Scott Simms

[Government Programs, September 27th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, yet this morning someone else has weighed in on these meanspirited cuts. Earlier today Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams expressed his views on the cuts announced.

In his view these cuts define the difference between the hard right-wing Conservatives in Ottawa and the Progressive Conservatives in his government. Specifically he said, “the one that came to my mind immediately, literacy, a huge issue for us here in the province, and women's issues, a big issue across the country”. He also criticized the government for eliminating funding for minority groups who want to protect their legal issues.

Now if the Prime Minister--

[Petitions, June 22nd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of many residents of Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, I present this petition calling on the minister responsible for Parks Canada Agency to permit a corridor through Terra Nova National Park for snowmobile users.

The residents of the Eastport Peninsula and surrounding communities are encumbered by the Terra Nova National Park. Currently, park rules state that snowmobiles and other all terrain vehicles are not permitted within the boundaries.

The Terra Nova Trailriders, on behalf of the residents of Eastport Peninsula, Glovertown and Charlottetown, are requesting equal, fair treatment and a corridor through Terra Nova National Park for their snowmobiling enjoyment.

The petition has been certified and contains 496 names. It is my responsibility and honour to table it here today.

[Children's Hospital Fundraising Event, June 15th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I recently had the privilege of attending a fundraising event here in Ottawa for two very worthy causes. There is a group of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians living here who formed a volunteer committee to raise funds for the Janeway Children's Hospital in St. John's and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario here in Ottawa. The group felt it most appropriate that they would split the proceeds for the two children's hospitals in both their original and adopted homes.

The most recent event was an evening of fun, entertainment and food. I was pleased to see that my hon. colleagues as well as many other people in the House were able to attend. Members of the group informed me that their fundraising exceeded expectations. I encourage all members of the House and their staff to take part in their future events.

I want to congratulate the Newfoundland and Labrador Golf Classic Committee on a job well done. I encourage them to keep up their efforts.

[Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, June 14th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, my question concerns ACOA and I guess my question will be for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. I think we are on our fourth minister of ACOA at this point.

The minister wants to stop MPs from representing our constituents. I will again cite the article that suggests we here in opposition must register as lobbyists just to get a chance to talk to him.

The Conservatives can muzzle their own members and attempt to muzzle the media but they will not muzzle us in this situation.

Will the part time minister apologize to all members of the House that their access will not be eliminated in ACOA?

[Fisheries, June 2nd, 2006]

Hopefully with a little more success this time, Mr. Speaker.

When the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans was a member of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, he tabled a report demanding a limited fishery off the northeast coast of Newfoundland.

The rural fishing communities are facing a tough summer, as I am sure he knows, and it is the time for my hon. colleague not to be, once again, a jellyfish on this issue. Now is the time for a 5,000 tonne commercial catch and “yes” to a recreational food fishery for the northeast coast of Newfoundland. When will this happen?

[Fisheries, June 2nd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, last week at a summit on fisheries in Newfoundland and Labrador, hosted by our premier, the vast majority of stakeholders, including local plant workers and of course the leadership of the FFAW, all called for an early retirement program for our aging workforce.

The Conservatives say they want to study the option more, but the studies have been done. Great suggestions have been made.

Meanwhile, the province says yes and the Conservatives continue to say no to our fishermen.

[Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, May 30th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the reason why it took him half the time is because he is a part-time minister and the reason why it took us longer is because we did it right.

At a political rally for a Conservative candidate, the minister said when he was talking about the Conservative candidate, “...I can tell you he's going to come knocking and we're going to deliver”. So what is next for ACOA? On the project application form, we will see something that says, “A disclaimer: only neo-conservative hacks need apply”.

In my riding, the town of Bonavista wants to put together something for the Garrick Theatre, for the outport communities. Will they get fair treatment or will they be punished?

[Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, May 30th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, a short time ago when I asked about the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the Minister of Veterans Affairs pretended they were taking politics out of ACOA. However, when a Liberal member of Parliament expressed his concerns about ACOA, the minister told him, right here in the House, “I'll look at the projects coming out of his riding, but his ability to influence me...is going to be severely diminished”.

I hope I do not have to raise my voice, because I know that selective hearing is a wonderful thing, but will the part-time minister rise in this House and apologize to the people of Dartmouth--Cole Harbour and to the people of Atlantic Canada for using ACOA to--

[Business of Supply, May 30th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I can only assume that is probably the sixth commitment that the Conservative Party would like to bring, and that is to move toward some greater goal of cultural enhancement, which we have yet to see from the government as to the vision which it wants to put out there. I think the motion goes a long way in doing that.

It is not about the handcuffs. If the government does not want any regulations and it wants to throw this open to the free market, it could open this up to American broadcasters to come into this country and set up shop. They do not do that.

I ask the members opposite to believe in this country, to believe in the culture that we have, to make the right investments and not to worry about their own private interests across the globe and the proliferation of media. We need to be the protectors and the stalwarts of Canadian culture. We can do that through the policies by which we have made.

[Business of Supply, May 30th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to go back to what I said earlier about the price people have to pay to express their culture across this country. This is merely a small price to bring to the world what it is we have.

When Bryan Adams was a struggling artist I am sure he would have said that he was completely in favour of all the Canadian content rules. He is a recipient of the Canadian content rules.

We have more than Bryan Adams. We should look beneath what is not as famous. We should look at the groups and the acts that struggle day to day but are able to tour the country because of the rules we have.

The dollar figures that the member mentioned are a small price to pay given the culture we have, the expression we want to bring across the country and the fact that he may be singling out one channel. This channel is one that I support. Over the past 50 or 60 years this channel has become the crossroads of communication that allowed us to be Canadian. It not only brought our message to this country but to the entire world. Bravo CBC, and for what it has done, not merely one channel but a channel that brings us all together.