Peter Van Loan

[Ethics, February 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, clearly we are committed to ensuring all expenses are appropriate. However, when we talk about real accountability, real accountability goes further. Real accountability means we believe in our democracy. Real accountability means we will allow Canadians to choose who represents them in the Senate. That is the proposal from this government. That is the proposal opposed by the NDP, whose own ethics critic, when asked that question, said that he could not say what the New Democrats would do about the Senate after the next election. They have no plan.

We have a plan for real accountability and real democracy in the Senate. Let us all get behind it.

[Ethics, February 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said several times, we have committed to ensuring that all expenses are appropriate and that the rules governing those expenses are appropriate.

In the case of Senator Duffy, he clearly maintains a residence in the province and has deep roots in that province.

The difficulty, though, with the NDP members is that they come here talking about changing the Senate in meaningful ways. We had a proposal to do it; they have none and they continue to have none. In fact, the member for Timmins—James Bay said, when asked what the NDP would do about the Senate last week, “I can't say what the NDP leader will do after the next election”.

The NDP members have no plan and they will not tell Canadians what they will do.

[Ethics, February 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the judgment that is missing is the judgment from a party that purports to want to see meaningful change to the Senate, yet opposes it every step of the way.

Our government has put forward a plan that will allow Canadians, for the first time, to actually have a say in who represents them in the Senate. In every case where Canadians have been asked in those provinces that have held elections, our Prime Minister has appointed the individuals selected to the Senate.

The difficulty is that the NDP opposes our legislation going forward. If the NDP members want to show they are serious about real Senate reform and real accountability in the Senate, they would support that legislation and support real democracy in the Senate.

[Ethics, February 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, Senator Wallin spent 168 days last year in the province of Saskatchewan. Her roots in Saskatchewan are deep and well known. She has a residence in Saskatchewan.

All Conservative senators are qualified to represent the provinces and territories they represent.

[Aboriginal Affairs, February 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Liberal Party is wrong. For example, in education, the funding that the government provides to aboriginal youth is at the same level as the funding offered to other young people pursuing an education in the provinces. Our priority is to create opportunities for aboriginal youth everywhere in Canada, in order to offer them a brighter future than in the past.

[Aboriginal Affairs, February 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, simply put, we do not accept the premise of the leader of the third party's question. Indeed, it is certainly the case that the education funding provided by the government is comparable to that provided for off-reserve Canadians by most of the provinces. We actually believe that the best way to ensure that first nations children and families get the support they need is by working together with first nations, provinces and territories. We are doing that to ensure, most of all, that we benefit first nations Canadians by having a strong economy and by creating the educational and economic opportunities for them to succeed and advance, as all Canadians hope to do quite legitimately. That is our priority and that is what we are looking to deliver.

[Ethics, February 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, we have committed to ensuring that all expenses and the rules governing them are appropriate. We have also committed to reporting back to the public on these matters.

The senators own property in the provinces they represent and maintain deep, continuing ties with those regions. They spend considerable time in their home provinces and territories.

[Ethics, February 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, we have committed to ensure that all expenses are appropriate, that the rules governing expenses are appropriate, and to report back to the public on these matters.

Senators Patterson, Wallin and Duffy all own property in the provinces and territory they represent. They maintain deep continuing ties to those regions. In fact, all three senators spend considerable time in their home provinces and territory, and in the case of Senator Wallin, who was mentioned, 168 days last year.

The reality is that if we want to see real change in the Senate, real change toward an accountable Senate, we need to embrace the Conservative proposal to actually let Canadians have a say on who represents them in the Senate. The NDP simply will not do that.

[Airport Security, February 15th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, for the past two days we have seen a sudden show of enthusiasm from the opposition for one of our pieces of legislation, Bill C-12. I would like to seek the unanimous consent of the House at this time that, notwithstanding any other element of the Standing Orders, Bill C-12 be approved at second reading and sent to committee.

[Ethics, February 15th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the track record of the Prime Minister is clear. Where every opportunity has presented itself, he has appointed a senator elected by Canadians: Senator Brown, Senator Unger, and most recently Senator Black, from Alberta. In every case where that has happened we have taken action, and we have taken action with a real plan to reform the Senate to allow Canadians to have a say.

The NDP does not think Canadians are mature enough to have a say in who represents them in the Senate. That is why the NDP does not trust Canadians to do that. That is why NDP members have opposed Senate reform legislation every step of the way. It is time for them to get serious. If they want to see reform, they should support our legislation.