Michael Ignatieff

[The Environment, May 28th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, we are entitled to know what working toward a consensus means, because the leading industrial nations are calling for a global action plan on climate change but the United States is standing in the way, and Canada stands by in silence. All of the excuse making does nothing to hide the government's failure of leadership.

The world is at a crossroads. Why does the Prime Minister choose the path of silence and the path of failure?

[Official Languages, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday members of the National Assembly called on the federal government to take action in response to the latest report of the Commissioner of Official Languages.

This is a call from Quebec for leadership from the federal government to defend linguistic duality in Canada.

I have a very simple question: will the government promise today to adopt all the commissioner's recommendations?

[Official Languages, May 17th, 2007]

--the ombudsman does not speak French.

They appointed a chairman of the national commission of a bilingual region who is not actually bilingual.

When will the government stop dividing Canadians, think big instead of small, and start understanding who Canadians are?

[Official Languages, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the Globe and Mail reports today that Conservatives want to think small. Doing big things makes Canadians uncomfortable they say. This small-mindedness exposes a government that has simply run out of gas and worse, does not understand who Canadians are.

The Conservatives failed to appoint an ombudsman for crime victims--

[Petitions, May 16th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of Polish Canadians, including many from my riding of Etobicoke—Lakeshore.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to lift the visitor visa requirements for Polish citizens wishing to visit Canada. They point out that Poland joined the European Union in 2004 and that both Canada and Poland are active members of NATO, promoting peace and security together.

The petitioners draw attention to the fact that Poland uses biometric passport technology, which is a secure passport identification system. They also underline that Canadians no longer require a visitor visa to visit Poland.

[Official Languages, May 16th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, there will have to be considerable improvement. This government has shown a flagrant lack of leadership by cutting more than $100 million in funding for the action plan for official languages, a plan created by my colleague.

Will this government commit today to adopting all the commissioner's recommendations, starting with restoring the $100 million cut by this government?

[Official Languages, May 16th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the official languages commissioner makes it very clear that the government is undermining bilingualism. Government employees cannot work in the language of their choice. Citizens cannot get bilingual services. Contractors do not respect language requirements on federal jobs. The commissioner puts the blame squarely on the shoulders of the government's appalling lack of political will.

When is the Prime Minister going to demonstrate leadership, respect the linguistic duality of this country and start enforcing Canada's bilingualism laws?

[Official Languages, May 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, a misquote is a poor defence.

On the very day that the Commissioner of Official Languages has condemned the political will of this government, the Prime Minister has shut down the Standing Committee on Official Languages. What a show of contempt for official languages and for linguistic minorities.

Will the Prime Minister ask his MPs to return to the committee? When will they begin dealing with this government's flouting of the Official Languages Act?

[Official Languages, May 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we believe that language must never divide Canadians from each other or from their institutions. That is why we support bilingualism, so we can be linked together in common understanding and respect.

However, that is not the position of the government.

Today, the Commissioner of Official Languages condemned the government for its “apparent lack of will” in sustaining bilingualism and protecting the rights of minority language communities in Canada.

Will the Prime Minister commit today to act on the commissioner's recommendations, or will he continue to pursue his policies of division?

[Afghanistan, May 14th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, we are continuing to hear different answers to very simple questions. The Prime Minister is saying that it is too early to say whether he plans to honour his own withdrawal date in 2009. At the same time, the Minister of Foreign Affairs is telling this House that talks are under way with NATO about committing troops to Afghanistan.

Is Canada already in talks with NATO about rotating our troops out of Kandahar in 2009?