Wayne Easter

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 17th, 2012]

With respect to the negotiation of a tax treaty or tax information exchange agreement with Liechtenstein: (a) on what date did Canada enter into negotiations with Liechtenstein for this agreement; (b) what departments are responsible for negotiation and implementation of the agreement; (c) on what date will the negotiations be completed; (d) on what date will the agreement be implemented; and (e) prior to these negotiations, had the government ever approached Liechtenstein about negotiating a tax treaty or tax information exchange agreement?

[Points of Order, June 18th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I would agree that such a salute, as the member said, would be vile and unacceptable in this place. I would agree with that. However, as I said the other night, there was no such salute from me. I sat in my chair and I pointed at the Prime Minister. That is what I did, and I pointed exactly like this. It was not a wave and it was not and should not have been construed as a salute. No such thing happened on my part. I cannot answer for others in this place. If I had made that gesture, I would have recognized that it was wrong and I would have apologized to the member, because I agree 100% that such a salute should not be made in this place. I accept that.

[International Trade, June 18th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, under our system ministers should be in charge of their files and accept accountability for their results. It used to be that, failing that, they were removed from cabinet, but now, on the most important of files, the trans-Pacific partnership, the Minister of International Trade has been replaced by the Prime Minister's chief of staff.

Why has the Prime Minister humiliated his trade minister on the international stage? Why has he placed a person in charge who is not accountable to Parliament?

[Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, June 14th, 2012]

Madam Speaker, there was no Nazi salute given here. We went like this. We said that the way they are applauding the Prime Minister every time, they should salute him.

[Questions on the Order Paper, June 13th, 2012]

With regard to funding assistance by the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC): (a) what is the total funding assistance, of any kind, that the CCC provided to Canadian businesses operating in Cuba during each of the fiscal years from 2000 to 2011; (b) what were the names of each of the Canadian companies doing business in Cuba for the period from 2000 to 2011 that received CCC funding or financial assistance of any kind; and (c) over the same time period, what was the specific nature of the commercial activities in each case being funded or financed, in whole or in part, by the CCC?

[Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, June 12th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad you tuned up the other side.

I am pleased that the member is happy about the Rouge Valley national park, but government policy on existing parks is destroying them. In my province, at the Prince Edward Island National Park, it has contracted out, laid off workers and have made full-time workers into seasonal workers. That is what is happening there.

That is not the way to build a national park system. In Bill C-38, why is the government eliminating the requirement for Parks Canada to table an annual corporate plan and financial report? What does it have to hide in terms of—

[Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, June 12th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Pickering—Scarborough East would not be the first Conservative to try and reinvent history.

Just for the record, the member should know that the Conservative government took a surplus, blew it and created a deficit. The Conservatives, in terms of the budget and their programs over the last number of years, are increasing the gap between the rich and the poor. In fact, they are increasing poverty in the country. That is the reality. That is not fiscal management for the good of the country.

My question really relates to the member's point on parks--

[Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, June 12th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, in her remarks, the member talked a fair bit about the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. I know she is a member of the Standing Committee on Agriculture. In fact, we did a tour of the supply management industry a week ago in the Casselman area.

The member also talked a fair bit about what Mr. Kingston had to say. Does she know the implications on our food safety system as a result of some of these measures that are being proposed in this particular bill?

[Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, June 12th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. There are three rural members from the Liberal Party right here. How could the member even say that?

[Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, June 12th, 2012]

Madam Speaker, I believe Algoma Steel is where it is today as a result of the guy who happens to be our interim leader, whom that party over there loves to attack. In a different time, it was that individual who saved the plant.

I happened to be in Sault Ste. Marie a couple of weeks ago, and there is not satisfaction up there about Bill C-38. They are very concerned about it, and they are concerned about it in their seasonal industries.

However, the point I want to make relates to the member's comments on seniors, where he is absolutely wrong. For people who are 54 years old and saving two cents on a cup of coffee with the GST cuts so they lose their pension of $30,000 over two years, if they are in a low-income group and have to go on provincial welfare, is that doing something for future seniors? I do not think so, and the reason the government is making that—