It is not a point of order, Mr. Speaker, but on questions and comments.
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2019, with 47% of the vote.
Business of Supply February 2nd, 2012
It is not a point of order, Mr. Speaker, but on questions and comments.
Search and Rescue February 2nd, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the body of a 14-year-old boy, missing since Sunday on the coast of Labrador, was found yesterday but search and rescue helicopters did not arrive until Tuesday night.
Why is it that the Conservative government gives such a low priority to search and rescue? With our response times well behind international standards, the government is closing down rescue coordinating centres and helicopters take two days to start searching for a lost boy.
How can a search and rescue helicopter be available to transport the Minister of National Defence but not be ready to search for a lost teenaged boy on the coast of Labrador?
Search and Rescue February 2nd, 2012
Mr. Speaker, one would never know it with the Conservatives' work on trade deals.
The Conservatives are continuing their shameful plan to close down the marine search and rescue coordination centre in St. John's. The government is putting lives at risk by closing a vital search and rescue facility along one of the world's most dangerous coastlines. The expertise of the St. John's search and rescue centre is vital to ensuring the safety of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and all Canadians.
Why do the Conservatives have billions in tax breaks for profitable corporations, but no money left to keep open this vital search and rescue centre?
Parliament of Canada Act February 1st, 2012
How many days after he was elected.
Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act February 1st, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I know the Liberals want to reduce, for example, the number of seats in the House of Commons for Newfoundland and Labrador, but the debate today is about the pooled registered pension plan.
I want to ask the member what makes the pooled registered pension plan different from the RRSPs we currently have? I ask him because group RRSPs are an available option that has not really been used. In fact, the take-up rate of RRSPs by people eligible for them is around 24%, and the amount they contribute is 6% of what they are allowed. How are PRPPs going to be different? The PRPP seems to have been put forth as a great panacea, yet it does not really solve any of the problems of people who, even now, cannot contribute to an RRSP. We obviously need a plan where there is a contribution from the employer and employee to actually make it work and provide a decent retirement income.
Would he care to comment on that? Why would we bother with this if RRSPs are already there?
Firearms Registry January 31st, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the government at least gets high marks for consistency here. It is the second year in a row it has tried to hide a report that shows the public safety value of the long gun registry.
It is not enough that the government is destroying a tool that police use 14,000 times a day and destroying the data that the police and the provinces need to keep our communities safe, but it is also holding back crucial information from the committee that is studying the bill.
Why is the government consistently hiding information from Canadians?
Justice January 30th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, instead of working with the provinces to make our streets and communities safer, the Conservatives are forcing their ineffective and costly prisons agenda on Canadians, costing Ontario taxpayers, for example, $1 billion alone.
Why will the government not work with the provinces instead of downloading costs? Does it not agree with New Democrats that the pensions and services that Canadians rely on every day have a higher priority than the billions being spent on its prisons agenda?
Fair Representation Act December 13th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I like the suggestion of the member for Oakville about the leader of the Liberal Party asking, for example, which Liberal would like to give up his or her seat in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The member for Saint-Laurent—Cartierville probably knows better than most that the answer one gets depends on the question one asks. If people were asked if they wanted to spend less money on politicians, they probably would say yes. However, if people were asked if they wanted to lose seats or representation in their province, they probably would say no.
What about the Senate? There are 100 seats available there. If we want to make this place more democratic, surely there is room to do that without it costing more money as a whole.
Fair Representation Act December 13th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I listened to the member for Saint-Laurent—Cartierville and his concerns about the legislation and our plan. I do not think 350 seats is what is required, but what the member for Saint-Laurent—Cartierville talked about in his speech and in the Liberals' plan was to reduce the number of seats and the concern about cost.
I wonder if the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie would comment on the difference between the cost of the additional seats that might be included in the bill versus the cost of the Senate, which is undemocratic, unelected and does not seem to play any role whatsoever in the notion of democratic reform that either the Conservatives or the Liberals have to offer.
When we have concern about costs, is there not an easier way to solve that problem?
Fair Representation Act December 13th, 2011
How close are you?