Resumption of debate on Address in Reply  Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his comments. I am familiar with his expertise in the subject matter, since we sat together on the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. In fact, I hope we will do so again in the course of this new session. I would nevertheless like to assure my colleague that the Liberal Party fully supports the Kyoto protocol.

Resumption of debate on Address in Reply  Mr. Speaker, I note that the hon. member has been here all morning listening to the debate. I commend him for that. I would like to correct a couple of misstatements. The previous government did cut taxes. It cut $100 billion worth of taxes. I think it was in the 2000 budget, I cannot recall exactly--I was elected in 2004--but I believe it was in the 2000 budget.

Resumption of debate on Address in Reply  Mr. Speaker, climate change is the issue of the millennium. It is a complex issue and it requires laying a foundation. It requires building public commitment to get behind government initiatives to combat climate change, which are controversial because they challenge consumers and they challenge businesses.

Resumption of debate on Address in Reply  Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to participate in this debate. This is the third time that I have participated in a debate in reply to the Speech from the Throne. I would like to sincerely thank the voters in my riding for providing me with this opportunity. While listening to the throne speech, and when I read it more carefully later, a question crossed my mind.

Resumption of debate on Address in Reply  My colleague says that we do not have time and I think he is right. We will have to extend the session if we want to get to that. Let us look at the last budget, the largest spending budget in the history of Canada from a “conservative” government. Is that not something? That budget was from a Conservative government that raised taxes.

Resumption of debate on Address in Reply  Which turned up nothing. Let us talk about estimating budget surpluses. “Oh, yes, we can do a better job”, the Prime Minister said, “We will estimate them properly”. It turns out he was wrong. When he was questioned on that, what was his response? “Trust us, we tried harder”. Did he try as hard as he did on climate change?

Canadian Heritage  Mr. Speaker, Canada's railway heritage is being threatened by a lack of federal assistance for its preservation. Some items are frequently purchased by wealthy Americans for personal reasons. Now we hear that the government just allowed an export permit for the sale, in the United States, of an important relic from the wreck of the Empress of Ireland—a permit that was refused by the former Liberal government.

Water Resources Management  Mr. Speaker, before I get into the body of my speech, I would like to respond to some points that were made by the hon. member for Abbotsford. First, he mentioned that I had been in government for 13 years. That is not factual. I was elected in 2004, a few months prior to him being elected.

Natural Resources  Mr. Speaker, on Monday, North Dakota opened the tap at Devils Lake and water from the lake, which is too polluted even for irrigation, began flowing toward Lake Winnipeg. On May 30, the environment minister had said in the House that everything was under control. Given the scientific resources available at Environment Canada and given the experts at the U.S. desk at the Department of Foreign Affairs, whose job it is to be on top of what is going on south of the border, the government must have known well in advance that the tap would be opened.

Devils Lake Diversion Project  Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with my colleague, the member for Newton—North Delta. I am very pleased to take part in this debate. I have noticed that up to this point, most of the speakers have been from Manitoba or from the west. I feel somewhat like a visiting relative on this issue.

Devils Lake Diversion Project  Mr. Speaker, I have a question which I hope the hon. member can answer. She mentioned that the permit is being challenged in court now. I know it was challenged in court by the Government of Manitoba and my understanding was that the government lost that challenge to the new permitting licence.

Devils Lake Diversion Project  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for initiating this debate tonight because it is an important issue. She is absolutely right when she says that we must keep the attention of the government and of Canadians focused on this issue. It is not merely, in my opinion, a small border conflict or an isolated conflict.

Canada Transportation Act  Mr. Speaker, I am glad that I was in the House when the parliamentary secretary addressed this issue because it affects my riding of Lac-Saint-Louis. Before I touch on that, I noticed that the parliamentary secretary gave his government a pat on the shoulder for bringing forward this legislation.

Festivals and Special Events  Mr. Speaker, when the last budget was tabled, the Minister of Canadian Heritage created high expectations for festivals. Now that the festival season is getting under way, the money is not available as the minister has been unable to establish adequate guidelines. The Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec already has a program to support festivals with very specific criteria and clear objectives.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, like many of my colleagues here today I am rising to present a petition dealing with the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines and I am proud to do so in the presence of the Reverend Shaun Fryday of the Beaconsfield United Church in my riding who was active in putting together this petition.