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House of Commons Debates VOLUME 147 Ï NUMBER 053 Ï 2nd SESSION Ï 41st PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Thursday, February 27, 2014 Speaker: The Honourable Andrew Scheer CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 3295 HOUSE OF COMMONS Thursday, February 27, 2014 The House met at 2 p.m. the provinces for services like health care, the way the Liberals did in the 1990s. As an MLA for 14 years, I know that staying closely connected to Prayers the people we represent is the most important job of an elected official. That is why I continue to be open and accessible to the people of Brandon—Souris. To all of my constituents, my office is there to serve them, to deliver exceptional constituent services, and STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS to connect them to the federal government. I look forward to Ï (1405) working together so we can ensure that the communities of Brandon —Souris reach their fullest potential. [English] I would also like to welcome KAP executive and staff members GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING who are here working on behalf of their farm members today in Mr. Brent Rathgeber (Edmonton—St. Albert, Ind.): Mr. relation to the CFA convention that just finished. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the government, specifically Employment and Social Development Canada on winning yet *** another prestigious Teddy Waste Award yesterday. The Canadian [Translation] Taxpayers Federation holds this annual black-tie event to celebrate the best of the worst in government waste. CANADA POST Employment and Social Development Canada was awarded the Ms. Ève Péclet (La Pointe-de-l'Île, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the federal Teddy for its $2.5 million wasted during the 2013 Stanley Conservatives forced Canada Post workers to accept a collective Cup playoffs, advertising its non-existent Canada jobs grant. If it is agreement that reduced their benefits and worsened their working going to advertise a non-existent government program, why not do conditions, all in the name of the country's economic security. They so during the most expensive advertising time that taxpayers' money also claimed that the postal service was an essential service that can buy? could not be disrupted. Now they are changing their tune and saying that Canada Post can no longer afford to provide services in urban Despite assurances of progress from the Minister of Employment centres. and Social Development, the Canada jobs grant program still does not exist, and I eagerly await the 2014 hockey playoffs to see if this What happened to essential and the economy? The Conservatives Teddy will be successfully defended. like to twist the facts to suit their own purposes. Several cities have already opposed the measure, and the most vulnerable people, those Seriously, I would like to thank the Canadian Taxpayers who will suffer because of the changes, feel that the government has Federation for its commitment to protecting hard-working taxpayers, abandoned them once again. This is yet more evidence that the an important function that the Conservative government abandoned Conservatives do not know how to govern this country in a way that long ago. promotes unity. They would rather divide people than get them onside. *** *** BRANDON—SOURIS Mr. Larry Maguire (Brandon—Souris, CPC): Mr. Speaker, last [English] week I took a whirlwind tour of my constituency of Brandon— WINTER OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES Souris. I engaged in meetings with local veterans, farmers, seniors, small-business owners, NGOs, municipal officials, and many more Mr. Bob Zimmer (Prince George—Peace River, CPC): Mr. to hear their feedback on the budget and the new building Canada Speaker, today I rise in the House to recognize and congratulate my plan. constituent Denny Morrison. As we all know, Denny captured silver and bronze in speed skating at the Sochi winter Olympics, as I can report that the people of southwestern Manitoba are pleased northeastern B.C. and the rest of Canada woke up early to cheer him that we are returning to balanced budgets without cutting transfers to on. 3296 COMMONS DEBATES February 27, 2014 Statements by Members I would also like to recognize Denny's teammate Gilmore Junio, Slava Ukraini. who gave up his spot in the 1,000-metre race, which gave Denny the opportunity to capture silver for Canada. This was a wonderful *** demonstration of teamwork and the Canadian Olympic spirit. Ï (1410) Congratulations to Denny, Gilmore, and all of our Olympians. They have done Canada proud. CANADA POST Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I and I would also like to wish our best to our Paralympic athletes, who my colleague from Vancouver Kingsway recently hosted a will compete in Sochi starting March 7. community forum, where we heard from hundreds of constituents and concerned citizens about how upset they are about Canada Post Go, Canada, Go. ending home delivery. They wanted to know why the Conservative *** government is not standing up for them. COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS They applauded that Vancouver City Council has unanimously Hon. Mark Eyking (Sydney—Victoria, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I called on Canada Post to suspend the cancellation of home delivery. rise today to recognize two generous volunteers in my riding, We heard loud and clear about the safety concerns and the impact on Emmett and Mae O'Connor. The couple resides in Sydney Mines small businesses, seniors, and people with disabilities. People and has been offering community service since they both retired in expressed strong support for their letter carriers, who play a critical the early 1990s. role in keeping our neighbourhoods safe. My 93-year-old mother Margaret, who lives alone, supports her letter carrier. Margaret Unsettled by the prospect of retirement, they set out to find a way knows there is no evidence to eliminate this important service. It is a to better occupy their time and decided to start volunteering in their further erosion of public services driven by a political agenda. community. Both at the age of 80, Emmett and Mae spend their days assisting at the Harbour View Hospital in Sydney Mines, doing Our community has joined with many others across Canada who everything from watering plants to helping with exercise programs say no to the elimination of home delivery. and reminiscing with the patients. The O'Connors play an integral *** part in the hospital's day-to-day operations, having volunteered more than 20 years now. WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES Emmett also volunteers for Meals on Wheels, the Kiwanis Golden Mr. Larry Miller (Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, CPC): Mr. K, and the Red Rowe housing project. The O'Connors also Speaker, I rise in the House today to congratulate Larisa Yurkiw on generously host hospital residents and staff at their cabin in Cape her recent performance at the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Breton every summer. Russia. Larisa is a Canadian skier from Owen Sound who specializes in women's downhill alpine skiing and women's super-G races. Emmett and Mae are two of our community's longest serving and most celebrated volunteers. They have set a true example for all Following a devastating knee injury in 2010, she was cut from the Canadians, and it is my great pleasure to recognize their contribution Canadian team and was on her own to fundraise her way to Sochi. before all members today. Larisa worked hard and qualified for the Olympics with a career-best run. She fundraised on her own, just so she could don the red and *** white and represent Canada in Sochi. UKRAINE At the games, Larisa raced hard and in the women's downhill race Mr. Peter Goldring (Edmonton East, CPC): Mr. Speaker, twice finished only 1.86 seconds off the gold medal winning time. What an in 10 years I stood on stage in Ukraine's Independence Square effort. Larisa's performance at the games was incredible. She worked speaking to hundreds of thousands gathered in revolt against, so hard to even be there and has shown all Canadians that anything is ironically, the very same president, Yanukovych, for the same possible when one sets one's mind to it. reason: cheating Ukrainians of their democratic rights. This I speak for all Canadians in saying that we are truly proud of all revolution, though, had one important difference: linguistic inclu- she has accomplished. sivity. Russian-speaking and Ukrainian-speaking people all gathered together with one voice of protest at Euromaidan, representing *** eastern Ukraine, western Ukraine, the Crimea, representing linguistic national unity. PICKERING AIRPORT Mr. Corneliu Chisu (Pickering—Scarborough East, CPC): Mr. As Ukraine's parliament guides the path of the nation's future, may Speaker, I rise today to quote the Mayor of Pickering, Dave Ryan, they project a positive message of national consultation to address all who stated: concerns of linguistic inclusion to forge a common agreement. Language is the heart and soul of the person, of the family, of the We thank the Government of Canada for bringing 40 years of indecision to an community, and of well-being. Excluding a community or region's end; and providing clear direction on the Pickering airport. first spoken language in governance would needlessly divide. Moving forward, the City of Pickering and its residents ask that the Government of Canada employ an open and transparent process with opportunities to share, Linguistic fairness is essential as Ukrainians journey together analyze and comment on relevant documents and decision-making on the use of the through the national challenges that lie ahead. federal airport lands. February 27, 2014 COMMONS DEBATES 3297 Statements by Members The City of Pickering and Durham Region have constructed their Ï (1415) infrastructure to support the development of the Seaton lands, which [Translation] will see housing for 60,000 people and some 30,000 jobs materialize over the next 10 years.