John Weston

[Iran, May 14th, 2012]

Mr. Chair, it is truly an honour to stand in this hallowed chamber to speak of human rights this evening. I know that many Canadians, and all my colleagues who are here this evening, share my concern about the ongoing and systemic measures taken by the Iranian regime to suppress political freedoms.

I would like to dedicate my remarks this evening to those of Iranian background in Canada, as well as those in Iran who suffer under the oppression of that regime and who feel, when the Iranian regime is condemned by human rights advocates around the world, a slight tinge in their own conscience.

I am so proud of our Prime Minister and our Minister of Foreign Affairs who, in every breath of condemnation of Ahmadinejad and that regime, always add that they stand for those of Iranian background who believe in our freedoms and our democracy in Canada.

We all remember the chaotic scenes from the streets of Tehran following the last presidential elections in July 2009. We bore witness to history as Iranian citizens took to the streets in large numbers to dispute the results of those elections. Many were convinced that they would be able to exercise their political rights and elect a candidate of their choice.

What started as a movement that could have defined post-revolutionary Iran quickly faded. The dreams and aspirations of thousands were crushed as the state's military and security apparatus violently suppressed the demonstrations. Along with the deployment of state forces came arbitrary arrests, allegations of rape, torture and deaths. There was no accountability.

What had been a chance to define a post-revolutionary Iran for all the right reasons now defines Iran for all the wrong reasons. It painful to watch news programs broadcast around the world the blatant and arrogant manner in which the regime crushed dissent.

We all remember too vividly the death of Neda Agha-Soltan, who was shot and killed in broad daylight when attending a protest. The death of Neda symbolizes what thousands of people who lost their lives in the post-1979 revolution by the Republic of Iran for just wanting the basic rights that people in Canada enjoyed. She and others like her became symbols of the dreams and aspirations of millions of Iranian citizens, especially the youth who long for the same rights and freedoms that our youth in Canada enjoy.

There are many organizations in Canada that stand for promoting human rights and for promoting Persian culture in Canada, like the Iranian-Canadian Congress, led by Davoud Ghavami, and the Canadian Iranian Foundation, led by Nassreen Filsoof, both of whom are very active in the North Shore of Vancouver.

One organization in Canada that promotes human rights and justice for all and that uses art to express its message is the Neda for Freedom Society, of which my constituent and friend Mehrdad Rahbar is a proud member.

It is with regret that almost three years after those events the state of political freedoms in Iran remains dire. The leaders of the Green Movement remain confined in their homes, under home arrest. They are prohibited from organizing political parties and from participating in any meaningful expression of their political rights.

It has become apparent that Iran's ruling elite have made a conscious and deliberate decision slowly to destroy institutions of democratic civil society and, with them, the foundations of democracy in that country. This decision and its implementation means that Iran's citizens will be denied the ability to chose their government, not just for now but if things continue in this way, for years to come.

If the recent parliamentary elections and by-elections are any indication of what we can expect, then indeed the outlook is grim. As demonstrated by the recent elections to the Iranian parliament, the choices for Iranians at the ballot box were limited. There were no reformists on the ballot. They all boycotted the recent elections, a courageous and bold decision. Iranian reformists chose to boycott elections rather than lend legitimacy to what they rightly knew was a sham exercise that only pretended to give Iranians political freedom and choice.

Should this trend continue, the presidential elections in Iran in 2013 will usher in another government that will not have a democratic mandate, and that is if there even is an election in 2013, which is not entirely certain at the moment.

Let us take a look at how the Iranian regime has quelled dissent and destroyed the democratic process.

In addition to jailing leaders of pro-democracy movements or putting them under house arrest, Iran has used a long-proven tool of dictatorial states, which is censorship. While the rest of the world finds ways to connect with one another to share ideas, spearhead innovation and forge people-to-people ties, Iran's government has taken steps to curb the ability of its people to use the Internet, watch or listen to international news and maintain censorship of the domestic press corps.

It also limits the ability of foreign journalists to operate freely. In its press freedom index for the year 2011-12, Reporters Without Borders noted that Iran ranked 175th in the world. That means that only four other countries had worse records when it came to media freedom.

The organization has also documented numerous cases where journalists have been arrested and sentenced to lashings for their writings or political cartoons. It also noted that the Iranian regime pressures the families of these journalists. That is deplorable. It means that Iran is systematically eliminating any line of thought that it does not agree with. Never mind curbing dissent, it views the role of the media and reporters as only to reinforce its own point of view and narrow political ideology.

Its record is no better when it comes to Internet freedom. It continues to take steps, just as it did following the 2009 presidential elections, to curb Internet freedom, which is a key component in exercising political freedom in the 21st century. Users find it next to impossible to access social networking sites, which in other place prove to be crucial in spreading pro-democracy views, exchanging ideas on governance and discussions on human rights. Not only are Iranians denied the opportunity to connect with one another, they are being increasingly denied the opportunity to connect with the outside world. Not a month passes by when there is not a media report suggesting that Iran's government is seeking ways to filter Internet content and to manage the flow of information in and out of Iran. While other countries are enriched by the people-to-people connections, Iranians are denied this opportunity.

Our government has taken every opportunity to call out the Iranian regime and to urge it to respect its obligations to allow political freedoms. As many members know, Canada has championed the cause of human rights in Iran for many years. This has been evident through our leadership in working with allies to sponsor an annual resolution on the issue of human rights in Iran at the UN General Assembly.

Last fall, we led on this initiative for the ninth consecutive year and the resolution was adopted with the most support ever. This resolution focuses world attention on the human rights situation in Iran and urges the Iranian regime to respect its domestic and international human rights obligations. The resolution sends a clear message to the people of Iran, to those who are fighting to exercise their political rights, that Canada, and indeed the world, stands with them.

Canada has also acted in concert with our international allies in imposing some of the toughest sanctions in the world on the Iranian regime. We will continue to work with the international community to advocate the rights of Iran's people as they struggle to achieve the same rights and freedoms that we as Canadians enjoy.

[Member spoke in Farsi]

[English]

In English that means “Let's support freedom and human rights in Iran”.

[Iran, May 14th, 2012]

Mr. Chair, I observed the passion, energy and strength of my colleague across the way. All of my colleagues here this evening noticed it.

If there are people of Iranian origin here, in Canada, who are watching this debate now, what can you say to encourage them, not necessarily as a representative of your party, but as one Canadian to another? What can you say to encourage Canadian Iranians who are here, on Canadian soil?

[Iran, May 14th, 2012]

Mr. Chair, my question relates to how our government is taking the message on human rights violations in Iran.

The Conservative government is renowned for promoting a prosperous economy in Canada and free trade around the world, but with that message I would like the member to give us some thoughts on how the government is also making sure the human rights message is loud and clear wherever it speaks.

[Iran, May 14th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague opposite for his speech.

I had the honour of arranging for Dr. Ebadi to cross Canada in a national tour. As one of her engagements, she spoke before the committee where the member heard her and it was very moving. She was a judge in her courtroom in Iran and because of her gender she was asked to step down and act as a secretary in the same courtroom. Now she stoutly defends the rights of Iranian citizens whose human rights are violated from outside the country because, as the member indicated, her very life is threatened.

I would ask the member how far he feels the reach of this Ahmadinejad regime moves beyond its own borders. Could he name people like Dr. Ebadi who are outside the borders of Iran and who also feel the long cold hand of human rights violations from that regime?

[Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, May 8th, 2012]

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question.

The minister is one of the hardest working MPs in the House, so I am delighted to go shoulder to shoulder with him. He is aware of how British Columbia depends upon the responsible extraction of natural resources for our economy and, therefore, we are proud stewards of our wonderful environment.

I come from the most beautiful place on earth. We care about our environment but we also want to ensure that the provincial and federal arms are working together so that we do not repeat unnecessary steps in the approval of resource projects. We are ensuring that provincial and federal regulators are working together. That is a big thrust in the bill. I am proud to believe that hundreds of thousands of new jobs will result.

[Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, May 8th, 2012]

Madam Speaker, it is because I respect my colleague opposite that I must respond with questions of my own.

The member represents a party that wants to drive up taxes. Surely the incentive for our wonderful thriving middle-class in Canada is that taxes have been reduced and that there is hope in the future because of the free trade that is being encouraged by this government.

The type of environmental processes that we have been talking about throughout this debate would encourage good stewardship of the environment while we produce jobs. We have created 600,000 going on 700,000 jobs since July 2009 and they all reflect a commitment to the economy and to the hope of future Canadians.

[Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, May 8th, 2012]

Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to respond and I want to thank the member opposite for her question.

What people need to understand is that when it comes to the environment and the economy, we do not have to choose one over the other. We must develop our environmental stewardship. We must also inform everyone that Canadians have the best research and innovations in the world in this sector.

That is why it is important for us to dovetail our federal and provincial processes. It ought not be ineffective in order to bring them both together to make our extraction of natural resources more efficient while we become the world's leading stewards of the environment.

[Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, May 8th, 2012]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to speak to the budget implementation bill.

This budget and the act we are discussing today clearly reveal the government's overall plan and priorities. Today, I would like to highlight some of those priorities of particular relevance to B.C.: jobs and growth, resources, the environment, seniors' concerns, and health and fitness for all Canadians.

The recent budget reiterated that the government is committed to jobs, growth and long-term prosperity. Our government is committed to expanding avenues of trade while responsibly developing our natural resources. Our government is committed to all Canadians, to aboriginal peoples, families, seniors, youth, immigrants and entrepreneurs, from coast to coast to coast.

When Conservatives formed the government in 2006, the focus turned to the strengthening of the Canadian economy, creating employment opportunities and laying the foundations for sustained growth. As a result, our nation has weathered the storms of recession in the past few years better than virtually any developed, democratic country in the world. Many nations look to Canada as the model for creating and maintaining a high degree of financial security. The stable course was set years ago. The current act reflects our Prime Minister's firm, steady hand on the wheel for the next leg of the journey.

For the people of B.C., this budget means jobs. In the coming 12 months, the budget proposes to invest $67 million in B.C. for labour market training, part of the continuing commitment the government made to Canadians in 2008 to provide new funding every year.

In the riding I represent, the whole North Shore and hundreds of workers at Seaspan Marine Corporation welcomed the news that the company had won an $8 billion contract to build non-combat vessels for the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard. This budget supports such forward-thinking programs for continuous growth. Thanks to the act, those hundreds of workers at Seaspan will soon be joined by hundreds of more skilled tradespeople who will enjoy the guarantee of employment and the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution for many years to come.

Jobs do not materialize out of thin air. They come from plans such as those featured in this act, committed, targeted investments in post-secondary education for our youth, improving access to training for those with disabilities or people returning to the workforce, and adapting our immigration system to keep pace with the speed of business.

This budget lays out ways in which our economy may advance, unfettered by labour shortages or narrow business plans.

In the riding I represent, we appreciate innovative approaches such as the international education strategy receiving ongoing support after its introduction in the 2011 and 2012 budgets. This plan will benefit Quest University, Capilano University, Vancouver Island University and other schools to attract more international students and researchers, translating into a broader knowledge base necessary to compete in the world market.

The act reflects the priority of the government to expand Canada's trade potential by pursuing new markets worldwide. Having negotiated several trade agreements in a few short years, our government is committed to pursuing the Canada-Europe trade agreement which presents abundant opportunities to Canadian business.

We are also committed to the Pacific Rim, led by our dynamic Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway. We are increasing the flow of trade and investment traffic across the Pacific. The riding I represent includes a very active group of Canadians of Asian background, some of whom produced an extraordinary celebration of Asian New Year earlier this year. They highlight the importance of our government and our parliamentarians' relationships with Pacific Rim communities.

For British Columbians, one of the most important aspects of this act is the commitment to develop our abundant resources while maintaining a respectful balance between economic aspirations and environmental stewardship. With a proposed $54 million over two years towards the major projects management office initiative, significant natural resource projects will unfold with greater efficiency, providing the foundation for employment, not only at the primary but also at the secondary and tertiary levels of the economy.

This is good news for the fisheries advisory group in the riding I come from, where Dave Brown and the group work with me to protect and sustain our marvellous fisheries resource.

The act also puts emphasis on sustaining our environment. There is $35.7 million proposed over the next two years to further improve the safety regimen for oil tankers and pipelines, to support ongoing environmental studies and to better prepare for emergencies.

This act also proposes an additional $13.5 million over two years to support the work of the National Energy Board that we may further reduce any risk, with more oil and gas pipeline inspections, moving from 100 to 150 per year, and double the number of annual audits designed to discover and resolve potential issues before they become a concern for Canadians.

These unparalleled safety precautions for oil tankers were recently the subject of an excellent series by the North Shore Outlook, a community newspaper serving a region of the riding I represent. Outlook's in-depth coverage highlights the great importance of secure transportation for such resources, from both an economic perspective and an environmental perspective. This government's investment in safety reflects a sharing of that priority.

The riding I represent in B.C. is not unlike many others across Canada in that our people are aging as a demographic. Though we appreciate the beauty and wisdom of our seniors, our nation is coming to understand how this fact is affecting our economy, our health care system and our social fabric. That is why the budget and the act take a visionary, necessary step in a potentially controversial direction. The very gradual rise in the age of eligibility for old age security from 65 initially to 67 is a plan for long-term security. This slow and steady change to the OAS program takes some of the fear out of the future, because this change would mean we could enjoy financial support for generations to come. Some day our children, our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren will thank us.

As the founder of the 2010 parliamentary fitness initiative, it literally does my heart good, as well as the hearts of millions of Canadians, to know that in this budget and act, our government continues to support important programs such as Participaction. In response to the budget, my friend and fitness advocate Rick Hansen said, “The Government of Canada has been a critical partner in my 25 year journey towards a healthier and more inclusive world, and we are extremely grateful for their continued support.”

Health and fitness experts from as far abroad as The New York Times, like writers Gretchen Reynolds, to North Shore News contributor Shaun Karp, all agree that daily physical activity improves our general level of health and reduces our chances of developing chronic or debilitating disease.

Ms. Reynolds in her recent book, The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer, encourages movement as opposed to exercise, any kind of movement, and she did not even know about the 2010 parliamentary fitness initiative. She stresses that the road to good health is not competitive, strenuous exercise. One does not need to run for miles or work out for hours. One simply needs to move, garden, stroll, take the stairs or park further away from the mall entrance.

For parliamentarians, we should take the opportunity to run or walk on Tuesday mornings and swim on Thursday mornings with our colleagues. In keeping with the government's encouragement of healthier living, I have created two special days here on the Hill. The Inaugural Bike Day on Parliament Hill will be held tomorrow, May 9, and National Life Jacket and Swim Day will occur the following Wednesday, May 16.

Beyond the Hill, the first ever National Health and Fitness Day will happen on the first Saturday in June, June 2. All 12 of the local governments in the riding I represent have resolved to mark National Health and Fitness Day by opening their municipal recreation and sports facilities for free or at a reduced cost to introduce first-time users to the opportunities in their midst and to foster healthier habits for long-term benefits.

Our very active Minister of State for Sport stated recently:

National Health and Fitness Day is a perfect opportunity to remind Canadians of all ages about the importance of physical activity and sport. Whether it's riding your bike, running around a track, or playing on a house league soccer team, the options for maintaining an active lifestyle are endless. As Minister of State for Sport, I encourage all Canadians to join in and celebrate this special day that highlights the importance of physical fitness and healthier, happier communities.

In the final analysis, that is what we are all about: a healthy economy, a healthy climate for jobs and growth, healthy international relationships with many free trade agreements under negotiation, and a healthy stewardship of our environment and our economy for this generation and generations to come. That is why I am proud to support this act. I look forward to the questions of my colleagues.

[Canada Revenue Agengy, May 3rd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to the fair and equitable tax treatment of all Canadians. Our Minister of National Revenue has been working hard to ensure that Canadians are treated in a fair and respectful manner by CRA. It was this government that introduced the taxpayer bill of rights as well as the Office of the Taxpayers' Ombudsman to provide Canadians with a clear statement of their service rights and a venue to voice concerns.

I understand that the minister has recently become aware of some troubling videos that do not meet our high expectations of CRA staff. I would ask her to inform this House of the steps she has taken to address this.

[Canada Pension Plan, April 3rd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. There have been consultations and I believe if you seek it, you would find unanimous for the following motion: “Whereas Canada, by nature, offers abundant recreational and fitness opportunities through such things as our mountains, oceans, lakes, forests and parks, we, as Canadians, could, with access to these opportunities, be the healthiest and fittest people on earth; participation rates in healthy physical activities have been declining; we have public facilities to promote health and fitness operated by local governments from coast to coast to coast; the Government of Canada and Canadian people recognize the growing concern over chronic disease and other impediments to health and fitness for Canadians; health and fitness ought to be promoted for Canadians of all ages and disabilities; and we all aspire to increase participation by Canadians in health, recreational sports and fitness activities; therefore, as a step to increase participation and enhance the health of all Canadians, this House encourages local governments across Canada to collaborate in promoting higher participation rates in recreational sports and fitness activities.”