House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2019, with 41% of the vote.
Committees of the House June 16th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, earlier the Prime Minister wrongly argued his case for denying his chief spokesman's appearance before a committee. In fact, yesterday at committee, the distinguished law clerk said, “the Prime Minister, and any minister, has no authority to prevent someone from appearing in front of a committee”.
Why does the Prime Minister continue to order Mr. Soudas not to appear, in violation of parliamentary authority? Just what does the Prime Minister have to hide?
Committees of the House June 14th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the fact is the Prime Minister pays Dimitri Soudas over $150,000 to bully the press, to tell cabinet ministers what they can and cannot say and to announce policy, like the closing down of Parliament. Mr. Soudas has more responsibility than many ministers, yet he is flouting accountability and the law by ignoring the subpoena from committee. Has Mr. Soudas entered the Conservative witness protection program?
Will the Prime Minister instruct his team's spokesman to obey the law, to respect the summons and to appear before committee?
National Defence June 11th, 2010
The question is competition, Mr. Speaker. Is our Prime Minister just a puppet on a string for U.S. industry? What about Canadians and what about Canadian jobs? A sole-sourced contract to a U.S. parent company is just plain unacceptable.
Costs for new fighter jets are going up faster than the security costs for the G8, from $6 billion to $9 billion to $16 billion. This is the height of incompetence.
With a $50 billion deficit, how can the Conservatives justify spending $16 billion without competition?
National Defence June 11th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, it looks as though the government's sole-sourced purchase of new fighter jets is going to cost at least $16 billion. That is $16 billion to create jobs outside this country. At the beginning of this week, reports said $6 billion, then $9 billion, and now it is going to be $16 billion.
When Canadians are being asked to contain their spending, how can the government justify spending $16 billion without any competition and without any regional development? How could the government not even consider a single alternative?
G8 and G20 Summits June 11th, 2010
A lot of doorknobs.
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns June 10th, 2010
With respect to government decentralization: (a) since 2006, how many assessments have been completed of government departments or parts thereof, agencies, or Crown corporations which could be relocated from the National Capital Region to other regions of Canada; (b) since 2006, how many proposals have been prepared concerning the relocation of government departments or parts thereof, agencies, or Crown corporations from the National Capital Region to other regions of Canada; and (c) for each decentralization assessment and proposal, which government department, agency or Crown corporation was considered, and when was the assessment or proposal completed?
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns June 8th, 2010
With respect to the North American Free Trade Agreement Technical Working Group on Pesticides that was established in 1997: (a) in how many cases have Canadian pesticide standards been lowered in order to harmonize regulations with the United States; (b) in how many cases have Canadian pesticide standards been raised in order to harmonize regulations with the United States; (c) how many products have been affected by the lowering of Canadian pesticide standards in order to harmonize regulations with the United States; (d) how many products have been affected by the raising of Canadian standards in order to harmonize regulations with the United States; (e) what criteria do Canadian officials use to determine whether or not to lower pesticide standards; (f) what percentage of Canadian pesticide residue levels standards are stricter than American standards; and (g) what percentage of products in Canada are found to exceed legal residue limits?
Ethics June 7th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, it is now a full week since the minister promised to read Justice Oliphant's report into Brian Mulroney's business relationship with Karlheinz Schreiber. If he did his homework, he would know that Canadians paid Mr. Mulroney $2.1 million based on testimony that Justice Oliphant has now deemed patently absurd.
Is the minister now prepared to demand that Mr. Mulroney repay the settlement, with interest, to Canadian taxpayers? Or has he still not read the report?
Business of Supply June 1st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the numbers that my colleague outlined are in fact true. There is a need for more money in health care and in any number of other areas.
I will admit that when people in Prince Edward Island hear the $1 billion figure, they relate that to the Confederation Bridge. The $1.1 billion that bridge cost is exactly the same amount as what the current government is wasting, not necessarily totally wasting but in great part, for a three day extravaganza for the Prime Minister to try to show himself on the world stage and to assist with the Prime Minister's ego.
The people in Prince Edward Island wonder how a three day event by the current Prime Minister could cost--
Business of Supply June 1st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, businesses in the area, be it restaurants, retail businesses or whatever, have every right to be concerned. We have seen what has happened with what are supposed to be peaceful demonstrations to make a legitimate point at previous world summits where they do get out of hand, where there is always somebody who is trying to cause a little anarchy, which is certainly the reason for security.
However, it goes right to the point of poor planning in the beginning. To drop this summit into our biggest and most heavily populated city, just from a security point of view and an economic point of view, makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. For the government to take the position that it will not compensate businesses and families for any damage that may happen, goes to the attitude of the government that it just does not care. If it is not one of its own, it just does not seem to care.
It has been mentioned in this House where one of the ministers promotes businesses in his riding, regardless of all the others in the country he is supposed to be promoting. It is just that the Conservatives do not care.