House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2019, with 34% of the vote.
Health October 26th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, in Quebec doubts about the vaccine are the highest: 60% of Quebeckers say they do not want it. Doubt is greatest among young adults. Although they are in a high risk group, 64% say they are opposed to the vaccine.
In this climate of confusion, why is this government spending 12 times more on partisan propaganda than on public information on the flu?
Health October 26th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, survey after survey about the H1N1 vaccine shows a dangerous trend. Only half of Canadians are planning to get vaccinated. That is down from two-thirds in July. Too many people do not think the vaccine is safe, do not think it is necessary. That communications failure could put lives at risk.
How does the Prime Minister justify an advertising tsunami of $100 million for partisan Conservative propaganda, but only a pittance for crucial information about vaccinations?
Business of the House October 22nd, 2009
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the government House leader his plans for the work program in the House for the rest of this week and next week in particular.
I wonder if he is in a position today to designate the next allotted day that will come along in the normal series.
Just on one point of absolute clarity, I would note that the Senate finished yesterday with Bill C-25, which is the bill dealing with the two-for-one remand issue. The bill as it emerged from the Senate is in exactly the form passed by the House. I would note that the Senate took one-half as many sitting days to deal with the bill as did the House of Commons, so the Senate moved rather quickly on the matter.
I would also note that Bill S-4 on identity theft was also done.
I wonder if the minister could confirm that royal assent has already been given to both of these bills.
Infrastructure October 22nd, 2009
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives taint themselves with their abusive tactics: corrupt advertising, phony cheques, partisan logos, billboards on doorknobs, untendered contracts, and worst of all, the twisted distribution of infrastructure money to discriminate on a partisan basis against millions of honest, hard-working Canadians.
Why, for example, is a disabled child in Dartmouth worth less to the government than such a child in Whitby? Why?
Infrastructure October 22nd, 2009
Mr. Speaker, what the Conservatives have done here is cheating pure and simple, and it gets worse. They are not just butchering the taxpayers' dollar to pump pork into Conservative ridings. Nearly half the Conservative caucus is now under investigation for phony cheque presentations and they are running the most twisted, expensive government advertising in Canadian history headed toward $100 million or more. Independent experts say it is blatantly partisan, a form of political corruption. When is it going to stop?
Infrastructure October 22nd, 2009
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are worried about their jobs and their families, yet the Conservatives are engaging in an orgy of pork-barrelling.
Three independent investigations confirm the research done by the member for Parkdale—High Park: a shocking proportion of the recovery plan is meant for Conservative partisanship.
Will the Conservatives admit that this poses a threat to Canadians who did not vote for them?
Prohibition on Importing Goods Produced by Sweatshop Labour Act October 21st, 2009
Mr. Speaker, in the context of the remarks that have just been made, there may indeed be matters here that you need to take under advisement.
I would point out that one of the things the government House leader has just done, something that was criticized by members of his party not long ago, was to discuss publicly the details of an in camera meeting.
If we are now going to be examining what was done or not done by the deputy House leader for the opposition, we need to examine the issue of revealing confidential details of an in camera meeting as well.
If we are going to talk about misuse of the rules of the House, we need to examine two incidents that occurred recently in the House in which ministers of the crown used statements by ministers in complete violation of the rules and traditions for which that provision is on the order paper. It is not there simply to make a political commercial. It is there for the purpose of making an announcement. Neither of the two ministers who have made ministerial statements recently has ever had an announcement to make. They simply used that provision for a political commercial.
These matters may well benefit from your wit and your wisdom and your good humour, Mr. Speaker. Maybe they should be taken up again at the next meeting of the House leaders where they could do with a little further ventilation.
Afghanistan October 9th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, it needs to be made clear that there is nothing here that questions the conduct of Canadian soldiers. They are not the problem. This is all about the wilful blindness of the Conservative government.
To stymie that complaints commission on torture in Afghanistan jails, the Conservatives are trying to get rid of the commission chair, Peter Tinsley. His term is up. The Conservatives will not extend it. The normal practice would be to extend the tenure of incumbent officials when their terms expire in the middle of incomplete proceedings.
What is the government so desperately covering up?
Afghanistan October 9th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, Richard Colvin was the first Canadian to see inside the Afghan prison system.
The government used to brag about the fact that he and others were there inspecting those facilities, finding out what was going on, and informing the government of those realities.
Now, Richard Colvin wants to testify before the Military Police Complaints Commission. He has already sent the commission his testimony in writing. He wants Canadians to know the truth.
Why has the government launched eight different legal manoeuvres to shut up Richard Colvin? Why that cover up?
Business of the House October 8th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the government House leader would be prepared to, in the usual tradition, provide his business program for the days immediately ahead, including the designation of any allotted days that he might have in mind in the week that follows the Thanksgiving week.
I wonder if he could also give us some indication of when the government will fulfill one of its traditional obligations of the late summer or early fall of every year; that is, the tabling in Parliament and the publication of the audited annual financial report of the Government of Canada for the 2008-09 fiscal year. When will that report be forthcoming?