Scott Simms

[Ocean Ranger, February 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate a sad anniversary.

Twenty-five years ago today, 84 lives were lost at sea after the Ocean Ranger capsized in the icy waters of the North Atlantic. February 15, 1982, will be a day long remembered by all Canadians and particularly by Newfoundlands and Labradorians as this happened on the southern Grand Banks just off our coast.

Tragedies at seas are not something new to my province. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians for over 500 years have been making a living from the resources of the ocean. The Ocean Ranger tragedy and the men whose lives were lost on that fateful night will be forever etched in our memory.

By remembering those who lost their lives, we honour both their courage and their families' pain. In the wake of this tragedy, advances in technology and training have helped us reduce the risks taken by those who venture into our oceans, but there will always be danger and there will always be brave men and women willing to meet it.

I invite my colleagues to honour the crew of the Ocean Ranger with our thoughts and prayers and to pledge vigilance for those who today follow their passion and seek their livelihood on the high seas.

[Fisheries and Oceans, January 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, regarding the new Ambassador for Fisheries Conservation, over the weekend in his statement the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans was angry that we questioned the appointment, saying that this was a Liberal initiative of 2005. Finally someone on the other side now admits that when it comes to environment and conservation, the government just cannot stop stealing our ideas.

But the job was not posted. That is the question for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. How many people were considered for the posting and why did the appointment not go through the parliamentary vetting process, as promised by the Prime Minister?

[Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life, December 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, in the presence of my hon. colleagues, I would like to talk about the Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life. The relay for life is a unique community event that recognizes individuals who have survived cancer and honours those who have lost their lives to the disease.

Recently I had the privilege of attending a cancer relay for life in the town of Bonavista in my riding. The event was attended by over 500 individuals from Bonavista and surrounding communities. The opening ceremony was a powerful and moving experience. To witness over 80 cancer survivors parade into the local arena amidst the applause of those in attendance was overwhelming.

Approximately $40,000 were raised to go toward continuing research for a cure for this devastating disease that has touched nearly every family in Canada and certainly in the Bonavista area.

I commend the many organizers, volunteers, cancer survivors and the people of the Bonavista Peninsula who participated in making this event such a huge success.

[Canadian Wheat Board, December 8th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the government is doing everything in its power to demolish the Canadian Wheat Board. It is threatening to kick out its chief executive officer because he is doing his job and not adhering to their ideology. Farm producers are concerned.

Will the government promise that supply management will never be affected by the kind of measures currently being applied to the Canadian Wheat Board?

[Status of Women, December 6th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I too would like to reiterate the comments of my hon. colleague from Avalon in congratulating Mr. Collins.

This year women in Canada should be celebrating the 25th anniversary of Canada's ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, but they are not celebrating.

The federal government has made alarming changes to Status of Women Canada, including a 40% cut to its operating budget. It has also removed the word “equality” and changed the funding rules to ban all domestic advocacy and lobbying.

Women in my province will be negatively impacted by these changes. For example, the Status of Women council's multi-phase research project to alleviate poverty will no longer qualify under the new funding regime. The voices of equality-seeking women's groups that work to improve our collective quality of life will now be weakened.

The Prime Minister said he would respect and uphold Canada's commitment to women's rights, but he has not kept his word.

When will the government honour these principles? Shame on the government. It should do the right thing and reinstate funding to permit the women of Canada to have a voice.

[Main Estimates, 2006-07, November 28th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I have three questions and I would like the minister to write them down and deal with each one.

My first question concerns the sequestering of carbon dioxide for the sake of cleaning up the environment. There are a lot of questions about that scientifically and I would like the minister to explain exactly how this will work, how it is technically feasible to do so and where he plans to invest in this in the particular oil sands. I do not think they are particularly happy given the income trust situation of late.

The second question has to do with the wind power production incentive, or the WPPI program. A company near my riding of Bonavista has told us that it is ready to invest a substantial amount of money. It is good for the environment and it good for the economy as well. What is the status of this program? We need to know where we stand right now because the company has told us, unequivocally, that if it does not get the subsidy that was there before then the whole project will fail.

The third question concerns the EnerGuide program, the resurrection of a program that works. In the last Parliament, the member from St. John's East complained in the House that the program was not being sped up. He liked the program. As a matter of fact, when we were in government he was complaining that the program was not doing what it should be doing because it was a great program.

It is now time for the minister to stand up and say whether the member was wrong. Why did the minister cut the EnerGuide program? Why is it that he does not believe in providing subsidies to low income households to heat their homes and, at the same time, improve on the environment. Why would he rather get advice from his friends, which, I would suggest, he is now getting? I would like for him to stand on his own.

[Interparliamentary Delegations, November 9th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian Parliamentary Delegation of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, PACE, for its meeting of the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs, in Paris, France, June 9, 2006.

[Committees of the House, November 9th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Since we are all in a somewhat generous mood, I would seek the consent of the House to revert to reports from interparliamentary delegations.

[Petitions, November 9th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise on this being National Literacy Day.

I have the honour of presenting a petition from the residents of the riding of Labrador. The petitioners call upon Parliament to reinstate funding to literacy programs cut by the Conservative government and to undertake a national literacy strategy to ensure that all Canadians have the opportunity to achieve this vital skill.

[Dr. Carmel Casey, November 2nd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I am indeed proud of one of my constituents, Dr. Carmel Casey of Gander, who recently was presented with the prestigious Reg L. Perkin award: 2006 Physician of the Year for Newfoundland and Labrador.

The presentation took place at the College of Family Physicians of Canada annual meeting in Quebec City during Family Doctor Week in Canada.

Dr. Casey has a family practice in Gander and is the Newfoundland and Labrador champion for the College of Physicians doctors promoting active living programs. She founded the Victorian Order of Nurses broadening horizons program in Gander that offers employment opportunities to adults with intellectual disabilities and received the VON's gold team of excellence award.

She is a member of the special Olympics Newfoundland and Labrador and was an assistant coach for the 2006 national special Olympics summer games.

I congratulate and commend Dr. Casey on winning this prestigious award. Her commitment to family practice and volunteer community initiatives is indeed commendable.