Rob Anders

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, November 25th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, we have a very sad situation in the sense that we have a number of RCMP widows who have faced a very difficult situation.

The circumstances are as follows. When their husbands have died in the line of duty, these women have been approached by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and officials with the RCMP have told them that they must have full regimental funerals for their husbands. They are not told, however, that they will have to pay the costs of those funerals.

Some of these RCMP widows, who have already sacrificed loved ones, are then assessed bills, one of them for over $20,000. It was asked for out of the widow's own pocket after the death of her husband. She was never told that she would be accountable for that bill. She was told that it had to be a full regimental funeral. She is not just one widow. There are three cases. There is also a fourth that I will talk about a little bit.

Today I want to ask the government, at what stage is it at in terms of changing its policy? The answer we received from the Deputy Prime Minister was that it was a policy of the RCMP. The RCMP, of course, is a tool and a branch of the federal government. I would like to have a little more specificity from it this evening.

There is a recent press release that was put out by Kathy Maurice, Margaret Galloway and Lesley Massey. They are the three widows in question. The press release states:

In our opinion the reimbursement amount as set out in this policy does not even begin to accurately reflect the actual costs associated with these funerals.

It is unfair that the Mounties insisted on a full regimental ceremony without even mentioning that these women would have to pay. When can we expect the review of the three family cases to be completed? We know it took six years to properly compensate the victims of hepatitis C, and we wonder how long it will take the government to compensate these widows.

There is a fourth situation that has just recently arisen. It is incredibly important that the government be timely about these things because Constable Glen Evely of the RCMP in Vernon, B.C., was killed in the line of duty just last Saturday. I asked questions on this matter of the Deputy Prime Minister last week. He was given a full regimental funeral, as every officer who dies in the line of duty deserves, but at what price?

Will Constable Evely's widow be stuck with these same costs, these huge bills, that these three other widows have been stuck with? We do not want to see the type of heartless attitude that was shown to Kathy Maurice, Margaret Galloway or Lesley Massey reflected onto this new situation.

RCMP Commissioner Guiliano Zaccardelli flew to all of these funerals, every single one. We would like to know, how much money did it cost him to fly to these funerals? Certainly, if the RCMP and the government, therefore, can see fit to pay to fly the commissioner, why not look after the bills--

[Prime Minister, November 25th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, in the wake of the Alberta Senate election, a new phobia has just been discovered, “democrophobia”. The six early warning signs are:

One, an irrational and excessive fear of parliamentary committees interviewing judges.

Two, a disturbing lack of guilt while denying membership forms to rivals in the Liberal leadership race.

Three, a fear of debate, invoking closure within the first six days of becoming Prime Minister.

Four, the experience of extreme highs and lows in favour or against democratic nominations; being for nomination battles involving political enemies, but against nomination battles involving friends.

Five, the denial about past statements such as “Free votes in the House of Commons are now a matter of course”, yet, within months disallowing a free vote by Liberal members on the gun registry.

Six, the mere sight of Senate elections causing panic attacks, odd outbursts like “no piecemeal reform”, and a paralysis of action.

A prime minister with one or more of those symptoms should be evaluated by Canadian voters as soon as possible.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, November 17th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, on December 18, 2002, RCMP Superintendent Dennis Massey died in my riding on the Trans-Canada Highway while on duty. The RCMP insisted upon a full regimental funeral and told the widow they would cover the costs.

How is it the government insists on a full regimental funeral, has officers claim they would cover the costs and then tries to stick the widow with a $20,000 bill?

[Petitions, May 12th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, my last petition is from people who are very concerned about the issue of Tibet and China's invasion of that country. They are concerned with issues of unprovoked aggression, the thousands of Buddhist monasteries that have been destroyed, the banning of religious activity in Tibet and the cessation of practices that deprive the Tibetan people of their fundamental human rights and freedoms, including their right to self-determination.

[Petitions, May 12th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, my second petition is from some other constituents who want to see a Senate that is both elected and effective. It is something we have heard before in this place.

[Petitions, May 12th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, hundreds of law-abiding gun owners in Calgary and other places wish me to present a petition. The petitioners state that the gun registry has cost $1 billion, actually it is probably about $2 billion, that the gun registry is not supported by the provinces, that the gun registry has not reduced gun crimes and they would like a repeal of the gun registry.

[Petitions, May 10th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition signed by 362 people. The petitioners say that basically the elected members of Parliament should be making decisions rather than the unelected judiciary.

The petitioners also believe that the definition of marriage needs to be preserved and protected. They believe in invoking section 33 of the charter, the notwithstanding clause, if necessary to preserve and protect the current definition of marriage as between one man and one woman.

[Supply, May 6th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about employment insurance and I think there is one thing about it that frustrates a lot of people. What does the hon. member, my colleague, think about EI funds being milked off the backs of workers, with some people unable to claim for those benefits later on, and the idea that these funds were doled out either to Liberal friendly ad firms or into wasteful practices like the gun registry, which has been proven to be fairly ineffective and a waste of money? How does it make the hon. member fee to know that this money has gone to pay off Liberal cronies and friends?

[International Transfer of Offenders Act, April 27th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I just want to make sure that I am included on this particular motion as voting in favour of it.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

[The Dalai Lama, April 22nd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, it is my humble honour today to welcome to Ottawa His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and a relentless campaigner for freedom and human dignity. He has led the non-violent struggle against the occupation of Tibet for decades, against all odds. In exile, His Holiness has successfully led his people in the field of education and the preservation of their ancient and unique Tibetan culture.

I hope that all Canadians will embrace the peaceful spirit of his visit and that it will bring attention to the human rights situation in Tibet.

Canada has an historic opportunity to help launch negotiations between representatives of the Dalai Lama in China to broker a peaceful solution in Tibet. One hundred and sixty-two parliamentarians have called on the Prime Minister to act as an honest broker. It is time for the Prime Minister to stand up to the plate of moral leadership and do what is right.