John Nater

[Business of the House, December 1st, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. If you review the Thursday questions in the past 20 years, which I have done, and I have done so academically, you will find that the hon. opposition House leader is perfectly within her right to have this preamble.

[Points of Order, November 28th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on the same point of order. I listened with great interest to the comments of my colleague from Kingston and the Islands last week. I echo his concerns, and I would like to submit to the House that from our point of view as well, the bill would not require a royal recommendation. The spending that would be incurred by the bill is simply not there. I think you will find, if you read the rulings of your learned predecessors, Speaker Milliken, for example, that they are consistent with the ruling that the bill does not require a royal recommendation.

[Canadian Foodgrains Bank, November 16th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the good work of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, an organization that has been working to combat global hunger for more than 30 years. Not only does the Foodgrains Bank provide nourishment for those in need, it also works with communities to improve agricultural practices, which allows for long-term and sustainable food security.

This good work would not be possible without a network of volunteers across this country. I think of folks like Ron and Nancy Kraemer, who have been volunteering with the Thamesview United Church growing projects for many years and who selflessly give their time and talents. I think of volunteers with growing projects in Monkton, Milverton, Palmerston, Drayton, and many more communities across Perth—Wellington, Ontario, and Canada who grow crops so that others might eat.

I want to thank the members of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank for all they do to achieve the goal of a world without hunger.

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, November 14th, 2016]

With regard to each of the following polls or focus groups referenced in the government`s response to Q-339, what were the results, findings, and conclusions, broken down by poll or focus group conducted by (i) Environics for Finance Canada, (ii) Ekos Research Associates for Health Canada, (iii) Harris Decima for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada?

[Questions on the Order Paper, November 14th, 2016]

With regard to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and his role as Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Litigation Management: (a) are there any topics or issues that are, or have been, on the Committee`s agenda for which the Minister has had to recuse himself; (b) how many times has the Minister had to recuse himself; (c) without revealing Cabinet confidences, what was the nature of the topic for each case he recused himself; (d) since November 4, 2015, has the government been, or is the government currently, involved in any litigation or other legal proceedings with J.D. Irving Ltd., and of its subsidiaries, or any other company owned by a member of the Irving family; and (e) if the answer to (d) is affirmative, what are the details of any legal proceedings including (i) plaintiff, (ii) defendant, (iii) case number, (iv) details of verdict or resolution, if proceedings have concluded?

[Questions on the Order Paper, November 14th, 2016]

With regard to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and his role as Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Litigation Management: what are the dates, titles, subject matter, and file numbers of all briefings provided to the Minister?

[Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2, November 2nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I met this morning with a particularly troublesome constituent to speak about the debt the Liberal government is accumulating. My two-year-old daughter wanted to know whether or not the member agrees that saddling her generation with multiple billions of dollars of debt and $10 billion to $15 billion more in debt financing charges is fair to her generation, and our children and grandchildren.

[Ethics, October 28th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, reading the same talking points time and time again does not make any more of an answer either.

Cash for access is the name of the game for the Liberal Party, and the finance minister is all in. While middle-class Canadians in my riding and across Canada are struggling to make ends meet, drug companies and venture capitalists are wining and dining the Liberal privileged in a downtown Toronto condominium.

It has only been a year, but already the Prime Minister and his party are dealing middle-class Canadians out. Would the Prime Minister agree that the speed with which his party has stacked the deck is unprecedented, even for Chrétien Gomery standards?

[Canada Labour Code, October 19th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

I believe that during the vote, the hon. member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell was not in his seat during the entirety of the vote.

[National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Act, September 30th, 2016]

That was my mistake, Mr. Speaker. I should have known better.

The Liberal government seems to be implying that we are somehow taking this from international examples, yet when we compare it to the British example, we are falling short. This committee will not report directly to the House as it ought to.

I wonder if my colleague from Elgin—Middlesex—London might have some comments on the way the committee has been structured.