Gerald Keddy

[Petitions, February 24th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition from my riding of South Shore—St. Margaret's supporting proportional representation.

[Election of the Speaker, February 24th, 2014]

Why would you mention the Prime Minister's name?

[Canadian Junior Curling Championships, February 14th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 2014 M&M Meat Shops Canadian junior curling championships that took place in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, in my riding of South Shore—St. Margaret's.

I would like to congratulate not only all the athletes but also the volunteers and the organizing committee: Greg Thorbourne, Donna Hatt, Melissa Robinson, Paul Fay, Frances Younker, and Bob Wilkinson.

The town of Liverpool and the surrounding area rose to the occasion. The most common statement from all the athletes was “When can we come back to the South Shore again?”

I take this occasion to mention another great South Shore athlete, Alexandra Duckworth, who competed for Canada in the women's snowboarding halfpipe in Sochi. Alexandra has made us all proud.

Also, since it is Valentine's Day, I would be remiss not to mention the extraordinary story of Bertie and Bill Nickerson, also from Liverpool, who have been married for 78 years. They say the secret of their marriage is that they get along. Congratulations to Bertie and Bill.

Finally, to my wife Judy, happy Valentine's Day.

[Fair Elections Act, February 7th, 2014]

And he was unpaid.

[Cyberbullying, January 29th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year the ministers of justice and public safety launched our government's anti-cyberbullying public awareness campaign: Stop Hating Online. The campaign raises awareness of the impact of cyberbullying and makes sure youth know that this behaviour often amounts to criminal activity. Our government took concrete action by introducing the protecting Canadians from online crime act, which would create a new criminal offence to prohibit the non-consensual distribution of intimate images. This bill would give police the tools they need to do their job.

We have also launched a Stop Hating Online website as a comprehensive resource for parents and youth, with the information and tools they need to prevent and stop cyberbullying.

I am pleased that our government is taking strong steps to help protect our children and youth from cyberbullying. They deserve it.

[Halifax Explosion, December 6th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the Halifax explosion that occurred 96 years ago today. The explosion destroyed much of the city of Halifax, the unfortunate result of a collision in the harbour between the SS Imo and the SS Mont Blanc.

The ensuing explosion travelled at more than 1,000 metres per second, propelling the barrel of one of Mont Blanc's big guns nearly six kilometres away to land in Dartmouth, while part of her anchor landed three kilometres south in Armdale. Every building within 2.6 kilometres, over 12,000 in total, was destroyed or badly damaged. The entire city of Halifax was devastated in what was to become the largest man-made explosion prior to the atomic bomb. Over 1,600 people were killed instantly and another 9,000 were injured.

Worse yet, the next day a severe nor'easter brought freezing temperatures and heavy snow, making the rescue effort even more difficult. To this day, the province of Nova Scotia sends a 50-foot Christmas tree to Boston every year in recognition of that explosion and the fact that the first relief train to come in with supplies and help arrived from Boston, Massachusetts.

[Taxation, November 29th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is alluding to the charities and we should be clear that the rules regarding charities and political activities are long-standing. Our Conservative government has always supported charities and their ability to exist within the tax rules in Canada.

Economic action plan 2012 provided the CRA with additional tools and resources to increase transparency in the charitable sector.

[Tusarnaarniq Sivumut Association, November 27th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a wonderful partnership between Nova Scotians from my riding of South Shore—St. Margaret's and the youth of Canada's north.

Julie Lohnes, from Rose Bay, Nova Scotia, started the Tusarnaarniq Sivumut Association, lnuktitut for Music for the Future, an organization that supplies musical instruments and workshops to Inuit youth.

The association celebrated its fifth anniversary with a sold-out annual benefit concert that included two fiddle workshop students, Colleen Nakashuk and Avery Keenainak, from Pangnirtung, Nunavut. They joined an already exciting lineup that included Juno award-winning singer-songwriter Lennie Gallant as well as the Riverport and Area Community Choir and master fiddlers Gordon Stobbe and Greg Simm.

Congratulations, Julie, on a resounding success. We thank her for all the hard work she does not only for her community but for the youth of Canada's north.

[Petitions, November 20th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition signed by over 2,000 citizens from across Nova Scotia asking that the federal government continue funding the Sambro Island lighthouse.

This lighthouse is the oldest in the Americas. It was built in the late 1700s. It continues to stand as a gateway to Halifax Harbour and to Sambro. This is a historic lighthouse. It is of national historic importance, and the Government of Canada needs to continue to fund it.

[Remembrance Day, November 8th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, today I stand and recognize New Ross Legion Branch 79 in my hometown. Branch 79, or as we say in New Ross, “the legion”, was built following World War II. My grandfather, my father, and my brother have all been presidents, and I am proud to be a 36-year member.

This year, the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, our community, like communities across Canada, will gather at the cenotaph to recognize and honour our veterans and the sacrifices they have made. It should be noted that the cenotaph in New Ross is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, World War I cenotaph in the country. It was erected in 1914-1915 to recognize the volunteers for World War I.

On November 11, we will recognize them again, along with all of our veterans, but especially our Korean War veterans in this, the 60th anniversary of that war.