Gilles Duceppe

[The Environment, December 8th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has denounced the laissez-faire attitude of certain countries when it comes to fighting climate change, saying that we must not repeat the failure of Copenhagen. Yet to the Conservative government, the Copenhagen accord on climate change is a success.

Is the Conservative government not in the process of doing in Cancun what it did so well in Copenhagen, namely stymying all negotiations on committing to new greenhouse gas emission reductions after 2012?

[The Environment, December 7th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the C.D. Howe Institute reached the same conclusion in a report stating that the government's wait-and-see attitude toward climate change will put us so far behind technologically that it will cost us dearly in the long run.

Does the Prime Minister realize that his single-minded focus on the interests of oil companies is preventing him from recognizing Quebec's and Canada's interests with respect to climate change?

[The Environment, December 7th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, Quebec announced that it had reduced greenhouse gas emissions to below 1990 levels, but the Canadian government is going in the opposite direction by speaking out against Kyoto renewal and doing whatever it can to interfere with international climate change initiatives.

Does the Prime Minister realize that, by refusing to recognize efforts made by Quebec and Quebec businesses, such as aluminum smelters, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Canada is penalizing Quebec and preventing it from moving forward?

[The Environment, December 6th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian and Quebec companies may be forced to pay the price of the Conservatives' reckless behaviour and the blind eye they are turning to what the oil companies are doing. The European Union is planning to impose a tax on polluting products from countries, like Canada, that do not abide by the greenhouse gas standards.

Does the Prime Minister plan to penalize Quebec companies by siding with the oil companies under the pretext that Kyoto is a socialist plot, as he stated in 2002?

[The Environment, December 6th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, Canada caused a shock wave in Cancun by joining forces with Japan and Russia to oppose extending the Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012. After sabotaging negotiations in Copenhagen, shelving its so-called plan to reduce greenhouse gases and giving the oil companies carte blanche, Canada will continue to do everything it can to put off any international agreement.

Does this attitude not demonstrate that the Prime Minister is pandering to the big oil companies, which are telling him how to act, and that he will do anything to undermine the fight against climate change?

[Points of Order, December 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the word “Taliban” was repeated three times. I am asking him to act in a civilized manner and to withdraw his remarks about me.

[Points of Order, December 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, during question period, when I was questioning the government, the member for Northumberland—Quinte West shouted that I was supporting the Taliban. It is the duty of the opposition to ask questions without being heckled in this way by members. I ask the member to withdraw his remarks.

[Afghanistan, December 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, what is troubling is that these investigations have been going on for months, the minister was aware and did not inform anyone, and the defence committee had no idea.

Is the government not deliberately hiding information in order to protect some individuals in the Canadian Forces who are tarnishing the image of all soldiers, who deserve our full respect?

[Afghanistan, December 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the media have revealed that an elite unit of the Canadian army is suspected of having committed war crimes in Afghanistan. These allegations have been the subject of internal investigations at the Department of National Defence for several months.

Was the Minister of National Defence informed by his department that investigations were under way regarding allegations of war crimes committed by members of the elite JTF2 commando unit in Afghanistan?

[Afghanistan, December 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows many things. He knows that there has been no abuse. He knows that there are special detention centres. He knows that there is a new transfer protocol. He knows that there may be some prisoners under 18 years of age. He knows all this. Surely he must know how many children have been transferred. Will this show up on WikiLeaks or somewhere else?

Could he tell us before we get this information from other sources? It seems a simple thing to me to say how many children have been transferred. He knows so many things; he must know this.