Stephen Harper

[Judicial Appointments, February 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I have stated that the objective of this party is to make our communities and our streets safer and more secure for our children.

To that end, the government has created independent committees to provide advice about the appointment of judges. The committees will, for the first time, include the police perspective. It is important to have different perspectives. That is an important perspective.

I understand that the Bloc Québécois does not support attacking crime, but I think that Quebeckers and other Canadians support that policy.

[Justice, February 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the deputy leader of the Liberal Party would like to claim that the policies of the previous government that saw such a rise in gun, gang and drug crime were somehow smart on crime.

I would like to know how he explains today the report that under his government the National Parole Board awarded more than 100,000 pardons over the past six years, including two for murder convictions.

That is not smart on crime.

[Automobile Industry, February 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, of course now the leader of the Liberal Party, having raised the subject of crime, would like to change the subject. I am not surprised that he would like to change the subject because he is not just soft on crime.

For the first time in history we have a leader of the opposition who is soft on terrorism. He is refusing to take the advice of Bob Rae, John Manley and Anne McLellan, and to back the anti-terrorism provisions that his own government put in place.

[Judicial Appointments, February 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, if the leader of the Liberal Party respected and trusted the police, he would support the decisions of this government to have the police perspective within our independent committees to provide advice on judicial appointments. On the contrary, the leader of the Liberal Party is opposed to that.

That is not the only criminal justice reform he opposes. The leader of the Liberal Party has teamed up with the Bloc to fight against mandatory prison sentences for gun crimes. He has teamed up with the Bloc to oppose legislation to crack down on dangerous offenders. His soft on crime policies are wrong for this country.

[Judicial Appointments, February 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the government has made it very clear to Canadians that we want to see a strong, in fact, a stronger criminal justice system that strengthens, supports and protects our children, our streets and our communities.

In that regard, the former minister of justice announced that when we set up independent committees for advice on judicial appointments, that would include, for instance, the perspective of the police, the law enforcement perspective.

I understand that the leader of the Liberal Party and the Liberal Party do not like the police, do not like a law enforcement perspective. It is important that we move in this direction and get away from the soft on crime policies.

[Terrorism, February 14th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, this news today should remind us of why the government is trying to renew the provisions of the Anti-terrorism Act, designed to protect the safety and security of Canadians.

The act was passed originally with bipartisan support. Former deputy prime minister John Manley said today in supporting these measures:

The most important responsibility of government is the preservation of order and the protection of its citizens.

I urge all members not to play partisan politics with national security. I understand the leader of the Liberal Party may have difficulty supporting our measures, but at least he maybe can rally the strength of leadership to support his own legislation.

[Firefighters, February 14th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I am not going to enter into a political debate today. I think the events of today remind all of us that men and women who give of themselves in public service, particularly in dangerous occupations like firefighters, do so at tremendous risks and costs to themselves. We should all reflect today on the tremendous sacrifice that they are willing to make on behalf of all of us.

[Firefighters, February 14th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, today, as we in the House all know, we have the very sad event of the funeral of the firefighters in Winnipeg. I know that today all of our thoughts and all of our prayers are with the families of those brave individuals, as well as, of course, with their colleagues.

[The Environment, February 14th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, it is totally false to say that this government granted new subsidies to the oil industry. On the contrary, it is our government that decided to terminate the energy trusts. Originally, the Bloc Québécois supported that idea. Now, the Bloc is changing its position. I think its first position was the better of the two.

[The Environment, February 14th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, this government announced the Canada Ecotrust program to support major projects in the provinces, in order to limit and reduce air pollutants and greenhouse gases. It is an important program. As I indicated to several premiers, including the Premier of Alberta, our intention is to distribute those funds per capita.