Archive for November, 2012

Last week, the Conservative government announced that we will be forcing a vote on the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. The purpose of this Act is to require First Nation governments to have the same accountability and transparency as other levels of government.

Currently, First Nation governments operating under the Indian Act are the only level of government in Canada which isn’t obligated to make basic financial information public.

Men and women in First Nation communities have called for enhanced financial accountability. This legislation is our Government’s response to that need. First Nation citizens deserve to have basic financial information; such as: audited financial statements. They should also have access to the salaries and expenses of their chief and council.

Transparency and accountability will promote economic development. This, in turn, will help create much needed jobs and growth on reserves across Canada.

First Nation peoples deserve to have the same rights as all Canadians, including transparent government.

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

A few weeks ago, my office e-mail was spammed by the NDP.  We received thousands of e-mails from all over the country that were organized by the NDP.

Now, I’ve been in politics long enough to know that one will eventually be the target of dirty tricks. I don’t like it; but it is part of political life.

However, the spamming of a Member of Parliament’s e-mail account by another political party is particularly sleezy because it affects my ability to work with my constituents.

During the days when we were targeted with NDP spam, it was difficult for my staff to figure out which e-mails were coming from the riding and what others were coming from other parts of the country.  My staffers wasted time and probably missed e-mails from real constituents.

The NDP talk a good game about ethics in politics; but dirty tricks and questionable behavior are very much part of what they do in Ottawa.

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

Last week we honored our Veterans, often by visiting war memorials. For many Canadians, these war memorials are sacred ground.

That’s why the House of Commons passed Bill C-217, an Act that would protect war memorials and cenotaphs in Canada.

The Bill protects war memorials by making it a specific criminal offence to vandalize a war memorial.

C-217 allows for a minimum fine of $1,000 for a first offence and a minimum jail sentence of 14 days for a second offence.

Not all MPs voted for the bill, arguing that vandalism is already covered by the Criminal Code and punishment isn’t a good way to deal with this behavior.

I disagree; when you vandalize a war memorial, you’re not just damaging property. You are attacking the memory of the men and women who served, and insulting those who honour them. Vandalizing these places of Remembrance is a more severe act than just damaging property.

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

With Remembrance Day approaching, it is appropriate that we acknowledge those who fought for our country.  Specifically, I want to take note of Herbert E. Kopperud of Humboldt.

Mr. Kopperud enlisted in November of 1942, joining the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada.

In a demonstration of where his heart lay, he surrendered his Sgt.’s rank so he could fight overseas with his unit instead of remaining as an instructor.

Kopperud served as a private in England; Holland; Belgium and Germany.

In 1946, he married the lovely, now late, Jean Cooper. Together they farmed after purchasing land with the help of the Veteran’s Land Act. They also raised five wonderful daughters, all of which are still with us: Margaret, Dianne, Lynne, Joyce and Florence.

In the winter months, Herbert built houses. His motto was: “Get the roof on before it snows.”

An avid hunter and fisherman for most of his life, Kopperud is a life member of the Royal Canadian Legion.

He will be 95 come January.

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