House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 53% of the vote.
National Defence May 1st, 2001
Mr. Speaker, the Americans are moving ahead with the development of their missile defence program. Yesterday President Bush was reported to have called the Prime Minister to discuss this important security issue.
Understandably final details are required for a final decision, but did the Prime Minister give qualified support? Did he give support in principle? Did he give encouragement for this plan?
Heroism April 27th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, today an American doctor, Ronald Shemenski, owes his life to Canada's finest northern frontier aviators.
In failing health, the doctor was plucked from the sardonic, cruelly mocking face of an Antarctic locked in winter's icy grip.
Defying nature's harshest elements, his saviours, three Canadians in a Canadian Twin Otter craft winged nearly from earth's other pole in a bold mission of determined rescue.
Captain Sean Loutitt, flight officer Mark Cary, engineer Peter Brown and northern renowned Kenn Borek Air are to be congratulated.
This event marks another annal in Canada's proud tradition of excellence of men, of craft, of indomitable spirit to rescue where others draw faint, another footnote in Canada's illustrious Hall of Aviation honours and a first rate job by all.
World Athletic Championships April 25th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, the countdown begins today. In 100 days from now over 2,000 athletes from over 200 countries will meet on a field of contest unequalled on earth, an event surpassed in size and grandeur only by the summer Olympics and soccer's World Cup.
The 2001 World Championships in Athletics are coming to Edmonton, the city of champions.
Mr. Speaker, you might ask exactly who is invited. Why, you are, Mr. Speaker, with your family and friends, as are my colleagues from all parties and of course all Canadians, along with visitors from around the globe.
It is 100 days and counting until the world arrives in Edmonton. I invite everyone to Edmonton for the opening ceremonies on Friday, August 3 and I invite everyone to join in the fun.
Veterans Affairs April 2nd, 2001
Mr. Speaker, I do not want veteran status. Veteran status is not wanted by every Tom, Dick or Mary who ever wore a uniform, who ever peeled potatoes in Trenton, who ever spit-shone shoes in St. Jean or who ever pumped gas in Cold Lake.
What is expected, what is long overdue and what is respectfully called for is full war veteran status for those who served in war zones; for those who saw death and destruction; for those who witnessed the abysmal depth of man's madness in the gulf war, in Bosnia and Rwanda; for those still serving today; and for those who came home scarred by their experiences. Let us give our true veterans the respect they are due and recognize them as war veterans.
I renounce my unwanted veteran label. This status belongs only to those who deserve it.
Veterans Affairs March 23rd, 2001
Mr. Speaker, how well we attend to the concerns of our veterans is a measure of our national conscience.
Corporal Christian McEachern of Edmonton is only one of many who bear deep scars to their health and soul brought on by war service for our country. Corporal McEachern's mother is in our nation's capital to appeal for our help.
To understand and begin the long process of treatment, we must first officially recognize as war veterans those who have experienced the horrors of war. Bullets, terror and contaminants can each do harm to the human form.
We must do much better for our soldiers. We must recognize all of our country's war veterans. We must listen to their calls for help when they return to their families and homes from missions abroad for Canada.
Points Of Order March 21st, 2001
Mr. Speaker, I believe my moment of atonement has arrived. I am referring to my recent standing order transgression for which I apologize not only to you, Mr. Speaker, but also to the House and to the nation whose interests I serve.
While certainly I meant no disrespect in my action, all infractions of order do have consequences. In the House, even minor infractions are potentially serious in their longer term effects.
Parliament's rules are to be respected because they are written by all, for all.
I hereby submit my person to the penance of the Chair, and ask for leniency and appeal for clemency under the circumstances. I certainly do not stand here to challenge, nor do I seek changes to, the rules. My hope is to be forgiven by the Chair, before the witnesses in the House, and in front of my colleagues. The essence of the House is honour. I would never intentionally dishonour the House or its procedures.
National Defence March 16th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, it has been 10 years since the end of the gulf war conflict. Canada's gulf war veterans want only pride and respect through official recognition as war veterans for serving in that war zone.
Our allies recognize their gulf war veterans as war veterans. Why do we not? Will the minister give Canada's peacekeeping veterans respect and official recognition as war veterans, and when?
National Defence March 16th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, Canada went to war in Korea 50 years ago to fight the communist threat. Today that war is still not over. It is still a war on hold. Over 500 Canadians died in Korea in defence of freedom, never to return home. China was the main supporter of that terrible conflict.
Our Korean war veterans are shocked by the way the government is now cozying up to this communist superpower. Could the minister explain why we are now teaching winter warfare tactics to a country that is clearly not one of our allies?
Supply March 1st, 2001
Mr. Speaker, I believe that overall this indicates a dramatic failure of the Liberal government in the very basics of governing, which is procuring and supplying our armed forces with equipment. In fact, this has really been a 25 year procurement boondoggle that is never ending. It is going on and on and on.
Earlier in my speech, I related my experience coming from the militaries of the 1960s. Coincidentally this has existed since the 1960s. In 1962, I took electronics training in Clinton, Ontario, in the Royal Canadian Air Force. At that time the transistor was considered to be an unreliable; a new invention.
In that period of time, we have progressed from transistors to chips with tens of thousands of transistors on them to fibre optics. The progression has been going on and on. However where are our helicopters? They are still in the 1960s, while a Liberal government waffles and waffles and procurement goes on endlessly.
Supply March 1st, 2001
Mr. Speaker, coming from a background in the construction industry where there are a number of initiatives where people prequalify, I believe the prequalification has to be open enough. At times prequalification in the construction industry is sometimes too narrowly focused. It would have to be on the understanding that it would be open to the maximum number of people qualifying to bid on it. When examining the proposals that come in certainly we would reach a point in time when the door has to be closed to get on with sincere bidding processes.