Ralph Goodale

[Government Priorities, November 22nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, there are at least two other competitive bidders.

This is the government that increased federal spending by three times the rate of inflation before there was any recession, that put Canada back into deficit before there was any recession, that blew a billion bucks on one extravagant, wasteful weekend with the G20, and another billion on advertising consultants and a bloated PMO, plus that $16 billion for those stealth fighters and $10 billion for bigger jails.

Where is the plan to fix all these risky, reckless, Conservative schemes?

[National Defence, November 22nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, in the finance minister's prebudget crusade against “risky spending schemes”, he needs to look in his own backyard at the scheme to write a blank cheque for stealth fighter jets.

The Auditor General says this project is very high risk. The Pentagon and U.S. Senator John McCain said that costs are out of control. Reports today suggest billions more in cost overruns and more delay.

Will the finance minister say no to this Conservative risky spending scheme that will add billions to his deficit?

[Saskatchewan Roughriders, November 22nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, over the past few weeks we have heard a lot about Saskatchewan's strategic resources, especially potash, but nothing is more strategic in Saskatchewan than our precious Roughriders.

Facing temperatures of 30° below zero, the tough Calgary Stampeders, and the bad memories of last year at McMahon Stadium, the Riders came from behind yesterday in the CFL western final to seize the division championship once again. Now it is on to the 2010 Grey Cup game next weekend against the Montreal Alouettes. This will be the 98th Grey Cup.

Significantly, the Saskatchewan Roughriders pre-date the national championship. The roots of the Riders run all the way back to 1910, so this is the team's 100th anniversary. A century of Rider pride will warm up Edmonton this week.

Congratulations to president Jim Hopson, general manager Brendan Taman, head coach Ken Miller, quarterback Darian Durant, and every Roughrider and Roughrider wannabe in every corner of Canada.

Green is the colour.

[National Defence, November 18th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the defence minister thought otherwise.

The defence minister said that it will take 10 years to fix the damage done by the government House leader to Canada's relations with the UAE. Ten years is how long Canada will have to wait to get another shot at the UN Security Council if the UAE calms down. Ten years is how long this country will labour under new debt caused by Conservative bungling like the Camp Mirage fiasco.

Why will the reckless minister not just admit to a very stupid mistake?

[National Defence, November 18th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, because of the wrong-headed advice given by the government House leader, the defence minister was cut out of the loop on airport landing rights, an ally against al-Qaeda was insulted, Canada was evicted from the Camp Mirage staging base, Canadian taxpayers are now stuck with some multiple of $300 million in totally wasted costs and Canada lost votes for the UN Security Council.

Does the government House leader now understand why the defence minister parades about in a “Fly Emirates” hat and negotiates with a law firm for a new job?

[National Defence, November 18th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence continues to vent publicly, and rightly so, about the foolish, clumsy bungling of international airport landing rights in Canada.

That mismanagement with respect to the United Arab Emirates has badly damaged Canadian relations with what should be a valued ally in the struggle against terrorism.

Will the government House leader now admit that he was wrong on this matter, so much so that the defence minister is still fuming about it a month later and talking with Bay Street lawyers about leaving the government?

[Year of the Métis Nation, November 16th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, 11 months ago, I asked this House to approve the following motion:

That...the government should utilize next year, 2010, to commemorate the Year of the Métis in recognition of the 125th anniversary of the historic events of 1885 in Saskatchewan; and further, the government should recognize and celebrate the invaluable contributions of the Métis Nation across Canada which have enriched the lives of all Canadians, socially, economically, politically and culturally.

That motion was adopted unanimously.

Now, on this day, November 16, we need to pause in solemn reflection on the death, 125 years ago today, of the founder of the Métis Nation, Louis Riel.

A western MP, father of the province of Manitoba, leader of the northwest rebellion and valiant defender of the identity, culture and rights of the Métis people, Louis Riel is a figure of enduring national importance.

On this day, we in this Parliament honour his memory.

[National Defence, November 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the minister should not confuse Conservative interests with Canadian interests. They are not the same thing.

The government is also not telling the truth about fighter jets. Both Boeing and Dassault of France testified yesterday that they do, in fact, have aircraft equal to or better than the F-35s, at a lower price, with full regional industrial benefits and technology transfer.

So the government's non-competitive, sole-sourced rationale is shot full of holes.

Why did these Conservative bunglers not even bother to ask Boeing or Dassault?

[National Defence, November 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, criticizing the government for bungling and waste is not an attack on Canada, it is a defence of Canada.

This country deserves better than these Keystone Kops: $300 million for a complete screw-up, and the burden is now downloaded onto the Canadian Forces, scrambling to move from Camp Mirage to who knows where; longer flights, bigger fuel bills and paying rent for an airfield that we used to get for free. That is $300 million just flushed down the toilet.

How do the Conservatives explain that to the veterans who will be demonstrating tomorrow because they cannot get a decent pension? What do the Conservatives say to them?

[National Defence, November 5th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the government's wasteful incompetence was on glaring display again yesterday in the growing fiasco around Canada's eviction from Camp Mirage and in new testimony about the bungled Conservative deal for stealth fighter jets.

Getting kicked out of Camp Mirage was sheer stupidity. We have had that staging facility from the United Arab Emirates free of charge for nine years, but now we get the boot because these Conservatives could not manage commercial airline landing rights.

How can they justify that complete and utter waste of $300 million?