Archive for October, 2009

You may have heard the Liberals complaining over the last few weeks that too many infrastructure projects (water systems, arena upgrades, roads, etc) are being built in ridings that are represented by Conservative MPs.  They are complaining that the money isn’t going where they want it to go. Yet, “during Chretien’s tenure as Prime Minister, there were years when his riding got more Ottawa money than did the Province of Alberta–or half of Africa,” according to columnist Diane Francis.

Infrastructure money is divided fairly among the provinces using a “per person” funding formula.  This insures that one province won’t be favoured over any of the other nine provinces.

Members of Parliament work with both local governments and the federal and provincial departments involved to make sure the best projects are selected. Our Liberal critics don’t mention that projects are submitted by local governments and reviewed by both the provincial and the federal government.

Like many other MPs, I try to find out about all the projects in my constituency and do what I can to see that the best projects for my constituency are approved. Unlike the Liberals, the Conservatives have taken care to make sure that rural Canada has not been forgotten.  We ensure that when money is spent in Saskatchewan, it goes to the whole province and not just to Ralph Goodale’s Liberal riding in Regina.

If the Liberals truly think that too many projects have been placed in Conservative ridings (and in rural Canada) they should state which projects they are opposed to. Are they opposed to funding upgrades to the Multiplex in Humboldt? What about the water mains in Muenster, or arena improvements in Wakaw, Watson and Englefeld? If so, they should come out and say it directly.

I for one am unapologetic about my work for Saskatoon-Humboldt. I’m glad for the towns that received grants this year, and I will continue to work for the towns that missed out this year.

I’m Brad Trost, your Member of Parliament in Saskatoon-Humboldt.  You can call my office in Saskatoon at 975-6133 or drop by our two offices to visit: Saskatoon Monday-Friday or Humboldt Tuesday and Wednesday. I always appreciate your feedback.

The longer I’m a Member of Parliament, the closer I get to supporting the abolition of the Senate.  Now, I still support an elected and reformed Senate, but the lack of accountability in the Senate is maddening.

Take what happened the other week. In a unanimous vote, the House of Commons passed a Conservative law that stopped criminals from receiving a 2 for 1 credit for time served pre-trial. The Liberal dominated Senate, which is unelected and accountable to no one, changed the law so that a convicted criminal will still receive a reduced sentence. Amendments made by the Liberal Senators means that a criminal will still get 1.5 days off his sentence for every one day served before trial.

Now, if our Senators were Members of Parliament, they would have to answer to you, the voters, for watering down Conservative government legislation that makes our communities safe. However, as unelected appointees, these Senators can take taxpayers money and never have to answer for their actions.  It’s time to end the unelected Senate; either we reform it or abolish it.

I’m Brad Trost your Member of Parliament in Saskatoon-Humboldt.  You can call my office in Saskatoon at 975-6133 or drop by our two offices to visit: Saskatoon Monday-Friday or Humboldt Tuesday and Wednesday. I always appreciate your feedback.

Last week, I listened to a speech by Dr. José Pereira, chief of palliative medicine at a long-term care hospital in Ottawa called Bruyère Continuing Care. Dr. Pereira specializes in pain management and end of life issues.  He was speaking to a group of MPs about euthanasia and assisted suicide. Dr. Pereira urged us to oppose bill C-384, a pro-euthanasia bill brought in by Bloc Québécois. Bill C-384 is generally opposed by MPs from the other three parties.

During his speech, Dr. Pereira challenged our group of MPs to support positive palliative care policies. Instead of supporting euthanasia and assisted suicide, government policy needs to be structured around providing the appropriate support for those people going through the most severe challenge of their lives. A palliative care strategy should be advanced. Whether that be using the most up to date medication, (pain medications have made amazing advances in the last 20 years); the appropriate staffing of nurses, doctors and social workers; or even basic education for health care professionals.

I’m opposed to euthanasia and assisted suicide for a variety of reasons. I believe in the innate dignity of all human life. It is guaranteed that under euthanasia laws, people will eventually be pressured to end their lives for financial or social reasons.

Canada needs better palliative care. We don’t need assisted suicide or euthanasia, not now, not ever.

I’m Brad Trost, your Member of Parliament in Saskatoon-Humboldt.  You can call my office in Saskatoon at 975-6133 or drop by our two offices to visit: Saskatoon Monday-Friday or Humboldt Tuesday and Wednesday. I always appreciate your feedback.

With all the noise about the Liberals recent attempt to force an early election, you may have missed the news that legislation to eliminate the long-gun registry (Bill C-391) is now before the House of Commons.  And if most opposition MPs who have pledged to support the legislation keep their word, (and that’s a big if) then the House of Commons should vote to repeal the long-gun registry sometime around November.

This does not mean the long-gun registry is dead. Jack Layton, Michael Ignatieff and Gilles Duceppe will use every procedural trick in the book to slow passage of this bill into law.

Passing legislation is a long slow process. Their hope is that a spring election will run out the clock on the Conservative’s bill.  But with the Liberals losing control of the Senate in January, the votes appear to be in place to topple the long-gun registry, if the government survives the spring.

I’m Brad Trost your Member of Parliament in Saskatoon-Humboldt.  You can call my office in Saskatoon at 975-6133 or drop by our two offices to visit: Saskatoon Monday-Friday or Humboldt Tuesday and Wednesday. I always appreciate your feedback.