Joe Volpe

[Points of Order, April 12th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I guess members of the opposition are learning the damage that is caused by allegation, innuendo and slander. However I am not into that game.

All I did was simply read the transcripts from a committee hearing wherein the member for Newton--North Delta actually admitted to all of those things that he now alleges have been fabricated by those on this side of the House. Not only is that type of feeble defence absolutely abhorrent, it is doubly so because the activity to which the member admitted compromises the integrity not only of the immigration system but in fact of the concept of government and service by members of Parliament to their constituents.

If there is anything for which to apologize, I think that the Leader of the Opposition, who is so smug in his concern that others abide by his standard, might stand up in the House and dissociate himself from that practice or admit that he has actually been directing it.

[Immigration, April 12th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is not talking about allegations, but about admissions by the member for Newton—North Delta. It is a very serious misrepresentation of the immigration system, where a member of Parliament asks a constituent to sign a bond of $50,000 to $100,000 made out to his name or to his party in return for writing me a letter.

I have asked the conflicts commissioner to take a look at this. I further will ask him to see who gets that money when the conditions go into default and whether the leader of the--

[Citizenship and Immigration, April 4th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am aware that the United Nations has indicated that Canada is a world leader in its treatment of refugees.

I am also aware of the fact that the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration has said that it would look into whether or not this appeal system has had an impact. The committee has said that it would propose an alternate solution in six months, and that time is not yet up.

[Immigration, April 4th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member ought to read the rest of that article. Nobody was pressured into anything. No information was being suppressed. On the question of disseminating falsehoods, maybe the member would like to explain to the House, even outside, who the member is that is under criminal investigation. You should be ashamed of yourself for actually suggesting that it happens.

[Immigration, April 4th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I guess what I should have done is I should have repeated what I said in the House to a colleague of her party as well, that those who cast aspersions and make allegations without foundation should be embarrassed by the kind of damage that they bring onto people.

She will probably recall also that I gave an indication that there were some 16 people in question and not a single one of them was found to be in contravention of the permit that he had received. I said those who would make damage by casting aspersions on them ought to be embarrassed.

[Citizenship and Immigration, March 23rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I thought the specifics of that program were pretty good, but there is another one and that is the fact that the Government of Canada has created some three million jobs over the course of the last 10 years, 250,000 last year alone. Those are great draw factors that are great equalizers for everyone. They attract people. They bring people here.

We have reduced our deficit to zero. We have reduced unemployment to 7.1% nationally. These are draws that give people an opportunity to reach out and succeed and that is what makes for good immigration--

[Citizenship and Immigration, March 23rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the government has already launched a multi-faceted plan. Members on both sides of the House will recall that there is already $68 million in place for foreign credentials recognition, an effort to coordinate 14 different departments, 13 different provincial and territorial governments and 450 universities and institutions of higher learning, professional bodies and licensing bodies.

In addition to that, there is a $75 million lump sum that was put in the health accord specifically directed to human health resource development, specifically for family physicians over the course of the next five years. I think that is a pretty good start.

[Citizenship and Immigration, March 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, there is no such decision on behalf of one person. The member is mischaracterizing the process. Once there is a decision, there is also a pre-removal risk assessment. Every step of the way there is an opportunity to appeal to the Federal Court or in fact to submit an application under humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

Let me remind the member and the House again that last year there was an acceptance of 6,000 more refugees than the year before. Where is the damage?

[Citizenship and Immigration, March 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I have always said that refugees must be considered within the bigger picture of immigration as a whole. I have also indicated that last year we accepted another 6,000 additional people.

When speaking of the relationship between the House committee and the government, it must be remembered that the hon. member is one of the members who voted completely in favour of these six months of study. If she votes one way in committee, why—

[Immigration, March 11th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I guess if the member had a shred of decency he would feel embarrassed about those kinds of accusations.

The RCMP has already investigated everything and found no substance at all to those kinds of allegations. The member hurts democracy, hurts himself and hurts the community when he repeats false allegations, allegations that have already been dealt with in the justice system.

Please, Mr. Speaker, introduce an element of sanity and decency and tell them to look in the mirror and represent their constituents, because they are not doing it this way.