House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 56% of the vote.
Government Contracts February 11th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, as I said, the rules were followed. The RCMP required this fence and it required it in a timely manner. It is our obligation to provide security for Canadians. We followed that obligation to the T.
We did our job. We provided the fence. We did it in a timely manner and the summit went ahead as planned.
Government Contracts February 11th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, we are applying the rules. The purchase of the fence was a decision of the RCMP. It expressed the need for this fence, and we provided it with what it needed.
Again in English for my colleague from Outremont, the RCMP set the standards of the fencing it required. We got it in a timely manner. We did our job, which is what Canadians expect.
Government Contracts February 11th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, with respect, I will take the word of the RCMP on Canada's security needs over that of the member for Ajax—Pickering. The RCMP said it needed this fence. It needed it in a timeframe that it provided to this government. We provided the fence. The summit went forward in a secure manner and the job was done by this government.
Government Contracts February 11th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, as it was once so well put, this is not fair. The security fence was required by the RCMP. It was required to have a secure summit. The contract was given to a firm that could provide the only fence that the RCMP said was required for this operation. The fence was provided, the summit went forward, and there were no security concerns. This was a success in terms of security.
Public Works February 11th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, the rules were followed. The RCMP required the security fence in a timely manner. We did our job. We provided the proper security fence and that is exactly what was required by the RCMP. Rules were followed, the fence was provided, and the summit went forward in a secure manner, just exactly as was required.
Public Works February 11th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, that is not true. A contract was awarded to Matériaux Bonhomme Ltée of Gatineau, Quebec, for the installation of a fence to secure the perimeter of Chateau Montebello during the Summit of the Americas. For technical reasons, the RCMP decided that it was the only type of fencing that could meet their needs.
We did our job to provide security and we will do so in future. That is our approach.
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games February 6th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, we are joined today by John Furlong, CEO of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Paralympian Ray Grassi, Olympian Jayna Hefford and Bell Olympian Jeff Bean.
Two years from now, the Olympic flame will be lit in Vancouver.
Around the world, three billion people will be watching Canada as we host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
That flame will shine a light on our country like never before, giving us a once in a generation opportunity to share our athletic and creative excellence.
It will also give us an opportunity to honour our aboriginal heritage and to present the very best of Canada to the whole world.
The Vancouver 2010 Games are Canada's Games.
I would like to invite all Canadians to join us in welcoming the people of the world in a spirit of peace, brotherhood and respect.
The 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games are a time to celebrate, cheer our athletes to gold and show the world the best of Canada.
Settlement of International Investment Disputes Act January 28th, 2008
Agriculture, I beg your pardon, Mr. Speaker.
The hon. member spoke for a good length about chapter 11 of NAFTA. It is remarkable to me. First, I was frankly a little bit disappointed by his speech. I think one can make a point for or against something without personal attacks, being negative, smearing Paul Wolfowitz, smearing people's intentions and attacking their character. One can make the point against chapter 11 without having to attack someone's personality and character. It is entirely unnecessary and it is unbecoming in this place.
Beyond that, chapter 11 of NAFTA extends the Canadian value internationally. What chapter 11 says in NAFTA is that we cannot discriminate against a foreign owned company.
The hon. member used the example of Metalclad. What chapter 11 says is that if a municipal, provincial or federal government in Canada or any jurisdiction in the world wants to regulate or legislate against certain behaviours by any companies, say one which is dumping pollutants that may be detrimental to an environment, a government can say that companies cannot dump this pollutant.
It cannot say that company A cannot dump the pollutant. It has to say that all companies have to stop dumping this pollutant. The reason why is because countries very often use regulations and laws to discriminate against one company in favour of another. Chapter 11 means that we have to treat all companies equally, not discriminate, and thereby allow companies to change their practices in order to meet the new burden in the best interests of the public. It forces countries not to discriminate. That is what chapter 11 does.
The hon. member says that this allows companies to sue governments in order to change laws. Yes, it does. In Canada, a foreign company can sue the Canadian government or any government if it is being discriminated against. It could do that before chapter 11. Chapter 11 allows a Canadian company to sue a government in another jurisdiction so that it gets treated equally and so that it is not discriminated against. That is what chapter 11 does.
The hon. member says that a company can sue a government and overturn a law. Yes, because it is being discriminated against to benefit another company that may be domestically based. It is a trade barrier. It prevents competition. Preventing competition prevents people from getting the best quality, the best price and the best choices in products, and how they want to live their lives. That is a good thing.
The principles of chapter 11 exist in Canada whether we have NAFTA or not. NAFTA and chapter 11 of NAFTA extends this virtue abroad because it protects Canadian companies in other countries so that we can do business and not be discriminated against.
I cannot believe that a member can stand up in the House for 20 minutes and give a speech on something he clearly knows so little about.
Settlement of International Investment Disputes Act January 28th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I listened intently to the speech given by my colleague from Timmins—James Bay. I know he used to be the trade critic for the NDP, I believe, in the previous Parliament.
Petitions January 28th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table in the House a petition, one of a number of petitions I have tabled over the years that deals with the issue of date rape drugs. This is an issue that I have pushed in this House a number of times calling on the government to have tougher penalties against those who use date rape drugs to abuse women.
The petitioners are mostly from the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, Mission and Chilliwack areas.
The petition was actually given to me by a constituent who used to live in Abbotsford who was a victim of a coward who used a date rape drug to abuse her. She collected these signatures through a lot of hard work with a good friend of hers as part of her recovery from what she is going through as a consequence of her attack. She is an incredible woman. I know she is watching and I am very proud of what she has done and I table this on her behalf.