Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak against the motion put forward by the member for Timmins—James Bay. As well, I will be splitting my time with the Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board. Our government has the utmost respect for the men and women who serve as members of the police in Canada.

Canada-Honduras Economic Growth and Prosperity Act  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments of the member for Winnipeg North and the years I spent in the Manitoba legislature with him. Certainly the pork industry would benefit from this measure. As I have indicated, there is a tariff that would be removed, which would certainly help our Maple Leaf plant in Manitoba, which is located in Brandon, as the member has indicated.

Canada-Honduras Economic Growth and Prosperity Act  Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the NDP and we on the Conservative side of the House have different views of trade agreements. It is clear from the NDP trade critic, who has been quoted as saying that countries like Honduras, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, and others are not key economies with any kind of strategic value for Canada.

Canada-Honduras Economic Growth and Prosperity Act  Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to talk about the Canada-Honduras free trade agreement and the many benefits it would bring to our agriculture and agri-food producers and exporters. First I would like to emphasize that our Conservative government clearly understands that our standard of living and Canadians' future prosperity will be generated by deepening and broadening our trading relationships, which is something missing from the comments earlier today by the Liberals and the New Democrats.

Brandon Chamber of Commerce Business Awards  Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the recipients of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce business awards, honoured at the 131st Brandon gala dinner on March 20. Small businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy, and those in Brandon—Souris are no different. Southwestern Manitoba is known for entrepreneurial spirit; and our local small businesses have a proven record of giving back to the community.

Grain Shipments by Rail  Mr. Speaker, many farmers across the Prairies, and in my riding particularly, have been directly impacted by recent difficulties in getting their grain to market. Six months ago, farmers brought in a bumper harvest, almost 50% larger than the past years. This should have been good news for the Canadian economy, as this meant that money was being reinvested throughout the supply chain.

Brandon—Souris  Mr. Speaker, last week I took a whirlwind tour of my constituency of Brandon—Souris. I engaged in meetings with local veterans, farmers, seniors, small-business owners, NGOs, municipal officials, and many more to hear their feedback on the budget and the new building Canada plan.

Persons with Disabilities  Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to rise in the House. I know there may not be too many occasions when my colleague from Malpeque and I will agree. However, on such an auspicious motion as was brought forward by the member for Brant, I certainly appreciate his support. It is with pleasure that I rise tonight to speak to Motion No. 430 on strengthening employment for Canadians with disabilities.

Wheat Growers  Mr. Speaker, many farmers are in Ottawa today for the 44th annual western Canadian wheat growers convention. As a previous president of the organization, I can say without a doubt that the farmers who have joined us today are at the forefront of their industry. Wheat growers bring ideas to the table.

Winter Olympic Games  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the two local skaters who will be competing in the pairs program next month in the Sochi Winter Olympics. Rudi Swiegers and Paige Lawrence have been skating together since 2005, and I am proud to say that they train in Virden, Manitoba, under their experienced coach, Mrs.

Employees' Voting Rights Act  Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to rise in the House to speak today to the employees' voting rights act, Bill C-525, put forward by my colleague. The bill aims to amend the rules for union certification and decertification in federally regulated workplaces to ensure that individuals have access to a secret ballot system.

Development in Southwestern Manitoba  Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to rise in the House as the newly elected member for Brandon—Souris. I want to inform the House that southwestern Manitoba is growing and I want to share with the House some exciting developments that are happening in the region. Thanks in part to the investments of our federal government, Brandon now has regularly scheduled air service connecting southwestern Manitoba to Calgary and beyond.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and a privilege to be able to represent the people of Brandon—Souris, who last fall once again voted for trusted leadership and strong economic management. Since being elected I have been meeting with constituents, who all understand that one of the main industries driving our local economy is agriculture.