Jamie Nicholls

[Republic of Turkey, October 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, on Saturday I had the pleasure of dining with Turkish Quebeckers to celebrate the anniversary of the Republic of Turkey.

Today, people of Turkish origin in Canada and around the world celebrate the foundation of the republic. First president, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, shook off the yoke of history and implemented a series of reforms that would ensure that Turkey was a strong secular republic. Turkey remains to this day a guiding force in its region, a force of calm in a sea of instability.

Turkey is an important partner of ours in NATO. The Turks have a proverb:

[The member spoke in Turkish and provided the following translation:]

Peace in the country, peace in the world.

[English]

Pressure is mounting against the republic and is threatening its founding ideas. I want to reiterate that Canadians stand in solidarity with the Turks. Eighty-nine years ago today, Turkey took its first steps towards a better future.

[Member spoke in Turkish and provided the following translation:]

How happy one is to be Turk. Long live the Republic. Long live Turkey.

[Jobs and Growth Act, 2012, October 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, his party's policies are not particularly working when it comes to innovation and investment, so repeating the half-truths does not make them full truths. However, it is not surprising. It is all huff and puff from that side with no real action.

I have a specific question from the farmers in my riding in terms of internal trade. They are worried about the supply management system. Could the member address what the effect will be of the application of amendment protocol 12 of the AIT on the supply management system?

[Jobs and Growth Act, 2012, October 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the member for Medicine Hat peppers his speech with too many half lies. I was looking forward to his addressing the House about growing our economy—

[Jobs and Growth Act, 2012, October 26th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the member for the riding neighbouring mine talked about businesses and farmers. He will know that when budgets are tabled in the House, businesses look eagerly at them to see an economy's direction.

Earlier today, my NDP colleague mentioned about $500 billion in debt money that was not being invested. The October 6 issue of The Economist said that the government's focus on one sector of natural resources, oil and gas in particular, had caused investors to invest in storage and transport rather than machinery and equipment, which could lead to productivity gains.

Growth is slowing. We are 152nd. We in the NDP proposed that small businesses have a 9% tax rate. The Conservatives have not gone far enough. They have only lowered it to 11% for small businesses. The uncertainty being proposed by the Conservatives is causing investors not to know where to put their money. It is causing oil and gas companies to have problems promoting their projects because we have reduced regulatory burden.

As the member will know, the number nine pipeline passes across his territory. With uncertainty in this market, how will the member's citizens know that the government is overseeing this project properly and how will investors know where to invest their money with this sort of convoluted budget that has been created?

[Job and Growth Act, 2012, October 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I enjoyed listening to the hon. member across the way. He talked about how lowering taxes allows Canadians to spend—and we know that Conservatives love to spend taxpayers' money. However, we also know that the weakness in the Canadian economy is investment, as investors are not taking enough risks to invest. As much as the Minister of Finance might bleat at investors to tell them to invest more to improve our innovation, they are not doing it. Why not? We have to ask that question.

Canadians need reliable economic indicators and not improvisation from the government. Investors do not know where to put their money because the government is not being transparent, it is not being clear, it is not giving certainty to investors. It is not letting investors know where they should put their money, so they are putting it in the wrong place and it is not moving our economy forward.

When are the Conservatives going to rely on reliable economic indicators, rather than bleating about the Minister of Finance who was voted best finance minister by Euromoney magazine in 2009. We know how well Euro money is doing right now, so I would like an answer from the member.

[Member for Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, October 19th, 2012]

I withdraw that statement, Mr. Speaker.

Yet this year, a record number of authors—80, to be precise—are attending the event.

The member also could have congratulated the many artists from Moncton who were just honoured during Music New Brunswick Week.

Or he could have congratulated the organizers of the Take Back the Night March held yesterday in support of women's right to be safe walking around in their communities.

But, no, the member for Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe instead chose the stories made up by the Prime Minister's Office—

[Member for Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, October 19th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Salon du livre de Dieppe is in full swing, but no one would know this because the member for Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe decided not to talk about it.

His last statement in the House was dedicated instead to telling lies concocted by employees of the Prime Minister's Office. And yet, this year, a record number of authors—80, to be precise—

[Foreign Investment, October 18th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians across the country are concerned about the idea that an important player in the Canadian natural resources industry like Nexen may end up in the hands of the Chinese state-owned corporation CNOOC.

Does the Minister share Canadians’ concern about foreign governments getting control of our natural resources? Is he going to listen to concerned Canadians in his decision-making process, so that they can have their say?

[Increasing Offenders' Accountability for Victims Act, October 5th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, it is important to look at what the Province of Quebec is doing for young offenders. Clearly, Quebec's approach is different. Every scientific study shows that Quebec's approach is producing positive results. Quebec's recidivism rate is lower than in the other provinces.

I suggest that the government take note of the fact that every province takes a different approach to dealing with young offenders and to look at Quebec as a positive example.

[Statements by Members, October 5th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the people of Vaudreuil—Soulanges sent me here to represent them, protect their interests, voice their concerns and share their accomplishments.

I am pretty sure that from Moose Jaw to Charlottetown, voters expect the same from their MP: a worthy representative of their interests and not a worthless representative who simply reads phony attacks written by some junior Machiavelli.

The period for statements by members becomes more absurd every day. The hon. members opposite are not stupid. They know that when they get up and parade the latest NDP bogeyman to be created in the Prime Minister's lab, what hides behind their words is utter contempt for our democratic institutions.

My friends, there is nothing to say that we have to keep up this charade. The ball is your court.