House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2021, with 50% of the vote.
Federal Accountability Act June 20th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for the occasion to speak to these motions. I think most members of the House will agree that these amendments are largely technical in nature and fix the minor problems that the committee was not able to address.
I would invite any comments and questions from members across the way but I do not see these as being particularly controversial.
Business of Supply June 15th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to ask the leader of the NDP a question about seniors' incomes. One of the major proposals that has arisen from numerous seniors' groups to increase their take home pay, particularly that of married, middle class seniors, is to give them fair tax treatment.
Right now any family, young or old, that has a single income is taxed at a disproportionately higher rate than those that have a dual income. For example, a retired couple with $60,000 in income earned by one of the retirees pays a much higher rate of taxation than the family next door with two incomes of $30,000.
One way to resolve this unfairness in our tax system would be to allow for income tax splitting, thus allowing the two people to split their incomes and therefore allow their rate to be lowered. I wonder what the hon. member thinks of that policy proposal.
Decorum June 14th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, yesterday some members raised a concern about some gestures that they alleged I had made in the House of Commons at that time. I wish to say, as I am a gentleman of this House, that if any of my gestures have offended them or any member in this House, I wish to apologize and withdraw.
Petitions June 9th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, secondly, I rise to speak up in favour of the human rights of Egyptian Christians, who are the minority in that country and who are systematically discriminated against and face constant intimidation by terrorist elements in that country. It is time that Canada took a strong stand against terrorism and thuggery all over the world, including in Egypt.
Petitions June 9th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I rise to present two petitions. The first petition calls upon the Parliament of Canada to urge the adoption of recommendation 2.5 in the report of the technical advisory committee on tax measures for persons with disabilities. They would like to see that tax credit applied with greater fairness to people who have certain kinds of disabilities, including those with juvenile diabetes.
Extension of Sitting Hours June 9th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, it is abundantly clear that the sovereignists need corrupt Liberals to justify achieving sovereignty. Such is the extremely useful relationship they have with corrupt Liberals who, in turn, use the separatists as an excuse for their corruption, as we have seen in connection with the sponsorship scandal.
The hon. member may try to deny this relationship between the Bloc and the Liberals. She may not want to admit that the sovereignists need the corrupt Liberals to justify separation. Otherwise, is she prepared to say loud and clear that she supports our extending sitting hours in order to pass the accountability bill, which will thoroughly clean up politics in this country, and that she will work to have this bill passed by the Senate before the summer recess?
Canada Elections Act June 2nd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, now that I have finished applauding the member's question, I would like to try answering it.
We are against the Liberal practice of shaking down kids at lemonade stands. We are pushing for swift passage of the accountability act, which reins in the kind of irresponsible anti-kid approach to raising funds that we have seen from the Liberal Party of Canada.
In fact, I applaud the member and his party for working with the Conservatives to pass swiftly the accountability act. I for one can say that as a member of that committee I will support any amendment to stop this obscene practice of picking on our school kids.
Federal Accountability Act June 2nd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the member is correct that Ms. Gualtieri did expose millions of dollars' worth of Liberal corruption. The litigation in which she is now engaged is litigation of that previous government. That litigation is now under review.
What is critically important, though, is that whistleblowers be protected as soon as possible. That is why I am so disappointed to see a coalition of the Liberals and the Bloc working to block the passage of the accountability act before summer. The real question is this: why will all members of the House of Commons not begin to work together now so that we can pass whistleblower protection into law immediately?
Federal Accountability Act June 2nd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his hard work on behalf of whistleblowers and public servants.
In fact, the corruption that Ms. Gualtieri exposed was corruption of the previous Liberal government and the litigation in which she is now involved is also litigation of a previous government. That litigation is currently under review.
Luckily we now have an accountability act before committee that is the toughest anti-corruption law in Canadian history. It will protect whistleblowers and it will make it a criminal offence, punishable by jail time, for those people who punish whistleblowers in the way that the Liberals consistently bullied our public servants.
Crime Fighting May 30th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, recently I held a contest in my riding where students submitted essays on fighting crime. I am pleased to announce that Nepean High School student, Danica De Jong, was the winner.
Sponsored by a generous donation from an excellent corporate citizen, the Bank of Nova Scotia, Danica De Jong put forward a series of measured thoughts on how we can reduce crime in the community of Nepean and right across the country. Danica proposed that we needed more discipline in the system. She believes and understands that tough on crime actually works.
Danica believes that police officers must be given more resources, that there must be more of them on the street and that they must have tough laws that they can enforce to restore order in our streets.
Finally, she believes that mandatory detoxification and an end to drugs in prison is essential to ending the high rate of re-offence.
I am proud to stand up on behalf of the constituents of Nepean—Carleton and the Parliament of Canada to congratulate Miss Danica De Jong for her excellent work and as the champion crime fighter in Nepean.