James Moore

[Petitions, September 27th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I will be tabling two petitions in the House today, both from people who live in my constituency.

The first petition calls on the federal government to take action to support families, which of course our government is doing and will continue to do.

[Government Programs, September 26th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, as we are finding out in area after area after area, Liberal mismanagement has cost taxpayers a lot of money.

That contract was signed and delivered by the former Liberal government. It is an example of things that this government will not do.

What we will do is find billions of dollars in savings in our procurements so we can reduce taxes for Canadians, pay down our debt and give Canadians the services they need and deserve.

[Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Act, 2006, September 26th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciated the comments from my colleague from Richmond. He is a good friend of mine. I notice he did his part for the softwood lumber industry by having every sentence on a separate sheet paper.

My question is a B.C. focused question with regard to this deal. He used very strong language in his presentation. I know the member from West Vancouver has also used very strong language with this deal in terms of what it means to British Columbia and what it means to our future.

B.C. Liberal Premier Gordon Campbell is in Ottawa right now. He arrived yesterday and gave a great speech yesterday to the Canadian Club of Ottawa. He is still in town today, meeting with our government and with members of all parties on the softwood lumber deal.

Gordon Campbell supports the softwood lumber deal. Finance Minister Carole Taylor, a federal Liberal out of B.C., supports the deal. Rich Coleman, the minister of forests, supports this deal. The Liberal MLA from the member's Richmond riding, Linda Reid, and others support this deal. They believe it is in the best interests of his constituents and in the province of British Columbia.

Is Gordon Campbell abandoning British Columbia? Does Gordon Campbell not know what is in the best interests of B.C.? Does Gordon Campbell not know what is in the best interests of the softwood industry? If he is going to vote against this deal, if he is going to continue with the language he has been using, he must believe that Gordon Campbell does not know what is in the best interests of B.C.

I look forward to hearing his answer and whether he believes that Gordon Campbell knows less than he does about what is in the best interests of B.C.

[British Columbia, September 25th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, a new poll shows that western alienation, particularly in British Columbia, is on a steep decline, and with good reason. Housing prices are up. Unemployment is down, way down, at under 5%.

British Columbia is booming and our Conservative government is doing more for B.C. than any government in a generation. We have a softwood lumber agreement. We have given our full support to the 2010 Olympics. We have hired more fisheries enforcement officers.

We are investing in British Columbia: $171 million in public transit, $450 million into the Canada Line, $400 million for the mountain pine beetle, and $101 million for border security. It goes on and on. Also, we have 29 different tax reductions that will create more jobs and keep British Columbia growing.

British Columbians have waited for a long time, a very long time, for a prime minister to listen to our needs. Finally, we have one who delivers.

[Public Works and Government Services, September 22nd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, this government has corrected mistakes made by the Liberal government. We showed transparency by giving potential suppliers the opportunity to tender, but none did. We saved taxpayers money, found a suitable location for the RCMP and did what we had to do for Canadians.

[Defence Construction Canada, September 21st, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I wish table two copies of Defence Construction Canada's 2005-06 annual report, as well as two copies of Defence Construction Canada's corporate plan summary for 2006-07 to 2010-11 which includes the operating and capital budgets of the 2006-07 budget year.

[Canada Transportation Act, September 21st, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order to ask for unanimous consent to revert to routine proceedings.

[Canada Transportation Act, September 21st, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I apologize to my colleague from the Bloc Québécois for interrupting his intervention on questions and comments. He will be able to resume in a moment.

There have been discussions and I would like to ask for unanimous consent of the House to revert to Standing Order 32(2) for a brief moment, so that I may on behalf of the government table in the House two copies of Defence Construction Canada's 2005-06 annual report, as well as two copies of Defence Construction Canada's corporate plan summary for 2006-07 to 2010-11, which includes the operating and capital budgets of the 2006-07 budget years. I missed my moment in the Standing Orders. I would ask the House if I could table these now.

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 18th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the response is as follows:

OFFICE SPACE (space acquired from private sector landlords)

Expiring leases in calendar year 2006: 72 (61 NCA Ontario and 11 NCA Quebec)

Expiring leases in calendar year 2007: 56 (51 NCA Ontario and 5 NCA Quebec)

Vacant premises in NCA for 2006: 51 (43 NCA Ontario and 8 NCA Quebec)

COMMERCIAL SPACE (Crown owned space leased to private sector tenants)

Expiring leases in calendar year 2006 : 168 (125 NCA Ontario and 43 NCA Quebec)

Expiring leases in calendar year 2007: 130 (115 NCA Ontario and 15 NCA Quebec)

Vacant premises in NCA for 2006: 24 (18 NCA Ontario and 6 NCA Quebec)

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 18th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), all of the financial details required to obtain Treasury Board approval, including a detailed business case, were submitted. The financial details submitted to Treasury Board cannot be disclosed.

In response to (b), 3000 Merivale Road, the former headquarteres of JDS Uniphase, became available and was offered to the Government as a result of the downturn in the high tech business. Minto purchased the complex from JDS and offered this unique facililty to the government at rental rates subvstantially less than those reflecting its replacement cost. PWGSC posted an Advance Contract Award Notice, ACAN, to provide an opportunity for other potential suppliers to submit bids. No suppliers came forward. The results demonstrate that the proposal from Minto Development Inc. to lease-purchase 3000 Merivale Road was the best accommodation option, since it provides the least disruptive, most cost-effective solution to meet the long term needs of the RCMP.

In response to (c), as in (b) above, there was no tender process, but the lease-purchase was subject to an Advance Contract Aware Notice.

In response to (d), before issuing the Advance Contract Award Notice, the government did a comprehensive 25-year present value cost analysis of different options, ranging from partial renovation of the current buildings, demolition and development of new buildings on the 1200 Vanier site, to complete replacement with a new building on an undeveloped site. After analysis, all these other options proved to be more costly by at least $70 million.

In response to (e), the proposed acquisition arose from an unsolicited proposal for an existing building, not for future development. Municipal growth strategies will be considered in situations involving new development. 3000 Merivale is near an existing transit node, and has a bus stop on the site. It is in close proximity to the proposed future light rail route. Both the RCMP and PWGSC have committed to work with OC Transpo to enhance public transit service to suit the increased population. This is consistent with the city's goal to intensify development and thus limit urban sprawl. In addition, the backfill of the 1200 Vanier campus with regional RCMP functions will help to maintain the RCMP's strong presence in the eastern part of the city, as well as provide opportunities for other federal government clients.