Paul Dewar

[National Defence, September 26th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are leading us into an expanded military role in Iraq, and the Liberals are ready to go along without a vote in Parliament. We have gone from mission creep to mission leap. The most basic questions have been left unanswered, yet the Conservatives offer more military involvement to the U.S. without consulting Parliament. The question is this. When exactly did the Conservatives offer Canadian troops to the United States? When did they do that?

[Health, September 25th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, if unchecked, Ebola could kill hundreds of thousands of people in the upcoming months. Today, at a high-level meeting at the United Nations, President Obama said that we have to move fast to make a difference.

We have 1,000 vaccines that have been waiting for over six weeks to move. Is that moving fast? I do not think so. When will the vaccines be shipped?

My second question is this: will the government deploy DART to help save lives?

[Petitions, September 24th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, today I have petitions from right across the country, but primarily from Calgary. These petitioners are asking the government to deal with the horrific conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where 5.4 million people have died since 1998. The petitioners want the government to enact Bill C-486 to stop the revenues coming from conflict minerals and the trade therein. They are also asking that the government support Bill C-486, which, as I noted today in question period, is being supported by the Mining Association of Canada.

[Mining Industry, September 24th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, tonight the House will vote on a bill that can help cut off resources to violent extremists in the Great Lakes region of Africa. These extremists have killed millions, used rape as a weapon of war, and enslaved children. Their atrocities are financed by the sale of conflict minerals that end up right here in Canada. Civil society and industry, including the Mining Association of Canada, want to see this bill move forward. I have a simple question. Will the Conservatives support this important legislation?

[Mining Industry, September 24th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, tonight the House will vote on a bill that can help cut off—

[Citizenship and Immigration, September 23rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, what is really pitiful is the Minister of Immigration, who will not do his job when the world community asks for Canada to do its job, sitting behind words and throwing mud at us.

The Syrian conflict is serious. The UNHCR has asked Canada to do more. It has asked us to take 10,000 refugees and what do we hear from the minister? Nothing, except that the government has brought in 200. That is not enough. What Canada should and must do is its job. It is the Canadian way. It is the right thing to do.

Why will the minister not do his job and accept more Syrian refugees?

[Citizenship and Immigration, September 23rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the recent conflict in Gaza took a tragic toll on civilians, especially children. Yesterday the Canadian Medical Association Journal published an editorial in support of Dr. Abuelaish's initiative to bring injured Palestinian children to Canada for treatment. Health professionals are willing and able to help. Canadians want to help. Will the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration do the right thing and immediately grant visas for these children and their caregivers?

[Petitions, September 22nd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I have petitions from Canadians from right across the country.

The petitioners want the Conservative government to join with other governments to stop the spread of rape as a weapon of war in the Congo by dealing with conflict minerals.

They ask that all parliamentarians get behind my bill, Bill C-486, to stop the revenues that go to the militias that do horrendous things in the eastern Congo. They also ask that we support those who are affected by gender violence.

[Citizenship and Immigration, September 22nd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the question was actually about Syria. Families are broken apart because of the government's delays. Canadian citizen Anya Sass and her husband are trapped in a Damascus suburb threatened by ISIS militants. After two years of delays, Mike Wise's family has had to settle in Sweden, not in Canada. While the Conservatives boast about resettling 200 refugees, Sweden, with a quarter of Canada's population, has given refuge to more than 30,000 Syrian refugees.

Why will our government not step up to the plate, do the right thing, and help save lives?

[Foreign Affairs, September 18th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great surprise that we learned today that the Conservatives have quietly lifted sanctions on two Russian banks. In addition, they continue to shield three Russian tycoons who have close ties to President Putin and who also have business interests in Canada. This is the opposite of targeted sanctions.

Therefore, the obvious question is this. Why are they leaving these people and these banks off of the sanctions list?