House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2008, with 34% of the vote.
International Cooperation November 29th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, that just confirms that there is no new announcement.
Let us go on to malaria for a moment. The Canadian Red Cross has an excellent program. It has just rolled out a bed net program that is saving millions of children from the scourge of malaria. The government has blocked it and will not support this program.
My question is a simple one. Why will the government not continue to fund a life-saving initiative that will provide bed nets to save children from the scourge of malaria?
HIV-AIDS November 29th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, December 1 is World AIDS Day. The government promised new funding to combat this disease. Forty million people have been infected, leaving a sea of orphans.
The Prime Minister said he was going to make a new announcement and the Minister of Health said he was going to make a new announcement, but there has been no announcement. The government reannounced commitments that we made when we were in government. When is the government going to stop turning its back on HIV-AIDS and come up with its own announcement, which it has failed to do?
Prevention of Genocide November 21st, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to notify this House of the formation of an All Party Coalition for the Prevention of Genocide, composed of members from all parties and both Houses.
Its intent is to provide information to the House on existing and developing humanitarian catastrophes. To help inaugurate this, we have Juan Mendez, the special adviser to the Secretary-General of the UN, here in Ottawa today.
The necessity for this group is the fact that the world has not learned the hard lessons from Rwanda and the Holocaust. Today the carnage in Darfur continues in unimaginable ways. In eastern Congo, 20,000 people a month are dying of preventable causes. In northern Uganda, the Acholi people have been herded, and they are being asphyxiated of their basic needs.
Catastrophes are occurring. The Prime Minister said he would not allow these catastrophes to occur on his watch. We ask the Prime Minister to act now, act quickly and save lives.
Federal Accountability Act November 20th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I know it would be a big mistake for the government to pass this law.
This has nothing whatsoever to do with accountability. In fact, the definition of accountability is not even in the bill.
Does the member not think that Bill C-2 has nothing to do with accountability? Will her party say no to supporting the bill as it is going to cause gridlock in the public service?
Business of Supply November 7th, 2006
They can't. They are failing.
Business of Supply November 7th, 2006
Mr. Chair, with respect to the situation on the ground in Afghanistan, the minister's own troops are saying that development is not getting through to the people. I would like to ask the minister why.
He has a surge capacity of 600 troops. Will he commit to use at least part of those troops toward enforcing and implementing a chapter 7 peacemaking force into Darfur that has been authorized by the UN?
Business of Supply November 7th, 2006
Mr. Chair, for the information of the minister, the reports are from the United States and the United Kingdom. One liaison officer is not going to stop this insurgency. For our troops' sake, I ask him to please get it right.
My next question is with respect to the extension that took place when the government gave only 48 hours' notice for the extension of the mission. At that time our NATO allies had allegedly made troop commitments.
Will the minister tell the House what countries and how many troops were committed by our NATO allies when the government irresponsibly extended this mission for two years while giving the House only 48 hours to try to find and consider the evidence?
Business of Supply November 7th, 2006
Mr. Chair, all of us agree that our troops are doing a heroic job, but the minister needs to understand that the reports my colleague was talking about were from the United Kingdom and Washington. Both reports say that we are losing the war.
The Taliban's control has increased, not decreased. Mr. Karzai's government is perceived as being corrupt and he does not have control over his country. Attacks are now happening in the north and the east which were not happening before. There will be war without end until the insurgency is dealt with.
What does the minister propose to do to deal with the insurgency coming from Pakistan?
Foreign Affairs November 7th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the young professionals international program was an outstanding program that provided young people with the ability to gain valuable international experience, then come back and work in the Department of Foreign Affairs, in CIDA and in international NGOs. What did the Conservative government do? It shut it down. Without any rationale or explanation, the Conservative government cut this program.
Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs explain to the House and Canadians why his government cut a program that enabled his department to acquire the young people it needed to continue to do its work?
Military Valour Decoration November 7th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the men and women in our Canadian Forces are the finest military personnel in the world. Day in and day out they work with courage and distinction.
Recently four of these soldiers were awarded our highest award for bravery, the Military Valour Decoration for extraordinary bravery in the face of extreme danger.
Sergeant Patrick Tower was awarded the Star of Military Valour. Sergeant Michael Thomas Victor Denine, Master Corporal Collin Ryan Fitzgerald and Private Jason Lamont were awarded the Medal of Military Valour.
Each displayed the utmost courage in the face of oncoming danger and enemy fire and many saved the lives of their comrades. Their actions and heroism deserve our greatest praise, respect and admiration.
On behalf of Canadians from coast to coast and my colleagues in the Liberal Party, we salute these and all of the soldiers in our Canadian Forces. They are true Canadian heroes.