Scott Andrews

[Diabetes, November 27th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to stand today in support of JDRF's Kids for a Cure Lobby Day. JDRF is the leading global organization and largest charitable supporter focused on type 1 diabetes research.

Currently, more than 300,000 Canadians and their families suffer from this disease and are faced with its devastating complications.

Currently in Ottawa are 40 “Living Proof Champions” and their families, who are meeting with parliamentarians to discuss the personal challenges they face in living with type 1 diabetes and encouraging government to expand the JDRF Canadian Clinical Trial Network to all parts of the country.

One of those champions visiting Ottawa is from my riding, 14-year-old Jordon Mayo, who travelled with his mom, June, from Newfoundland to be part of JDRF's Kids for a Cure Lobby Day.

To recognize Jordon's efforts and leadership, I had the pleasure of visiting Baltimore School in Ferryland this past Friday to present Jordon with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal. Indeed, Jordon commits much of his time to JDRF, church, sports and music while maintaining a 99% average at school. To further recognize his efforts, last evening the president of JDRF designated Jordon as a JDRF Diabetes Champion.

JDRF and Jordon Mayo are doing their share to find a cure. Now it is up to us to support these families and this initiative.

[41st General Election, November 21st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, on the question of robocalls the new parliamentary secretary is finding himself getting sucked into the same ethical hole as his predecessor. His company, 3D Contact Inc., made big bucks making robocalls for the Conservatives, securing some 96 contracts and 49 grand in the 2008 election, and none of those robocalls had address tag lines as required by the CRTC.

When will the government take the issue seriously and reveal to Canadians all the information it has on the robocall scam, or will we get another robocall answer from Pierre Poutine?

[41st General Election, November 21st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, during the 2011 election campaign, Elections Canada told the Conservatives that fraudulent calls claiming that polling stations had been moved were traced back to the Conservatives' national toll-free number.

Why did the Conservatives not take immediate action and take the steps necessary to investigate? Why is there no evidence that anyone in their party tried to work with Elections Canada to shut that down? Are the Elections Act penalties too low?

Will the government vote to pass a Liberal bill today that adds strenuous fines to the Elections Act to stop criminal fraud like this from happening in the future?

[41st General Election, November 20th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, it is a funny thing, that parliamentary secretary used to run a political calling company himself. He ran robocalls without address tag lines and broke CRTC rules. Maybe he should look at his own history when it comes to robocalls.

Let us be frank. When will the Conservatives stop dodging, diverting, deflecting and playing the victim and come clean with Canadians about their role in the election fraud scandal?

[41st General Election, November 20th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives refuse to answer serious questions about the robocall scandal, despite the fact that we know now that they knew about it before the election.

No minister over there has the guts to touch this issue. All we are getting is bafflegab from the parliamentary secretary, who has so discredited himself by trying to dismiss the in and out affair until the conviction.

What is the Conservative government trying to hide, and when will it have the guts to turn over the unredacted emails?

[Ethics, November 19th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Labrador refuses to say anything in the House about his election expenses. He then goes out of the House and says he will report everything and tell all when he goes back home. Then his office in Ottawa sends out a press release saying nothing. While the minister is out in Labrador, he tells his constituents at a meeting that this is not the place to discuss this. He will not answer questions in the House or out of the House.

Not in, not out; where is the member for Labrador?

[Intergovernmental Affairs, November 8th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, we all know that the member for Labrador is drowning in his election irregularities. The management of the relationship between the federal government and the provinces is a major job and the minister is simply not doing his job. His own website shows only three meetings with provincial counterparts, and that was all in 2011. God only knows what he has been doing in 2012. He has been ripping off taxpayers by not doing his job.

Will the minister admit to not doing his job and resign immediately?

[Ethics, November 5th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, with the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, first it was about inexperienced campaign workers, workers meeting the bus. Then the excuse was, “Sorry, I'm a rookie at this kind of stuff, I don't know the rules”. Then out of nowhere last week the minister knew the rules. It was not about inexperienced campaign workers. He told them, “Don't accept corporate donations. Don't be tricked, don't be fooled”. Then, in the same breath, he forgot to tell them that there was a spending limit.

Is there anything else he would like to add while he is digging this hole?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, November 2nd, 2012]

With regard to Department of Fisheries and Oceans officials who work at the 200 Kent Street office in Ottawa and who met with Mr. Loyola Sullivan of Ocean Choice International from June 1, 2011, to May 10, 2012: (a) what are the names of the officials, broken down by (i) deputy ministers, (ii) associate deputy ministers, (iii) senior assistant deputy ministers, (iv) assistant deputy ministers, (v) directors, (vi) managers; (b) what is the functioning title of the officials in (a); and (c) what were the (i) date of the meetings, (ii) location of the meetings, (iii) topics discussed, (iv) details of any briefing notes or materials prepared or used for the meetings?

[Autism, October 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked an important day for all people who are affected by autism. The House of Commons fast-tracked and passed Liberal Senator Jim Munson's, Bill S-206, An Act respecting World Autism Awareness Day, with the support of all parties.

This is an historic moment. October is Autism Awareness month in our country and there can be no better time for Parliament to pass Bill S-206. Now each and every April 2 will be recognized officially as World Autism Awareness Day in Canada.

I hope families affected by autism will see this gesture as a reminder that they have not been forgotten. We still have much to do, but the passing of a bill demonstrates that Canadian lawmakers care about autism and autism awareness.

I congratulate my colleague Senator Jim Munson for his tireless advocacy of this issue and for the efforts he has put into ensuring that autism gets the attention it needs in Canada.