Kevin Sorenson

[Office of Religious Freedom, February 26th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate our Prime Minister for keeping our Conservative government's promise to create the Office of Religious Freedom. This office will stand up to the terrible cruelty of religious persecution.

Around the world, violations of religious freedom are widespread, and they are increasing. In Iran, Baha'is and Christians face harassment, imprisonment and, in some cases, death.

In Pakistan, Christian, Sikhs and Hindus are vulnerable to persecution and violence.

In China, Christians who worship outside government-approved boundaries are driven underground and their leaders are arrested and detained, their churches burned down.

Shia Muslims in Iraq, Coptic Christians in Egypt, Christians at worship in Nigeria, the list appallingly goes on and on.

Elsewhere we watch in horror as sanctuaries are destroyed and believers are attacked and, in some cases, slaughtered. In the face of these injustices, Canada has not been silent. We wish Canada's first ambassador of religious freedom, Dr. Andrew Bennett, success monitoring and promoting religious freedom around the world.

[Business of Supply, February 26th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, who sits right behind me, for a great speech on what the government has accomplished and what we have done.

On behalf of Alberta, we can thank this government for those highway projects that were named last week. I know a number of the highways are going into my constituency, some of them into the community of Camrose. It is all very positive spending.

The member also talked about the gas tax rebate. That was another issue that our municipalities brought to members of Parliament; they asked if they could have it a little earlier and as long-term funding so that they could know it would be stable. This government responded to that request.

Also, as a member of Parliament I was able to get out and talk to councillors this past week, as I am sure my colleague did. They thanked me for the infrastructure money, money they had never received in the past but are receiving now from this government.

Would my colleague like to share with the House some examples from his riding of the stable, long-term infrastructure funding that we have provided for projects with long-term ramifications?

[Forestry Industry, February 5th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government has taken unprecedented steps to help renew our forestry sector in rural Canada after a damaging recession. We have invested in everything from making mills more energy efficient to new renovation technologies and market diversification.

Budget 2012 grants an additional $105 million to transform the forestry sector, and we are getting results. The Forest Products Association of Canada has created a new website looking for job applicants. Why? It estimates 60,000 new jobs in the next seven years. This is great news for rural communities across Canada that were hit hard during the recession.

While the recovery remains fragile, there are signs of hope in the forestry sector. Through our government's strong support for market diversification, exports to China have increased by 1,000%. While focusing on diversification we are also seeing our traditional market in the United States rebounding. This is good news for rural Canadians and we are proud of our work to support Canadian jobs.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, January 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers appreciate our Conservative government's hard work to create jobs and economic growth for our agricultural industry. They understand our government's commitment to bolstering trade and opening markets for our top quality products.

Since forming government, we have consistently made representations to Japan, seeking expanded access for Canadian beef derived from animals under 30 months of age.

Could the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food please update the House on the status of these negotiations?

[Income Tax Act, December 11th, 2012]

A year and a half.

[Income Tax Act, December 11th, 2012]

None of them force their members to give money.

[Committees of the House, December 11th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in relation to Bill S-7, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Canada Evidence Act and the Security of Information Act.

The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House without amendment.

[Liberal Party of Canada, November 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' elitist attitude against Alberta is one of the many reasons their party is losing support among Canadians.

This should come as no surprise. The member for Ottawa South had to resign as senior spokesman for natural resources for telling us to go back to Alberta if we wanted to defend the interests of Albertans.

We also recently learned that a top contender for the leadership of the Liberal Party went on a rant against our province, stating, “Canada is in bad shape right now because Albertans are controlling our community and social democratic agenda. That is not working”.

No matter how many times the Liberal Party tries to re-brand itself, these comments prove what Albertans already know: The Liberals are still the party of the national energy program and continue to disrespect Alberta.

We were told to go home by the Liberals. This is strange advice coming from such a small little corner of our Parliament today, the Liberal Party.

[First Nations Financial Transparency Act, November 27th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from northern Alberta for helping us understand this issue much better. I also applaud him for the work he does as chair of the committee.

One thing has just crossed my mind. Canada plays a significant role around the world in helping other governments fight corruption. A former colleague of ours, John Williams the head of GOPAC, travels the world encouraging governments to fight corruption. When there is more transparency, there is less corruption. Even the perception that they may be something untoward going on, in the light it may show that it may or may not be. When we travel around other countries, we are often asked about certain cases in Canada.

Does my colleague think this legislation will help? Could my colleague provide an example of how we have improved in Canada and how other levels of government have improved transparency?

[Liberal Party of Canada, November 22nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Ottawa South is a key senior member of the Liberal Party. His own brother, Premier McGuinty, has led the Liberal Party in Ontario for years. When this member of Parliament speaks, he is not some outsider in the Liberal Party, he is showing the arrogance that is ingrained within the Liberal Party.

This is the same arrogance that led to Pierre Trudeau's national energy program, which killed jobs in Alberta. It is the same Liberal arrogance that targeted law-abiding farmers and hunters with a wasteful and ineffective billion dollar gun registry. It is the same Liberal arrogance that denied prairie farmers the right to sell their own wheat. It is the same Liberal arrogance that told parents that they could not be trusted to raise their children because they blow all their money on popcorn and beer, and it is the same Liberal arrogance that led Pierre Trudeau to give the finger to all Canadians who call western Canada home.

Albertans know that this anti-Alberta sentiment runs strong in the Liberal Party and that is why election after election Albertans—