Rob Merrifield

[Transport, April 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, rail safety is very important. We have a significant amount of money in our action plan with regard to rail safety, $71 million. We are dealing with safety on the rail system.

As far as the idea of moving the safety inspectors from one community to another is concerned, it is absolutely ridiculous to think that is going to compromise the safety of our rail system. That will not take place.

We can be assured that the railways in this country are running as safely as they possibly can.

[Transport, April 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. Safety absolutely comes first with our airlines. Anyone getting on an airplane in Canada must be assured and know that safety is paramount.

We not only insist on safety, but we make sure that we have a culture of safety within the entire airline system. That is our approach in Canada, and that is completely different from what the hon. member is trying to allude to. He should apologize for asking that question.

[Canadian Forces, April 22nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the question from my hon. colleague from Medicine Hat gives me the opportunity to explain to the House what happened earlier today.

The Minister of National Defence, Minister of Veterans Affairs, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and I had the privilege of meeting with VIA Rail. I am happy to announce that it will extend this offer to our veterans again this July, as well as allowing five of the veterans' immediate family members to travel for half price.

This is not about VIA Rail. This is about the brave young men and women who protect our country. Their mission, service, dedication and love of the country are greatly appreciated.

[Transportation, March 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that we conducting an intensive study. There is a report we are looking forward to with regard to high speed rail. I can tell the member also and remind everyone in the House that there are $407 million to speed up trains right across this country, specifically between Montreal and Toronto. I believe the member will be very pleased with the result of VIA Rail's announcement.

[The Economy, March 13th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely true that opposition members held up our action plan for far too long, and Canadians are hurting because of it. We are not waiting for them. We are investing in Canadians and in infrastructure in every province.

A perfect example is the hon. member was with me to announce a $100 million project in Edmonton ring roads just on Friday. The amazing thing about this project is it will not only help Edmontonians and all the communities around it, but there will be shovels in the ground within 30 days.

[The Environment, March 12th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we are not compromising the environment in any way. We are getting infrastructure dollars working for Canadians and Canadians working right now.

It is unfortunate that that individual and his party, as well as the Bloc Québécois, have done everything they possibly could to obstruct this piece of legislation all the way through.

What all members need to understand is that we will do everything we need to do to deal with this at a critical time in the history of Canada and the world to get this money working for Canadians.

[The Environment, March 12th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, nothing further from the truth could possibly be said out of that individual's mouth. The reality is that we have a bill that has been on the books since the early 1900s unamended. Even that member knows the difference between water running down a river and water running down a ditch and the different regulations that would take place to make that happen.

The House understands it. We need to get infrastructure out in order to get Canadians working. This is a critical time when we need our infrastructure working and Canadians working with their money. We want that to take place as soon as possible, which why this piece of legislation needs to be changed.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2009, March 2nd, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I listened to the debate and want to go back to the securities regulator question. The Bloc is saying we do not need it, but we are going into a very difficult economic time internationally and a time when Canada has to be as competitive as it possibly can be. To have a single securities regulator seems to be the only appropriate way to move forward.

I come from a province that agrees with its own securities regulator, but this is a voluntary process. My question to my hon. colleague is this. He is standing and saying that we do not need a national securities regulator. Would he go against the wishes of his province in that area?

[Canada Post, February 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) I am pleased to table, in both official languages, corporate plan summaries for Canada Post, years 2007 to 2011 and 2008 to 2012.

[Canada Post, February 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the review has taken place. It was on my desk earlier, just before Christmas. I will be allowing it to go public as soon as we have the appropriate response. We are reviewing and analyzing it. We will make the appropriate response at the appropriate time and allow it to go public very soon.