Garry Breitkreuz

[Canada's Fur Industry, December 3rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, today is Canada's first fur day on the Hill. Fur industry representatives from all over Canada are here in Ottawa to remind parliamentarians of the economic impact of this important sector.

Canada's fur industry is an important part of the livelihood of tens of thousands of Canadians contributing over $800 million annually to our economy and directly employing 75,000 people, one-third of whom are aboriginal. Roughly 250 families or 750 individuals and family members per federal riding are directly reliant on the fur trade for their income. The fur sector also plays an important role in the management and conservation of Canada's wildlife populations.

While the fur sector is growing here in Canada and internationally, there are a number of issues threatening the current and future success of this important sector.

On behalf of the parliamentary outdoors caucus, I encourage my hon. colleagues to learn about Canada's fur industry and do what they can do help this industry continue to grow and prosper.

[International Trade, October 23rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the constituents of Yorkton—Melville, Saskatchewan, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the Prime Minister for reaching an agreement in principle on the comprehensive economic and trade agreement with the European Union.

Having had the distinct privilege of working alongside our Prime Minister, I am proud to be a part of a team that can bring such abundant opportunity to this great country. This historic agreement opens up trade with 28 member states, 500 million people, and an annual economic activity of almost $17 trillion, and all Canadians stand to reap significant benefits in jobs, economic growth and prosperity.

Twenty years ago this week, I arrived in Ottawa as the member of Parliament for Yorkton—Melville, wet behind the ears and eager to make a difference in this country, to make it a better place in which to raise our children, to provide our kids and grandkids with a better future. Today, I can honestly say that under the leadership of our Prime Minister, we are accomplishing just that.

[Long Gun Registry, May 27th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the one-year anniversary of the Canadian long gun registry's demise passed quietly eight weeks ago.

There is a reason hardly anybody noticed. Gun control advocates predicted that the scrapping of the long gun registry would increase firearms abuse, but there is no correlation. In fact, a CBC news story in April noted that shootings in the city of Ottawa plunged from 11 while the registry was still in place to just 2 for the same period this past year.

Responsible gun owners are not the least bit surprised at this result. We know that the registry was simply feel-good legislation that was never designed to increase public safety. It was nothing more than a political ruse to lull Canadians into a false sense of security. That is why I made it one of my priorities as a member of Parliament to get rid of the long gun registry.

While it took nearly two decades to get the job done, I believe it brings Canada one step closer to fairer firearms legislation for all.

[Public Safety, April 23rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the RCMP announced the arrest of two individuals for a series of terrorism-related charges. RCMP Superintendent Doug Best said, “This is the first known al Qaeda-planned attack that we have experienced in Canada.”

Could the Minister of Public Safety please comments on these significant events?

[Petitions, January 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition from a number of Canadians today, which urges the Canadian government to condemn the Chinese communist regime's systematic murder of Falun Gong practitioners through forced live organ harvesting. These Falun Gong practitioners have largely been the most severely persecuted group in China since July 1999 for their spiritual belief in truth, compassion and forbearance. In 2006 allegations emerged of large-scale murder of Falun Gong practitioners for their organs. There is a lot of evidence that has been accumulated. I will not go through it. Democratic nations have a responsibility to condemn such atrocities.

Therefore, the petitioners request the Canadian government to condemn the Chinese Communist Party's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs, and they call for the end to the persecution of the Falun Gong in China.

[Petitions, December 11th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to present a petition from my constituents, mainly from the town of Canora, who say that Canada is a nation that has long promoted the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law, that preventing the birth of baby girls through sex selective abortions is an affront to dignity and the equality of women and girls and that sex selective abortions have denied millions of girls in Canada and throughout the world a chance to be born because they are girls.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons and Parliament assembled to condemn discrimination against girls through sex selective abortion and do all it can to prevent sex selective abortions from being carried out in Canada.

[Robotics Competition, December 4th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to recognize the outstanding efforts of the students who make up the robotics team at Yorkton Regional High School, in my constituency, and their coach, applied arts teacher Kevin Chiasson.

Two team members, Bo Chiasson, who is in grade 11, and Jayden Leister, who is in grade 12, recently participated in the WorldSkills Americas robotics competition held in São Paulo, Brazil. They came home with the gold, the top ranking team from among all the competitors in North America and South America. Their win now advances them to the WorldSkills International competition to be held in Leipzig, Germany in July 2013.

As a former teacher, I applaud the hard work and dedication of this team. I know I speak for all members in this chamber when I wish Bo and Jayden every success in Germany.

[Hunting, October 23rd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, fall is the time of year that hunters look forward to as they harvest the abundant species of ducks, geese, deer, moose, elk and bear. Rural and urban Canadians of all ages and from all walks of life contribute billions of dollars annually to the national economy through hunting, fishing, sport shooting and trapping. Hunters also play an important role in managing our species and environment.

People who hunt and fish have led the conservation movement for well over a century. The greatest environmental success story in the history of the world is the restoration of wildlife populations and habitat on the North American continent. Populations of wildlife were in danger of extinction due to unlimited harvest. Hunters emerged as leaders in an effort to reverse this trend. People who hunt and fish donate more time, sweat and money to conservation than all other groups combined.

Those who denigrate hunting for their own agendas need to look at the real facts. Young people benefit from learning respect for our environment by participating in our outdoor heritage activities.

Let us celebrate the conservation leadership and benefits of hunting.

[Outdoor Heritage, October 1st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's outdoor heritage is under attack again. Recently, the Shaw Media Global television network announced that it will stop airing all hunting shows on December 31 of this year. This is astonishing news given that millions of Canadians not only participate in Canada's great hunting tradition but are known to be some of the most respected leaders in wildlife conservation.

Recreational hunting in Canada contributes billions of dollars to the economy each year. Popular shows that promote the sport and educate Canadians, such as Angler & Hunter Television, Canada in The Rough and The Canadian Tradition have been unceremoniously pulled from the Global lineup. Many large, well-funded international groups want to shut down not only hunting but other outdoor heritage activities as well. This unfortunate decision smacks of bias against Canada's hunting and sport shooting traditions.

As co-chair of the Outdoors Caucus, I encourage all Canadians who value Canada's traditional outdoor heritage sports to speak out against this decision. Hunting is part of our cultural fabric. We must protect it.

[Petitions, September 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from constituents in my riding of Yorkton—Melville who ask us to support Motion No. 312. They indicate that we should confirm that every human being be recognized in Canadian law as a human by amending Section 223 of the Criminal Code in such a way as to reflect 21st century medical evidence.