Rodney Weston

[Seal Hunt, March 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, today marks the opening of the Canadian seal hunt in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. It is a long-standing tradition and the backbone of many communities in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.

Can the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans tell the House how Canada is standing up for these proud sealers and this vital industry?

[Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, March 12th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to read a quote from the International Monetary Fund report regarding the fiscal action taken by this Conservative government. It states, “the authorities responded proactively to the crisis. The IMF supports a strong fiscal package announced in January, which was large, timely, and well targeted”.

Implementation of our plan is now the key challenge. Why does the leader of the Liberal Party want to stand in the way of Canada's economic recovery? While the Conservative government has listened to Canadians and has come up with a plan, the Liberal leader is too busy listening to the poor judgment of Warren Kinsella, and has no plan.

Canadians have two options: the Conservative plan of cutting taxes, providing help for those hardest hit, investing in roads, bridges and other infrastructure; or a Liberal approach, led by a leader that has no plan, no economic experience and a not so hidden agenda to impose—

[Committees of the House, March 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I have two reports to present to the House today.

I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans in relation to the report on the James Bay eelgrass beds presented to the House during the second session of the 39th Parliament.

I also have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans in relation to the European legislative actions regarding the Canadian seal harvest.

[Government Contracts, February 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, it is a fact that over 90% of companies in Canada are small and medium-sized enterprises. That represents 2.3 million companies. The Government of Canada does a lot of business with small and medium-sized enterprises, however, many companies have complained of the barriers to government procurement.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services explain what this government is doing to help small businesses?

[Leader of the Opposition, February 25th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, whereas this government has a plan for the country, the Leader of the Opposition only has a plan for himself. He has the audacity to come back to Canada after 36 lost years for the sole purpose of becoming prime minister. The more he tours, the more he speaks, the more profiles that are written, Canadians are increasingly realizing that he is in it for himself and not for them.

The Guardian writer summed it best, and these are his words not mine, when he said that the Leader of the Opposition is so “sure of his own superiority and seems to lack any real passion for the country he intends to lead”.

For the Leader of the Opposition, Canadians deserve better.

[Justice, February 13th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday a major blow was dealt to organized crime and criminal gangs in Montreal. Hundreds of officers from various agencies made a series of coordinated arrests and seized illegal drugs, computer equipment, cash and firearms. This bust came after years of investigation by various agencies.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety provide the House with some information on this operation and tell us how this federal government is getting tough on crime?

[Committees of the House, February 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans in relation to supplementary estimates (B) for the year 2008-09.

[Equalization Payments, January 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, today's newspaper reports claim that the province of Nova Scotia has been negatively impacted by the budget brought in by our government this past Tuesday.

Would the Minister of Finance please clarify these reports for the benefit of the House?

[Infrastructure, January 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Finance delivered an economic action plan to stimulate economic growth and provide almost $12 billion in additional funding to infrastructure projects in all regions of this country.

Would Canada's Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities please tell the House what steps the government is taking to invest in our core infrastructure from coast to coast to coast?

[The Budget, January 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure all members will certainly want to join me in congratulating the Minister of Finance for not only tabling this record-setting fourth consecutive budget in a minority Parliament but also the earliest budget in modern history.

We all appreciate the challenges this has inevitably presented, especially during this period of global economic turmoil, and we thank him for his tireless work. Budget 2009 is a positive plan, with measures that will help our economy over both the short- and long-term; a plan that all parliamentarians should endorse. One measure worthy of special praise is the new home renovation tax credit.

Would the Minister of Finance please explain how this measure would help my constituents in Saint John and our local economy?