John Williamson

[The Economy, November 22nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to economic stewardship, our government is leading the world. We have witnessed the creation of over one million net new jobs, signed the Wayne Gretzky of trade deals with Europe and stayed on track to balance the budget. We also cut the GST and created the tax-free savings account, benefiting more than eight million hard-working Canadians.

Canada has weathered the global economic downturn because we have a plan. Unfortunately, the Liberal leader has no plan. While we create better policy in Canada, the Liberal leader admires China's basic dictatorship. While the Prime Minister successfully travels the globe promoting trade and Canada's values, the Liberal leader parades around Canada promoting marijuana growth, including to school kids.

While an inexperienced Liberal leader pushes pot, we will continue to create the economic conditions for jobs and growth for all Canadians.

[International Trade, October 23rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the historic Canada-EU trade agreement announced by our Prime Minister will bring benefits to key economic sectors in every region of the country. Despite what the opposition and its anti-trade union backers say, we know this trade agreement, with a market of over 500 million people, will benefit Canadian workers, businesses and families.

In order to counter the fear and misinformation being spread by fringe anti-trade free traders, could the parliamentary secretary update the House on what our government is doing to ensure Canadians from coast to coast have the facts about this important trade deal?

[Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act, June 11th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, you can obviously see the point I am trying to make here. In the past, when members voted on both sides of the question, I believe the Chair asked for clarification.

I am pressing this point because when members rise on a question in this House, I think it is important that the rules apply equally and that when members inadvertently vote one way or the other, they are asked to stand to correct the record.

For the record, I am glad you did not ask the whip for the NDP as to how I vote. I would like to affirm now that I vote with the government.

[Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act, June 10th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I do not mean to challenge you, but there are many bills for which I would like to vote on both sides when I go home and tell my voters that I voted with them.

However, the fact is that it is very unclear. Mr. Speaker, you cannot allow members to vote one way and then appear to vote the other way without a correction. We typically expect that of members as we have in the past. The rules of the House have to apply to all of us equally.

I ask that they stand and record their votes properly, as my seatmate had to some time ago.

[Excise Tax Act, June 3rd, 2013]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-519, an act to amend the Excise Tax Act (motor vehicle fuel).

Mr. Speaker, a second bill I would like to move today is the ending gasoline tax on tax act. The bill aims to amend the Excise Tax Act so that GST and HST are no longer levied on any federal or provincial excise tax charged on fuel for motor vehicles.

I believe the bill would be in line with our government's priority to balance the books by 2015 and would fit nicely into that schedule.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Protecting Taxpayers and Revoking Pensions of Convicted Politicians Act, June 3rd, 2013]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-518, An Act to amend the Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act (withdrawal allowance).

Mr. Speaker, the alternative title of the bill I am putting forward today is the protecting taxpayers and revoking pensions of convicted politicians act. Should this bill become law, it would revoke the parliamentary pensions of any senator or elected member convicted of an offence under any act of Parliament for which the maximum punishment is imprisonment for more than two years.

There are two points I would like to highlight on this bill.

First, the way the bill is written, those people found guilty are not required to serve a sentence of more than two years. It is simply that the maximum penalty be two years or more. Therefore, there could be a member who is sentenced for a period of six months, as was the case at one point with a not so honourable member from the other place.

Second, this bill would be made retroactive to today, June 3, 2013. In doing so, I have adopted the aim and intent of a bill from Nova Scotia, which followed the same precedent.

Therefore, I ask that this bill be brought forward for debate in the House.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Natural Resources, May 30th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, our government supports the transmission of oil from west to east, as it would create high-paying jobs and spur growth, while reducing Canada's reliance on foreign oil.

We know the NDP is intent on halting economic development. The opposition leader has come out against reversing the flow of the line 9B pipeline, which is currently being reviewed by the National Energy Board.

Would the parliamentary secretary update the House on the status of this review?

[Foreign Affairs, April 26th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, we are getting troubling reports that the United States is considering imposing a fee on anybody who crosses its border by land. This is an appalling proposal. It would be a tax on trade and a tax on tourism between our two countries. We have a free trade deal with the United States to increase trade and tourism because we know this is good for the economies of both nations.

For some communities this fee would be devastating. Consider Campobello Island: anybody living on this Canadian island cannot drive anywhere in the rest of Canada without first driving one hour through the state of Maine.

Earlier this week I was in Washington, D.C. with the foreign affairs committee. I used the opportunity to raise this issue and to let our American friends know what a bad idea this is. Our Canadian ambassador assured me that we will oppose this border crossing tax.

Because enacting this new fee would be so detrimental to Canadians, I have no doubt that all of my colleagues in the House will provide a unified voice in opposing this proposed tax.

[Business of Supply, April 24th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, in a way, this is really too much. We have the “let freedom reign” caucus here.

I want to point out, though, that the official opposition caucus has a voting record, on private member's bills, of sticking together 100%. There is no breaking off to exercise any independent thought or any breaking away from the pack to exercise any independence. I find this laughable that they say freedom reigns on that side.

I have to point out, though, that the sponsor of this motion does not understand his own motion. The problem with this motion is that it will put an official list above the power of the Speaker. We had this debate in the House over the last number of weeks. The two major opposition parties were frankly not part of that debate. The Speaker wisely ruled last night.

My question is for my hon. friend from Welland. With his caveat that he did not want to do that, I am curious to know how he is going to vote. I know that the sheet that tells the caucus how to vote is not in front of him, so maybe he is not sure. I am curious to know if you are going to support this motion tonight or if you are going to reject it. I suppose if I had that answer, I would know how your entire caucus would vote.

[Business of Supply, April 24th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I feel the air has kind of come out of this debate a bit. I wonder why, if this was such a pressing issue for the third party, it did not address this question of member privileges dealing with S. O. 31s when the question was before the Speaker in a question of privilege.

This is an issue that was already before the House. It was an important one. Yet, again, at the end of the day, I regret we did not hear from the third party when that opportunity was there. I just want to highlight that.

Perhaps the member can respond.

Really, this is an issue that has been settled, I think, by the Speaker. He has affirmed his responsibility to this House and the rights of all members.