Linda Duncan

[The Environment, November 15th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I was recently called by Fort McKay First Nation members, who were alarmed that a toxic tailings pond is open ended, with creeks running through, wildlife feeding in contaminated areas, and spillage into fish-bearing creeks. Despite the government's promise of improved surveillance and enforcement, it took a complaint from a first nation community to trigger an investigation.

What will it take for the government to act on the recommendations made by two parliamentary committees for federal action on the health and environmental impacts of the oil sands development?

[Harmonized Sales Tax, November 4th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, Greenwoods' Bookshoppe, a small, independent bookseller in my riding of Edmonton—Strathcona, is now being forced to pay HST when shipping unsold books back to the distributor in Ontario. With only a narrow profit margin, the owner says that this new additional tax is killing them.

The minister claims nothing has changed, but the invoices say otherwise. Prior to the HST in Ontario, only GST was applied to these shipments.

Why are the Conservatives dismissing this issue and helping Ontario tax Alberta businesses and residences?

[Business of Supply, November 4th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, the hon. member is among the best spokespersons in the House on behalf of workers and their families and I wish to thank her for that.

In my province of Alberta, we have noted in this debate about potash that the oil industry is now speaking out and raising concerns about the potential for the government to approve foreign takeovers of that industry which is one of the few revenue generators in the country at the moment, since everything else has been shut down because of these takeovers.

I wonder if the member could speak to the issue, which is so clear in the motion, and that is the issue of openness and transparency, which is what the government supposedly ran its campaign on. Is it not critical that Canadian families have a voice in expressing what really is in the best interests of current and future generations of Canadians?

[Harmonized Sales Tax, November 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I continue to be inundated with concerns voiced by Alberta businesses about the HST. The Alberta minister of finance has written three times to the federal minister seeking changes to the way the HST is applied in Alberta. Minister Morton is right that this is an issue of fairness and accountability. In other words, there should be no taxation without representation.

Does the minister consider it fair to impose a tax system where one government can collect taxes from people in another province which can do nothing about it? Who in the government is standing up for Alberta?

[Copyright Modernization Act, November 2nd, 2010]

Madam Speaker, I have been contacted in the last couple of weeks by Alberta small book publishers, including those who publish educational materials. They are very concerned about the implications of Bill C-32, which they consider provides broad access and use free of charge by educators that impacts the revenues of these small Canadian publishers and their continued existence.

I wonder how extensively the government consulted with small Canadian publishers. Did it meet with the Alberta small publishers association to review their concerns about the impacts on collective licensing?

[Harmonized Sales Tax, November 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, this is question period, not answer period.

Canada Revenue Agency is unable to answer the basic questions of constituents on the implications of the HST for Albertans.

Could the minister please inform the House who benefits from the HST paid by Albertans? Who pays the collection cost of this tax destined for the coffers of another province? What additional administrative burden is now imposed on Alberta businesses to collect and remit this new tax?

[Harmonized Sales Tax, November 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I am receiving complaints from Albertans who are being charged HST on many transactions, including mailing gifts, sending courier packages and hiring Alberta-based moving companies to send goods to provinces that have adopted the harmonized sales tax.

The Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and all of the Conservative members of Parliament from Alberta voted to impose the HST on Albertans. Did the government consult anyone in Alberta on the implications of the HST and if so, whom?

[The Environment, October 27th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, clearly the government did not hear my question.

The environmental impacts of this industry are not news. The standing committees on natural resources and environment conducted reviews of the impact of the oil sands.

In September the New Democrats issued a detailed report reflecting calls for the exercise of federal powers to regulate and enforce environmental measures. The announced review of water monitoring studies and even the investigation just do not cut it.

When will the government finally assert its powers to clean up the oil sands and protect the Mackenzie watershed?

[The Environment, October 27th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we learned of more ducks dying in Syncrude's tailings ponds. Today we heard that birds were found at Shell and Suncor facilities.

The prosecution and a $3 million penalty for Syncrude has at least had the positive effect of getting companies to report these incidents. However, investigation and prosecution of these sad incidents will do little to prevent the continuing impacts of these industrial facilities.

When will the government finally intervene to prohibit toxic ponds that violate federal laws?

[Canada-Panama Free Trade Act, October 26th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his vociferous efforts on behalf of Canadians to ensure there is fair trade that will benefit workers and the environment, and trade that will benefit Canadians as well as the citizens of other countries.

I do not think that the perspective of Albertans is going to be any different from the perspective of other Canadians. Albertans are equally concerned about the loss of revenue to the federal coffers through money laundering and the illegal transfer of money, and they are equally concerned about the drug trade.

I think that Albertans are looking for avenues for fair trade for their products, for cattle, hogs, grain, and manufactured goods, particularly with respect to the manufacture of energy efficient mechanisms. They are looking for opportunities for fair trade and to get a competitive edge in the markets around the world. They are not looking to enter into agreements that are going to have no benefit to them as a people.