Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that the former minister of finance did so well for our country at a time when there was a need for a proactive, strong social conscience in government. I look at the issue before us in terms of priorities. Is it fair to say that the Conservative gover

Abolition of Early Parole Act  Mr. Speaker, it is an excellent question. Undoubtedly there is an impact. When we pass a law of this nature there will be costs for each and every provincial government across Canada. It is hard to estimate the actual cost. Prior to the introduction of the bill, the government s

Abolition of Early Parole Act  Mr. Speaker, one could ask the question, why was the member not listening to the Liberal critic a year and a half ago when we wanted to deal with this very specific issue dealing with large scale fraud? Why was the member not listening then? In terms of the cost factor, we canno

Abolition of Early Parole Act  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments, but I must advise the minister that he is thinking outside the glass bubble that the Prime Minister has put him in. The Prime Minister's line is very simple, that the government is tough on crime. Conservatives cannot have it both ways. Th

Abolition of Early Parole Act  Mr. Speaker, I would concur in most part with the member's remarks. In fact, recreation or alternative activities are of critical importance to me personally. One of the commitments I made to my constituents was that I would not collect my MLA pension. The proceeds from my MLA p

Abolition of Early Parole Act  Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to stand today to add my comments on Bill C-59. I cannot help but at times draw comparisons with the Manitoba legislature and here. When I look at what the government is trying to do through a form of closure to limit debate, I reflect on the Manit

Government Appointments  Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety once sniffed that “the evidence is overwhelming that politics plays a significant consideration in judicial appointments”. He must have been talking about his own Conservative Party. One week, Brian Abrams is a Conservative candidate ge

Government Appointments  Mr. Speaker, there were others. Lawrence O'Neil, a former Conservative MP, was made a judge in Nova Scotia. Chris Bondy, who has given thousands to the Conservative Party, was made a judge in Windsor. In all, 39 Conservative insiders have been appointed to federal courts since th

Enhanced New Veterans Charter Act  Madam Speaker, we understand, appreciate and support the bill that is before us today. In listening to the debate, in particular to the New Democratic critic, a couple of thoughts came to mind. It is almost as if NDP members are trying to give the impression that they are encoura

Canada-Panama Free Trade Act  Mr. Speaker, the province of Manitoba alone employs over 1,000 people in the potato industry and processing. Given that the Manitoba NDP government's website makes reference to Panama as consumers of our processed potatoes which provides thousands of jobs, would the member agree

Canada-Panama Free Trade Act  Mr. Speaker, many of the New Democrats give the impression that it is strictly the tax haven issue that prevents them from voting for the bill. I guess a hypothetical question for the member, and I would really appreciate a good answer, is this. If the issue were not a tax haven,

Visitor Visas  Mr. Speaker, we need to change the way in which visitor visas are being issued. Last month I visited the Philippines and India to express my feelings on the matter. Whether it was the Canadian ambassador in the Philippines or the consul general in India, I made it very clear tha

House debate  Mr. Speaker, when the sun goes down, seniors in certain areas of Winnipeg North do not go out of their homes because of the fear of not being safe in their own communities. Crime and safety is a major issue. In the last five to ten years it has become a lot worse in Winnipeg Nort

House debate  Mr. Speaker, the government is giving away billions of dollars in corporate tax breaks while, at the same time, it is not prepared to commit money to help in terms of preventing or steering young people away from gangs. The government needs to invest in getting tough on the cause

Federal Spending Power Act  Mr. Speaker, I want to add a number of words on this particular bill before us. I disagree with what the previous speaker was talking about. Having been a provincial legislator for almost 19 years, I understand there are many issues in each and every province and, at times, many