Jay Hill

[Budget Implementation Act, 2007, April 18th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I will not take all the time. I am sure there are other members who would like to question this particular member.

Throughout his intervention, he used some very strong language. He said “despicable” and implored the necessity to tell the truth, if I heard him correctly.

This particular member, as I recall, said that he would resign his seat before he would turn to another party. He said that there should be a process in place in the House that members should not be allowed to change political stripes during a Parliament. Yet, we find that he is still here. He is still sitting here.

I would ask, why? If he is so insistent that people tell the truth, what about himself? Why did he not tell the truth and resign his seat?

[Railway Continuation Act, 2007, April 17th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I stand tonight to perhaps address some of the misconceptions that might arise from the debate we are having in this place. Somehow the members of the New Democratic Party want to suggest to the viewing public that this legislation is a reward for CN. They have suggested, which is what the member did again, that we cannot support the economy with this legislation by overruling workers' rights. That is not what this issue is about.

This issue is about families that must get up tomorrow morning and earn a living. It is about workers, not just CN workers and the workers of BC Rail in my riding. It is about the thousands and potentially hundreds of thousands of families that will be held captive if this dispute is allowed to continue. That is the reality.

On behalf of the riding I have been privileged to represent in this place for close to 14 years in northeastern British Columbia, this issue is of paramount importance to thousands of families in Prince George—Peace River. Whether it is the coal mines in Tumbler Ridge that need to have rail cars there on a predictable basis every day so that they can load their coal, otherwise they cannot go to work, or whether it is the pulp and paper mills that need rail cars to take their product to market, or whether it is the farmers in the Peace River part of my riding who need the rail cars to transport their grain to market so they can get a paycheque to buy groceries, that is the reality we are dealing with here.

Not one member in this House wants to stand up and give accolades to CN. All of us understand. We do not need any lessons from the New Democratic Party about the problems that this company has had. Certainly I am well aware of that. However, the reality is that this government must act, not on behalf of this monolithic company but on behalf of Canadian families that will lose their income.

I do not know whether the New Democratic Party understands that. In my riding alone there are hundreds of families right now that are at the point where they will begin to lose their income if this is not settled and those rail cars are not rolling again.

I have not even mentioned the fact that in rural areas of northeastern British Columbia, products like propane, which heats the homes, comes in by rail. It is fortunate that it is no longer 30° below any more but when the rail was interrupted in February, it was a serious problem and reaching a very serious point when the rail cars started to run again. We cannot allow that to happen again, which is why we need to get those rail cars moving.

[Committees of the House, April 16th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions between all parties and I think you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, in relation to its study on the greening of electricity consumption in Canada, 12 members of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources be authorized to travel to Churchill Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador, on Monday, April 30, 2007 and that the necessary staff accompany the committee.

(Motion agreed to)

[Committees of the House, March 30th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I think you would also find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, in relation to its study of the Agricultural Policy Framework, 10 members of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food be authorized to travel to Truro, Nova Scotia; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Fredericton, New Brunswick; Quebec City, Quebec; and Stratford, Ontario, from April 22 to 26, and that the necessary staff accompany the Committee.

[Committees of the House, March 30th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among all parties and I think you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, in relation to its study on the Agricultural Policy Framework, 10 members of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food be authorized to travel to Penticton, British Columbia; Olds, Alberta; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Gimli, Manitoba, from April 15 to 19, and that the necessary staff accompany the Committee.

[Settlement of International Investment Disputes Act, March 30th, 2007]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-53, An Act to implement the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (ICSID Convention).

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Business of the House, March 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question and the mood of cooperation from the opposition House leader on this issue. I will certainly take it up with the other parties to see if we can reach agreement to move that bill forward expeditiously and have it included.

[Committees of the House, March 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among all the parties and I think you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, in relation to its study on the role of a public broadcaster in the 21st century, six members of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage be authorized to travel to Winnipeg and to Toronto in April 2007, from April 11 to 20, and that the necessary staff accompany the committee.

(Motion agreed to)

[Development Assistance Accountability Act, March 28th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I think that if you were to seek it, you would find unanimous consent to apply the results of the vote on the motion just taken to the additional seven amendment motions, report stage, and third reading of Bill C-293.

[Criminal Code, March 27th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I think if you were to seek it, you would find unanimous consent to apply the results of the vote just taken to the motion presently before the House, with Conservative members present this evening voting yes.