Peter Stoffer

[Public Security Personnel, December 13th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, at this time, prior to the Christmas season, I would like to stand in this House and give special tribute to all those veterans and their families, to all those RCMP members, to those emergency responders, those firefighters, those paramedics, and to all our military men and women serving overseas, to wish them and their families a very merry Christmas and very happy new year.

These are the people who allow all Canadians to have a good night's sleep.

I would also remind all my hon. colleagues in the House of Commons to make sure that when they are in the malls or in the stores or on the street corners, in big towns and small communities, from coast to coast to coast, they put a little bit of change in the Salvation Army kettles, because this is the one organization that does not ask questions; it just looks to the humanity of the season.

If we all give generously this year, then maybe everyone in Canada will have a very warm and generous Christmas. God bless.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police Modernization Act, December 13th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I followed this issue for many years. In the province of Quebec the RCMP members of Quebec, the gendarmes, have asked for unionization or an association of some kind for many years.

It is unfortunate that RCMP officers and their group have to go to court in order to facilitate even the discussion of whether or not RCMP members should have the right to join an association or to unionize.

That was problem number one, as to why these fine men and women had to go to court to get what so many other police officers in the country have as their granted right, the right to, if they wish, form an association to collectively bargain for future pay and benefits and for packages for their members and their families.

The other point is the last thing I personally would like to see is the current Commissioner of the RCMP getting any more powers than he already has. As we know, this was a Conservative who was appointed to the RCMP. He never once served a day as an RCMP member. I think that was a tragedy. The Commissioner of the RCMP should be an RCMP member.

When we look at the fact that they were denied VIP services and they were denied many other aspects that veterans get, for example, I think it is sad when a commissioner does not stand up for the men and women in his service.

I would like the hon. member from Newfoundland to comment on the fact that it should be a commissioner from--

[Questions on the Order Paper, December 6th, 2010]

With regard to the Lobster Marketing Initiative from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency: (a) is the project still active and how much funding has been or will be spent during the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 fiscal years; (b) how many fishermen have received funding or benefited directly from this Initiative; (c) did the program help to increase the export of Atlantic fishing products to Asian markets and, if so, how did it do this and what is its estimated impact; and (d) distributed by province, how many applications were made under the Initiative and how many of these were approved?

[Canadian Forces, December 3rd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, no parent should ever have to bury a child. However, when that child unfortunately does succumb to his or her injuries, the family should have a right to know what happened.

When it comes to military families, Pierre Daigle, the DND ombudsman, has repeatedly said that the government gives us repeated promises and, for the military families, repeated disappointments.

Why should it take the media to address these concerns with the government? Why is it not more proactive to ensure, in the death of one of our heroes of Canada, that his or her family immediately—

[Canadian Forces, December 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, at the veterans affairs committee the other day, Pierre Daigle, the DND ombudsman, cited his serious concerns about a lack of a national database for operational stress injuries for our Canadian Forces. Without this vital information, many programs may not be available for our injured soldiers and their families.

My question is for the Minister of National Defence. When will the national database for this important segment come up and how soon can the minister announce that the program will be here?

[Ferry Services, November 30th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I “moustache” the Minister of Transport the following question on the Northumberland ferry. He knows very well that the premiers of Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia are concerned about the future of the Northumberland ferry.

Could the Minister of Transport please tell the premiers of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and the workers on the Northumberland ferry that their careers and their jobs will be protected and that money will be invested as soon as possible by the government?

[Veterans Affairs, November 26th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, at the same time, the government is spending $8 million worth of tax dollars fighting the victims of Agent Orange in the foliage spraying by taking them to court over the class action lawsuit, because he is right, only 3,000 people have been compensated, but the Conservatives promised that over 300,000 would be compensated.

The truth is that thousands of veterans, civilians and their families have been denied any assistance by the government.

I would like the parliamentary secretary to look into the camera and tell Bette Hudson of Widows on the Warpath of New Brunswick why she and thousands of others are being denied assistance by the Conservative government.

[Veterans Affairs, November 26th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, in 2005, the Conservatives promised a compensation package from 1958 to 1984 for over 300,000 victims of Agent Orange in the foliage spraying in Gagetown for military and civilian members.

They came out with a package and only $90 million was offered, and yet we find out today that $33 million of that $90 million are still sitting in the fund, leaving thousands of people out of a minuscule compensation.

I would like the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs to stand in the House and say today that the $33 million will be released so that thousands of veterans will at least get some form of compensation--

[Points of Order, November 23rd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I can only imagine the Conservatives and Liberals bandying around the two candidates in Vaughan. I want to tell the House, the people of Canada and the good people of Vaughan that if they want to end the nonsense between the Conservatives and Liberals, they should vote NDP in the next election.

[Former Canadian Forces Members Act, November 5th, 2010]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-592, An Act respecting former Canadian Forces members.

Mr. Speaker, this being Veterans Week, it is an appropriate time to introduce one of the finest pieces of legislation the House has ever seen.

This enactment would require the Governor-in-Council to make regulations under the Department of Veterans Affairs Act to extend the health care benefits authorized by the regulations under the act to the former members of the Canadian Forces who meet military occupational classification requirements and who have been honourably discharged.

Our heroes in Canada serve while wearing the brave uniform. When they leave the military, in many cases they are cut off from the medical care they receive at their home bases and across the country under the federal government. Just because the uniform comes off, they should not lose access to that quality medical care. I would like this bill to be passed as soon as possible.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)