Mario Silva

[Gun Violence, November 21st, 2005]

Madam Speaker, last week in Toronto a young man, Amon Beckles, just 18 years of age, lost his life to gun violence. What was particularly sad about the killing was that it took place in a church, a place where God's voice should be heard and not the evil whisper of a flying bullet.

In today's Toronto Star , columnist Royson James notes that the lessons of the streets too often displace those taught in Sunday school.

These tragic events, repeated all too often, are a call not to fear but to action.

Initiatives like the $50 million gun violence and gangs prevention fund are but the beginning. If we are to end this senseless violence, we must come together, all of us, united in one objective: to protect our most precious resource, our nation's young people.

[Citizenship and Immigration, November 18th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration or the Minister of Finance.

In the greater Toronto area, the construction industry is one of the most vital and active sectors of the economy. Within it there are thousands of undocumented workers. Labour unions and management recognize that without these workers, the industry would be unable to function. For over two years I have worked to bring a resolution to this issue.

In view of the importance of these undocumented workers to the economic health of our country, will the minister let us know what action is being taken to resolve the issue of undocumented workers?

[Supply, November 17th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest to the arguments of the members opposite as to why we should go to an election. I want to be very clear that we on this side wish to carry on the business of government. We have no intention of calling a Christmas election. Canadians do not want a Christmas election.

In fact, prominent Canadians such as Elizabeth May, the Executive Director of the Sierra Club of Canada, spoke about the proposed timing of the opposition parties' timetable to bring down the government. She says that it poses a serious threat to the success of global climate negotiations.

Buzz Hargrove, President of the Canadian Auto Workers union states that we should try to make the government work, that there is just too much to be done to force an election. Even other prominent Canadians such as Phil Fontaine of the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations has grave concerns about the opposition motion.

Let us be clear. What is at issue here, more than anything else, is either we have respect for the parliamentary procedures of the House or we do not. It is very clear how we can have an election in the country. The Prime Minister can go to the Governor General and dissolve Parliament or the House can lose confidence in the government, thereby forcing an election. Those are the only provisions available to us by the Standing Orders. We have to fundamentally respect that process.

In a joint declaration, all three party leaders, including the leader of the NDP, stated that only the final vote on the Speech from the Throne, the final vote on the budget, the global votes on the main estimates and those explicitly identified as questions of confidence could be considered as such. That was the argument then and it was a valid argument. It still should be a value argument today.

[Detroit River Tunnel Partnership, November 16th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on the proposed Jobs tunnel and the Detroit River tunnel partnership.

Notwithstanding the short-sighted and politically motivated decision of the binational panel, this innovative and forward thinking Canadian project remains the best option to improve the flow of trucks and trains through the Windsor-Detroit corridor by improving and expanding current infrastructure.

Over 25% of all trade crosses this corridor between Canada and the United States. This figure is expected to double within the next 25 years.

The project will ensure that Canada continues to be an attractive market for trade. It will also create jobs, increase security, reduce pollution and eliminate waiting lines at the border.

I urge all levels of government to respect the integrity of the binational process that they have established and to include the jobs tunnel in its list of practical alternatives and undertake a full and impartial analysis of this project. Canadians and Windsorites deserve nothing less.

[Italian Canadians, November 14th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of State for Multiculturalism.

During World War II many Canadians of Italian background were interned simply because of their ethnocultural background. Would the minister explain to the House what the government is doing to make sure that these tragic events are recognized in Canadian history, and through that recognition help ensure that it never happens again?

[Greater Toronto Home Builders' Association, November 4th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Greater Toronto Home Builders' Association. At 1,300 members strong, the Greater Toronto Home Builders' Association serves as the voice of the residential construction industry in the GTA.

The residential construction industry in the greater Toronto area is an economic powerhouse, accounting for more than 244,000 jobs, $10.4 million in wages, $18 billion in GDP and $5.4 billion in taxes paid.

I wish to congratulate Julie DiLorenzo, the president of the GTHA, for her dedication and tireless efforts to serve the members of the association. Thanks to her leadership, the Greater Toronto Home Builders' Association has committed itself to improving the standard of living in the greater Toronto area. The GTHA's continuous support of Habitat for Humanity has also helped change the lives of families in times of need.

I am proud of the association's work and I am pleased to celebrate such an important and generous stakeholder in the greater Toronto area.

[Seniors, October 31st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, many Canadian seniors are not fully aware of the benefits which they are eligible to receive. There are indications that many seniors are indeed not receiving all of the payments to which they are entitled in relation to their contributions.

I would ask the minister what action he has taken to ensure that Canadian seniors are receiving the full benefits to which they are entitled.

[Literacy, October 27th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, overall Canada performs well internationally on measures of education and skills. Nonetheless, many Canadian adults lack the literacy and other essential skill capacities such as communication and teamwork needed to fully participate in and benefit from current Canadian society.

In a lifelong learning culture, strong literacy and other essential skills are key. Literacy and essential skills are central to the social and economic development of Canada. In the context of Literacy Action Day, what is the Government of Canada's commitment to literacy and other essential skills?

[National Programs, October 25th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, recently two prominent Conservatives, Mike Harris and Preston Manning, released a completely inappropriately named report “Caring for Canadians”. The report should have been called “Caring for a few Canadians”.

They call for a voucher system for schools, but we all know it is simply to deprive our public schools of the funds they so desperately need. They speak of a welfare system that would only add to the burden of the poorest Canadians. They demand what amounts to privatized health care that would serve the rich and deprive the vast majority of Canadians of the health care they deserve, and the list goes on.

What they are trying to do is to eliminate the national programs that Canadians know as part of the fabric of our country.

We are a caring nation founded upon compassion and fairness. If we all really want to care for Canadians, then we must disregard the self-centred ideas of Harris and Manning and keep moving forward.

[U.S. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, October 24th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for raising a very important point. It is by working through our stakeholders that we are able to move forward in an effective manner. Our government has been working through the consulates, through the different departments and through our stakeholders. We also have engaged members of Congress. In addition to that, we have engaged many of the people who share our concerns in the U.S.

We have been building this very important relationship. We need to ensure that we engage our stakeholders to ensure that the part of the legislation that deals with the passports, which could cause a huge economic problem to both Canada and the U.S., does not take place.