Olivia Chow

[The Environment, June 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, with the Conservatives asleep at the environmental switchboard, residents in Trinity—Spadina are taking action and making a difference.

Thanks to the phenomenal leadership of the Harbord Village Residents' Association, Palmerston Area Residents' Association, Seaton Village and the neighbours of St. Alban's Park, thousands of local area residents are learning about solar, electric and hot water systems. These neighbourhoods are bulk purchasing to save money and are reducing their energy use.

The Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park have organized a farmers market and are promoting local food. They want to get Canadians off their SUV diets and are hosting a 100 mile dinner. We should think global and eat local. These downtown residents are taking action on climate change, but our government is failing them with its ecoenergy plan.

Thousands of condo residents are excluded, so are the thousands of people living in low income housing, and low income families cannot afford to dish out thousands before finding out if they are even eligible. When will the government get serious about climate change and take real action?

[Quarantine Act, June 14th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows that XDR-TB is a form of TB that is fatal in roughly 50% of regular cases, and about 90% of the people with HIV-AIDS will also die because of the disease.

We know that a gentleman boarded a flight to Montreal through the CSA and at that time the Czech authorities did not notify the Montreal airport or Canadian authorities prior to this person landing. It seems to me that the report states that the Czech authorities and the Czech airlines knew, because at that time, even though the flight was in the air, they knew that this gentleman had this serious case of XDR-TB.

Section 17 of the existing Quarantine Act provides that every person who contravenes certain sections of the act or regulations is guilty of a summary conviction offence. This component is still in this new revised act, even though it updates a reference to certain sections.

The new act does not seem to really say to the airlines that they have to report. They obviously knew about this person. They had the responsibility to tell the airlines and tell the Canadian health authority that this person arriving in Montreal had this disease and therefore should be under quarantine, so obviously they broke the existing Quarantine Act. I do not know whether the new act would fix the loophole. I do not understand why the Canadian authorities or our government did not charge the airlines that failed to report to Canada what had—

[Justice, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, that question did not come from me. The question came from the uncle of the child who was shot dead in his school.

Young people have said that they are afraid to come forward after witnessing major crimes. They need protection.

The Association of Chiefs of Police, the mayor, the Toronto Police Services Board have all asked for increased federal money for witness protection. Applications are on the rise, but the government is sitting on its hands.

When will the government get serious on crime, beef up the witness protection program and get criminals off our streets?

[Justice, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, Jordan Manners was shot dead in his school. I have here a question from his uncle Greg, who says: “A lot of people are quick to jump out and say, 'Let's stop the violence!'. But when the time comes to act, a lot of people just jump out. If it were your loved ones that got taken from this world, what would you do? Do you love them enough to take action while they're still here and alive to appreciate?”

Will the Prime Minister treat Jordan like one of his own children, take immediate action, stop the violence, and support our youth?

[Budget Implementation Act, 2007, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, speaking about broken promises, I remember in the last election there was a big fanfare. The Prime Minister said that he was going to provide $50 million to prevent youth crime. There would be activities for young people. It was not just about being tough on crime but he said he would also do a lot for young people to prevent them from joining gangs and so on. I do not see one word in the 2007 budget about youth crime prevention. Where is that $50 million?

I saw in the 2006 budget, the old budget, that there was an investment of $10 million a year but there is nothing booked for 2008, and there is nothing in the 2007 budget. There was some mention in the 2006 budget, but what happened to that campaign promise of $50 million per year to prevent crime? It disappeared. That is another broken promise.

[Business of Supply, June 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I want to seek unanimous consent on Motion No. 346, which reads, “That, in the opinion of the House, throughout Canada, in each and every year, June 10 shall be known as Canada-Portugal Day in recognition of the history of the Portuguese Canadian community and its contribution to Canadian society”.

[Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, June 5th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of personal privilege. Twice now the hon. member for Scarborough—Agincourt has stated that the member for Trinity--Spadina objected to the bill.

I want to be very clear that I was not in my seat. I was not in the House at the time when this member was seeking whatever consent he was seeking without talking to anyone.

I wish this member would stop talking about something that is absolutely not true. He should check the record as to whether I was actually in my seat or not. The last time I checked, members have to be in their seat to say anything or to object to anything.

Mr. Speaker, I believe you know the rule and that is in fact the rule.

[Toronto Waterfront, June 5th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, Trinity—Spadina in downtown Toronto is abuzz with great events and I am particularly proud of our waterfront community.

This Friday, the HTO Park, Toronto's first urban beach, will have a grand opening. This park is the first step in our waterfront transformation.

Ireland Park will open on June 21 and the president of Ireland will be in Toronto for the celebration. The sculptures and the park honour the 38,000 Irish immigrants who overcame unimaginable hardship and suffering and speak to the kindness and generosity of Canadians.

The Luminato, with Pulse Front and L'Art Boat, is at the Harbourfront Centre, a huge, creative arts festival that allows us to see the world in a new light. There is the great waterfront yard sale that raises funds for the residents association to enhance the neighbourhood.

I send a big thanks to the dedicated volunteers who made greatness happen. Jane Jacobs would be proud.

However, a dark cloud hangs over the waterfront. The Toronto Island Airport continues to create more pollution in what should be a beautiful neighbourhood and a cultural hot spot. When will the Conservatives take action and close the Island Airport so that all Canadians can enjoy Toronto's magnificent waterfront?

[Criminal Code, June 4th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, about two years ago when there were a large number of gun crimes in Toronto I was involved in investigating what we could do in the community to reduce gun crime.

Aside from a serious investment in intervention and prevention programs, the mayor of the city of Toronto at the time, together with the chief of police, were pushing for a reverse onus in bail hearings for firearms-related charges. We know it is important. It is very demoralizing for a neighbourhood when someone is arrested and charged with a series of serious gun crimes yet gets bail and is back out in the community in a few days.

Will there be an evaluation, perhaps in a year, to see if Bill C-35, this amendment to the Criminal Code, has the positive impact that it is supposed to have, so that we know whether this amendment actually works or not? Will there be some kind of evaluation or reporting back to Parliament?

[Budget Implementation Act, 2007, June 4th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I have been in correspondence with the uncle of Jordan Manners, the young man who was shot to death. His uncle said that we absolutely need to invest in our young people. That is why he has organized a march for change this coming Sunday, June 10 at 1 p.m., to say let us invest in our young people. If not, despair is going to come into different neighbourhoods.