freshwater research station. The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to recognize the importance of the ELA to its mandate to study, preserve and protect aquatic ecosystems, to reverse the decision to close the ELA research station and to continue to staff and provide financial resources to the ELA at the current or a higher level of commitment.
Petitions November 7th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the other petition has also been signed by thousands of Canadians. They call on the House to save the ELA, Canada's leading freshwater research station. They call on the House to recognize the importance of the ELA to the Government of Canada's mandate to study, preserve and protect aquatic ecosystems. The petitioners ask that the government reverse its decision to close the ELA research station and to continue to staff and provide financial resources to the ELA at current or higher levels of commitment.
Petitions November 7th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions. The first petition is signed by thousands of Canadians. They call on the House of Commons to ban the possession, trade, distribution or offer for sale of shark fins in Canada, understood to be the raw, dried or otherwise processed attached fin or tail of any species of shark. Due to the over-fishing of sharks and shark fins and sharks' slow reproductive rates, the decline in shark numbers has upset the ocean ecosystem.
Fisheries and Oceans November 6th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, despite evidence that the staff are already stretched to the breaking point, the Conservatives are slashing habitat protection staff on the west coast, getting rid of capacity. Justice Cohen points to the DFO staffing levels as a problem.
I have a simple question. How does the minister expect these offices to properly investigate fish habitat violations with a third fewer staff?
Fisheries and Oceans November 6th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, even the Council of Canadian Academies agrees that Canada is sliding backwards on fisheries science compared to the rest of the world.
Despite evidence that staff are already stretched to the breaking point, the Conservatives are—
Fisheries and Oceans November 6th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, in his landmark report, Justice Cohen was clear that weakening fish habitat protection would put Fraser River sockeye in peril. We already had strong protections for fish habitat, but instead of enforcing them, the Conservatives are getting out of the business of oversight to make it easier for their oil lobbyist friends to push through their pipeline projects.
Instead of stalling, will the minister listen to Justice Cohen and reverse the government's reckless move to weaken habitat protection?
Fisheries and Oceans November 5th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, this is not complicated. How long can it possibly take for the Conservatives to understand the findings, which are so clear?
Wild salmon are in crisis. The report's recommendations are a road map to saving them. However, instead of acting on the recommendations, the Conservatives are further gutting environmental protections in another omnibus budget bill.
That minister is going in the wrong direction. When will she commit to implementing these recommendations?
Fisheries and Oceans November 1st, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not seem to understand what is at stake. Wild salmon are at the heart of B.C.'s culture and economy. The Conservatives misled Canadians when they said that gutting habitat protection would in fact strengthen it. The Cohen report is clear that these reckless Conservative policies are putting salmon at risk.
Will the minister stop the double speak, stop stalling and commit today to implementing the recommendations to protect B.C. salmon?
Petitions October 31st, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition from hundreds of people who call on the government to save the ELA, Canada's leading freshwater research station.
The petitioners draw attention to the fact that Canada's Experimental Lakes Area is a unique, world-renowned facility for freshwater research and education.
The petitioners call on the government to immediately recognize the importance of the ELA to the Government of Canada and to reverse the decision and continue to staff and provide financial resources to the ELA at current or higher levels.
Fisheries and Oceans October 31st, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the 2009 Fraser River sockeye salmon collapse should have been a dire warning to the Conservatives about their fisheries mismanagement. However, instead of investing in fishery science and protecting fish habitat, the Conservatives gutted the Fisheries Act and dismantled scientific capacity in DFO. Now B.C. will be left with half the habitat protection staff it had a decade ago.
How does the minister expect to protect wild salmon if he is slashing funding for fishery science in B.C.?