House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 71% of the vote.
Government Appointments December 14th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that a Canadian was chosen by Interpol, an international organization, to participate in the very important work it does.
I am also very pleased to have announced a new commissioner for the RCMP. I believe he is an individual who exemplifies the ideals of the RCMP and has committed that he will get to the root of some of the very serious concerns that members here in the House have with respect to issues like sexual harassment.
Fair Representation Act December 7th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I am very concerned about any further delay on the bill.
I come from a riding where I represent essentially the average number of constituents, approximately 90,000 constituents. It is actually manageable in that sense, but my concern really is for those who have constituencies where there are 150,000 or more individuals. Some even have 200,000.
To delay this any further is not only doing an injustice to the people representing these constituents but the constituents themselves. I would urge the Minister of State for Democratic Reform to move the bill along as quickly as possible, so that each voter's interest is represented properly, at least in time for the next election.
Air India December 7th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that the tragic Air India incident is a reminder that Canada is not immune from terrorist acts.
In fact, our government responded very quickly to years of neglect in looking into the matter, and we are following the commissioner's recommendations. In respect to the ex gratia payments, we are taking appropriate steps to ensure that the recommendation is followed and to ensure that we administer taxpayers' money appropriately.
Firearms Registry December 7th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, if the member does not understand what we are trying to do, let me make it clear for her. What we are doing is repealing the long gun registry, which is made up of data. Those data will be destroyed in order to scrap the long gun registry.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police December 6th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I for one am very proud of the men and women in the RCMP. That kind of generalized statement does nothing to assist the hard-working men and women in the RCMP.
We have taken a number of steps, both in the new contract that we signed with the province and also with the new commissioner, to ensure that there is a complete investigation of what may be systemic failure to deal appropriately with sexual harassment within the force.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police December 6th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, actually, yes I will. In fact, I have been saying that for the past two weeks.
I am extremely concerned about these troubling reports. That is why, in consultation with the new commissioner, Commissioner Paulson, I have asked the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP to investigate allegations of systemic failures to deal appropriately with sexual harassment in the RCMP.
It is imperative that all of us recognize that members of the RCMP be free to face the daily and expected challenges of a day's work without harassment.
Public Safety December 5th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his unwavering support of our front line police officers. I am happy to report that yesterday the RCMP, in co-operation with the Edmonton Police Service, safely secured a very dangerous situation and successfully arrested their suspect.
I would specifically thank the two RCMP officers who sustained gunshot wounds while securing the premises. On behalf of the government, we wish them a very speedy recovery.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police December 5th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, again, I thank the member for bringing this matter to my attention. Of course, this is something that had been raised with us previously and that is why we took the exceptional step, in consultation with the new commissioner, to ask the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP to investigate allegations of systemic failures to deal appropriately with sexual harassment on the force.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police December 5th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I am extremely concerned about these types of reports. That is why, in consultation with Commissioner Paulson, the new RCMP commissioner, I have asked the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP to investigate allegations of systemic failures to deal appropriately with sexual harassment on the force.
It is imperative that all members of the RCMP be free to face the daily and expected challenges of a day's work without harassment and without fear of mistreatment by co-workers and superiors.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police December 1st, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member who, I might note, is a former member of the RCMP.
Canadians gave our government a strong mandate to keep our streets and communities safe. That is why our government is committed to assisting the provinces in offering strong and effective policing across the country.
I am proud to report that we have arrived at an agreement in principle with the provinces. This is a good deal for provinces that would strike an appropriate balance between giving police the tools they need to do their jobs and ensuring fairness for Canadian taxpayers.