House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 46% of the vote.
The Environment December 7th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, this is a great quote, and what they are advocating defies logic. This is a great quote:
—there can be no serious argument for Canada to make mandatory commitments, while exempting the giant emitters of the world such as China and India. This is like plugging a leak while ignoring a flood.
Who said that? It was--
The Environment December 7th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, after 13 long years of a Liberal government doing absolutely nothing, we now have a government that has realistic, ambitious targets.
The member asked for a quote and I would like to give him one. This man says—
The Environment December 7th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I find it ironic and hypocritical for a question on the environment to be coming from that member. It was the deputy leader of the Liberal Party who asked his leader, “Why didn't we get it done?” He was being advised by the member for Ottawa South. No wonder emissions went up 33%.
Business of Supply December 6th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I listened intently to the comments of my colleague across the way. He highlighted from 1993 to 2005, those years which he says shine on the previous Liberal government's record.
During that period of time I was a city councillor and those were tough years. Those were years of cut and slash. Those were years when the federal government downloaded onto local government. We are now seeing the consequences of those mistakes, mistakes where the Liberals cut and cut and cut at the cost of our local citizens. It cost the infrastructure.
We now have a government that is providing a renewal to the infrastructure, working with the provinces and local government to see a renewal and it is called “Building Canada”. A couple of items are highlighted in my mind, such as the Saint John harbour. In my own riding of Langley, I saw first-hand what those cuts from the Liberals cost us. It cost us in health care also. They cut $25 billion from health care.
For years the Liberals were aware of the problems in Saint John harbour. It was under this Conservative government that finally the cleaning up of the harbour was dealt with. Why did the Liberals not participate in that? We have heard a lot of rhetoric from them, but again no action. That is their legacy: rhetoric and no action. Why did they not deal with that?
In my own riding we had a problem with the sewer structure. It was our government that finally funded that. I was pleased to announce $3 million on a $9 million project, one-third, one-third, one-third. Why did the Liberals neglect the infrastructure when they knew it was crumbling?
The Environment November 30th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, what a pathetic question. We now have a government that has turned the corner of 13 long years of Liberal inaction. We have targets of 20% reduction by 2020. We have 60% to 70% reductions by 2050. These are some of the toughest targets in the world.
We need less Liberal lectures and more action on the environment. That is what we are getting from this government.
The Environment November 30th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, from that member, the Liberal environment critic, after six months of not asking any questions, the first question we heard a week ago was, “Can I please go to Bali?” I would encourage him to stop watching so much of the Travel Channel.
The Environment November 30th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, my colleague from the Bloc well knows that without major targets from all major emitters, greenhouse gas emissions will continue to increase. My question is why he would support greenhouse gas emissions increasing, which was the Liberal plan. Under the Liberal government we saw a 33% rise above the Kyoto target and that did not work. We now have a government that takes climate change seriously. That member is wrong.
Tackling Violent Crime Act November 23rd, 2007
She was the minister, so there was a huge responsibility on her shoulders. Why did she not do it when she had that opportunity?
However, I would like her to talk about these very dangerous, high risk people who reverse onus would apply to. Why would she not want to see them dealt with appropriately? Why would she want to see them released back into the community with zero consequence, the traditional Liberal hugathon philosophy? Why would she want to see that go on? Why would she not want to get serious about high risk offenders who will reoffend and who will put our communities at risk?
Tackling Violent Crime Act November 23rd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I listened intently to my colleague across the way and a lot of what she said was incorrect. However, I would agree with her principle of being proactive, which is why I personally, in my riding, was involved with a number of announcements focusing on high risk youth.
She was correct in sharing the importance of dealing with the problem proactively, even at the early stages of an individual's life. That is why we have provided, as a government, programs that, unfortunately, the Liberal government ignored for 13 long years. From the comments that the member made, the Liberals knew that it was very necessary to be proactive but they ignored that. In 21 short months, we have accomplished much more than they did over 13 years.
It is very disappointing to hear that she knows what should have been done but it was not done.
I want to focus though--
Sir James Douglas November 16th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, this Monday, November 19, will mark the 149th anniversary of the union of what is now the province of British Columbia.
In 1858 at Fort Langley in my riding, a booming colony on the Pacific was united more than a decade before B.C. joined Confederation.
For his role in bringing British Columbia together, Sir James Douglas is commemorated on November 19 each year with Douglas Day. Next year Sir James Douglas will be honoured on a Canada Post stamp.
A century and a half later, British Columbians can still relate to the immigrant success story of Sir James Douglas, a British Columbian who was born in British Guiana, worked in Alberta and found success in British Columbia.
I hope the House will join me in wishing British Columbia a happy Douglas Day and a successful 150th anniversary next year as it continues under our government to be a booming province on the Pacific.