Archive for October, 2010

If you’ve followed the news over the past couple of years, you will know that your Conservative government has been pushing for major changes to the criminal justice system.

In general, we have been lengthening the time that criminals will spend in prison.

We do, however, have other criminal justice initiatives, one of which is our Child Advocacy Centres (CAC).

For young Canadians who have suffered through abuse, or who have witnessed a crime, it can be particularly difficult to navigate the criminal justice system. Such experiences can also be mentally and emotionally harmful to a child.

Our Child Advocacy Centres help young victims and witnesses of crime. The work of CAC staff often reduces the emotional harm to the child. It is often the case that, as a result, witnesses are better able to provide stronger evidence in court. Better evidence can lead to more charges being laid, higher numbers of guilty pleas and convictions and more appropriate sentences.

Our Child Advocacy Centres are one element of your Conservative government’s strategy to help victims of crime.

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.

My office frequently helps constituents with problems they have with government departments.  Over the years, one of the most difficult departments to deal with has been Veterans Affairs.

That’s why I was pleased to hear Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn announce that the Government of Canada is going to invest $2 billion to improve levels of support for veterans and their families.

In addition, the federal government will also provide $52.5 million to fund five new initiatives to support seriously injured men and women in uniform.

The first two initiatives are: barrier free transitional housing for injured soldiers undergoing treatment at a Canadian Forces rehabilitation centre and funding for support services (for example, wheelchair accessible transportation to medical appointments, childcare and delivery of medical supplies and groceries during rehabilitation.)

The federal government will also provide up to $100 per day for family or close friends who leave their job to help provide care for the ill or injured soldier.

The fourth initiative is: Improved access to the Canadian Forces Spousal Education Upgrade Program.

Enhanced Case Management Support for seriously ill or injured veterans (to make it easier to access help, information and individual attention) is the fifth initiative.

This new assistance will help ensure that badly injured Veterans receive the care they need. This recent announcement is one small step to improve our support for the men and women who defend our country.

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.

I don’t know if you caught it in the news the other week, but a judge in Ontario struck down most of the laws against prostitution in Canada. While the other political parties equivocated in their response to the judge’s ruling, Conservative Justice Minister Rob Nicholson was firm in our government’s response. We will oppose any attempt to legalize prostitution.

Prostitution is not despicable because it is illegal; it is illegal because it is despicable. Prostitution is not a career choice that any parent wants for their child. The government should not be party to the exploitation of vulnerable women. The role of government is to protect the weak, not to encourage their exploitation.

We are appealing the judge’s decision and will fight with every resource at our disposal.

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 offices to visit: Saskatoon Monday-Friday or Humboldt Tuesday and Wednesday. I always appreciate your feedback.

Canada is buying some new planes. We are purchasing 65 F-35 fighter jets to patrol our skies. Canada is the second largest country in the world; our brave men and women in the Air Force need the best aircraft available to patrol our airspace.

Now, while our first concern was to get the best equipment to replace our F-18s, there are other benefits to buying these planes.

Since Canada is part of the F-35 fighter’s supply chain, businesses across the country will have the opportunity to bid on a wide range of contracts for everything from engines to airframes, systems and services for the 5,000 F-35s that our allies will be buying to upgrade their air forces.

Canadian expertise in advanced composites, assembly, electronic systems, high speed machining, tooling and simulation and training is already well known. The current estimate is that our companies will be able to bid on $12 billion worth of contracts.

We only need to think of the Sea King helicopter replacement fiasco to be reminded how previous federal governments failed to provide our troops, sailors and airmen with modern equipment.

I’m proud to say that the F-35 is a good buy for Canada, both now and in the future.

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.