Peter Van Loan

[Petitions, November 1st, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, historical societies across Canada are disappointed by the government's ongoing war on history. The Liberal government is ignoring history and excluding Confederation as a permitted theme as we celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation.

The petition I present today comes from concerned members of the Pontiac Historical Society, located in Shawville, Quebec. Its museum is located in a historic Canadian Pacific Railway station. That railway, of course, was both a condition of Confederation as well as the spine of steel that bound the Canada at Confederation into a single country from coast to coast.

The petition also comes from the Kipling & District Historical Society in Saskatchewan. Kipling is named after the writer Rudyard Kipling, who travelled Canada on the CPR and who famously said, “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten”.

The petitioners urge the government to heed Kipling's advice, help Canadians know the stories of their history, and make Confederation a theme of the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

[Taxation, October 31st, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal hidden agenda of higher taxes continues to unfold. In the last election, the Liberals did not tell families about new higher taxes on children's hockey games, piano lessons, small businesses, and student text books, but then families were hit with exactly these tax hikes. Now the heritage minister has told us that she is looking at all scenarios for a new tax on the Internet.

Why does the minister want to tax hard-working, cash-strapped Canadian families just to give that money to her well-heeled friends in what she calls the entertainment ecosystem?

[Petitions, October 26th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, as part of the government's war on history, neither Confederation nor its history are included as permitted themes for the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

The petition I present today has been organized by members of three historical societies: the Williams Lake Museum & Historical Society, Williams Lake being a community whose history dates back to the Confederation era; the Barrhead & District Historical Society in Alberta, which runs the Barrhead Centennial Museum, a museum established in 1967 as a centennial project; and, the North Peace Historical Society, whose museum is located in Centennial Park in Fort St. John, B.C. Historical projects like these were undertaken across Canada to celebrate the centennial of Confederation in 1967.

To help Canadians know and celebrate their history, the petitioners call upon the government to reverse the decision to exclude Confederation as a theme of the 150th anniversary of Confederation, and to pay respect to Canada's history by making Confederation a theme of the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

[Petitions, October 25th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, as part of the government's war on history, neither Confederation nor history are included as permitted themes for the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

The petition that I present today has been organized by members of the Kings County historical society in New Brunswick. They have a unique connection to Confederation as one of the most prominent exhibits in their local museum is a quilt stitched together by a local Hampton area seamstress in 1864. This quilt is made from the gowns worn by the ladies to the balls held during the Charlottetown Conference that led to Confederation.

The petitioners call on the government to reverse the decision not to have Confederation as a theme of the 150th anniversary of Confederation, and to pay respect to Canada's history by making Confederation a theme of the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

[Veterans Affairs, October 21st, 2016]

Madam Speaker, October 22 marks two years since a jihadist terrorist struck at the heart of our freedom and democracy. Corporal Nathan Cirillo was brutally gunned down just steps from here. The thickness of a door and the brave actions of our Hill security staff saved members here a similar fate. It was two days after a jihadist murdered Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent.

Last year, our government honoured the sacrifice of these men, but this year the Liberals want Canadians to forget. There will be no memorial. Why are the Liberals dishonouring these fallen men and trying to pretend that these jihadist attacks never happened?

[Petitions, October 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, as part of the Liberals' ongoing war on history, the government is taking the absurd position of not including Confederation or history as the theme of the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

This petition originates from the Niagara region. It has been organized by members of the Bertie Historical Society, which knows a thing or two about history as its turf includes places where great battles in the War of 1812 took place as well as the Battle of Ridgeway, which was the result of a Fenian raid and one of the driving impetus events for Confederation itself.

The petitioners call on the government to reverse the decision not to have Confederation as a theme of the 150th anniversary of Confederation and to make, believe it or not, Confederation a theme of the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

[150th Anniversary of Confederation, October 17th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, would you hold a birthday party for a seven-year-old boy, but not allow him to come? Would you stage a lavish 50th wedding anniversary party, but not tell the honoured couple? Of course not, but that is exactly what the Liberal government is doing.

Next year, Canada will celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, but the Liberals have decided that Confederation and Canadian history are not welcome at the party. The only themes Liberals will allow to be supported are youth, the environment, diversity, and aboriginal reconciliation. Confederation is not a theme of the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

This absurd situation is just the latest salvo in the Liberal war on history. Instead of being ashamed of our history, we should celebrate the events that have built the best country in the world and honour the contributions of the Fathers of Confederation, like Macdonald, Cartier, Brown, and McGee. Confederation was an act of unification, of provinces, of languages, and of people around a single idea: the country of Canada.

Let us end the Liberal war on history and, next year, celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

[Sir Isaac Brock, October 6th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, on this day in 1769, Major General Sir Isaac Brock was born. Having built defences to keep Canada secure, Brock took command on the battlefield after the American declaration of war in 1812. His philosophy was that a strong offence was the best defence.

Brock's military genius and courage inspired the militia. Together with the brilliant Shawnee warrior leader, Tecumseh, Brock achieved a significant victory at the siege of Detroit. Brock would later fall leading a charge of his troops in his greatest victory at the Battle of Queenston Heights in October 1812. His final words, “Push on, brave York volunteers”, inspired the Canadians to victory.

Today, he lies beneath the monument on the hallowed ground of that victory high above Niagara River, a visible reminder to Canadians and Americans of the sacrifices made and Canada's victory. Canada's existence owes much to Brock's strong leadership. Having defeated American manifest destiny, Canada thrives to this day as a distinct country in its own right.

[Veterans Affairs, October 5th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, after a year in office words are no longer enough. Canadians are judging the current government on results, or their absence. Of the over 40,000 Canadians deployed to Afghanistan, 158 made the ultimate sacrifice, including three brave young men from my riding of York—Simcoe. We have a solemn obligation to remember them and their service to our country.

Last winter the veterans affairs minister denied he was cancelling plans for a memorial to those who served in the Afghanistan mission. He said, “rest assured it will be done.” It has been a year now. Where is the Afghanistan war memorial?

[Canadian Heritage, October 3rd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, when the previous Conservative government proposed to change the national anthem, we told Canadians about it in a throne speech and invited their feedback. We received it loud and clear. They told us to keep our hands off their national anthem. Stephen Harper listened to Canadians, and the proposal was dropped.

Canadians have now told the new Prime Minister that they do not want the anthem changes that the Liberals are sneaking through. Will the Prime Minister show that he can listen to Canadians as much as Stephen Harper did, and drop this proposed change that Canadians oppose?