Peter MacKay

[Government Appointments, October 2nd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, what I can tell you is the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is doing great work for the people of Atlantic Canada. It continues to be a delivery service for many other federal government departments, particularly in the province of New Brunswick. We have seen the efficiency that has been brought about by the head office in Moncton.

The reality is that the member is a member of a party who has a leadership contender who wanted to get rid of ACOA entirely, take it out as a federal delivery agency for the people of Atlantic Canada. He should apologize in his place.

[Government Appointments, October 2nd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot account for the member's lack of friends in this world, but what I can say is that this individual who was appointed, Hermel Vienneau, spent virtually his entire life serving the people of New Brunswick, first in the federal government. Then he went back to serve the province of New Brunswick as a very competent, bilingual public servant who has done incredible work throughout his career and is now continuing to do so in his new capacity with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

[China, September 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, quite to the contrary, the parliamentary secretary has been working diligently on the file of Mr. Celil, as have I. We have raised it a number of times, both in New York last week and previously at the ASEAN meeting. I know that the Prime Minister hopes to have the opportunity to meet with President Hu at the APEC summit.

These kinds of spontaneous outbursts that play to the gallery are not going to help Mr. Celil or elevate the important, respectful relationship that we have with the Republic people's of China.

[China, September 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I was saddened to see the member across absent from the reception that was held yesterday at the residence of the ambassador of China.

When I met last week with the foreign minister from China, we had a very open and fulsome discussion on a number of issues, including some consular cases of which the hon. member is familiar.

Our relations with China are strong and are on a very good foundation. We are continuing to work on a number of economic issues. I know that the Minister of Agriculture, as well as the Minister of Natural Resources, have trips planned there in the future, as do I. We will continue to elevate and work very hard on this important relationship with China.

[Afghanistan, September 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I can tell the House where the foreign affairs minister was. He was speaking directly with President Musharraf last week in New York. We had discussions about Canada's role. We had an important discussion about the need to secure the area in the south of Afghanistan. We talked about the sensitivity around the issue of Canadian soldiers and the effort that is being put forward on behalf of the Afghan people to bring about stability.

I do not expect the member to get that, but we are not going to take any lectures from a member who would stand with her government in sending soldiers into harm's way to do important work and then back away, slink off and suggest we should come home and simply abandon the cause.

[Afghanistan, September 28th, 2006]

The reality, Mr. Speaker, is that President Musharraf's remarks were incorrect. We have lost 36 soldiers. We have lost one diplomat from my own department.

It is absolutely untenable for that member or any member opposite to suggest that we do not have to work with Pakistan in our effort to secure the south. This important region is critical to the fight against terrorism.

That is why we have to work in a constructive way with all countries to see that this work can continue so we can get on with the important development, the humanitarian work and the stability that will bring about a lasting peace in Afghanistan.

[Afghanistan, September 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I am very surprised to hear this type of rhetoric coming from that hon. member.

The reality is that we are working with 37 other countries in an important mission, an important effort to bring dignity and humanitarian efforts and rights to the people of Afghanistan. It is important to bring about good governance and democracy for the people of Afghanistan.

The member knows full well that Canada is there doing important work on behalf of this country, on behalf of Afghanistan, because she voted for it when she was a member of the previous government that sent our soldiers there.

[Afghanistan, September 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, this government is standing up very strongly for Canadians and for the Afghan people in Afghanistan today.

With respect to these comments, clearly President Musharraf and our own Prime Minister understand that we have to work collectively. We have to work constructively and collaboratively in this mission in Afghanistan with 37 other NATO countries in a UN backed mission to help the people of Afghanistan stand on their own two feet.

Then, and only then, can we get on with the important development and good governance needed for the Afghan people.

[Foreign Affairs, September 27th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, Safia Amajan was the director of women's affairs in Kandahar. She devoted her life to advancing women's rights. She devoted her life to seeing that young girls were able to go to school. Her life was cut short by a brutal and violent attack by terrorists.

As I stated yesterday, Canada condemns this heinous crime which, among the other recent attacks, including those that have hurt Afghan children, demonstrates that these terrorists seek only to destroy life and the fundamental freedoms which we hold dear and these will not be abandoned. Our resolve will not break or bend in the wake of those cowardly attacks.

Canada, alongside 36 other countries serving this NATO-led UN backed mission, will work with the Afghan people to support their efforts, to support the enhancement of women's rights to integrate fully into civil society.

[Government Programs, September 27th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, what is truly embarrassing is a member from Atlantic Canada supporting the only Atlantic Canadian MP in the Liberal leadership contest who advocates the axing of ACOA, getting rid of regional development in Atlantic Canada, completely eliminating the most important regional development, I would suggest, in the country.

That member perhaps can try to square that hypocritical contradictory circle for us.