Bette MacDonald  Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure today to rise in the House to pay tribute to one of my constituents, Bette MacDonald. Bette MacDonald is a well known Cape Breton entertainer who has been a household name for the past 15 years. During her time with the Summertime Review s

Human Resources Development  Mr. Speaker, Nova Scotia is a province that historically has thrived on major industries. We have proven time and time again that we can work hard and against all odds to succeed. The province has faced many challenges in recent years. With the decline in our mining industry, it

Species at Risk Act  Mr. Speaker, in the waters off Atlantic Canada there are fishers and tour boat operators who are part of programs to keep the leatherback turtles from getting caught in the nets. No one told them they had to do this. When they learned about the problem, they worked with conservat

South African War  Madam Speaker, today marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the South African war, also known as the Boer war, a war for which more than 7,000 Canadians volunteered and 277 gave their lives. It is important that we remember the brave men and women who were some of the first t

The Environment  Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport. Citizens of Atlantic Canada are concerned about the effect of oil spills on our fragile coastal ecosystems. The Minister of Transport has recently expressed concerns in the House about the need for increased fines for po

Membertou First Nation  Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize a significant community achievement in my riding. The Membertou First Nation has become the first native government in North America to become ISO certified. The ISO rating shows customers that the reserve has achieved a high

Medals of Bravery  Mr. Speaker, I recognize two of my constituents who are both neighbours and friends of mine on receiving medals of bravery this past week. John and Mary-Rose MacLeod were visiting the beautiful Inverness beach on Cape Breton Island where they discovered two brothers in danger ab

Canada Post  Mr. Speaker, last June, Canada Post closed a postal terminal in north Sydney. My constituents became very concerned about the loss of their jobs to the community. When I asked the Minister of Public Works and Government Services what he would do to ensure vital jobs were not rem

Cape Breton  Mr. Speaker, it has been almost a year since I was elected to the House. I wish to show my appreciation to the Cape Breton recovery team at this time. This is a large and dedicated team. It consists of community development organizations, government agencies and many volunteers w

Agriculture  Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers are watching anxiously as ministers from around the world gather in Doha this week in an attempt to launch a new round of negotiations at the WTO. They have seen export subsidies in other countries drive down the price they are receiving for the cro

International Aid  Mr. Speaker, around the world today there are millions of people living without adequate food. In the past few weeks our eyes have turned to the plight of the people in Afghanistan. However, around the world there continue to be many who share this daily challenge and plight. M

Canada Post  Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Public Works and Government Services if he is ready to order Canada Post to keep the North Sydney postal terminal, not to sell it but to use it for other postal operations. Cape Breton badly needs employment. Surely Canada Post sh

The Environment  Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of the House the environmental problem of Sydney tar ponds and coke oven sites in my riding. It is known that the population of Sydney is very concerned. I would like to take this opportunity to ask the Minister of the Environm

Centenarians  Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure today to congratulate two fine ladies from Millville, Cape Breton. Sister Mary MacIntosh and Annie MacAulay are turning 100 years of age this month. As young girls, they both went to a one room schoolhouse in Millville. Sister Mary MacInto

Membertou  Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure today to tell the House about an exciting initiative in the community of Membertou, Cape Breton. The Membertou Band Council will research and develop a learner booklet on the history of Membertou. Out of school youth aged 16 to 24 will be