Vic Toews

[Ways and Means, March 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 83(1) I wish to table a notice of ways and means motion to amend the Income Tax Act to introduce a tax deferral in respect of flood induced sales of livestock.

I ask that an order of the day be designated for consideration of the motion.

[Points of Order, March 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in reviewing the blues of yesterday I noticed that the unparliamentary word I used was not unequivocally withdrawn. I would like to unequivocally withdraw the word that I used to describe the leader of the New Democratic Party. If it was not clear, I want to make it absolutely clear.

[Status of Women, March 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in fact, the member is twisting what the legislation says. What it means is that women are entitled to go to the independent Public Service Labour Relations Board in order to ensure that pay equity is achieved. There can be no prosecution of an employer or of a union without the consent of that independent board.

[Status of Women, March 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, what astounds me is why that member has not stood up before this whole issue and asked, why do women have to wait 15 or indeed 20 years in order to achieve pay equity in the workforce? That is simply not correct.

We are ensuring that women achieve pay equity on an ongoing basis, so that unions and employers cannot bargain away pay equity in the course of a collective agreement. That is why we are bringing this legislation forward and that is why that member should support this legislation.

[Status of Women, March 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, what is happening today under the current legislation is that women's rights are being negotiated away. This proactive system will ensure that both employers and unions have an obligation to ensure that women's equity is achieved in the workplace and that exactly like in the Quebec provincial legislation, there is an independent tribunal that will look at that to ensure that women's equity is achieved.

We stand behind pay equity. We stand up for the rights of women.

[The Economy, March 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, what the member does not understand is that in fact these projects are in co-operation and in partnership with provincial, municipal and non-governmental agencies. In fact, one of the partners is the NDP government in Manitoba.

We are working together with provincial, municipal and other authorities to get money into the hands of these projects, so that they can stimulate the economy. Why will that member and his party not get out of the way and let it happen?

[The Economy, March 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, now there is a leader who continuously speaks out of both sides of his mouth. His members come to me and ask for money for projects so that they can get their projects funded quickly and his members stand in the House continuously, voting against these initiatives.

[The Economy, March 4th, 2009]

What a hypocrite, Mr. Speaker. What a hypocrite. There is a man who in fact--

[The Economy, March 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General is not opposed to this but understands, in fact, the necessity of getting out the money. We have in fact made sure that there are appropriate checks and balances in place. Treasury Board approvals must be placed. Existing requirements on accountability and reporting must be met. And of course, our probation officer, the Leader of the Opposition, is sitting across the way. We will be filing parliamentary reports in respect of the funding to our probation officer and I expect him to be fully satisfied with what we will produce.

[Pay Equity, March 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in fact, the member is wrong.

What happens in provinces like Manitoba is that there is an ongoing duty to ensure that pay equity is recognized in the collective agreement. The first pay equity legislation was brought in, in Manitoba, in 1986. I would suggest that it is high time that the federal jurisdiction follow it as well. Women should not have to wait 15 or 20 years in order to have complaints resolved.