Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada's Immigration System Act  Mr. Speaker, I really do think that is the problem. The bill is responding sensationalistic images in the media of large numbers of people falling off the sides of a boat off the coast of British Columbia. That is what the bill is responding to. The bill is trying to respond to an image that has been communicated through the media.

Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada's Immigration System Act  Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is absolutely right to raise this aspect of the bill. In a democracy we have to set parameters to ensure that no party, no government, no minister has unlimited power. That is the principle behind democracy. A democracy is more than just elections and votes, which are obviously necessary.

Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada's Immigration System Act  Mr. Speaker, the fundamental problem with this bill is that it would make victims of people who in many cases are already victims in other countries. We all get a little frustrated in traffic and do not like to be held up in it. When arriving home after a long trip from work or wherever we say that it was a hellish drive because we were stuck in traffic for an hour and a half.

Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada's Immigration System Act  Mr. Speaker, indeed these boats are unsafe. This is really the point I was trying to make. Despite the fact that these are dangerous journeys, people are so desperate that they are willing to risk everything and risk their lives to make that journey. The question is, why are they treated like criminals when they get here?

Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada's Immigration System Act  Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to pick up where things left off in June. Right before the long debate on back-to-work legislation I had the opportunity to speak to this bill for eight minutes. At that point I was making three general observations. The first is that refugees are not queue jumpers.

Resumption and Continuation of Postal Services Legislation  Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting the way the government characterizes the state of the economy. It goes from saying that the recovery is very fragile to saying that the economy is very strong, that we have recouped all the lost jobs since the recession and that we have had strong growth since 2009.

Kirkland  Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the city of Kirkland. Kirkland's history begins with the arrival of the Brunet family in the area in 1667. The Meloche and Daoust families were also among the first families to arrive. Kirkland's town library is a testament to the spirit of volunteerism behind the city's social, sports and recreational life.

Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada's Immigration System Act  Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise on this important piece of legislation which was introduced in the last Parliament but did not proceed much further because of the election. There is an observable pattern of behaviour with the Conservative government in terms of how it approaches complex and important issues, like the issue of human smuggling.

Libya  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his question. He is absolutely right: we have to focus more on diplomatic efforts and contribute to building democratic institutions in Libya once the conflict is over. I hope that will be soon. That is what we did in Sudan. We provided the money and expertise for the negotiation of a comprehensive peace agreement.

Libya  Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his kind words in my regard. Indeed, I enjoyed sitting on the environment committee when he was chairing it. I am a little saddened that neither of us will be on that committee working together. Canada has great democratic expertise. I would point to my leader's previous work in helping to draft the Iraqi constitution.

Libya  Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform you that I will share my time with my colleague, the member for Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor. The military operation in Libya is, in a sense, the culmination of the evolution of the United Nations and international law, an evolution in which, I am proud to say, Canada has been involved many times on different levels.

Baie-d'Urfé  Mr. Speaker, this year marks the centennial of the town of Baie-d'Urfé in my riding of Lac-Saint-Louis. On May 9, I attended a meeting of the Baie-d'Urfé junior council that re-enacted two of the town's earliest council meetings held on July 18 and September 16, 1911, respectively.

The Budget  Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to stand in the House to deliver my first complete speech following the recent election. Like other members with their ridings, I would like to take one moment to thank the voters of Lac-Saint-Louis for showing their confidence in me once again by re-electing me to represent them in the House of Commons for the fourth time since 2004.

Treasury Board  Mr. Speaker, we cannot say that the government leads by example. The President of the Treasury Board is demanding cuts, but cabinet offices have been going in the other direction. Since 2008, there has been a 14% increase in the budgets of ministers' offices. What does one say to aboriginal chiefs who come to Ottawa to report that there are still houses that are not hooked up to water systems on their reserves?

Zero Force Cycling Team  Mr. Speaker, last Sunday three extraordinary young men set off on a 7,200 kilometre bike ride across Canada. Drew Steeves, Mitch Torrens and Laurent Gazaille, the riders of the Zero Force Cycling Team, are graduates of John Abbott College in my riding of Lac-Saint-Louis. They will spend the summer biking from Vancouver to Halifax to raise awareness and funds for Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire's child soldier initiative.