Scott Simms

[Canada-Columbia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, April 19th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, in many respects, I agree with the rules of engagement that my colleague outlined in his speech. I am not sure if we agree on all the details, but, nonetheless, the rules of engagement for trade and to create a better society have certainly borne fruit over the past 20, 25 years in many nations, not just Colombia, with which we trade.

He talked about the two parallel agreements. The one in particular I would like to talk about is the labour agreement. What specifically in this agreement puts Colombia in line with how we in Canada treat our labour practices? I would like some instances of policies that are truly Canadian or, in his case, British Columbian. Perhaps he could illustrate some of the new arrangements in Colombia about which he would like to talk.

[Annie Pope, April 16th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to pay tribute to Annie Pope of Peterview, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Annie passed away suddenly on December 16, 2009. She was 60 years of age. Annie Pope was born and raised in Peterview and played a tremendous role in the development of her community.

Throughout her life, she addressed many social and economic issues for the betterment of her community through organizations such as the Peterview Town Council, Your Strength is Our Strength Club, the Seniors Resource Centre, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Laubach Literacy Council.

Annie was so proud of her latest accomplishment. She and others built the Quiet Corners Housing Complex in Peterview. She worked tirelessly with all levels of government to see that affordable housing was available to those in need.

There is no question that we have lost a great pillar of the community. Those who worked with her were touched by her spirit. Now we reflect on those memories and, more importantly, carry forward her community values and legacy.

Annie Pope was an inspirational community leader, a friend to everyone and a great Canadian. It was a pleasure knowing her.

[Keeping Canadians Safe (International Transfer of Offenders) Act, April 16th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for his speech, and also my colleague before him who also made a speech. I never had the opportunity to stand and ask him a question but I will ask a question of my colleague from Ontario.

Bill C-5, from what I understand, is to enhance public safety, which is the major key plank of this legislation and which was never thought of before, as was pointed out by him.

One of the things he said concerned the ability to rehabilitate, as assessed by another country. For example, if someone were in the United States right now and programs were available for him or her to rehabilitate, such as vocational and certain other programs, if that individual were unable or unwilling to take steps or measures to rehabilitate, that would be used against that individual applying for the transfer into this country. Is that necessarily the case? What about in countries that do not necessarily have the programs for rehabilitation? Should that not too be considered?

Is that my understanding of it? Is that what he is pushing for? In other words, to rehabilitate someone or to gauge that person's ability to rehabilitate also depends upon the system in that country.

[Jobs and Economic Growth Act, April 15th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, I want to stick with the same topic here, which would be the pensions. I want the member to flesh out some of the ideas that he has about the increase in the GIS as one aspect of it.

What we forget is that back in the old days when the QPP and CPP were created in the mid-60s, as a wonderful piece of social legislation, Quebec played a huge role in the genesis of that particular program. It has progressed socially through some great policies, no matter what political stripe the government of the day was in the province of Quebec.

When the member talks about jurisdiction, what is he talking about? Is he talking about the federal government in Ottawa handing out money to be administered by the QPP within the province of Quebec alone, with complete jurisdiction over this?

Second, does the member believe that people should be allowed to voluntarily up their payments to CPP as a way of securing their pensions?

[Jobs and Economic Growth Act, April 15th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, the member is absolutely right. He has pegged my riding quite well.

The AbitibiBowater situation was, for him, as it was for me, an incredible eye-opener. I hope this House realizes that for people in the United States right now, credit protection for them is more beneficial than what we have here.

The member made a valid point about communities. It was not just the AbitibiBowater workers who as of last year were losing out on the value of their pension, which was down by 30% because of the economic downturn, but in the absence of the mill that closed down in Grand Falls--Windsor, these high salary jobs were eliminated, which means the pensions received by the former workers now comprise a major economic driver in the Exploits Valley region.

We keep forgetting that a better way of receiving remuneration once we are retired, a better pension is also a vanguard to economic development for some of these smaller communities. I do not think I am far-fetched by saying this.

What are some of the measures he is proposing to help these people who are suffering from deficient or unfunded liabilities in their pensions?

[Jobs and Economic Growth Act, April 15th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, I would like to compliment my colleague on the work that he has done on the EI file. He spoke earlier about the elimination of the waiting period and about reducing the amount of hours.

I wholeheartedly agree with one of the issues that he brought up and that is with respect to the 15 week benefit period for compassionate care and sick benefits. The government went ahead and extended the weeks of EI, but in this particular part of the EI fund people who desperately need compassionate care or sickness benefits cannot get any more than the 15 weeks, yet in some areas regular EI benefits go for much longer.

EI is also part of seasonal work in general, and I would like for the member to comment on how Bill C-9 lacks a vision or lacks any assessment of both the fishing and the forestry industry. I would like for him to comment specifically on what he would have liked to have seen in this budget for those two particular industries.

[Jobs and Economic Growth Act, April 15th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, I would like to drift away from Bill C-9 for just a moment to ask my colleague a question. He spoke of the social groups within his own province.

Recently I read a report about the despicable occupation of human trafficking. I found in my reading that his province and the social groups there have gone a long way in trying to alleviate the social cost in human trafficking of mostly women, by getting women out of the business and providing a safe haven for them. It seems in the House the debate is focused primarily on the penalties being given to those who traffic, which is a good thing and I supported the bill in relation to that. What would the member support for the federal government to get involved in providing a social safe haven for people who are victims of human trafficking in this country and around the world?

[Committees of the House, April 13th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, I need to get this straight in my own mind; I am not sure as there are several angles to this.

First of all, I take issue with the fact that the hon. member said that the government is happy to further this debate, when all of her colleagues, with the exception of one, voted against bringing this to the House.

I need two specific answers. She talked about a tax that is going to be a punitive measure towards people to support artists, but yet in her speech she praised the original copyright regime. The original levy is fine, but really it is an extension of the same thing. Is that too a tax that the government likes?

And because I too am into fair dealing, I will ask her the same question that I asked her colleague. The fee that was imposed on travellers the week before the budget, is that too a tax?

[Committees of the House, April 13th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, I know this does not pertain directly to this bill, but my question does pertain to this particular vote and motion as well as this bill. Every year it seems that smaller and smaller platforms are converging into one.

To take one particular device, which the member identified as the MP3, from certain applications, whether it be through a BlackBerry or basic telephony devices, how does he propose doing that by just extending the levy? In other words, if we are going to extend the levy from what it currently is into other domains, where does he draw the line?

[Jobs and Economic Growth Act, April 13th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I have a quick question for my hon. colleague regarding equalization payments. I am not quite certain as to how she envisions the formula. Is it purely on a per capita basis regarding Canada's social health transfer, or is it something a bit different that would allow building upon that formula?