Wayne Marston

[Anti-Terrorism Act, February 9th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I know of many Canadians who felt betrayed when this act was proclaimed. In the climate of suspicion of the day, good neighbours became suspicious of other good neighbours. To some extent, I believe, when the act was proclaimed, the terrorists actually won a victory against freedoms in those days.

Does the member believe that the end of this act would actually be to the benefit of freedoms in Canada?

[Foreign Affairs, February 9th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the government should know that the trial has been adjourned until the Chinese new year. The next court date will not be until March.

The member for Calgary Southeast called for a high level delegation last summer. Now is the time to act.

Will the government commit to sending an all party group to China to monitor the trial of Huseyin Celil when it resumes in March and show China that Canada means business when we talk about standing up for our citizens? I am ready to go to China. Canadians want action now. They want the government to act.

[Foreign Affairs, February 9th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, China recently executed Ismail Semed, a Uyghur activist. With this troubling news, I fear for the life of Huseyin Celil, a Canadian being held captive in China.

We do not have time for more excuses. The Department of Foreign Affairs has failed to represent this man. It did not attend the court hearing. I understand the minister is furious, but fury and anger will not help Huseyin Celil.

Could the government tell Canadians today when the next court date is that so Chinese officials know that Canadians will be watching to see that rights of our citizens are respected?

[Employment Insurance Act, February 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot stand to listen to someone talk about an insurance program as a handout. We paid into it. That is ours. That is the workers of this country. They were sold out by the Liberals in the mid-1990s when the Liberals changed it from unemployment insurance and called it EI, dressed it up as a nice looking horse, but it still was a pig in a poke as far as the workers of this country were concerned. Then they stole the money year in and year out from the workers of this country, the people who need it.

The end result of that was at the municipal level people went on welfare. What the Liberals were doing was a scam. It was a shell game. They moved off of income and put it on to property tax. They said that somehow they were cutting out the taxation of our country. That is typical of the Liberals.

To have the member stand in the House and say that employment insurance which people work for is a handout is insulting to the people of Canada.

[Canadian Human Rights Act, February 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I will be brief.

The Canadian Human Rights Commission has expressed concerns. Its report calls for a two stage implementation. Would the member not agree that there is a serious flaw in this legislation that does not take in the cultural differences for the band councils to prepare for this implementation?

[Canadian Human Rights Act, February 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, if passed into law, Bill C-44 would change the way that decisions are made in the aboriginal community. Human rights protection is very important, but the point I was trying to make with my last question is that even though we keep hearing about 30 years, it will take time to take this on issue and gain the trust of this community. I will repeat my point that I do not believe the minister gave enough time to establish that relationship of trust as needed.

[Canadian Human Rights Act, February 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I want to raise one concern. It is my understanding that there is a concern among the first nations that the Conservative government is trying to erode first nation rights. They were very concerned with the fact that the legislation was introduced without completing the consultations with the first nations.

Why was there such a rush? Why did the government not complete the consultative process?

[The Environment, February 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the environment, everyday Canadians are way ahead of this country's business and political elites. The rest of us are ready to move from a polluting economy to a sustainable one. Daily I hear from constituents who truly worry that our children will not have clean air to breathe or water to drink.

The Conservatives want Canadians to believe they are getting serious about the environment. They have a new minister and a new legislative committee to fix their flawed bill.

The Prime Minister has an opportunity today to back up his words with action. He can make a real impact in Hamilton by funding two important local environmental initiatives.

For the year since they took power, I have called on the Conservative government to fund the cogeneration project at Stelco. It would improve emissions and air quality in Hamilton.

The mayor of Hamilton is here today to ask the Prime Minister to fund the clean up of Randle Reef. Local activists and representatives like myself have been calling on the federal government to fund this important port rehabilitation project for years.

The time to act on Hamilton's solutions is now. An important reminder, act locally, think globally, must be reflected in this—

[Black History Month, February 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, as you have heard in the House already, February is Black History Month.

Black Canadians have long been at the forefront of Canada's successes as a nation at home and abroad. Ordinary hard-working Canadians, such as the railway porters, have played a major role in the struggle for equality and black rights. Through their unions black porters were at the forefront as community leaders fighting for employment equity and human rights.

My hometown, Hamilton, has seen many important milestones for black Canadians over the years.

John C. Holland was the first African Canadian to win an award for his humanitarian work, receiving the City of Hamilton's Citizen of the Year award in 1953.

Canada's first vice-regal appointment of a person of black heritage was Hamilton's much respected Lincoln Alexander in 1985. Linc, as he is warmly known in Hamilton, was also the first black member of Parliament and Canadian cabinet minister. Black Canadians are musicians, athletes, civil rights champions, writers, bankers, politicians, workers and philanthropists.

I will be celebrating Black History Month in Hamilton. I invite all members of the House to take the time this month to remember and celebrate the achievements--

[Prebudget Consultations, December 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, hearing the member for St. Catharines speak as he did on the environment brought to mind very quickly the smog days in Ontario.