Wayne Easter

[Points of Order, December 7th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Don Valley East, in a Standing Order 31, talked in glowing terms about CETA. However, Conservative members on the international trade committee have denied our request—

[Questions on the Order Paper, December 6th, 2012]

With regard to Transport Canada, how many requests for information, made pursuant to section 4 of the Access to Information Act, is the department currently processing, reviewing, or considering, and for each such request: (a) what is the file number; (b) what is the date on which the application was made; (c) what is the date on which the application was received; (d) what are the details of any extensions of time limits made pursuant to section 9 of the Act; and (e) what are the details of any complaint which has been made to the department in respect of the request?

[Canada Revenue Agency, December 5th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives continue to punish Canadians with service cuts, cost recovery and privatization as a result of driving the debt to $600 billion. As shocking as it seems, the Minister of National Revenue does not realize that transferring tax file storage facilities to low-wage employers puts Canadians' sensitive medical information at risk.

Why are Canadians being asked to pay the price in every way, including the security of sensitive medical files, to pay for the financial incompetence of the Conservative government?

[Community Newspapers, December 5th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the House to recognize the value and importance of small community newspapers and newsletters in rural ridings across Canada.

In my riding of Malpeque, we are fortunate to have publications, such as the Northern Star Newspaper, the County Line Courier, the South Shore Newsletter and the Coffee News to name a few.

Their promotion of local businesses and events keeps the riding thriving, connected and helps preserve our sense of community. These papers remind us of the achievements happening every day within our communities. They tell a story of Islanders, of Canadians and their daily lives.

If people want to be encouraged about their local communities, they should pick up a local paper today and be informed and inspired.

On behalf of the House, I thank community newspapers across Canada for the great work they do.

[Government Priorities, November 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, vulnerable Canadians are being punished with cuts to core services to pay for Conservative financial incompetence that has seen Canada's national debt rise by over $140 billion to more than $600 billion. The Conservatives have blown $3 billion on ads, consultants, limos and orange juice but have slashed funding for affordable housing, addictions and literacy programs and refuse to cover burial costs for veterans who have served valiantly.

Why should Canadians who need support the most pay the price for the Conservative government's financial incompetence?

[Jobs and Growth Act, 2012, November 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I differ from my colleague. I was not amused by those remarks but somewhat saddened because they are so far off base. What was on base was a study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives on the effects of the government's policies in my region. The report indicates that as a result of the government's punitive action against Atlantic Canada, Atlantic Canadian communities and Atlantic Canadian families, “approximately 4400 direct full-time equivalent federal jobs, representing at least $300 million in salaries and wages, will be lost in the Atlantic region by 2014–15”.

The Conservative government is damaging the Atlantic Canadian economy. Now we have a senator, a political hack for the Prime Minister from the other place, in Atlantic Canada saying that he wants to fix this economic chaos by destroying the Constitution and eliminating Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick as provinces.

I ask the member, is it the Conservative Party's policy to do away with the constitutional and sovereign rights of maritime Canadians?

[Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act, November 26th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member for Welland for outlining some of the serious flaws in this bill and the serious inaction on the part of the government. We are talking about a very serious issue, drinking water in first nation communities. It is an extremely serious issue. Everyone should be entitled to good potable water.

Like him, I also maintain that the government has a Walkerton mentality. It does not listen and does not notice the warning signs. There are four ministers sitting on the front bench who were involved in the Walkerton tragedy: the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Finance, the President of the Treasury Board and the House leader. One would think that after these many years, they would recognize the warning signs, listen and take action.

I ask the member for Welland if he sees this as a concern, that it is the same old crew that is not recognizing the warning signs and that what the government is really all about is sending a message to the rest of the country that it is doing something when it is really doing as little as possible just to get by and not dealing with the real problem.

[Northern Jobs and Growth Act, November 26th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, this question has absolutely nothing to do with this bill. We are hearing this time and time again from members on the government side as they try to propagandize. It is not against my party; it is against the one next to me on this side. It is wrong for them to go on with that propaganda and misinformation when they are supposed to be debating a bill.

[Northern Jobs and Growth Act, November 26th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the last question really did not seem to be on Bill C-47. However, could my colleague very briefly tell us the shortcomings in the bill and even beyond the bill? What are the shortcomings of the government in terms of dealing with the issues that are affecting the aboriginal communities in our country?

[Ethics, November 23rd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary can wave and deflect, but Canadians want government accountability. We know where some of the dirty money went. It went to the campaign of the industry minister, but that still leaves tens of thousands of dollars unaccounted for. Did the dirty money also end up in the current byelection campaigns, maybe in Calgary Centre? This tactic is akin to money laundering.

Will the Prime Minister call in the RCMP to get to the bottom of this money laundering scandal?