Kevin Sorenson

[Foreign Affairs, February 5th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to stand in the House to debate this motion and to hear colleagues like the former one who expounded so clearly on the concerns from Sudan and Iran.

I would also like to mention a couple of former colleagues. First, David Kilgour, who has made it a lifelong goal to educate us about exactly what is going on there. For Mel Middleton, a person in my riding, this is a ministry to him. He is a real driver in seeking human rights in countries such as Sudan. I had the opportunity to speak with a group of Sudanese from Calgary last fall who brought forward concerns and with a student group called STAND Canada. It is a pleasure to be in the House and to bring forward some points to the government.

The government is very aware and concerned over the situation in Sudan, particularly the ongoing violations of human rights in Darfur, including sexual and gender based violence. With the deterioration in the humanitarian situation, as well as the fragile peace in the south, Sudan remains a matter of great concern to the Government of Canada and for this reason the government supports Motion No. 410 that my colleague from Toronto brought forward.

Because my time is limited, I will cut to the chase and go right to some of my concluding statements.

I think all Canadians agree that we cannot stand by and let this situation deteriorate any further. Canada is active in supporting peace in Sudan and Canadian diplomacy is at the forefront in international efforts. Canada has been among the largest supporters to AMIS and is continuing to support different United Nations organizations that are heavily involved in the Sudan, Darfur area.

Canada has committed over $288 million to peace, humanitarian needs and early recovery since 2006. However, we believe that the time has come to take additional steps to convey our concern and place pressure on the government of Sudan and also work collaboratively with other countries, as we are through the United Nations, to make more of a difference.

I thank the member for bringing the motion forward and for giving us the opportunity to debate it in this place. Our government is aware of the situation and is moving on it.

[Youth Criminal Justice Act, February 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciated the member's story about the lessons he learned as a young councillor. Certainly, we always can learn lessons from those who have gone before us. I know that this government is looking at all kinds of ways, a comprehensive package, to deal with the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The member has gone on at quite length, as have a lot of his colleagues, as to the failure to embrace all the Nunn recommendations. Is the member aware that Nova Scotia's attorney general supports BillC-25? Is he aware that the minister has worked closely with the Nova Scotia government, as well as listened to what those ministers have had to say, and that they are supportive of this?

[Petitions, January 31st, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition signed by almost 130 Canadians. Most of them are my constituents from towns in Alberta including Calgary, Halkirk, Three Hills, Coronation, Caster and Hanna.

The petitioners call on Parliament to look into the needs of Canada's trucking industry with a view to making drivers' hours of service less restrictive. These truckers maintain that their industry is diverse and regulations concerning commercial vehicle drivers' hours of service are too restrictive.

Canada's truckers provide an invaluable service to our economy and our country. Canada's truckers deliver the goods to each and every family across the wide expanse of Canada's geography and our government wants to help them get the job done. It is a pleasure to table this petition.

[Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, January 30th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-33 is one of those bills which, for some of us members of Parliament who have sat in opposition in the past for far too long, we are now very happy to be on the government side to see brought forward. This is one of those bills about which I, together with other rural caucus members, talked to the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister , the Environment Minister and the Agriculture Minister.

I know that all members of the government, including the Prime Minister and the cabinet, are committed to working on ways to lower carbon dioxide emissions, but also to give a new market to our agricultural producers in this country. Certainly, Bill C-33 would do that. The bill would take some massive steps in reducing carbon emissions.

I listened to my Liberal colleague across the way. He actually started out pretty good. He recognized some of the positive things that the bill would do. I hope that he will support the bill. Then he started talking about the negative. He spoke about what they should have done and what we should have done. It just comes back to, why did the Liberals not move in this direction when they were on this side of the House?

The hon. member has been all over the map. First, he said that we have said we will regulate 5% biodiesel or 5% renewable fuel by 2010. However, he challenged us to accept the Liberals' benchmark of 10%. Then he said that this regulatory decision to make it 5% has caused other crops to skyrocket in price. He then said that the increased cost in food is a huge cost to the poorest in the world, but he wanted to go to 10%.

It is not just that the Liberals did nothing when they were on this side, even in the member's speech the member said that we went to 5%, but we should have gone to 10%. However, going to 5% will raise the cost of the other crops.

I am from a rural constituency and I am very pleased to see that other crops are starting to have more value. I am pleased to see that canola is now $12 or $13 a bushel and that wheat is finally taking off again.

I have a question for the hon. member. Is he opposed to the increase in commodity prices for the other grains?

[Half-Masting of Peace Tower Flag, January 29th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for bringing this type of private member's motion forward. Although I certainly support what he is trying to accomplish here in giving recognition to our fallen men and women soldiers, I do not see that this motion would do that adequately.

However, the member is absolutely right. I think everyone recognizes the important work that our men and women are doing abroad. All of us recognize that the troops who are serving are doing Canada very proud and we want to do the right thing.

That being said, the troops who are doing this recognize that the best way of supporting them is by giving them the resources they need to do the job.

I have one question arising from what the member for Kitchener—Waterloo brought forward. Most of the Legions and most of the ones who served before have asked that we not do this. Would it show respect to them if we went ahead and lowered the Peace Tower flag when those who have served, the veterans, are asking us not to do it?

[Criminal Code, January 29th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our minister for bringing forward this bill and for his hard work. I know he has just shepherded the tackling violent crime bill. I think it very clearly shows that the government, as he stated in his speech, is doing everything it can to toughen up on crime and to provide security to more Canadians.

My constituents understand exactly mandatory jail times for serious gun crimes, raising the age of consent, and all the different things regarding tackling violent crime. However, as far as identity theft is concerned, I have had the opportunity to sit down with individuals who have been scammed, where someone else has been using their credit card, and I know that is not in its entirety what identify theft is. I wonder if the minister could just talk a bit about how organized crime fundraises with efforts such as identity theft and these types of fraud schemes to help raise funds to continue to have resources to break the law.

[Committees of the House, January 28th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

In accordance with its order of reference of Tuesday, November 20, 2007, your committee has considered Canada's mission in Afghanistan and agreed on Thursday, December 27, 2007, to report it without amendment.

[Agriculture, December 11th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, recently the member for Winnipeg Centre outrageously claimed that this government spent $1 million on an “ideological crusade”.

Perhaps the Minister of Agriculture could enlighten the member for Winnipeg Centre, who described himself as being stunned. Did this government spend $1.2 million on a democratic exercise to give voice to thousands of western Canadian farmers?

[Ukraine, December 3rd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, on December 1, 1991, the rebirth of the Ukrainian nation was confirmed when Ukrainians voted overwhelmingly for independence. The next day Canada recognized Ukraine as an independent state.

Our bonds extend over centuries. Ukrainian Canadians nurtured the dream of Ukrainian independence over many years. Canada has helped Ukraine on its march toward democracy. Canadians have been election observers in Ukraine since 1997, most recently in September 2007.

Since 1991 Canada has provided over $320 million in assistance to Ukraine, an amount almost matched by Ukrainian Canadians. Our ties are growing dynamically, embracing every sphere of life: political, economic, cultural and personal.

Our Prime Minister has spoken of our special kinship. This has led to Canada recognizing in the international fora the 75th anniversary of the great famine, the Holodomor, in Ukraine.

Canada will continue to work with Ukraine to build on our already warm and close relations.

[Committees of the House, November 28th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

In accordance with its order of reference of Tuesday, October 30, 2007, your committee has considered the supplementary estimates 2007-08, Votes 1a, 5a, 10a, 20a, 25a, L40a, 45a and 50a under Foreign Affairs and International Trade and agreed on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 to report them without amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I also have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

In accordance with its order of reference of Monday, October 29, 2007, your committee has considered Bill C-9, An Act to implement the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (ICSID Convention), and agreed on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 to report it without amendment.