Wayne Stetski

[Canada's Contribution to the Effort to Combat ISIL, February 19th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, we all agree on the need to eliminate ISIL, which for all of us is the equivalent of removing evil. We also agree on the need to increase humanitarian aid. However, what resonated with my constituents in Kootenay—Columbia during the election was that in order to deal with ISIL, we needed to do three things: cut off its supply of money, cut off its supply of arms, and make sure that Canada is the kind of country where everyone feels welcome, thereby ensuring that no Canadians would ever consider joining ISIL.

My question to the hon. member is this. The citizens of Kootenay—Columbia want to know how the government's proposal accomplishes those three objectives.

[Canada's Contribution to the Effort to Combat ISIL, February 17th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his well-stated support for our Armed Forces, and I thank the Liberal government for bringing this question to the floor.

Can the hon. member explain why his party believes that bombing works, given the examples we have from the region that indicate that it does not contribute to a peaceful outcome; rather, it contributes to the refugee crisis?

[Petitions, February 5th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to present a petition on behalf of the constituents of Kootenay—Columbia concerning proportional representation. There are over 700 signatures from Nelson, Cranbrook, Salmo, Golden, and Creston.

An important point is that this petition is for true proportional representation, not for the preferential ballot, which is really just a second past the post system of voting.

I look forward to hearing from the government at some point on this important question.

[Parks Canada, February 5th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP supports giving all Canadians the opportunity to enjoy our natural and cultural heritage. We welcome the promise of free admission to our national parks in 2017. However, user fees are also a major source of revenue, and Canadians are worried about the serious funding crisis facing our national parks.

The Conservatives cut staffing, slashed Parks Canada's budget, and put the ecology and infrastructure of our parks at risk. Will the minister restore the Conservative cuts to Parks Canada and offset this revenue shortfall?

[Business of Supply, February 4th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the people of the Kootenay—Columbia riding sent me here to help build a better Canada, and I want to thank them for that opportunity.

Two days ago in our opposition day, the NDP put forward a motion to move Canada forward on the important issue of pay equity for women. I am very proud of that motion and the support of the majority of the House.

There are so many issues facing Canada, such as child poverty, health care, climate change, and the environment, to name just a few. With so many important issues facing Canadians and so few opposition days, why did the Conservatives decide to focus the House on this particular issue, which really has no future benefit for Canadians?

[Business of Supply, February 4th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, it is such a pleasure to see my Conservative colleagues supporting public servants through section (c) of this motion.

This certainly was not the case when they were in government. In my riding of Kootenay—Columbia, I know a number of federal public servants who lived in constant fear for their jobs with no faith in the Conservative government to support them in any way.

I have a question for my colleague. Does this motion indicate a clear change in direction for the Conservative opposition where it intends to support our federal public servants in the future?

[Income Tax Act, February 1st, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for a very clear explanation of what the bill includes. As part of his speech, though, the hon. member talked about consulting with students, many of whom make less than $45,000 a year. I would ask the hon. member how this bill would benefit those students who are in the lowest income bracket.

[Resumption of debate on Address in Reply, January 27th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, one of the things the hon. member mentioned was infrastructure, which is very important to municipalities. As a former mayor, I wonder if the hon. member would join with me in encouraging the minister responsible for infrastructure to change the formula, as municipalities struggle economically. The general formula is that municipalities have to come up with the first one-third for infrastructure funding. The province provides one-third and the federal government provides one-third. Coming up with that first one-third is very difficult.

Would the hon. member join with me in encouraging the minister to change the formula and provide more funding directly to municipalities?

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, December 11th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague gave an excellent maiden speech in the House. As the proud NDP critic for national parks, we all know the value of national parks from a tourism and an ecological perspective, I am very happy to hear the Liberal government is planning to restore $25 million of the cuts from the Conservatives and to invest $25 million a year in ecosystems management.

However, I would like to hear from the hon. member a little about the proposal to create a new national park in the South Okanagan and what that would do for this community.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, December 11th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his excellent speech. I have to agree with much of what he said.

As the former mayor of Cranbrook in British Columbia, I would like to talk a little about infrastructure. In 2014, the Conservative government announced its build Canada program. There was not one dollar that came out of that program to our communities in 2014 or 2015. Part of the challenge for municipalities was the formula asked that the municipalities come up with the first one-third of any of these projects.

Would the member support the new government having a formula that is a little more favourable to municipalities in the future?