Peter Stoffer

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, October 19th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate the hon. member on his election to the House of Commons. I look forward to debating him on all kinds of issues.

Every chance I get, I like to remind the Conservatives that when they were in government from 1984 to 1993 the cuts to the military were already starting. They cut bases in the military. They cut the number of people in the armed forces. All Mr. Chrétien and the Liberals did when they came into power in 1993 was reform the former Conservative Party policies. They increased the cuts to the military tremendously. I am glad to hear the member stand up for the military. He talked about Prince Edward--Hastings and the people who liberated Holland. That is where I was born. Probably some people in his riding liberated my mom and dad, for which we are forever grateful and thankful.

One of the issues I have with him is our relationship with the United States. As members know, we have had NAFTA challenge after NAFTA challenge, time and time again. The United States seems to think it can keep Canada on the ropes when it comes to BSE and softwood lumber. If the member were prime minister, what would he do to resolve the issues, sooner rather than later, of softwood lumber and BSE?

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, October 19th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, may I express to the hon. member congratulations on his victory and welcome him to the House of Commons.

He said a few things that I find quite amusing. He said that anybody can balance a budget if taxes are raised. His former leader, Brian Mulroney, raised all kinds of taxes from 1984 to 1993 and never once balanced the budget.

I am not defending the Liberal government in any way but I do have a question for the member. The previous speaker for the Conservative Party talked about the vision of their leader. I think she was talking about the same leader who was standing in the House in the last Parliament and talking about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction and nuclear capability at any minute. I believe those were the words.

When she talks about the rhetoric from a particular member of Parliament on the Liberal side, she is absolutely correct. That type of language and that type of talk about our closest friends, the Americans, is not acceptable. I agree with her, but at the same time, the Leader of the Opposition should also watch the rhetoric that comes from that side as well.

My question for the member is more on the agricultural side. As he knows, the dairy and poultry farmers are coming to Ottawa very soon to lobby all members of Parliament and discuss with them the question of marketing boards. There was a time when the Alliance Party was against marketing boards and I am not quite sure what the position is now. I would like to give him the opportunity to tell us what he thinks or what his party's view is, if it is possible, and to discuss the aspect of the marketing boards that protect our poultry and dairy farmers and other farmers as well.

[Naval Appreciation Day, October 18th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday representatives from the Navy League will be hear to tell all members of Parliament about Naval Appreciation Day.

On behalf of the New Democratic Party federally and provincially across the country and for that matter, all members of the House of Commons from all parties, I would like to extend special congratulations to all the current members of our navy, the past members of our navy and those in the Navy League.

For over 90 years the men and women of our navy have served Canada extremely well by serving in various conflicts and wars around the world.

We as parliamentarians have the ultimate responsibility to ensure that those who sign up and have the ultimate liability have their needs met.

They will be here on Wednesday. I encourage all members of Parliament to take the time to offer our congratulations to the brave men and women of our navy. They do a great job and, coming from the garrison city of Halifax, I must say that we are very proud to be the east coast home of Canada's navy.

A bravo zulu to all members of the Canadian navy.

[Canadian Bill of Rights, October 15th, 2004]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-211, an act to amend the Canadian Bill of Rights (right to housing).

Mr. Speaker, this particular bill is quite simple. It is to amend the Canadian Bill of Rights to ensure that proper housing at a reasonable cost and free of unreasonable barriers be available for all Canadians.

In a country that is this wealthy it is a sin that we have people sleeping on the streets. Our seniors and other people are finding it very difficult to maintain their own homes in the present times. I think the government should work with the provinces and municipalities, and work with everybody to ensure that every Canadian has the right to a safe and affordable home.

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

[Remembrance Day National Flag Act, October 15th, 2004]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-210, an act requiring the national flag of Canada to be flown at half-mast on Remembrance Day.

Mr. Speaker, as we near Remembrance Day, this is a particular bill all members of Parliament of all political stripes can look at very quickly and pass almost immediately. It would require that every Canadian flag on every federal building in the country should be lowered to half-mast for the entire day on Remembrance Day, November 11, to show dignity and respect for our brave fallen in the many battles throughout the years.

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

[Canadian Safe Drinking Water Act, October 15th, 2004]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-209, An Act to ensure safe drinking water throughout Canada.

Mr. Speaker, this particular bill has been introduced in the House for several years now. I am re-introducing it on behalf of all Canadians who are very concerned about the quality of their drinking water.

From coast to coast to coast, many provinces and municipalities have boil orders. We know exactly what happened years ago in Ontario and how people can easily die from the mistreatment of our safe drinking water.

The bill would encourage the federal government to work with the provinces and municipalities to establish a national safe drinking water policy so that all Canadians can rest assured that the water they drink will be safe now and in the years to come.

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

[Guaranteed Income Supplement, October 15th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister, also known as Scrooge McDuck, is smiling like a Cheshire cat on his huge surplus. He is making life very difficult for Canada's seniors. Every day seniors make choices between prescription drugs, food and heating their homes. One constituent in my riding, Brenda Anderson, received an 11¢ increase on her GIS.

I would like the finance minister to look into the camera, speak directly to Brenda Anderson and advise her where she should spend her 11¢ increase.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, October 12th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, first I want to congratulate my colleague on his return to the House of Commons. As well, there is one thing that is overlooked a lot of times and that is our clerks at the table. We want to congratulate them for coming back and as well, of course, the sergeant-at-arms and the person who I think has the greatest job in all of Canada, the button man up there, who makes me look good or look bad.

That aside, the reality is that the throne speech is about as relevant as a campaign promise. It means absolutely nothing unless there is a budget very quickly behind it that follows with the meat and potatoes of that substance.

My question is quite clearly on a different topic. The member talks about investing in Canadians. He is absolutely right, but the reality, as seen in today's media, is that the transport minister is indicating support and the government needs to move quickly to support the aerospace industry for Bombardier Canadair.

We in the NDP do not have a problem with that. If the government is going to use tax dollars to upgrade or entice or work with private industry in order to create long term jobs in the Montreal area, we think that is a good idea, but why is that attitude not displayed toward our shipbuilders in this country? Why is it that the former finance minister, Mr. Manley, said the shipbuilding industry in this country is a sunset industry?

In the industry minister's own riding of British Columbia, the B.C. Ferry Corporation of the British Columbia government allowed a half billion dollar contract to a German company to build three ferries in British Columbia. Not one Canadian job is produced by that outsourcing. The reality is that we have the companies in this country. We have the industry available in this country. Most important, we have the capable, highly skilled workers in this country to build the ships that we as a nation need. I remind the House that the Coast Guard vessels need to be replaced. Our military vessels need to be replaced. Our laker fleet needs to be replaced. For example, ferries and tugs right across this country need to be replaced.

Those replacements can be done right here in this country to help out British Columbia, Quebec, Port Welland and especially those of us in Atlantic Canada. We are not asking for handouts. We are asking for development aid.

If only we had that development and the proper policy. By the way, the wheel does not have to be reinvented. The policy is already done. Mr. Tobin, the previous industry minister, got labour and industry together and developed the policy. The fact is that it has been sitting on the shelf for three years.

Once again we are asking why this Liberal government is so lackadaisical and so nonchalant when it comes to a proper shipbuilding industry in this country. The Liberal government did it for the auto industry and does it for airplanes. Why can the government not do it for ships?

[Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal Act, October 8th, 2004]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-202, An Act to amend the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal Act (Book of Remembrance for peacekeepers).

Mr. Speaker, I thank my seconder, the member for Hamilton Centre, for assisting me in this.

Any of us who have had the opportunity and the very distinct pleasure of visiting the war memorial room in the Peace Tower have noticed that there are books commemorating our very brave and honoured war dead in various conflicts such as the Boer War, World War I, World War II, and Korea, as well as the merchant mariners.

Unfortunately, through no one's fault at all, we are missing one for our peacekeepers who have died in international missions throughout the world. I know this is a rather eerie time to be speaking to this, but it would be appropriate to honour their sacrifices. We should honour them and respect them in perpetuity by having their names recorded in a very special book in the war memorial room.

I encourage the new members of Parliament and all Canadians to take the time to visit the war memorial room. They will be very moved by the lists of names and the sacrifices that our brave men and women have made for their country throughout the years.

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

[Shipbuilding Industry, October 8th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Industry.

He and the Liberal government should hang their heads in shame for allowing the B.C. Liberal government and the B.C. Ferry Corporation to tender a contract with a German company for three ferries worth over half a billion dollars.

For years in the House we have been asking for a comprehensive shipbuilding policy so that our workers in B.C., Quebec and Atlantic Canada could have access to those jobs. Our navy requires new ships along with our Coast Guard, as does our laker fleet and our ferries across the country. Those ships could be built right here in Canada.

When will the government institute the policy to put our workers back--