House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 58% of the vote.
Interparliamentary Delegations February 26th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian Delegation of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association respecting its bilateral visit to Kenya, Burundi and Rwanda, from June 22 to 28, 2008 inclusive.
Retirement Congratulations February 24th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, I wish to highlight the achievements of a dedicated and well-respected Ottawa resident and businessman, Mr. Otto Heberlein, who is retiring after four decades of service in the hotel and tourism industry.
As the city's longest tenured hotelier, he has presided over the initial opening and renovation of many successful hotels and restaurants. For 20 years, he has been associated with the Ottawa Tourism and Convention Authority, three of those as its chairman. He was recently named the 2008 Hotelier of the Year by the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association.
Mr. Heberlein has also been active in the local Austrian community and has served on the board of the Austrian Canadian Council and co-founded one of the region's most prestigious events, the Viennese Ball.
The hotel and tourism industry will miss his creativity, his friendly, quiet and effective leadership and the high standards he set for himself and those he led.
Our region is better off today for having had him and his family among us for the last 40 years.
We thank Otto for a job well done and wish him a happy retirement.
Petitions February 12th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, I once again have the privilege of presenting a petition signed by many citizens from the National Capital Region concerning heavy-truck traffic in the downtown core of the nation's capital. These petitioners are worried that building another bridge would not actually resolve the issue.
The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to force the National Capital Commission to conduct an in-depth study regarding a possible bridge linking the Canotek industrial park and the Gatineau Airport, namely, a variation on option number 7 of the first phase of the environmental assessment of the interprovincial crossings. Both the Ontario and Quebec governments support this idea.
Petitions February 11th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, I rise again to present a petition signed by citizens from the national capital region, expressing their deep concern with the matter of heavy truck traffic in the core of our capital city and the possibility of building a bridge so these trucks can be removed from the centre of town.
In particular, the petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to instruct the National Capital Commission to proceed with a detailed assessment of an interprovincial bridge linking the Canotek industrial park to the Gatineau airport, which is option seven of the first phase of the interprovincial crossings environmental assessment.
The position is shared and supported by the Government of Quebec and the Government of Ontario.
Petitions February 10th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege of once again presenting a petition signed by the residents of the national capital region concerning heavy truck traffic in the downtown, the very heart of the nation's capital.
These petitioners are worried that the construction of a new bridge will not eliminate this truck traffic. The petitioners are asking the Government of Canada to direct the National Capital Commission to proceed with an in-depth study of a bridge between the Canotek industrial park and the Gatineau airport, which is option number 7 of the first phase of the interprovincial crossings environmental assessment and a position that is now also supported by the governments of Ontario and Quebec.
Petitions February 9th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, I once again have the privilege of presenting a petition on behalf of people from throughout the national capital region, all of them expressing deep concern with the fact that large 18-wheel trucks are circulating in the middle of our city.
The petitioners ask the government to instruct the National Capital Commission to proceed with a detailed assessment of an interprovincial bridge linking the Canotek Industrial Park to the Gatineau Airport, which is option 7 of the first phase of the interprovincial crossings environmental assessment, a position which is now supported by the Governments of Ontario and of Quebec.
ACFO Ottawa Grandmaître Awards Gala February 9th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, on February 5, ACFO Ottawa held its Grandmaître awards gala. This annual event recognizes francophones and francophiles who have distinguished themselves with their achievements, their dedication and their commitment to promote francophone culture in our community.
I want to pay tribute to Dominique Drouin, who won the young person of the year award; Sean McGee, who was named francophile of the year; Johanne Leroux, educator of the year; and Pierre Pagé, citizen of the year.
Congratulations also to the organization of the year, La Nouvelle Scène, a theatre I have had the pleasure to be associated with since its inception. The Grandmaître award was presented to Jacques de Courville Nicol, philanthropist, RGA founder, patriarch, public conscience, raconteur and bon vivant. Congratulations, Jacques, on this richly deserved honour.
Petitions February 6th, 2009
Madam Speaker, I wish to present a petition in a continuing series of petitions signed by residents of the nation's capital concerning the matter of heavy trucks crossing the heart of our capital city through established communities. In particular, these petitioners ask the Government of Canada to instruct the National Capital Commission to proceed with a detailed assessment of an interprovincial bridge linking the Canotec Industrial Park to the Gatineau Airport, which is option seven of the first phase of the interprovincial crossings environmental assessment, a position shared by the Governments of Ontario and Quebec.
Petitions February 5th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased once again to present a petition concerning heavy truck traffic in the downtown core of the nation's capital.
Petitioners from across the national capital region are calling on the government, for various reasons, to force the National Capital Commission to conduct an in-depth study regarding a possible bridge linking the Canotek industrial park and the Gatineau airport, which is option number 7 of the first phase of the interprovincial crossings environmental assessment and a position that is now also shared by Ontario and Quebec.
Petitions February 4th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition signed by constituents from both sides of the river in the national capital region. It concerns the possibility of building a bridge to get the heavy truck traffic outside of the core of our capital city.
In particular, the petitioners ask that the government instruct the National Capital Commission to proceed with a detailed assessment of an interprovincial bridge linking the Canotek industrial park to Gatineau airport, which is option seven of the first phase of the interprovincial crossings environmental assessment.