Protecting Canada's Seniors Act  Mr. Speaker, just as the member for Gatineau has done, I would like to underscore the important work that the member for Pierrefonds—Dollard does every day in this House and throughout the country by making all Canadians aware of the situation of our senior citizens. Of course we support this bill.

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' lack of respect for democracy has reached a new low. We were all concerned to see that a journalist from the Selkirk Record lost her job because a Conservative MP deviated from the Prime Minister's official talking points on Nexen. Freedom of the press is a fundamental pillar of a strong democracy.

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, we have received tens of thousands of emails and letters about Nexen, including from Conservatives, who agree with the NDP position on this and say that the Conservatives should be listening to the public. The Winzoski affair takes this to a whole new level. The member for Selkirk—Interlake said that he was “strongly opposed to this deal” but also that “there is little that can be done to stop it”.

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, the deadline for approving the Nexen deal is now only nine days away. If this deal is approved, a Chinese state-owned company will be given the unlimited right to buy Canadian natural resources. Because of this new investment agreement, if a province such as Quebec tries to limit foreign ownership of its natural resources in any way, it could be taken to court.

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, it is not just that Conservatives make stuff up, they do not even seem to understand their own agreement. After FIPA, after Nexen, a Chinese state-owned company will have the unlimited right to buy up Canadian natural resources. CNOOC and Sinopec have already set their eyes on potash.

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, we found out yesterday that the Minister of Natural Resources admitted that he did “not know very much about” energy projects. What cheered me was that he was willing to admit it and asked questions to get facts. This is novel and unparalleled for a Conservative minister.

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, that was another fact-free answer. Smart public policy actually involves finding the facts. The Minister of Natural Resources did it once, and I am sure the government can do it again. Why will the minister not take the advice of the former Conservative minister and take action before other countries start, as Jim Prentice says, to “dictate our environmental policies”.

All Saints Anglican Church  Mr. Speaker, November 2 is a day of celebration in Burnaby. It marks 100 years of continuous presence of All Saints Anglican Church as a key member of our community and our faith community. Situated on the south slope of Burnaby since 1912, All Saints Anglican Church has provided 100 years of service to families, children and seniors, ministering to their spiritual and social needs and lovingly welcoming persons of all persuasions to its many programs.

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, critics of the Conservatives are coming out of the woodwork. The Wall Street Journal has criticized the Conservatives' strange actions regarding foreign investment. It has pointed out that there is no basis for the government's decisions. There is still uncertainty over the meaning of net benefit, while the November 9 deadline for a decision on the Nexen deal is fast approaching.

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, nowhere in the Investment Canada Act is there reference to flipping a coin at midnight on a Friday night, after leading a company to believe it is going to be accepted. After promising a new net benefit test for two years, Conservatives may or may not actually do their work, creating total uncertainty.

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, the government should be listening to Calgarians and other Canadians on this issue and it is not. Maybe it is time to have a hard-working NDP MP in Calgary. It sure has helped in Edmonton. The Calgary Chamber of Commerce witness said yesterday at committee there was a lack of confidence reflected in the markets in the government on this issue.

Jobs and Growth Act, 2012  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the parliamentary secretary for her intensely partisan and very fictional speech. She talked about the NDP. She did not talk about the government's record. Why? It is because we know the government's record. There have been half a million manufacturing jobs that have evaporated over the last few years on the Conservative watch; 400,000 more people are unemployed than when the Conservatives came to power.

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives cannot bear to hear the truth. Since they are mishandling these files, why are they flipping a coin? Why are they doing it on the back of a napkin? Why are they so irresponsible?

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, it is not the interests of Canadians the Conservatives have in mind; it is the best interests of the Conservative Party and its friends. That is why the Conservatives keep mishandling these issues. It is no way to run an economy. Clarity on net benefit should have been in place years ago.

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, I am going to try again to clarify the confused, muddled position of the Conservative government on clarity in the Investment Canada Act. One minute, it says that clarity is not needed. The next minute, anonymous sources are saying that Conservatives want to redefine the net benefit test.