Judy Foote

[Lighthouses, October 4th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, it is only the minister and the government who are asking for a review. It is not only in Newfoundland and Labrador where the current government is playing with people's lives. The International Ship-Owners Alliance of Canada has said the government must stop any move to automate lighthouses.

So, while the government spent $138,000 on digital pens for the G8 summit, it ignores safety concerns of the marine industry.

How can the government waste money on building a fake lake and a landlocked lighthouse 20 kilometres from the summit site but turn its back on safety provided by real lighthouses?

[Lighthouses, October 4th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious when it comes to wasting money that the Conservative government knows no limits. Waste, not safety, is the name of the game.

While the government was telling lighthouse keepers in Newfoundland and Labrador they were no longer needed, it was spending money on a fake lighthouse and a fake lake. There is nothing fake about the danger people face when working and travelling on the ocean. To suggest an automated lighthouse can replace people shows a government that is out of touch. People do not have mechanical failures.

When will the government wake up and make public safety a priority?

[Petitions, September 30th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition on behalf of 1,100 MS patients in Newfoundland and Labrador; of course, we know there are many more throughout the country.

This petition is signed by people throughout the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. They are calling on the government to make it possible for MS patients throughout the country to avail themselves of the liberation treatment.

On October 4 one of my constituents, Perry Goodyear from Grand Bank, will be flying to New York to have the treatment done. It is very costly for people to do this and it is very difficult for them as well, as some of them are confined to wheelchairs.

The petitioners are asking the government to consider the seriousness of this issue on behalf of MS patients, to recognize that the treatment that is being done by Dr. Zamboni is showing wonderful results for patients who have MS. The petitioners are asking the government to take a leadership role and to recognize that there will be provinces that will not participate unless the federal government plays a leadership role.

The petitioners are asking the government to once again recognize the need, recognize how serious this is for MS patients, to recognize the importance of doing this and to move quickly on it.

[Newfoundland and Labrador, September 27th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, seeing images on TV of the destruction that hurricane Igor inflicted on Newfoundland and Labrador is one thing but seeing it first-hand, as I did this weekend, hits home the seriousness of the situation.

As rivers and ponds overflowed and the rush of water could not be handled by the culverts, homes flooded, cars were submerged, roads disappeared, bridges collapsed and some people lost everything. We must learn from this tragedy.

As people try to rebuild their lives and local governments replace infrastructure that failed the onslaught of the hurricane, it is crucial that all levels of government agree to put in place infrastructure that improves on what previously existed and failed.

The issue is that, under the present cost-shared agreement with the province, should a municipality want to put back a larger culvert, for example, the agreement will only cover to have that culvert replaced to its pre-disaster condition. The municipality will be responsible for the cost of the upgrade.

This needs to change. Rural communities, in particular, cannot afford this cost and cannot afford to replace failed infrastructure with more of the same.

[Government Advertising, September 21st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, worse still, the government's own polling data shows that when it came to informing Canadians, their ad campaign was a total failure. Of the Canadians who recall seeing the workers ad, for example, fully 93% said they were useless. Given that their own evaluation is such a disaster, how can the Conservatives look pensioners in the eye when they are shamelessly blowing their hard-earned money?

[Government Advertising, September 21st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, today we learn that the Conservative government actually spent a record $130 million on TV and radio ads. That is a whopping 215% increase in advertising spending since 2006.

Worse still, the minister claims this was for H1N1 prevention, when we know that $50 million alone was spent on economic action plan ads which provided no useful information for Canadians. Let us just call it for what it is: shameless self-promotional material for the Conservative Party.

With a record deficit, how could these Conservatives have wasted so much borrowed money?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, September 20th, 2010]

With respect to the new National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy, announced by the Ministers of Defence and Public Works and Government Services on June 3, 2010: (a) how many new jobs are expected to be created through the new strategy; (b) when will the two shipyards be selected for the construction of combat and non-combat vessels; (c) had the Washington Marine Group, of British Columbia, and Irving Group, of Nova Scotia, been asked by the federal government to make a submission to become the centre of excellence for large combat shipbuilding in Canada prior to the announcement of the strategy, as reported by the Vice President of Washington Marine Group John Shaw; (d) has the Davie Shipyard in Québec City already been chosen to build the non-combat ships that will be built under the strategy; (e) what shipyards in the country are capable of being a centre of excellence in shipbuilding; (f) what are the criteria that will be used to determine if a shipyard will be chosen as a centre of excellence in shipbuilding; (g) is it necessary to be a member of the National Shipbuilders’ Association to make a submission or to qualify to be a centre of excellence in shipbuilding; (h) what are the details regarding the fairness monitor and the independent third party experts’ participation in the selection process for the establishment of the long-term strategic relationship with two Canadian shipyards; (i) what are the Canadian shipyards that have received federal government contracts for the construction of combat and non-combat vessels over the past 20 years; and (j) what smaller ships will be set aside for competitive procurement?

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 20th, 2010]

With respect to the new Aquatic Science Research Laboratory, officially opened at the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans on June 11, 2010: (a) how many of the scientists who have retired over the past 10 years at Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre have been replaced; (b) has the Department of Fisheries and Oceans replaced any of the research specialists for cod, shrimp, lobster, yellowtail, capelin, scallops and turbot who have retired from the Centre over the past 15 years and, if yes, how many and which specialists have been replaced; (c) when will the Science Library at the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre reopen; (d) when will the Newfoundland-based research trawl vessel the Templeman be returned to use; (e) which research programs have been cut because of a shift in priorities by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to the new ecosystem-based approach; (f) how many researchers and scientists are working on the ecosystem-based approach to management; (g) how many trained technicians are currently employed to go to sea to collect data; (h) what is being done to replace the technicians who were originally hired at extension of jurisdiction and who are now reaching retirement age; and (i) are scientists at the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre permitted to speak to the media without prior permission from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans?

[Honorary Naval Captain, September 20th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a former resident of Harbour Breton, a community in the riding of Random—Burin—St. George's. Captain Sid Hynes who, early in his career, distinguished himself as a marine captain, has also proven to be equally adept as a captain of business.

In honour of his many accomplishments, Captain Hynes has been appointed an honorary naval captain by the Canadian Navy and to date is the only individual from Newfoundland and Labrador to garner such recognition and one of only 17 in Canada. He has been named one of the top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada and recently Captain Hynes was awarded the Medal of Merit by the Association of Canadian Port Authorities.

His years as a sea captain, coupled with his experience as a strong business leader as former president and CEO of Marine Atlantic, as well as his present position as CEO of Oceanex, Captain Hynes has shown to be someone who gets the job done. Since becoming CEO of Oceanex, Captain Hynes has increased the company revenue by 16%.

Captain Sid Hynes is a Canadian who has made and continues to make a difference in our country. He deserves our recognition and our appreciation.

[Lighthouses, June 17th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the current government is using the new Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act to offload historical buildings. The wholesale dumping of lighthouses shows a complete disregard for these iconic structures.

Instead of protecting lighthouses, the government is identifying those it considers surplus and is expecting others to take responsibility for them.

The Conservatives have a bottomless pit of money for a fake lighthouse in Ontario, yet they turn their backs on heritage structures in the maritime provinces.

How much money has the government budgeted to help those who will be forced to take over a lighthouse rather than see it fall into a state of disrepair?