House of Commons photo

Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word was military.

Last in Parliament October 2015, as NDP MP for Sackville—Eastern Shore (Nova Scotia)

Lost his last election, in 2015, with 34% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Supply April 23rd, 1998

Mr. Speaker, you are probably getting tired of my standing up all the time but I wish to commend my hon. colleague from Dewdney—Alouette, all of his constituents and all parties in the House that have received letters like the letter he just read.

I wish him to comment on one statement made by the member for Brossard—La Prairie, that some people with hep C can lead normal lives. Could he comment on that ridiculous, outrageous and cruel statement made by one of the Liberal backbenchers in the House today?

Supply April 23rd, 1998

Mr. Speaker, the hon. parliamentary secretary stated earlier that those people who do not get compensated can always go the CPP disability route. Obviously he does not have many people in his riding fighting for CPP claims.

However, my question is for his colleague, who I congratulate on the wonderful birth of her child last year.

If the government of the day is not willing to compensate those 40,000 who will not be receiving compensation for hepatitis C, is she also recommending that they also try the CPP route? Is that what she is recommending along with the parliamentary secretary?

Supply April 23rd, 1998

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health again rambles on and babbles on instead of asking a direct or pointed question.

Supply April 23rd, 1998

Mr. Speaker, I commend the hon. member for his wonderful speech.

The question I have is that the new deputy minister for health apparently will be Mr. David Dodge. I am quoting directly: “There are more important things here than money”. Will he not agree that obviously this government has boiled this entire compensation package down to resources and finances only?

Supply April 23rd, 1998

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The hon. member from Reform asked him a pointed question. In the interest of time, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister should give a pointed response so that other colleagues can ask questions as well.

Supply April 23rd, 1998

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Charlotte had mentioned that the finance minister was running the health department. Today in the paper there is an announcement that David Dodge, a member of the finance department, is now the deputy minister of health. I would like his comments on that appointment please.

Supply April 23rd, 1998

Mr. Speaker, I was very interested in the comments of the hon. member for Charlotte regarding the finance minister and who actually is running the health department.

I read in today's Quorum that David Dodge, the key architect of the finance department, is now a member of the health department. I would his comments and views on that appointment.

Supply April 23rd, 1998

Mr. Speaker, I stand on behalf of the New Democratic Party and thank the Reform Party for its motion today. I also wish to thank publicly all hepatitis C victims and AIDS victims in Nova Scotia.

However I have a slight concern. I will be corrected if I am mistaken, but we certainly do not like the idea of a two tier compensation system for hep C victims.

Having said that, I would like to ask if they believe in a two tier health system. In Alberta Bill C-37 is now about to become legislation, which will do erode the public health care system. Would the hon. member comment on that?

Labelling Of Toys April 22nd, 1998

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on a question I asked in this House on March 25 of this year. I asked the finance minister if and when he would produce sufficient funds as recommended in the east coast report and the Harrigan report. We are talking about TAGS and the infrastructure money required for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and the other four Atlantic provinces.

With your indulgence, Mr. Speaker, I would like to read to this House a letter signed by five premiers of Atlantic Canada to the Prime Minister dated December 12, 1997:

“We the premiers of Canada's five eastern provinces are writing to express our concerns over the pending expiry of the Atlantic groundfish strategy, TAGS, and to call upon the Government of Canada to immediately establish a successor program to TAGS.

“As you are aware the Atlantic groundfish strategy is due to expire in May 1998. Over the past four years this program has constituted an essential lifeline for over 40,000 individuals and their families from Atlantic Canada and Quebec, individuals who through no fault of their own have seen their livelihoods and those of their families and communities challenged severely by the groundfish crisis.

“TAGS was based on two fundamental premises which have proven incorrect. First, the program was based on the expectation that key groundfish stocks would begin to recover by the time the program was due to end and commercial fisheries could be reopened by this time. This premise has proven incorrect and many of the principal groundfish stocks off Canada's east coast remain incapable of sustaining a commercial fishery.

“Second, the program was expected to bring about labour market adjustment and assist individuals in moving out of occupations tied to the traditional fishery. This has not occurred as funding for training and other adjustment initiatives had to be terminated prematurely in order to meet demands for income support which significantly exceeded initial expectations.

“The net result for these considerations is that many of the fundamental challenges which caused the federal government to establish the original TAGS program remain. Clearly, a comprehensive and effective post TAGS program is essential to the future of individuals and communities throughout Canada's five eastern provinces.

“Through the recent hearings of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, of which I was a member, and through the community hearings held by the Harrigan task force, the people of Atlantic Canada and Quebec have called on the federal government to assume its responsibility for the development and implementation of an effective post-TAGS program.

“They have also stated clearly that the social and economic stress created by the fisheries crisis are continuing to represent a fundamental challenge to the future of many of our rural communities. This challenge cannot be met effectively through normal programs of government.

“Unquestionably the urgent need to establish the effect of the post-TAGS program cannot be ignored. On behalf of the people of Atlantic Canada and Quebec we therefore call upon the government to ensure that an effective TAGS program is developed and implemented immediately”.

This is the response the government gives. Today in the House the Minister of Veterans Affairs spoke to the delegation from Newfoundland and Labrador. Some 3,000 people are to be cut off TAGS on May 8, one year premature of the originally promised date. He said to those people that there would be no program for them. They are finished. They are cut adrift.

I find that absolutely abominable and the Liberals should be ashamed of themselves for that kind of action to people who are in such a crisis.

The Atlantic Groundfish Strategy April 1st, 1998

Mr. Speaker, today representatives from the Canadian Council of Professional Fish Harvesters are meeting with all political parties to discuss the end of the Atlantic groundfish strategy in August.

Close to 25,000 people will be affected and the greatest impact will be on Newfoundland where two-thirds of the recipients reside.

The government refuses to say what will happen when the program ends in just four months.

With 3,000 people about to be taken off of TAGS in May and the rest in August these people need an answer now.

The government has two reports in front of it that emphasize support for early retirement and licence buy-out programs, self-employment assistance for younger fisher people, community economic development assistance and an extension of TAGS until at least the end of May 1999.

We need a financial commitment from the government today.

This is Newfoundland's ice storm. The lights are still off and the need is just as great.