House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2019, with 50% of the vote.
Government Grants April 12th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, in January, the son-in-law of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans landed a lucrative government grant, up to $20 million. But the minister failed to publicly disclose the relationship to Canadian taxpayers.
The Conflict of Interest Act requires ministers to formally recuse themselves of any decision that would benefit their family. The minister did not.
Why did the minister knowingly violate the act?
Medical Isotopes March 31st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know the truth. They know that this government has no intention of replacing the Chalk River reactor. They know that this government wants to privatize the production of isotopes. They know that this government ignored the panel of experts, who said yesterday in committee that the reactor needs to be replaced immediately.
If the government cares about the health of Canadians, why is it doing nothing to resolve this escalating crisis?
Medical Isotopes March 31st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the government revealed this morning it intends to abandon thousands of Canadian cancer victims. The response to its own expert review panel on isotopes is to ignore the key recommendations. For a year the government has denied this growing medical crisis. A nuclear medicine expert said that in some cases it is a matter of life and death.
The government's response: do the absolute least possible. Why are the Conservatives putting their right-wing ideology ahead of the health of Canadians?
Nuclear Energy March 30th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, I did not mention the Investment Canada Act.
The degree of government incompetence is unprecedented. It is rushing ahead with the outright sale of our nuclear industry to foreign interests at a time when there is a global renaissance in this sector.
It will be a fire sale, after it has succeeded in diminishing AECL's value by announcing its privatization policy in the midst of a bid to build new reactors in Ontario.
Why are the Conservatives hollowing out another key segment of our economy? Did they learn nothing from the Avro Arrow fiasco?
Nuclear Energy March 30th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the budget bill will take away any assurance that Atomic Energy of Canada Limited will not be sold to foreign interests.
Indeed, this bill eliminates the need for an act of Parliament to approve the sale and gives Cabinet a free hand to allow foreign interests to take it over.
Are they trying to hide the fact that the Prime Minister has already made up his mind to sell the CANDU technology?
Epilepsy March 25th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, March 26, is Purple Day, a day to raise international awareness about epilepsy. I would like to encourage my colleagues to wear purple in support of this special event.
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders affecting 300,000 Canadians and 50 million people globally.
In 2008, Cassidy Megan, a young girl who lives in my riding of Halifax West, founded Purple Day to build support for people with epilepsy. I hope all of us will join Cassidy and wear purple tomorrow.
The Environment March 23rd, 2010
Mr. Speaker, this government has dragged its heels on renewing the Atlantic coastal action program so badly that it has had to admit the program will not be ready for April 1.
Sixteen community-based groups in Atlantic Canada are left twisting in the wind by the government's incompetence. They are waiting to hire students for this summer. They are waiting to start projects to protect our coastal areas.
When will the minister get his act together and release details of the interim funding?
Sébastien's Law (Protecting the Public from Violent Young Offenders) March 19th, 2010
Madam Speaker, this may be one of the areas that, if the bill goes to committee, ought to be examined.
I mentioned my concerns about some of the poor drafting of the legislation, that it probably did not come from the department but rather from the Conservative Party. This is an element of that and I appreciate my hon. colleague raising it.
I hope that if the bill does get that far it will be examined more and, in the meantime, examined here in debate.
Sébastien's Law (Protecting the Public from Violent Young Offenders) March 19th, 2010
Madam Speaker, I did say there were 36 recommendations. In fact, I went through the recommendations and I read the ones that related to the federal legislation. I would suggest to my colleague that he might perhaps want to go over my speech in Hansard to see the details of that.
As I said, this bill does some of those things, but there are others it does not do. I am not a satisfied person. I am not convinced that, as it stands, it meets that balance my colleague talked about. I am concerned about it, and I would like to hear other thoughts on that matter.
Sébastien's Law (Protecting the Public from Violent Young Offenders) March 19th, 2010
Madam Speaker, in his eloquent comment the member asked a question. It was largely a rhetorical question, but it was worthwhile thinking about and worthwhile responding to, it seems to me, because I saw that piece on the news last night.
It is surprising that I did, because I spent most of the evening reading the bill and thinking about what I might say today on this topic. It was inspiring to see that young person who had come from that kind of background.
It is worthwhile to think about and for all us to learn about the kind of Canada that these people are experiencing, that a person like that is experiencing, in a very poor area of Toronto. There are other communities like that, other parts of large cities across this country. There are rural communities where there is desperate poverty. It is important we address that, especially in aboriginal communities.
It is important that we understand the contribution that that all makes to this situation. It is important that we respond to it not just through legislation but with programs that can support people and build a better Canada.