Jack Harris

[Offshore Health and Safety Act, May 8th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his speech, his compassion, and his commitment to the issue and to offshore workers. He managed to get a tremendous number of issues into one speech. I commend him for that as well, because it is a complicated matter.

I want to emphasize that the reason we are supporting this bill, despite the fact that it has some shortcomings, is that draft regulations governing offshore safety were in place for almost 20 years. Finally, after 10 years of negotiations and discussion, the bill came forward as a result of the hard work by the members of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour, the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour, and the two governments in co-operating on this bill. It is very important that it be passed with some urgency.

However, we did want to use the opportunity to talk about some of the shortcomings. One of them is the fact that it does not include the most important recommendation from the Honourable Robert Wells, which was to have a stand-alone safety regulator. He said this regulator should be powerful, independent, knowledgeable, and equipped with expert advice.

Can the member comment on the failure of the government to accept that a stand-alone regulator should be put in place?

[Offshore Health and Safety Act, May 8th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, would the member for Brome—Missisquoi care to comment on the failure of the government to accept a recommendation and motion of an amendment to review our desire to have a stand-alone safety agency instead of the C-NLOPB? That was offered but refused. Do you know why the government would refuse such a review of this act and legislation to see how it was working?

[National Defence, May 8th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, in 2005, Canadians strongly rejected the idea of participation in American missile defence. They were opposed to a system that would weaponize space and drive an arms race, but now a source has told Global News that the government is considering participation in a new missile defence program.

Can the minister tell the House if his government will participate in the U.S. ballistic missile defence program?

[National Defence, May 5th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, for six years, Corporal Stuart Langridge's family has been waiting for answers about his suicide. Losing a child is a parent's worst nightmare. Having the military prevent them from knowing what really happened is absolutely unimaginable. After many years and lengthy hearings, they still have to wait.

We know that an interim report has been prepared and given to the minister for his comments, but the family still has no access to it.

Will the minister do the right thing and release the report to this family so that they too can participate in the final process?

[National Defence, May 5th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, we have a government pouring resources into commemorating Canada's involvement in Afghanistan, but refusing to provide soldiers with the basic support they need at home.

Master Corporal Kristian Wolowidnyk's story is heartbreaking. He is sadly not the only soldier dismissed before qualifying for full benefits and dismissed with total disregard for their well-being after they have served the country.

When is the minister going to recognize that these men and women are also casualties of war and ensure that they too are provided with the support they need when they return home?

[National Defence, May 2nd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the Fynes have lived through the worst nightmare any parent could imagine. Their suffering is compounded by the shamefully out-of-touch investigation into their son's death. In fact, even his suicide note was kept from them for 14 months. The minister withheld documents regarding his death from the commission and now as the process wraps up, his own parents are being shut out. The minister has the interim report. Why will he not let the parents see it so they can participate in the final process?

[National Defence, May 2nd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, six years ago, Corporal Stuart Langridge took his own life. Ever since, his family has struggled to uncover the truth and find closure. After lengthy and painful hearings before the Military Police Complaints Commission, they still cannot get answers. An interim report into what happened has finally been prepared and given to the minister for his comment, but the family is not being allowed to see it.

Why is this report being withheld from the family and when will the minister provide it to them?

[National Defence, April 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, when they were elected, the Conservatives promised to increase the number of military personnel to 75,000 full-time members and 35,000 reservists. Now defence experts are saying that budget cuts mean that even keeping the current targets of 68,000 full-time members and 27,000 reservists is going to be difficult.

Can the government confirm today that with these cuts, no bases will be closed, and that it will not reduce the number of full-time members of the Canadian Armed Forces?

[Public Works and Government Services, April 28th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, we are talking here about re-victimizing victims. In these circumstances, the women and men of our Canadian Armed Forces deserve a better response than an internal review.

Mismanagement of military procurement has also been a hallmark of the government. Now it is refusing to release the so-called public report on the F-35 until it has made up its mind what plane it is going to purchase.

After years of bungling, mismanagement, and even hiding the massive cost of the F-35, Canadians do not trust the government. Now it is hiding again. Will the minister immediately table this taxpayer-funded public report?

[National Defence, April 28th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that the minister is taking the matter seriously, but what we really need here is action. The investigative report from L'actualité outlined how, on average, five members of the Canadian military community are sexually assaulted every day and that previous warnings were ignored within the military.

Now that the minister has asked for an internal review, will he agree to appear before the defence committee, with the Chief of the Defence Staff, and tell us what action his government will take to deal with these very troubling revelations?