House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2011, with 35% of the vote.
Veterans Affairs October 5th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, we take the protection of personal information very seriously. We are currently re-examining the sanctions in place for those who discover information they should not have access to. Currently, individuals can be suspended for up to five days, and we are looking into the possibility that they could even lose their job.
Veterans Affairs October 4th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, I am very concerned about the information that has been brought to light. Our veterans deserve our respect and gratitude, and I have asked the deputy minister to verify this information, to investigate the issue, and to crack down if necessary.
I remind members that the public servants in the Department of Veterans Affairs are there to defend veterans, and to ensure that they receive the benefits they are entitled to, within a reasonable period of time.
Veterans Affairs October 1st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, over the past few days we have announced several measures to support our veterans, especially recent veterans. We plan to address lump sum payments next week.
What we have heard about the lump sum payment is that some people, although not everyone, were having difficulty managing the amount of money when they received it in a single payment. We are in the process of looking at that, and we will be making a positive announcement for our veterans in a matter of days.
Agriculture October 1st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that this government is known as the one that is closest to farmers. That has always been the case for the Conservative Party. However, every time we put measures in place to support our farmers, whether in the budget or otherwise, the members of the Bloc Québécois rush to vote against them.
Of course, they envy us. They would like to be the ones respected by farmers; instead, we are. Why? Because we took action and made good decisions when they were in trouble. And we will continue in that direction.
Agriculture October 1st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the difficulties that the agriculture sector can face. I would like to remind the member that we have invested more than $2 billion to support our farmers since coming to power. In addition, with regard to the advance payment programs, pork producers, cattle producers, those who had difficulties with SRM, and slaughterhouses, in all these files we have been praised for providing rapid assistance to our farmers.
Veterans Affairs September 29th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to emphasize how important it is to protect our veterans' privacy. I asked the Privacy Commissioner to look into everything that is going on right now because these problems appear to be systemic.
The reason I made an effort to contact the commissioner about this is that I want to know what she recommends. The department will make changes based on what she tells us. We will not just sit back and wait. We are already taking action to make changes in the department so that we can protect our veterans' privacy.
Veterans Affairs September 29th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, protection of privacy is extremely important to us, sacred even. It is so important to us that when I found out the day before yesterday that more information about our veterans had been disclosed to individuals who were not entitled to that information, I made sure that my staff called the commissioner to find out if she could broaden her investigation, given that the problem was systemic. She was happy to agree to do so.
Veterans Affairs September 27th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, my colleague is right to mention that mistakes were made when the new charter was implemented in 2006. We are addressing that now. Just last week, I announced three new measures to help our modern-day veterans. With regard to the lump-sum payment, I have clearly heard what our soldiers and our veterans have to say. We will be announcing some very attractive measures in that regard very soon.
Veterans Affairs September 27th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, once again, we are fixing the mistake the Liberals made when they adopted the new charter. Injuries received before 2006, which were not counted toward the permanent allowance, will be from now on. Some 3,500 veterans will now receive a monthly allowance of between $536 and $1,609. Some will even receive an additional $1,000. Of course, the law has to be passed first. This measure will be implemented once the law is passed.
Veterans Affairs September 27th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, because of a technical problem with the Liberal-era charter, injuries received by veterans before 2006 were not taken into account in determining eligibility for the permanent allowance.
Once the law is proclaimed, both types of injuries will be taken into account in determining eligibility for the permanent allowance. As a result, at least 3,500 people who were not eligible will now be entitled to receive between $536 and $1,609 per month.