Joe Comartin

[Windsor Rotarians, October 30th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my best wishes to a group of Windsor Rotarians who are preparing for a 13-day November visit to Africa. They are to assist in numerous development and humanitarian projects designed to help Ghana's most vulnerable and impoverished citizens.

Led by a doctor and a group of nurses, a dozen Windsorites are about to change the lives of hundreds of Ghanaians by digging water wells and building schools, libraries, and in particular, an intensive care unit for newborns. They will be distributing mosquito nets, providing eye exams and prescription glasses, and handing out soccer balls and uniforms, which were donated by Windsor's youth.

The Rotarians remind us that our lives need not be dominated by bad news all day. Good news and good deeds are still very much part of the Canadian fabric. Pride in community and a willingness to serve still resonate across our country.

On behalf of all parliamentarians, we wish them safe travel and a safe return.

[Business of Supply, May 9th, 2013]

I would like to open this committee of the whole session by making a short statement on this evening's proceedings.

Tonight's debate is a general one on all of the votes under Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Each member will be allocated 15 minutes. The first round will begin with the official opposition, followed by the government and then the Liberal Party.

After that, we will follow the usual proportional rotation. Each member will be allocated 15 minutes at a time, which may be used both for debate and for posing questions. Should members wish to use this time to make a speech, it can last a maximum of 10 minutes, leaving at least 5 minutes for questions to the minister.

When a member is recognized, he or she should indicate to the chair how the 15-minute period will be used; in other words, what portion will be used for speeches and what portion for questions and answers.

Members should also note that they will need the unanimous consent of the committee if they wish to split their time with another member.

When the time is to be used for questions and answers, the Chair will expect that the minister's response will reflect approximately the time taken by the question, since this time will be counted in the time originally allotted to the member.

Though members may speak more than once, the Chair will generally try to ensure that all members wishing to speak are heard before inviting members to speak again, while respecting the proportional party rotations for speakers. Members need not be in their own seats to be recognized.

As your chair, I will be guided by the rules of the committee of the whole. However, in the interests of a full exchange, I am prepared to exercise discretion and flexibility in the application of these rules.

I also wish to indicate that in committee of the whole, ministers and members should be referred to by their title or riding name and, of course, all remarks should be addressed through the chair. I ask for everyone's co-operation in upholding all established standards of decorum, parliamentary language and behaviour.

At the conclusion of tonight's debate, the committee will rise, the estimates under Indian Affairs and Northern Development will be deemed reported and the House will adjourn immediately until tomorrow.

We may now begin tonight's session.

The House in committee of the whole pursuant to Standing Order 81(4)(a), the first appointed day, consideration in committee of the whole of all votes under Indian Affairs and Northern Development in the main estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014.

The hon. member for Nanaimo—Cowichan.

[Hunger Awareness Week, May 8th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, this Hunger Awareness Week, parliamentarians of all parties are fasting in solidarity with the dedicated volunteers of Canada's food banks in support of our unfortunate citizens upon whom recent economic troubles have visited their most severe hardships.

There is no more precise measure for these difficulties than the persistent growth in demand for food bank services. Proof of the sheer magnitude of our economic challenge nationwide, demand at food banks has increased by a third since 2008. This escalating need is genuinely pan-Canadian. Explosive demand has been as pronounced in the booming west as in Ontario, Quebec, the remote North and Atlantic Canada.

If surging use of food banks reveals the extent of our difficulties, the amazing nationwide response to their appeals reflects the depth of the Canadian character. I am certain all hon. members will join me in saluting Canada's food banks, in supporting their local work in the year ahead and in redoubling our fight for a Canada of shared prosperity that renders their noble work unnecessary.

[Black History Month, February 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, as Black History Month draws to a close, I rise to recognize Windsor-Essex's role as the gateway to freedom for untold thousands of men, women and children fleeing the insidious evil of slavery and to commend those fearless Canadians of conscience who, even in the face of grave personal risk, assisted their flight.

Over 40,000 would seek and find in Canada the liberty that was their birthright by way of that great conspiracy of conscience, the underground railroad.

The impact of these newly liberated and their descendants is felt to this day on both sides of the Detroit River. Even in the face of persistent systemic discrimination, they have made invaluable contributions to Canadian society in the fields of politics, the arts, education, commerce and the law, to name just a few.

I urge all Canadians to explore this proud legacy of redemption, which vindicated an oppressed but irrepressible people's belief that somewhere beneath that unwavering star lay the true north—indeed strong, but most important above all, free.

[Seasons Greetings, December 12th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, it is one of life's most beautiful ironies that at this darkest, coldest time of year, people of all backgrounds come together to celebrate the spirit of hope, unity and goodwill, which unites and sustains us as Canadians.

This holiday season marks a crucial milestone for people of many faiths. However, whether faith based or those of a purely secular bent, we all eagerly await the chance to reflect on life's blessings and build cherished memories with family and friends.

Let those of us who sit in the House seize this spirit to reconnect with the diverse communities, which remain the source of Canada's greatness and let us all rekindle that abiding sense of civic duty, which remains the supreme motivation of our shared service.

I am certain all members will join me in wishing every Canadian a safe, prosperous new year. May 2013 bring tidings of joy, peace and renewed purpose to us all.

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, September 17th, 2012]

With regard to the CBC/Radio-Canada, the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission, and the Ministry of Heritage concerning the French CBEF station in Windsor, Ontario: (a) how many complaints have been received regarding the loss of the French analogue television transmitter; (b) how many people in Windsor, Ontario (i) watch CBC/Radio-Canada’s French television programming, (ii) listen to CBC/Radio-Canada’s French programming; (c) how much funding has been cut from the CBEF station, broken down by year, between 2006 and 2012; (d) who was consulted regarding the decision to cut CBEF’s funding; (e) was there a strategic review detailing why French radio and television programming received cuts provided to the CRTC or the Ministry of Heritage; (f) if the government has been lobbied on the issue of francophone broadcasting in Windsor, Ontario, what are the details of (i) lobby groups, (ii) the dates of the meetings, (iii) the locations of the meetings, (iv) the names of the people present at the meetings, including but not limited to political/federal public servants and registered lobbyists; and (g) what has CBC/Radio Canada done to ensure that cable/satellite providers are providing affordable services to Canadians who no longer have access to minority language programming?

[Strengthening Military Justice in the Defence of Canada Act, June 19th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the argument that the Supreme Court has said that the summary trial process is an acceptable one is accurate. Then to extrapolate from it that there should not be any due process, that they should not have the right to avoid criminal records in any number of other areas, is pervasive with the government. Unfortunately, it is all too pervasive in some of the upper echelons in the military, which is not the case in any number of other militaries. We have heard several times this evening that Australia, which is probably the closest to us, has gone a great distance to guarantee just about all of the same civil rights and civil liberties within the military justice system as it has in the rest of its criminal justice system. We are nowhere near close to doing that.

When we see this kind of bill and see that particular section that would impose these criminal records on our military personnel for no good reason whatsoever, other than it is their way or no other way and the opposition is not allowed to have any input. If it has any input, the Conservatives will strip it out, and it is too bad if our military personnel suffer. That is the result of this.

Again, we can point to other military establishments, such as Ireland and Australia again, where they have done this. It has not had any negative impact on discipline within their military. In fact, since they shifted to treating their military personnel with firmness but fairness, it has actually reduced the number of charges.

[Strengthening Military Justice in the Defence of Canada Act, June 19th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his question. It is very clear that the government's response is not enough for military staff.

There are no transcripts and no defence lawyers. The judge gives the orders. Decisions cannot be appealed. I want to be clear: this does not pose a problem for most investigations. The charges are not too serious and the punishments are even less so.

However, when the defendant acquires a criminal record for very simple charges, it is clear that this law is not a satisfactory response for military staff. These amendments are essential.

[Strengthening Military Justice in the Defence of Canada Act, June 19th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is clear. There are not enough lawyers. In my city, there are between 300 and 500 lawyers, and not one of them knows how to defend someone charged under this law. The same is true across Canada. Michel Drapeau is one of the experts in Canada. He wrote about this bill and he said the same thing. There may be a hundred or so lawyers in Canada who can defend our military personnel with some degree of expertise.

[Strengthening Military Justice in the Defence of Canada Act, June 19th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I must admit that I was a bit uncertain but that is certainly the most logical interpretation to make of the comments of Mr. Justice LeSage, that even those 15 to 18 sections that BillC-41 had amended and had been added by the committee at that time were still too narrow. There were still too many low level inconsequential charges and convictions under the summary trials and that in fact that list should be expanded even greater. That is the most logical interpretation.

I have to say that there is a possibility that he may have been referring to Bill C-41 before it was amended, the original government version which had much fewer sections. However, he clearly had looked at Bill C-41 by the time it had come back to the House for its final report at that stage, so I think he was saying that even the 15 to 18 sections were too narrow.