House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 42% of the vote.
Business of Supply December 1st, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke for a balanced, thoughtful, and well-researched presentation. I was particularly taken with his description of the LGBTQ issues that have arisen in that country.
I would like the member's comments on the potentially negative impact of a politicized approach to foreign affairs debates of this kind resulting from the Conservatives' motion. What better way could the House proceed in promoting human rights in Cuba?
Petitions December 1st, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present yet another petition, this time from the residents of Burnaby in Vancouver, calling on the government to oppose the expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline. It notes that there will be 50 permanent full-time jobs created by that project. It notes that it will increase the number of oil tankers coming into Burrard Inlet, up to 34 a month, putting at risk waterways and industries dependent on them. I believe it is a petition that still has validity today, notwithstanding the government's decision made recently.
Committees of the House December 1st, 2016
Mr. Speaker, on the same point of order related to the request made by the government just a moment ago, I would like to go on record and say that New Democrats agree that the committee's report is tremendously important, but given that importance, we do not think having a half hour's notice is sufficient for such an issue—
Government Response to Petitions November 30th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I rise on the same point of order. I will be very brief.
For the record, the third party speaks in favour of what the opposition House leader has just said.
For those Canadians watching, what does this mean? It means that MPs will not be able to table bills, will not be able to table petitions or to advance those parts of our roles as members of Parliament that we are here to do in representing our community.
I agree with the opposition House leader that there has been a genuine effort to work in good faith, and I find this very disappointing.
Natural Resources November 30th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, about a year ago, the Prime Minister was still a candidate, and he came to my community and made promises. British Columbians took him at his word that he would create new environmental assessments and a new relationship with first nations. Yesterday he and his government broke those promises. They broke that trust.
They broke trust with the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, whose territories will now be criss-crossed by seven times as many large oil tankers.
They broke trust with every British Columbian when he promised a world-class spill response. Instead, we now see what a single leaking tug can do to devastate an entire community, and now they would drive a supertanker through the Salish Sea every day, a sevenfold increase in traffic.
My community will not gamble with its coastline and its economy. My community remembers what it was promised by the government. The Prime Minister may have walked away from his commitments, but the people of Victoria will stand together to fight for a clean and sustainable future for us all.
Canada Pension Plan November 29th, 2016
Madam Speaker, it is the ninth time that the government brings in guillotine motions like time allocation. It is the third time in a week and a half that it has done this. So much for sunny ways.
The government is well aware of the problems with Bill C-26, a well-intentioned reform bill to fix the Canada pension plan. New Democrats have made many constructive comments, including the fact that this bill discriminates against women, primarily, who take time out to have children, and against people who have disabilities of various sorts.
How is this time allocation motion possibly consistent with the respectful procedures that the government promised in this place and that the Prime Minister was committed to addressing? How does this square with those promises?
Health November 28th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, in Victoria, people are dying from drug overdoses in record numbers. Last week, we lost five people in 72 hours. Since January, we have lost 56 in Victoria and 622 across B.C.
The government has done nothing to change a Conservative law that makes it extremely difficult to open safe injection sites. Vancouver Mayor Robertson has called on the government to speed up the application process.
Will the minister move immediately to expedite these applications and declare the opioid crisis a national health emergency?
Indigenous Affairs November 22nd, 2016
Mr. Speaker, let us put aside the rhetoric and talk about the facts.
Since January, this government has received two compliance orders from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and has spent nearly $500,000 on lawyers' fees to fight Cindy Blackstock after voting in the House to stop fighting indigenous children in court once and for all.
How can the Minister of Justice justify this Conservative-style approach?
Indigenous Affairs November 22nd, 2016
Mr. Speaker, when asked yesterday why the government is still spending half a million dollars fighting Cindy Blackstock and first nations children in court, the government repeated talking points about how it welcomed the ruling from the Human Rights Tribunal.
I want to get the Minister of Justice on record on this issue. As the Attorney General of Canada, how can she justify not complying with this order of the tribunal, and what does she have to say to Cindy Blackstock, who is back at the tribunal today?
Canada Pension Plan November 17th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, the last Liberal government of Pierre Elliott Trudeau introduced important measures to protect pension benefits of parents who stayed home to raise children. The current government appears to have forgotten them in Bill C-26.
Women already receive lower average CPP benefits than men. If this problem is not fixed, the gender inequality will only get worse. Bill C-26 contains a significant flaw that hurts women and people with disabilities. The proposed legislation fails to copy the child rearing dropout provision that were included in the existing CPP, so parents are not penalized for taking time out of the workplace to raise their children. Similarly there is a problem vis-à-vis the people with disabilities.
Is the government open to amendments to address this significant flaw?