Wayne Easter

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

Madam Speaker, the previous question and answer was related to seasonal workers, and I agree with the member's answer.

However, there is another side to the equation, and that is the seasonal industries. In my province agriculture, tourism and fisheries are all seasonal industries. Those are our main industries, and if they do not have that seasonal supply of workers, the businesses themselves are going to be in trouble.

I wonder if the member could comment on the impact the draconian employment insurance changes in this bill will have on businesses in those regions.

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

Mr. Speaker, I listened closely to the member for Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound's remarks. I did not hear anything about the United Nations in there. I figured he might be talking about the United Nations and whether there is money allocated there. He is on that wavelength a bit.

However, the member's arguments on the OAS sound good. The problem is they have no substance in fact at all. The OAS is sustainable as is, according to nearly every economist. If people want to work to age 69, 70 and 75, they can do so, but what about those who cannot work beyond 65? This bill really means that those people who are poor and in the lower income bracket would have to go on provincial welfare. As it comes into place, this is a plan to transfer costs to the provinces and cover up for the bad fiscal management of the Conservative government.

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

Madam Speaker, I found it quite amazing how the minister can talk about cutting pretty near every environmental review there is and giving ultimate authority to cabinet to overrule anything and everything, and how that is really improving the environmental measures in the country.

My question really relates to her portfolio of regional development. She is Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification. I am wondering if she is doing the same thing with western economic diversification that the ACOA minister is doing with ACOA, and that is cutting every regional development organization out there? Those organizations do the good work, use business people on the ground, volunteers. Each of those organizations has an executive, but it is the volunteers who make the system work, who know the community.

What is the minister doing with western economic diversification in that regard? Is she cutting them, too?

[Privilege, June 12th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, in the last Parliament, the government ended up being charged with contempt for not providing proper information, which, basically, is the bottom line. This is very similar to that. The government has a record of not providing information to committees, to the Parliamentary Budget Officer and to this House. I think that is a very serious issue.

When we are asked to vote on a bill that covers some 70 pieces of legislation in one omnibus bill and Parliament, which is representative of Canadians, is not provided with proper information, that is, indeed, a very serious issue.

[Ethics, June 11th, 2012]

--and now, for the 2008 campaign, the current parliamentary secretary is himself being investigated for election fraud.

I ask the public security minister: has the RCMP been called in?

[Ethics, June 11th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary is one of a long list with government denials that do not add up.

In the 2006 in-and-out scandal, the previous parliamentary secretary, the one who just answered, spent years denying guilt. However, the Conservatives had to own up and paid $300,000 for election fraud—

[International Trade, June 8th, 2012]

Every single day we fall further behind in that market, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of International Trade, though, attempts to leave the impression of support for supply management. However, impressions do not cover the true facts. The minister fails to answer whether he supports the three pillars that make supply management succeed, and he has cut supply management from providing advice on the global trade advisory committee that has been created.

Why has the minister appointed established critics to that trade advisory committee and left supply management out?

[International Trade, June 8th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, as of March 15, the United States has implemented the full range of its free trade agreement with South Korea. The minister should know this is one of Canada's most important and established markets for Canadian pork and beef. The government talks of opening markets, but continues to allow established markets to slip away.

Why is the government failing our beef and pork industry in a market that is worth $1 billion and when will it stand up, level the playing field and negotiate for the benefit of Canadians' hog and beef industry?

[Central Development Corporation, June 8th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the staff, past and present, of Central Development Corporation for their great work in assisting communities, individuals and businesses with economic development initiatives. The CDC has been instrumental in economic and community development in my riding of Malpeque, but sadly, as with all the economic development organizations, it is being eliminated by this government.

Responsible for managing over $9 million in assets, small industrial development parks and projects too many to mention, the CDC has made an amazing contribution to communities. The local board of directors provided the advice that is in great part responsible for its success. I thank it, indeed. Gone too will be its assistance to the young millionaires program, which for over 20 years instilled young people with the skills necessary to thrive in the business world.

In closing, I have no choice but to condemn the Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (La Francophonie) for gutting the CDC, which will deprive P.E.I. of the localized support for economic development.

[Canada–Jordan Economic Growth and Prosperity Act, June 4th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I have one question, but I have to make a point at the beginning. The member talked about potatoes and how important the potato market was to Manitoba. I see some Manitoba members here. I want to point out that Manitoba is still in second place. Prince Edward Island is the largest producer of potatoes in Canada.

My question really relates to the open collective bargaining part of the agreement. One thing that is outlined by Canada and the ILO is how important it is to have collective bargaining happen in Jordan. I want my colleague's response on this. The problem is that Canada is setting a bad example, because the Minister of Labour has cut the collective bargaining process off at the knees by always coming in on the side of management. That is not free and open collective bargaining.

Does the member think that might have an impact as we tell Jordan it should have free and open collective bargaining, when our own government is abusing that collective bargaining process in its use of government powers?