Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Ontario was protesting a gross piece of political gerrymandering that will harm the citizens of Ontario.
The only thing--
House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2011, with 35% of the vote.
Federal-Provincial Relations November 21st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Ontario was protesting a gross piece of political gerrymandering that will harm the citizens of Ontario.
The only thing--
Afghanistan November 20th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I will make no such apology. I am doing my job and it is time the government did its job.
International conventions require us to help child soldiers, not detain them.
Why are they transferred to a system in which the government cannot guarantee their safety?
Afghanistan November 20th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of National Defence claimed that juvenile detainees were held separately from prisoners in Afghanistan.
However, there are two problems here. First, his own officials say that the separation of juveniles from the general prison population “remains an issue in Afghanistan”. Second, international conventions say that we should not be transferring child soldiers in the first place.
Would the Prime Minister confirm today that no juvenile detainees transferred by Canadian soldiers have been harmed or tortured and can he account for every last one of them?
Afghanistan November 19th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, documents made public in Federal Court last week suggest that Canada is transferring minors to Afghan authorities.
This practice is a violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We are transferring children to a prison system that is the subject of allegations of torture.
How can the government justify transferring children and when will it put an end to this practice?
Afghanistan November 19th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, this side of the House joins the other side of the House in an expression of sincere regret at the loss of those brave soldiers. But those soldiers, and all those serving, deserve the truth, and the issue here is the truthfulness of the government.
In April, the government stuck to the mantra as far as torture was concerned that it saw nothing, heard nothing and knew nothing, but we now know from Federal Court documents that it knew the truth all along. It deceived Parliament and deceived Canadians. That is unworthy of the people serving in Afghanistan.
Why can the government not tell the simple truth--
Income Trusts October 31st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, what is the level playing field here: 31.5% for income trusts and 15% for other corporations? There is no level playing field at all.
Today the government still has not offered anything to Canadians who were punished by this government's incompetence regarding income trusts.
What is the government going to say to Canadians who lost their retirement savings? Tough luck?
Income Trusts October 31st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, a year ago the Conservative government destroyed the retirement savings of more than a million Canadians. It also destroyed an investment vehicle that raised capital for the energy sector. Income trusts were left as sitting ducks, ripe for foreign takeovers, 32 in all.
As Americans take over income trusts, the tax leakage problem the minister wanted to fix only gets worse. Why does the Prime Minister refuse obvious remedies? Why is he doing nothing and what is he going to say to those who lost their savings? Tough luck?
Income Trusts October 30th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, one year ago, the Minister of Finance betrayed those Canadians who believed the Conservative promise that they would not tax income trusts. The savings of millions of Canadians disappeared like snow in the sun. This afternoon, this same Minister of Finance will make more promises.
How can Canadians believe him given that he did not keep his past promises?
Income Trusts October 30th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, one year ago tomorrow, the Minister of Finance devastated the savings of Canadians and wiped out $25 billion in market value in one press conference. Happy Hallowe'en, Mr. Minister. That was all because he broke a promise not to tax income trusts.
This afternoon, the same Minister of Finance will make more promises to Canadians. Considering his record, how can Canadians believe anything the Minister of Finance will promise them?
Afghanistan October 29th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, why will the Minister of National Defence not answer the questions here?
We learned this summer that in addition to allegations of torture, there are also accusations of disappearances. Fifty Afghans transferred by the Canadian Forces to the Afghan authorities have gone missing.
Can the Prime Minister tell us how many of these detainees have disappeared since May when the new agreement was signed? What will the Government of Canada do to restore Canada’s reputation as a defender of human rights?