House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2019, with 55% of the vote.
Questions on the Order Paper November 14th, 2016
With regard to the trip to Sri Lanka taken by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in July, 2016: (a) who were the members of the Canadian delegation; (b) for each meeting attended by the Minister on the trip, what are the details, including, (i) date, (ii) attendees, (iii) location, (iv) topics discussed; and (c) what are the details of all costs associated with the trip, including the amount spent on (i) hotels, (ii) meals, (iii) air transportation, (iv) other transportation, (v) other expenses?
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns November 4th, 2016
With regard to Canada's trade: according to Statistics Canada, what was Canada's trade surplus or deficit, broken down on a monthly basis since January 2011?
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns November 4th, 2016
With regard to funding by government departments, agencies, and crown corporations: (a) which programs, groups, associations, or other entities were being provided with ongoing funding as of November 4, 2015, but were not receiving ongoing funding as of September 19, 2016; (b) for each former funding recipient identified in (a), what was the amount of funding being provided as of November 5, 2015; and (c) broken down by former recipient identified in (a), why is each one no longer receiving funding?
Foreign Affairs November 3rd, 2016
Mr. Speaker, it is time for Canada to speak truth to the world's worst human rights abusers publicly, not timidly, not in private with cautious lines crafted to win eventual Security Council votes. The minister has an opportunity to deny today that secret votes were traded with rights abusers who seek false legitimacy on the Human Rights Council.
Again, will the minister stop hiding the truth and tell Canadians how Canada voted on the Human Rights Council candidacies of Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, and Cuba?
Foreign Affairs November 3rd, 2016
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are fine with saying that they are back at the United Nations, but the Liberals are back as they were before: pandering to despots, dictators, and human rights abusers.
The United Nations today is not the organization it was when democracies made up the majority. The UN today has been described accurately as a broken Remington typewriter in a smart phone world.
Why will the Liberals not take a tiny step towards reform and transparency and tell Canadians how Canada voted on the Human Rights Council candidacies of Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, and Cuba?
Business of Supply November 3rd, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for reminding us that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done.
I wonder if the Prime Minister in his thespian experience ever came across the story of Caesar's wife, who Caesar divorced on the grounds only of rumours of opprobrious behaviour by her on the fact that he did not want to be associated with someone under suspicion.
I would ask my colleague whether he believes that if the ministers who accepted these baskets of $1,500 cheques did nothing wrong, were not vulnerable to the appearance of compromise, it is the appearance of their vulnerability that is unacceptable.
Foreign Affairs November 2nd, 2016
Mr. Speaker, some weeks ago, former Liberal justice minister and human rights champion Irwin Cotler, among others, called on the minister to defy the UN's secretive and hypocritical tradition and make Canada's vote public. The minister refused, as he did again today.
We recognize the Liberals' willingness to mute Canada's principled voice in their shameless quest for a security council seat, but will the minister, today, reconsider, demonstrate leadership on the human rights file, and tell Canadians how Canada voted on Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, and Cuba?
Foreign Affairs November 2nd, 2016
Mr. Speaker, we have just witnessed the annual ritual of some of the world's worst human rights abusers elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
The good news is that Russia has been denied the seat it so long took for granted. However, China, Saudi Arabia, and Cuba will be seated. The vote, as usual, was secret. However, the vote is not the minister's. It belongs to all Canadians.
Will the minister tell Canadians how Canada voted on these four notorious human rights abusing nations?
UNESCO World Heritage Site October 27th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations agency created to celebrate education, science, and history has embarrassed and disgraced itself yet again, allowing itself to be used as a tool for hate.
At the annual meeting of UNESCO's annual world heritage committee, a resolution was passed that effectively denies Jewish and Christian ties to Jerusalem's Temple Mount, and that ignores the importance of Jerusalem to the three monotheistic religions that share its history.
As the site of two biblical temples, Temple Mount is the holiest place in Judaism, as well as the Muslim holy site of the al-Aqsa Mosque, al-Haram al-Sharif.
Denying the existence of the Jewish temples is only a blood libel step away from denying the existence of Jews. Canada must strongly protest and condemn this latest hateful manipulation of our shared history.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship October 24th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, many thousands of Yazidis in Iraq, particularly women and girls, are not recognized by the United Nations as refugees. As internally displaced persons, they are stuck in a terrible limbo, enduring discrimination and segregation in Muslim-run UN camps.
German Chancellor Merkel has called for coalition forces to create a safe zone for Yazidis.
What about Canada? When will the Liberals address Canada's genocide convention obligations and actually act?