Jim Prentice

[First Nations Water Management, March 22nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, copies of the Plan of Action for Drinking Water in First Nations Communities—Progress Report March 22, 2007.

[Points of Order, March 21st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, as a follow up to that point of order, the privilege in respect to this is personal and I would expect a personal apology from the member for Timmins—James Bay.

[Aboriginal Affairs, March 21st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, my friend goes too far, even by the standards of rhetoric in this place. I can assure him that I have met with the chief and specifically asked him if he was content with the steps that the department was taking. I inquired specifically about steps that needed to be taken to ensure the engineering safety of the dike. We discussed that. We struck a committee to ensure that work is being undertaken.

The water system is up to standard. We have spent a significant amount of money in the community with respect to housing and water. We are acting on the situation.

[Aboriginal Affairs, March 21st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows full well that I met last week with Chief Solomon and members of the Kashechewan community. I reviewed at that time the document that they put in front of me. I indicated that I would get back to them within a two week period responding to what they had put before me.

In the meantime, we have sent people into the community to ensure that the water system is functioning properly, which I am advised it is, and that the dike is safe. We are taking all steps to ensure that is the case.

[Aboriginal Affairs, March 21st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, it just continues, the Liberal tradition of empty promises and rhetoric to aboriginal Canadians. The Liberals need to have the facts straight with respect to this budget, and no one on this side of the House has been able to respond.

This budget provides $1 billion more than the previous Liberal government provided in its last budget, so what problem do opposition members have with supporting the budget? Are they afraid of their leader? Are they afraid to be kicked out of their caucus in the same way as the member from Thunder Bay? Why do they not stand in favour of Canada's aboriginal people?

[Aboriginal Affairs, March 21st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member faces the same moral dilemma. This budget contains $10.1 billion of expenditures this year for aboriginal programs and services. Does the member support this or not? This includes on reserve expenditures of about $16,500 per citizen, $66,000 per family of four. Is the hon. member going to stand and support this budget, or is he not?

[Aboriginal Affairs, March 21st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I am not mixing anything.

The hon. member stands opposed to matrimonial property rights for first nations women. She stands opposed to Bill C-44 to provide first nations women with human rights protection for the first time in Canadian history. She does not support the $300 million on reserve private housing initiative. She does not support what is in the budget for specific claims.

It is just more Liberal rhetoric and empty promises. She does not stand in favour of aboriginal people in this country at all.

[Aboriginal Affairs, March 21st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, in 2007-08, the spending of the Government of Canada on aboriginal programs and services is going to crest over $10 billion for the first time in Canadian history. This is $1 billion more per annum than the last Liberal government spent in the last Liberal budget.

My friend has somewhat of a moral dilemma. She speaks of betrayal. If she ascribes to her own rhetoric, she will break ranks with her leader and support this budget.

What is it going to be? More Liberal hypocrisy and rhetoric or is she going to stand with aboriginal Canadians?

[The Environment, March 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for drawing to the attention of Canadians the commencement of International Polar Year and the initiative of this government in putting forward $150 million of federal funding for 44 Canadian research projects. There are two priorities: climate change and improving and protecting the health of northern aboriginal communities.

This government will get things done. We will move forward in a way that the previous Liberal government never did.

[Quarantine Act, February 28th, 2007]

moved that Bill C-42, An Act to amend the Quarantine Act, be read the second time and referred to a committee.