Peter Van Loan

[Points of Order, February 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I do not believe there was anything unparliamentary in any of the language that was used and I would invite the Speaker to tell me otherwise.

[Byelections, February 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I continue to be impressed but not surprised by the enthusiasm of the Liberal Party over the resignation of the member for Halton, but I think his 15 minutes of fame are over. If he wishes to have a byelection, that is 100% in his control.

The question is not why he changed his mind or how he explains his change in position, we need to know the answer to that. I do not know why he is asking us why we changed our mind. He is the one who has changed his position on these issues.

[Byelections, February 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Halton has not been in the caucus for 24 hours and he has already received a standing ovation for the concept of him resigning.

I will assure the member for Halton that if he wishes to see a byelection in Halton, it is fully within his control. He can resign today and I am sure we will comply.

[Middle East, February 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberal Party was in government, special advisers for foreign affairs were a way to give people a going away party. Just think about it. Jean Augustine, Sophia Leung were special advisers, but were their reports ever tabled? There was access to information, but they were never tabled.

We want to know why the Liberals have a double standard here. It is not surprising. They always have a double standard.

[Middle East, February 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that the member for Mississauga—Streetsville had a fruitful effort. He had a mandate to provide a report to the Prime Minister, which he did.

What is more interesting is why, if the members of the Liberal Party are so interested in his views now, they showed no interest in those views when he was a member of their caucus. That is the real question.

[Aboriginal Affairs, February 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the member should know that the minister was carrying out his functions at the time. However, let us talk about appropriate travel.

The former minister of the environment had a chief of staff, Daniel Hurley. I am reading this public disclosure. It shows, and listen to the dates closely: December 15, 2005 to December 17, 2005, travel in the amount of $1,547 to Edmonton; purpose: travel with minister for electoral campaign. I am prepared to table this and I would like an explanation from the opposition as to what this is all about.

[Canada Elections Act, February 6th, 2007]

moved that the bill, as amended, be concurred in.

[Ministerial Motor Vehicles, February 6th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's security needs are determined by the RCMP.

But I notice that the opposition House leader, on January 18, 2004, when he was a minister, and his staff used the Challenger to travel from Ottawa to Ottawa on a half-hour flight. I do not understand that one.

On August 9, 2004 he and his wife travelled to Regina. A Challenger brought them back to Ottawa with passengers. Strangely enough, at the same time, he also requested a Challenger jet to London for a trip to Africa. Two Challenger jets in the air at the same time for one minister. It is unbelievable.

[Foreign Affairs, February 6th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, our government makes no apology for standing up for Canada's interests on the world stage. That means having our foreign minister representing Canada abroad at the important meetings where Canada's interests for too long have been left to languish. Once again, we are showing leadership on the world stage and we make no apologies for doing that.

[Foreign Affairs, February 6th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, for years we saw a Liberal government preside over the decline of Canada's esteem on the world stage. Now we finally have a government and a minister that are showing leadership on the world stage, fighting for the Canadian values we believe in: freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. We are proud to have them showing a strong face for Canada again around the world and showing leadership.