Paul Calandra

[Ethics, October 17th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Wright handled this file on his own. The Prime Minister was not aware of any payment on this file until May 15.

In the meantime, this government will continue to focus on Canadians and what Canadians want us to focus on; that is, keeping our communities safe, creating new jobs and unleashing the potential of our small, medium and large job creators across this country.

We are very excited that we are about to sign a new trade agreement that would open up a 500-million-person market to Canadian producers and more jobs.

The only thing the Liberals can come up with is legalizing marijuana for our kids. They even went to my former university saying, “Sign up to be a Liberal member—“

[Ethics, October 17th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, Nigel Wright has taken sole responsibility for this matter. He has said that he handled the file all on his own.

The deal that Canadians really want to know about is the new deal with Europe that is going to see some 500 million new people accessing Canadian products. By this one measure alone, 80,000 net new jobs will be created. We know that the NDP and the Liberals are both against that because they do not think our producers measure up to others.

Our throne speech is quite clear. We will seize the advantages of seven years of Conservative government rule. We will unleash the potential of our producers and create jobs across this country.

[Ethics, October 17th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was very clear on this matter. Nigel Wright handled this on his own. He did not know anything about the payment until May 15.

In the meantime, our government will continue to focus on jobs and economic growth. We are faced with two opposition parties, one that wants to create a $21 billion carbon tax and raise taxes by over $20 billion on our small, medium and large producers, and another one whose only economic policy after months and months is to reorganize crime so that it can extract taxes from drugs. How pathetic is that?

Let us start to think about what Canadians really want, which is jobs and growth.

[Ethics, October 17th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I was going to give the member a break. I did not think he wanted me to talk about the 29 separate donations that he made to separatist parties.

If he wants to continue to talk about the fact that he continues to donate to parties that are bent on ruining this country, we will continue to talk about creating jobs, we will continue to talk about reducing taxes, we will continue to focus on consumers and their rights in this country, and we will continue to make our communities safe. We will continue to do all of those things that Canadians sent us here to do, because that is our responsibility: to build a bigger, better, stronger, safer Canada.

[Ethics, October 17th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I will repeat it again for the hon. member, because he is not listening.

Nigel Wright handled this on his own. The Prime Minister knew nothing about the payment until after May 15. Only the NDP would think it is nonsense to talk about creating jobs, only the NDP would think it is nonsense to talk about keeping our communities safe, and only the NDP would think it is nonsense that a Prime Minister and a government would focus on opening up a market of 500 million people to Canadian manufacturers and small, medium, and large business creators. Only New Democrats would say that is nonsense. Canadians understand that we will stand up for them and we will stand up for jobs.

[Ethics, October 17th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, as I just said and as the Prime Minister has said on a number of occasions, and he has been very clear on this matter, Mr. Wright handled this file on his own. He had no knowledge of the payment until May 15.

Why does the opposition not start thinking about some of the things that were in the throne speech, some of those things that they have consistently voted against as we continue to talk about reducing taxes for Canadian families and making our communities safer?

Opposition members have no ideas. They have no plan. When it comes to economic growth, when it comes to keeping our communities safe, Canadians know one thing: they can trust Conservatives on both sides of the House to stand up for them and to stand up for the values that have made this country great, and this Prime Minister will continue to do that for a long time to come.

[Ethics, October 17th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister said on a number of occasions, this was a matter that was handled directly by Mr. Wright, and the Prime Minister had no knowledge of this payment until after May 15.

What is truly clear and what we have heard over the summer is how important it is that the government continues to focus on jobs and the economy. That is why the Prime Minister today is en route to Europe to sign a new trade agreement that will see 80,000 new jobs created.

Again we are seeing that the NDP and the Liberals will be voting against new job creation measures. They vote against the small, medium, and large job creators in this country because they do not think they have the opportunity or the ability to compete with everybody. We do.

[Canadian Museum of History Act, June 17th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I keep going back to the bill on this. I think I already know what the answer is going to be from the member opposite, but I will keep asking.

The president of the museum, in his opening remarks, said this about research:

Finally, we will continue building our national collection, and undertaking scholarly and other types of research, despite claims from some to the contrary. In fact, our national collection fund now totals $9 million and in consultation with academics across the country, the corporation has developed a research strategy, the first in the museum's history. This strategy will guide the work of the museum in its research activities over the next 10 years.

To go back to the actual bill, it says:

undertake or sponsor any research related to its purpose or to museology, and communicate the results of that research

Further on it says:

promote knowledge and disseminate information related to its purpose, throughout Canada and internationally, by any appropriate means of education and communication

Finally, he went on to talk about Dr. Morrison, who has a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in archeology. He said he would be working with a team of researchers, curators and museologists in collaboration with advisory committees composed of historians and experts from across Canada in helping develop the new displays at the museum.

Clearly it states throughout the bill that research would continue. Clearly there is a team of experts who have been with the museum and will continue to be with the museum who are undertaking the new displays, so I am not entirely certain what the members fear. Do they not have faith in the staff there to put together something that all Canadians would continue to be proud of?

[Canadian Museum of History Act, June 17th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I will keep asking the same question. Perhaps by the end of the night one of the NDP members might actually answer it.

The member talked about a number of things. She talked about the reduced mandate of the museum. We see, of course, in clause 8 of the bill that it not only talks about Canadian identity and history, but it also talks about the awareness of world history and cultures. Paragraph 9(1)(e) talks about international exhibits. Paragraph 9(1)(f) talks about sponsor research related to its purpose or to museology and communicating results. Paragraph 9(1)(h) talks about promoting knowledge and dissemination of information related to its purpose throughout Canada and internationally.

The member talked about leaving it to the experts. This quote is from the museum president himself. He said:

The content for this new exhibition is being developed by a multidisciplinary team of experts at the museum, led by Dr. David Morrison. This team is made up of researchers, curators, and museologists working in close collaboration with advisory committees composed of historians and experts from across Canada.

I am wondering if any of that gives the member any hope that she might get a museum of which she could one day be proud.

[Canadian Museum of History Act, June 17th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would hope the member from Sudbury would withdraw his remarks calling members across the way crap. I do not think that adds anything to the debate and the over million Canadians who put us in government not once, twice, but three times. I hope you would ask him to withdraw those comments.