John Baird

[Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, June 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I understand the committee meets regularly. I think it will be meeting on Tuesday. The good news for the member for Ottawa South is that I understand the member for Ottawa—Orléans is interested in seeking the chair of the committee.

[Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, June 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I think the meanspirited personal attacks of the member for Ottawa South are beneath him, frankly, and beneath all members of the House.

[Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, June 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Ottawa South, rather than wanting to talk about how we can work to improve our environment, continues to cast aspersions on the efforts of a very decent and honourable member of the House. The member for Red Deer is well liked and well respected on all sides of the House and none of the scurrilous accusations have any basis in fact.

This is a time when many teachers around the country are preparing report cards. I suspect that if the teacher for the member for Ottawa South were doing a report card what the teacher very clearly would say is that he has trouble getting along with others.

[Devils Lake Diversion Project, June 14th, 2007]

Give me a break. You are pathetic. You are so partisan.

[Devils Lake Diversion Project, June 14th, 2007]

There's hell to pay now.

[Canada Transportation Act, June 14th, 2007]

Then let's pass it now.

[Natural Resources, June 14th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I did no such thing. We take this issue of Devils Lake incredibly seriously.

With the President of the Treasury Board, I met earlier this week with Christine Melnick, the minister of water stewardship. She asked two things of the federal government. I was happy to agree to do both within 24 hours.

[The Environment, June 14th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I did not hear the question.

However, I will say that no instructions were issued by the Government of Canada, not by the minister or the Prime Minister's Office. I have known the hon. member for Red Deer for quite some time. He is a very honest fellow, who has a great deal of experience in this House of Commons, and I am happy to say he is a good friend.

[The Environment, June 14th, 2007]

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

[Criminal Code, June 13th, 2007]

I am 38.

So far as I know, the hon. member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie just had his birthday. If he is watching us on television, happy birthday, Bernard.

This is also the first time that I have heard the hon. member for Hochelaga give a good speech. It was the first time that he has supported an initiative of a federalist government, and this after a motion was passed recognizing Quebec as a nation within Canada. I hope that all the speeches of the hon. member for Hochelaga will be just as good and will not be too long in coming. That was one fine address.

This bill was very important. I was happy to see the support that the hon. members gave it, at least those in the Liberal Party and the Bloc. I hope that maybe the NDP members will follow their example.