James Moore

[Veterans Affairs, June 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, sadly and tragically, the World War II generation is passing. The average age of a second world war veteran is 86.

I am proud to announce that our government will provide the necessary new funds to thememoryproject.com to create a permanent electronic database of first-hand stories of World War II veterans.

Working with veterans' associations across Canada, we will meet veterans where they live and record forever their stories of sacrifice and courage, gallantry and struggle, triumph and tragedy: their words, their stories, our history, available forever online for generations of Canadians to witness.

We are acting now to collect these memories while we can, because we must never forget.

[Arts and Culture, June 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the member can yell and scream all he wants, but the facts in the budgets that we passed in this House of Commons, which the member voted for, are crystal clear. This Conservative government made promises in election campaigns to maintain or increase support for arts and culture. We have increased funding for the National Arts Centre. We have increased funding for the Canada Council for the Arts, up to a record amount, $181 million. Those are artists supporting artists for the future, to support our creative economy.

When the Liberals ran for office and were elected, they promised not to touch arts and culture. They gutted arts and culture, they cut CBC by a third, and now they are pointing fingers to us and saying that we are not doing our job. We kept our word. We have delivered. It is the Liberals who have failed.

[Government Assets, June 3rd, 2009]

Let us be clear, once again, Mr. Speaker. We made a promise during the election campaign to maintain or increase the budgets of CBC/Radio-Canada and we have done so in each of our four budgets. I have the Bloc Québécois platform, its assistance plan, here before me. In its 21 pages there is not a single mention of the arts, not a single mention of culture, not a single mention of CBC/Radio-Canada.

If CBC/Radio-Canada is really a priority for the Bloc Québécois, why is it not included in their platform?

[Canada Media Fund, June 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, it will not be excluded.

[Government Spending, May 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we are making smart investments. Question period is almost over, and it started with a condemnation over the deficit. Now we are being condemned because we are not spending enough, according to this member. We are investing wisely, just as we promised voters during the election campaign. We will deliver the goods.

[Canadian Heritage, May 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, he is one of Canada's heroes who showed incredible gallantry and bravery at Passchendaele. His Victoria Cross and the heroism that earned it are part of our proud history of courage and sacrifice.

We were not willing to let his proud heritage be lost. His medals and memories now belong to Canada for all of us to remember well into the future.

[Canadian Heritage, May 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, Robert Shankland's medals, which include both the Victoria Cross and the Distinguished Conduct Medal, were sold by auction last night, and I am pleased to report to the House that the new owner of the medals is the Canadian War Museum.

Mr. Shankland is one of Canada's heroes who showed tremendous bravery--

[Official Languages, May 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we are showing leadership and I will give one example. Earlier this year, we invested $4.5 million into the École Jules-Verne, the first ever francophone high school in the province of British Columbia.

My mother was one of the first teachers of French immersion in the province of British Columbia, an anglophone, with other people standing up in order to support kids who were trying to learn French for the first time in their lives. They were given virtually no support, no resources and no textbooks but they stood and fought.

I am standing here 32 years later as her proud son of this government that has invested to create the first ever francophone school in British Columbia. We have come a hell of a long way.

[Official Languages, May 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we agree with the Commissioner of Official Languages when he points out that the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic games are truly the opportunity, in this the 40th year of our Official Languages Act, to make our support of official languages truly clear. The 1988 Olympic Games were a great improvement over the 1976 Games and the 2010 Olympic Games will be a great improvement over the 1988 Games. This will be a great success for both official languages and each and every Canadian in each and every part of this country will be able to celebrate our athletes in the official language of their choice.

[Official Languages, May 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we have kept our promise. I have here the report from the Commissioner of Official Languages. It states, “The progress that has been made is impressive on many levels.” And with respect to official language minorities, it says “the Commissioner mentions that the future of official language communities is very promising”.

We are making clear, effective and significant investments. We have increased official languages expenditures by 20%, to $1.1 billion over 5 years. Much progress has been made.