Mr. Speaker, I would like to have my vote applied in favour.
House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2011, with 33% of the vote.
Committees of the House June 9th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, I would like to have my vote applied in favour.
Points of Order June 7th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, I heard the member referred to say, “Are they all his children?”
G8 and G20 Summits June 1st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, with the G20 summit, the federal government has given us another demonstration of how it is mismanaging this country.
Despite the $1.3 billion incredible price tag, it is sticking Toronto businesses with the cost of losses related to the summit. Unless businesses stay completely open and fully staffed, incurring unnecessary costs, the government will not compensate them at all, not a nickel for lost earnings.
As usual, the government's idea of partnership with cities is "Do it my way". Why is the government sticking it to Toronto residents and businesses? Why is the city of Toronto left holding the bag for the government's incompetence?
G8 and G20 Summits June 1st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, incredibly the government has mismanaged its way to a $1.3 billion price tag for this G20 summit, and it is still not covering many of the basic costs.
The City of Toronto urged the government to move the summit location, reduce disruptions and costs and possible damage. It refused to do this. Now the city has to act to ensure safety, removing 1,000 pieces of street furniture, dedicating staff at a cost of $20 million.
I have a basic question. Will the government respect and fully compensate Toronto for costs devoted to the summit and protest-related damages to city businesses? Will it do that?
Infrastructure May 27th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, of course the minister opposite forgets to say that he forgot to come to work for 100 days, and that is why we could not talk to him. He also forgets to say that we asked for briefings from his ministry 11 times, and he said no every single time because he is afraid to answer questions.
We do not need more empty propaganda. What we do need is a long-term cost-shared funding strategy. Municipalities were staring down a deficit of infrastructure needs of $123 billion before the government made its new rules.
Why does the government insist on cutting corporate taxes over the next two years—
Infrastructure May 27th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, tomorrow when the Prime Minister addresses Canadian municipalities, will he be addressing their number one concern, how to pay for billions of dollars in new infrastructure that federal government waste water rules make necessary?
Nearly 1,000 Canadian communities will need upgrades to protect the environment and Canadians' health at a cost of $13 billion. The government has made the rules, but it has said nothing about how it will help municipalities meet the new challenges.
Will the Prime Minister show up with real help for Canadian cities and towns or just more propaganda?
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act May 25th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The ministry has never tabled such an opinion. There are independent opinions that have been put forward that all protections for inadmissibility are in place. I am sure the hon. members want--
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act May 25th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, as I addressed in my speech, there are four or five different ways that compulsion was being used, at least at the depth of the Iraq war, on U.S. personnel in ways that are different from the Canadian armed forces and in a way that is a de facto draft for many of the people who are affected. That is why those kinds of compulsions are addressed in this bill.
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act May 25th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, we want the Conservative government to assure us that there will be no more deportations until Parliament has voted on this bill.
It is a simple request. There should be no deportations. There should be respect for the fact that there were two motions. Canadians have expressed themselves when asked. In fact there is no reason to thwart this little bit of democracy.
I am not saying that this trumps all of their issues, but there are some fundamental principles at work here. I would say the capacity of the government in its minority position to listen, whether it is the majority or whether it is a significant point of view, I think is very much in doubt in terms of the character it presents to Canadians.
I am hoping that this debate will be different. I believe it deserves that, even if people hold other different, distinct and opposing views. Let the debate happen. Let us have no deportations until that is done.
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act May 25th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, this is exactly the idea. This is an actual chance to look at the idea of when there are limits for people to say no, for our troops, for other troops. There is a common human principle of how much we expect and in what conditions people can have a conscientious objection. It is recognized in international law. It is recognized at the United Nations. It is recognized in much of what we in Canada have available so far, and this simply clarifies it.
In the matter of the Iraq war, in the matter of these particular individuals, yes, I would say we can be both friends to the United States and still ask these fundamental questions and answer them somewhat differently. That is exactly the choice we have. It is out of respect for the United States that we can do this in open debate and come to a different conclusion.