House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 56% of the vote.
Infrastructure May 15th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, taxes are 50% of the cost of a litre of gasoline. That is the equivalent of every second fill-up at the pump for travellers of all that money going straight to the taxman. Some 92% of provincial gas tax revenues are reinvested into roads but this Liberal government only reinvests 2.5% of all gas tax revenues back into roads.
How can the Liberals defend ripping off Canadians so badly at the pumps when they return virtually nothing back in terms of infrastructure?
Budget Implementation Act, 2003 May 14th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, while listening to the speech from my colleague from the NDP, it reminded me of a saying that my father always had about the NDP. I would apply it to the Liberals as well because it is only kind to share sometimes. He used to say that the motto of the NDP was “I don't have anything, but I am more than perfectly willing to share half of what you've got”.
It is always easy to be a member of the NDP because the NDP is in favour of everything. If someone wants that party to spend more, it will spend more. If someone wants that party to cut taxes, it will cut taxes. The NDP never make any hard choices at all.
At the end of the day, if the New Democratic Party were ever anywhere close to coming into power federally, or if there were a minority Parliament, it would actually have to think pragmatically rather than taking half of what everybody else has to finance whoever it is it is trying to please.
In order to finance all the programs that the NDP has in mind for everybody under sun, specifically what taxes would it raise to pay for the myriad of programs it has in mind? Those members want more money for softwood. The member for Sackville--Musquodoboit Valley--Eastern Shore wants more money for the military, more money for roads, more money for Air Canada, more money for rail and more money for health care. How will that party pay for all of that? If the member could tell us it would be very helpful.
Question No. 201 May 14th, 2003
What grants did Export Development Canada make to any companies named “Indofoods” between 1996 and 2003?
National Defence May 13th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, we have already seen some of the government's plans: Sea King projects that go nowhere; Hercules planes with their wings cracking on the edges; and troops going into combat environments with the wrong camouflage, having to bum cigarettes, ammunition, and porta-potties from our allies. The government is certainly transforming our armed forces but not in a way that is anywhere near helpful.
I want to know specifically from the minister, will the government fast track our involvement in the joint strike fighter project, yes or no?
National Defence May 13th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, the Sea King project is not the only procurement debacle that the Liberals have authored. The replacements for Canada's CF-18 fighter jets are not going well and their upgrades are merely a Liberal band-aid solution.
When will the Liberal government fast track our involvement in the joint strike fighter project to avoid a repeat of the Sea King debacle?
Question No. 176 May 12th, 2003
For the past 10 years, can the government provide an annual breakdown of pilotage fees and any related fees on shipping companies in the St. Lawrence Seaway, and of new spending by the federal government on the Canadian marine system versus the amount of funds collected from users of the system?
(Return table).
The Environment May 8th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, about Canada Steamship Lines Transport Canada says “the offender obtained significant material gain”, profits, “by choosing not to properly maintain pollution prevention equipment on board a Canada Steamship Lines' Atlas ”.
Why is it that after a decade in power the government does absolutely nothing to stop the mass polluting, tax dodging, un-Canadian behaviour of Canada Steamship Lines and the member for LaSalle--Émard?
The Environment May 8th, 2003
Mr. Speaker, on March 6 last year, the merchant vessel Atlas , a Canada Steamship Lines ship, deliberately dumped oil overboard causing a 22 mile long slick 80 miles off the coast of Halifax. This was caught on video if the Liberals have any doubt about it. Transport Canada says that Canada Steamship Lines' Atlas has a history of non-compliance with regard to environmental legislation.
If the government is serious about protecting the environment, why does it allow Canada Steamship Lines to get away with this? Is it perhaps because Canada Steamship Lines is owned by the Martin family?
Canada Airports Act May 7th, 2003
Madam Speaker, I have a brief comment. It is something that the member might want to consider. I know that Hamilton airport, particularly since WestJet began flying in there, has been very helpful to his region of the province. He is not a member for Hamilton, he is the member for Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Aldershot, but it certainly has been very important.
There is a model that the government should consider and I am pleased that the parliamentary secretary is here and will be considering Bill C-27 at committee. The model the Canadian Alliance would like to see is a model that the government has used before. The model is that of Nav Canada. Again, a government corporation goes into private hands, and the board of Nav Canada that is now being used is the proper model for airport authorities themselves, perhaps with some slight modifications. The model of Nav Canada has the airlines in it themselves. What was understood was that the fees of Nav Canada can be a detriment to the airline industry, as we have seen in the short term. That is something certainly my colleague can comment on. I have another question, but I wanted to present that as an alternative. With his considerable weight, influence and power within the Liberal Party, I hope he can draft that amendment and get it passed just like that.
Canada Airports Act May 7th, 2003
Madam Speaker, I have a question for my colleague. I agreed with him when he mentioned at the end of his talk that when airports go from being government run to essentially private sector corporations they are essentially monopolies and therefore there has to be regulation of these monopolies.
What Bill C-27 does is mandate the makeup of the boards of directors of these companies to ensure that all the voices are heard, but the number one problem with the current composition of the boards of the airport authorities is that the air carriers and the air industry do not have representation on those boards. Because of the inelasticity of the price of airline tickets and because it is so competitive and so on the margin, the ability for airports themselves and airport authorities to impose airport improvement fees without receiving those measured opinions through a specific mandate on the boards of directors is a huge flaw in the bill.
I see that the member is taking a minute to flip through the bill. I want him to go to that section if he has a moment. That is a principal problem with the bill, because the air industry wants a greater say in this country. It wants a greater say with how airport authorities are managed because there is a real problem.
For example, we get complaints, and whether they are justified or not I will not say, about the Vancouver International Airport, which is a great airport. Larry Berg is the CEO and he does an amazing job. He is a great guy and does a great job of managing the airport. However, we receive a lot of complaints from smaller carriers and even Air Canada about Vancouver International Airport essentially becoming a giant mall with boutiques and restaurants and stores and tie shops and everything else, rather than just a port of entry and exit for airlines.
The federal government says it needs to regulate that because it is getting out of control, but it has not put air carriers and the air industry on the boards of the airport authorities, which is a fatal flaw. It is one thing to say there has to be management. However, not to have the air carriers there in order to make the argument about the inelasticity of prices and the problems of airport improvement fees is a fatal flaw in the bill.