Respect for Communities Act  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to join in the debate. At the outset, I just want to make a couple of comments for context. I understand this issue quite well, given that I am not only a member here, but previously sat on a city council and, for that matter, sat 13 years at Queen's Park.

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act  Mr. Speaker, you know what a challenge that is in that short period of time, so between us we will do our best, and you will win. I want to respond by taking on the member directly and saying that it is two-tiered citizenship. That is what my whole speech was about. When we have those ceremonies, we welcome people to the family and tell them that they are Canadian.

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague who, of course, is the youngest person ever elected to this place, an historic figure, very cool. When I listened to the question, I immediately started to think about a detailed answer, but it struck me that back in the bad old days of the Mike Harris government in Ontario, the education minister was actually recorded saying that the government was looking to create a crisis in the education system so it could fix it.

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to join in the debate. I will say a couple of things at the outset. First, with regard to the question that was just asked, that point is worth underscoring. Traditionally, laws are passed here in good faith. There is a requirement to check to make sure that they are constitutional.

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act  I thought I had the floor, Mr. Speaker, but it seems that maybe somebody else actually has the floor over here, or at least heckle louder so I can hear you.

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act  That's true, Mr. Speaker. The government House leader just responded to me and said, “Nobody heckles louder than you”, and he is right. I give him that. It is the first time I have agreed with the government House leader in I cannot remember how many months. However, that is not the point.

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act  Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. If you seek it, I believe you would find unanimous consent to allow the member to continue and conclude all of that important speech.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the following reports of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts: the fifth report, on Chapter 9, Offshore Banking — Canada Revenue Agency, of the Fall 2013 Report of the Auditor General of Canada; and the sixth report, on the Main Estimates 2014-15: Report on Plans and Priorities for 2014-15 and Performance Report for 2012-13 of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada.

Lincoln Alexander Day Act  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to join the debate. I particularly enjoy the fact that it is one of the few times we get to reach across the floor and be in agreement. For all the headlines of fighting and the various things we get into around here, there are times when we are able to rise above that and do justice to this profession and the people who elected us.

Lincoln Alexander Day Act  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my fellow Hamiltonian, the member for Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale. Of course, we know in Hamilton why this honour should be bestowed upon Linc, as we all know him. Perhaps I could give the hon. member an opportunity—given that there are millions of Canadians who are born, raised, and die, but only a limited number of calendar days—to explain why the pride of Hamilton should be registered as a federally recognized day.

Canada Post  Mr. Speaker, opposition to the cuts to Canada Post continues to grow in my riding of Hamilton Centre. My constituents are adding their voice to those of Canadians from coast to coast to coast who are outraged that the government is supporting the end of home delivery, cutting thousands of good-paying jobs, and increasing the cost of sending a letter by nearly 40%.

Fair Elections Act  Mr. Speaker, as one of the hon. member's little helpers, I am pleased to ask a question. The member tries very hard to be a fair-minded chair. I think he was a little more successful in a minority government, but that is probably as much a biased comment as anything. I will be very direct.

Fair Elections Act  Yes, Mr. Speaker, like that is going to happen. The fact of the matter is the government members can make 22 hours sound like a lot, but in this place that is not very much. Let us look at the record. I have already said that neither the committee nor the House has had a chance to look at half of this bill.

Fair Elections Act  Mr. Speaker, there are two things. Every time the bill has come to the House the government has imposed closure, meaning it has shut down debate every single time. This is another time. When we were in committee the government said that on May 1 at 5 p.m., no matter where we are, we are done reviewing it.

Fair Elections Act  Mr. Speaker, it is true, as far as we are concerned on the opposition benches, this is not a partisan matter. The shame of it is the government has made it a partisan matter. We are united on the opposition benches. Let me give a key example. The government makes a big deal about the changes it made.