Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to present a petition signed by concerned British Columbians calling on the government of China to release Falun gong practitioners from detention and end their persecution.

International Day of Peace  Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask for unanimous consent to adopt the following motion: “That in the opinion of the House the government should draft and implement a plan of action for addressing human trafficking in Canada for the period leading up to, during and beyond the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games, to reduce the sexual exploitation of vulnerable individuals in Canada and as a follow-up to the United Nations Palermo Protocol signed by Canada in 2000 and ratified in 2002”.

Patent Act  Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the member for Winnipeg North for this initiative and especially the response and support that she is giving to the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign. I am a very strong supporter of that campaign. I had the chance to meet with some of the grandmothers from South Africa in my riding of Vancouver Quadra.

Canada Consumer Product Safety Act  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to Bill C-6, the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act. I support this legislation, but I would caution against any description of this as being the definitive approach to consumer product safety. The bill takes a relatively narrow slice of the challenge and addresses that in an acceptable way.

Medical Isotopes  Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadians have had their life-saving cardiac and cancer tests unnecessarily delayed as a direct result of mismanagement by the Conservative government and the minister. Vancouver General Hospital performs as many as 50 tests every day, and at least six are urgent.

Medical Isotopes  Mr. Speaker, the real story is serial incompetence. Already this year the Conservatives have spent $222 million on Chalk River, but earlier this week the Prime Minister announced that Canada is getting out of the isotope business, admitting the money was wasted. Why can they not make up their minds?

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation  Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation plays a critical role in protecting the culture and sovereignty of Canada, and now it needs protection. The CBC is our voice, tying this diverse country and its unique regions together. It tells new Canadians about their new home and its people.

Clean Air Day  Mr. Speaker, today is Clean Air Day, a chance to recognize the importance of the quality of air we breathe. Even in tough economic times, we must make clean air a priority. Doing so is an investment in our future. A recent poll commissioned by the Canadian Lung Association found that 54% of Canadians believe clean air should be a top priority for both provincial and federal governments.

House debate  Mr. Speaker, the government has failed Canadians on the economy, failed Canadians on research and failed Canadians on climate change, and all that member can do is read from a list of initiatives, succeeding to take credit for what the Liberal Party has done for this country in building world leadership on a range of issues.

House debate  Mr. Speaker, I asked a question about the cuts to research funding, and I did not receive an answer to my question. I was speaking about Katrin Meissner, an accomplished B.C. climate scientist, who is packing up and moving from Canada to Australia because of the cuts to science funding.

The Environment  Mr. Speaker, I am extremely concerned about the Conservative government's inaction on climate change, but even worse than inaction is its campaign of obstruction. Top scientists now accuse the Harper government of politicizing science and research funding--

The Environment  Mr. Speaker, excuse me. Top scientists now accuse the Conservative government of politicizing science and research funding by appointing climate change deniers to the very boards that determine research funding priorities, deniers who are on record as disagreeing with the science of climate change and with capping emissions, but the government's own appointed advisory group, the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, makes it perfectly clear the Conservatives have no choice but to implement a hard cap and trade system now if they intend to meet their own emission reduction targets.

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, the farmers I am referring to feel that they are being asked to compete with their hands tied behind their backs on a completely unlevel playing field. Products are allowed into Canada that have pesticides harmful to handlers. Funding for CFIA has been reduced so there are fewer inspectors inspecting the products.

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, the Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency, PMRA, is years behind in its job of taking older, higher impact pesticides off the market and approving new, lower impact pesticides. Has the minister any work he can show or any funds invested to help the PMRA speed up its process of pesticide regulation?

Business of Supply  Mr.Chair, I take it the answer to my question was no. A recent report has raised serious concerns about groundwater quality in Canada. It described a major threat to groundwater as being intensification of agriculture. What is the minister's position on the role of intensified agriculture production as a source of contamination for our nation's groundwater?