House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 43% of the vote.
Copyright June 4th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated a moment ago, there are a lot of protections to help artists to ensure they can create and grow in out country. However, we will not impose on consumers a new tax on their iPods, their BlackBerrys, their computers, their television sets to finance the Bloc's plans. We want to help artists, but we also want to help consumers.
Copyright June 4th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, our bill is for artists, for consumers and for Canadian industries. This bill is against unemployment and for jobs. The goal of this bill is to offer protection to artists in order to increase their creativity in Canada.
G8 and G20 Summits June 4th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, again, as the hon. member knows or should know, always, when we host summits, we try to capitalize on touristic and economic benefits associated with hosting summits.
It is not any different in this case, as was the case in 1995 in Halifax. The Liberal government of the day spent money on infrastructure, gateway signage, marketing campaigns, a community centre, and $3 million spent after the summit was over. That is okay on the Liberal side, but it is not okay to capitalize on the summits to make sure we have more jobs and more opportunity for people here in Canada?
G8 and G20 Summits June 4th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the opposition Liberals seem to have steamboats on their minds.
The fact of the matter is, and let me state this for the record without fear of contradiction, that the steamboat is not being restored as the result of any G8 funding whatsoever.
They are wrong. Their research is wrong. They do not know what they are talking about. That is why they are in the opposition.
G8 and G20 Summits June 4th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, it is well known that there are economic and tourism benefits for the whole region that are spent for as part of legacy funding. That is why the Liberals spent the money in Halifax.
One of the other things the Liberals did in Halifax, after the 1995 G7 summit was over, was spend another $3 million on projects in Halifax just to thank the people of that city. Yet here they are criticizing the G8 and the G20.
G8 and G20 Summits June 4th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has her facts wrong. There is no funding from G8 funds for the steamship, unlike her allegation, but I will tell the House who did spend some money on some ships.
In 1995, for the G7 Halifax summit, then finance minister Paul Martin spent $300,000 on the Bluenose.
The Liberals spent money for infrastructure, gateway signage, marketing campaigns and a new community centre for Halifax. That is how they spent money for the G7 summit in 1995. They are speaking from both sides of their mouth.
Questions on the Order Paper June 1st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the National Do Not Call List, DNCL, that was created to reduce the number of unwanted telemarketing calls received by Canadians, as of March 4, 2010: in response to
a) The total number of administrative monetary penalties, AMPs, imposed is 11.
In response to b) The total value of AMPs that have been imposed is $73 000.
In response to c) The total number of AMPs that have been paid to date is one partial payment.
In response to d) The total value of AMPs that have been paid is $250.
Collection action is pursued on all files where the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, CRTC, has imposed an AMP in relation to violation of the national DNCL rules and payment has not been made. The CRTC is utilizing all means of collection available for outstanding accounts. This includes, but is not limited to, actions such as referral of outstanding accounts to collection agencies or the Canada Revenue Agency, CRA, for refund set-off of funds otherwise payable by the CRA under the Income Tax Act, Excise Tax Act or Excise Act, under authority of subsection 164(2) of the Income Tax Act or subsection 155(1) of the Financial Administration Act.
In response to e) Where the CRTC suspects that there has been a breach of the unsolicited telecommunications rules, the CRTC first attempts to work directly with the telemarketer to obtain compliance on a voluntary basis.
Where voluntary compliance efforts fail, the CRTC issues a notice of violation to the telemarketer, which sets out proposed penalties for violations of the Rules.
The CRTC generally does not publish the name of the telemarketer at the notice of violation stage as the telemarketer has not been given the chance to formally contest the allegations. If the telemarketer complies with the requirements of the notice of violation, their names are not published.
However, if the telemarketer contests the notice of violation and the CRTC determines that violations set out in the notice were committed by the telemarketer, the name of the telemarketer, the nature of the violations and the amount of the penalties are published.
Also, if the telemarketer fails to either contest the notice of violation or pay the penalties set out in the notice, the name of the telemarketer, the nature of the violations and the amount of the penalties are published.
In response to f) In general, the CRTC’s proceedings on whether to impose AMPs are conducted entirely in writing and, as such, are not conducted by way of oral hearings. After considering any written representations made by a telemarketer in response to a notice of violation, the CRTC issues a decision on whether to impose any penalties on the telemarketer. The CRTC’s decision is posted on its website and is available to the Canadian public and the media.
Where a telemarketer applies to the CRTC to review and rescind or vary a decision, the telemarketer’s notice of violation and review and vary application are made available to the public on the CRTC’s website. Any interested person may intervene by providing comments they consider appropriate.
In response to g) During an investigation, if the information uncovered suggests that the telemarketer might be engaged in criminal activities, the CRTC notifies agencies that are empowered to pursue such activities. This includes the Competition Bureau and PhoneBusters. PhoneBusters is the Canadian Anti-fraud Call Centre, managed on a tripartite basis by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, RCMP, the Ontario Provincial Police and the Competition Bureau. To date, the CRTC has not forwarded information on violation of the national DNCL to the RCMP for further investigation.
Note: The CRTC publishes on its website a monthly national DNCL status report. The report, commencing for the month of July 2009, contains monthly and cumulative information on a number of key variables, including number of telephone or fax numbers registered on the national DNCL; number of complaints; number of new, closed and active investigations; number of notices of violation issued; and number of AMPs issued.
The CRTC’s national DNCL status report also contains a list of the CRTC’s decisions regarding violations of the unsolicited telecommunications rules. The list identifies the companies that were found to be in violation and contains the URL link to each of the decisions. These decisions contain information on the circumstances of the case and the amount of the AMP levied.
Questions on the Order Paper May 31st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, with regard to Measurement Canada’s retail gasoline pump inspection program: in response to a) At present, the number of active Measurement Canada inspectors performing inspection activities pursuant to the Weights and Measures Act is listed by province and territory as follows:
These inspectors are tasked with performing inspections of gas pumps and also conducting inspections of measuring devices in the eight sectors that will be regulated as a result of Bill C-14, An Act to amend the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act and the Weights and Measures Act.
In response to b) Presently, 26 private organizations, incorporated legal entities, are authorized by Measurement Canada to perform gas pump inspections. The total number of active organizations; that is, including mass inspections is 102. These 102 organizations are authorized by Measurement Canada to perform inspections pursuant to the Weights and Measures Act.
In response to c) Individual technicians must be employed by an organization that is authorized by Measurement Canada. Not all technicians of an authorized organization are automatically recognized. Prior to being designated as inspectors who may perform inspections on behalf of the government, technicians must receive training from Measurement Canada and then pass theoretical and practical evaluations. Presently, 68 recognized technicians are employed by authorized organizations that can perform gas pump inspections in the field.
In response to d) Authorized organizations and their recognized technicians receive extensive follow-up and monitoring. These activities include annual audits and follow-up inspections. All of the work performed by recognized technicians is entered into a government database and is closely monitored by Measurement Canada.
Minister of Industry May 31st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House are proud in our role and responsibility as MPs and as cabinet ministers to promote business, promote Canadian business, promote jobs and promote opportunities. That is part of our job.
What do those members do on the other side? They think of ways to tax Canadians and tax businesses, which is why they are on that side. That is why we have 6.1% growth in quarter one. We are proud of our record.
Minister of Industry May 31st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. There is no conflict here. There is no pecuniary interest.
We did not hear the hon. members on the other side of the aisle when Jean Chrétien went around the world with team Canada: 100 business people, 200 business people. They were happy to applaud him when he did that but I cannot stick up for the people in my riding.
We are here to do a job. We are here to build businesses in this country. We are here to build the economy. We had a 6.1% growth in the last quarter. We are doing our job.