House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 65% of the vote.
Csis November 15th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the solicitor general did not really answer the main question from the member for Kootenay—Columbia. I would like to give him a chance to answer it again.
When did the minister advise SIRC of the theft of top secret documents from CSIS?
Port Of Vancouver November 15th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister avoids the question. These are temporary ad hoc solutions that solve nothing in the long run.
Every time one of Canada's ports shuts down because of these reasons both foreign and domestic shippers go to American ports to move their products.
Each time that happens there is no guarantee that the Canadian ports will get their business back. It is not only the daily cost of these lockouts and strikes. It is the long term cost to Canadians and Canadian business.
Again, why will the government not introduce some permanent solution to this problem by providing for binding arbitration in the case of these disputes?
Port Of Vancouver November 15th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are tired of temporary ad hoc solutions to this problem. Canadians want confidence in their port system and they do not have it now.
This has become a yearly ritual. Labour-management talks break down, work stops, and the government fumbles around looking for a temporary solution that does not work even through the year. Meanwhile Canadians are left paying the bills, in this case up to $100 million a day.
Why will the government not end next year's strike or lockout before it starts by introducing legislation to provide for binding arbitration in these cases?
Port Of Vancouver November 15th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the lockout at the port of Vancouver has cost Canadians millions and millions of dollars again.
In three of the past four years labour-management disputes have brought this port to a grinding halt. Unless something substantial is done it will happen again next year.
Why will the government not introduce legislation for binding arbitration of these disputes and remove even the possibility of future lockouts and work stoppages?
Agriculture November 3rd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, talk about priorities being out of control. According to sources, the federal government is spending $125,000 per person on illegal migrants, but when hard-pressed Saskatchewan and Manitoba farmers come looking for emergency assistance, the government says that there is no crisis and no need for help.
If the Saskatchewan and Manitoba farmers were to get in a rusty boat and throw their Canadian passports overboard, would they qualify for $125,000 in capital grants this fall?
Agriculture November 3rd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadian farmers are staring bankruptcy in the eye and wondering how on earth they will get through the winter. Thousands of farm children are suffering along with their parents, wondering how their families are going to make it at all. Meanwhile in Ottawa the Prime Minister and his minions are putting together a $47 billion spending spree but cannot even deliver the $900 million in emergency aid to keep farmers afloat.
How many farmers have to lose their farms and face bankruptcy before the government and the Prime Minister will acknowledge there is a crisis?
Agriculture November 3rd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister of Canada now says that there is no farm crisis. He sits behind his desk, orders up some statistics from his officials and comes to the conclusion that the crisis has disappeared. He never bothers to talk to farmers and their families. He never bothers to visit the farms. He simply calculates the crisis out of existence.
When did the Prime Minister become so disconnected from western Canadians that he is more willing to listen to federal number crunchers than he is to farmers themselves?
Agriculture November 1st, 1999
Mr. Speaker, on the very same day that those premiers and farmers were here in Ottawa looking for at least the $600 million that this minister promised, the federal government gave away $3.6 billion in pay equity to settle a bungle in that area.
I ask the agriculture minister, would the premiers and farmers have gotten further if they had come here and asked for equal pay for wheat of equal value?
Agriculture November 1st, 1999
Mr. Speaker, my question for the agriculture minister is really simple. The minister says this House has allocated $900 million to help farmers. Less than $300 million of that has gone through the pipe. What is he going to do to get the other $600 million into the arms of those farmers this member represents?
Agriculture November 1st, 1999
Mr. Speaker, last Monday in this House I outlined as clearly as possible the official opposition's support for agricultural assistance to farmers in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. I am surprised the Deputy Prime Minister did not hear that. It was his leader who has not shown up in this House for six years on this subject.