Jim Maloway

[Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus), October 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, clearly the government was woefully unprepared for what happened last fall. The Conservatives went through the election basically running a campaign based on the land being strong, similar to Trudeau in 1972. When the markets fell during the campaign, the Prime Minister said it was a buying opportunity. He was not even aware of what was actually happening in the economy.

In fact it was the opposition parties that forced the government to take action. The government never would have brought in the stimulus package on its own. Who would believe that for a moment? We have had to drag the government through the various processes it has gone through to get where it is right now.

I do not understand how the member can all of a sudden have this new-found knowledge when these people were in the dark through this whole process.

[Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus), October 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, does the member realize that by causing an election, we would be starting the whole legislative process over again? In fact, we would end up freezing the flow of funds to the projects that we all want to see take place in the country.

[Economic Recovery Act (stimulus), October 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, by harmonizing the sales tax throughout the country, particularly in Manitoba, the government is expanding the sales tax to include home renovations, thereby pretty much negating the effect of the tax credit.

How is the government stimulating the economy when on the one hand it offers the tax credit, but on the other hand it takes it away by expanding the sales tax base?

[Business of Supply, October 1st, 2009]

Madam Speaker, over the last couple of weeks, not one person has phoned my office to ask me for an election. In fact, it has been the opposite. One hundred percent of the people I have talked to are in opposition to what will amount to a $300 million expense that no one wants. That would reset the clock on all the legislation we have been debating, for the third time in some cases.

Earlier today, the member for Wascana was criticizing the $56 billion deficit when only a few months ago he and his party asked the government to spend more in the stimulus package. When we spend money, we will have a deficit. It just makes sense. The money is being spent for good causes.

I appeal to the Liberals to use their opposition days more constructively to improve housing and consumer affairs and for other really good ideas in which I know they believe and support.

[Business of Supply, October 1st, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I heard the member for Wascana this morning speak about how terrible it was that the deficit was going to be bigger than he thought. I was wondering how he could make statements like that when just months ago he was demanding a huge amount of infrastructure money to be approved and out the door almost immediately and said that perhaps even that was not enough spending. Then to turn around immediately after that and criticize the government for a deficit is just really hard to understand.

I wonder whether the member could deal with some of those issues, because I did not hear him speak about that in his presentation.

[Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, September 30th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I certainly thought I heard the last two speakers on this side reaching out to the Liberal Party. The party, under John Turner, was opposed to the free trade agreement with the United States, and it is now supporting a free trade agreement with Colombia, which is a country with a terrible human rights record.

We had the members for Mississauga South and Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca asking questions that would indicate they have quite a lack of support for this agreement.

We had the member for Random—Burin—St. George's saying she is not aware of any trade unionists being killed, and she said she would not support the bill if she had any information to the contrary.

The member for Kings—Hants said that human rights have improved. I would ask him then to explain the improvements when 2,690 trade unionists have been murdered in Colombia since 1986. In 2008, the number of murders was up by 18% over the previous year, and in 2009 alone, 29 trade--

[Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, September 30th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I am not at all surprised that the Bloc members support the NDP on this issue, and we support them.

What surprises me is the position of the Liberals, particularly the member for Mississauga South who the other day sounded like he was on our side on the issue. Today, we heard the speech of the member for Kings—Hants in which he said that Colombia's human rights record was improving. Another Liberal member said this afternoon that she was unaware of any trade unionists being killed. She said that she would not support the bill if she had this information.

The information is out there. In fact, 2,690 trade unionists have been murdered in Colombia since 1986. In 2008 the number of murders was up by 18% over the previous year. This year alone there have been 29 murders, with six or seven of them in the last thirty days.

[Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, September 30th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate the member for a terrific speech on the subject.

I want to point out, as many other members have, that just last year the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade recommended that no agreement be signed with Colombia until the human rights situation there is improved. It also recommended that a human rights impact assessment study be undertaken to determine the real impact of a trade agreement.

Now the question is, why has the government completely ignored this report and why are the Liberals going along with this?

[Petitions, September 30th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition today calling for a stop to the wage rollbacks and a restoration of pay equity for public service workers.

The budget implementation bill empowers the government to roll back negotiated wages and arbitration awards retroactively and to radically change the rules governing pay equity in the federal public sector.

The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to support Motion No. 384 presented by the member for Burnaby—New Westminster and to rescind the provisions of Bill C-10 that violate workers' rights to collective bargaining, including the right to arbitration awards and the right to have equal pay for work of equal value.

[Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, September 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw the member's attention to the fact that in 2008 the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade recommended that no agreement be signed with Colombia until the human rights situation improved. It also recommended that a human rights impact assessment study be undertaken to determine the real impact of a trade agreement. So far the government has totally ignored this report.

Why is the Liberal Party, the Liberal caucus and the member going along with the government and ignoring this particular recommendation of the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade from just a few months ago?