Tagged with: House of Commons


October 4, 2016 | No Comments

Canadians need jobs not more unnecessary red tape

I was delighted to stand in the House and take the Liberals to task for their latest folly regarding infrastructure. They want to put all federal-funded projects though a green screen. If a project isn’t deemed green enough it might be gased.

Canadians need jobs not more unnecessary red tape.

 

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September 29, 2016 | No Comments

Kerry Diotte tables legislation condemning Crimean Tatars genocide

For Immediate Release

September 29, 2016

(OTTAWA, ONTARIO) — Kerry Diotte has introduced his first Private Members’ Bill (PMB) in the House of Commons. The bill is titled An Act to establish a Crimean Tatar Deportation (“Sürgünlik”) Memorial Day and to recognize the mass deportation of the Crimean Tatars in 1944 as an act of genocide.

“My Bill condemns a dark chapter in history and takes a principled stand in support of freedom, democracy and the rule of law,” said Diotte, who was elected on Oct. 19, 2015.

If passed, this Act will recognize the mass deportations of Crimean Tatars in 1944 by the Soviet regime as genocide and establish May 18 as a day of commemoration.

“In 1944, the Soviet regime under Josef Stalin ripped hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women and children from their homes in Crimea and sent them into permanent exile simply on the basis of their nationality,” he said.

“They were denied their freedom of movement, freedom of expression and freedom of worship until the Soviet Union ceased to exist. It constitutes a great crime against humanity.”

In 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine, and illegally annexed Crimea after staging a sham referendum in the region.

“We cannot separate the deportations of 1944 from Russia’s theft of Crimea from Ukraine seventy years later.”

“The same evil ideology and disregard for the fundamental rights and freedoms of every man and woman is at work in both a regime that would tear 200,000 people from their homes and drop them in a remote part of Central Asia; and in starting a war with a peaceful neighboring country in order to steal territory.”

This Bill is especially important because Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea has placed the Crimean Tatars under threat once again. Today, they face renewed attacks on their representative bodies, places of worship, and independent media outlets.

In 2015, the Parliament of Ukraine officially recognized the deportations of 1944 as genocide, the first country in the world to do so. Subsequently, the Ukrainian Parliament called on other countries to join them in recognizing this atrocity as genocide.

“Canada has always been a steadfast and loyal friend to Ukraine, and we need to show our leadership once again,” said Diotte.

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For media enquiries, please contact:

Kerry Diotte

Member of Parliament

Edmonton Griesbach

(613) 992-3821

02-2

 

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September 28, 2016 | No Comments

Have your voice heard

Here’s an important opportunity to have your voice heard and demand a referendum.

The House of Commons’ Special Committee on Electoral Reform is holding public open microphone sessions in the Edmonton area tomorrow.

When: Thursday September 29, 2016.
4:15pm to 5:00 p.m.
7:30pm to 9:30 p.m.

Where: Renaissance Edmonton Airport Hotel (attached to the airport)
4236 – 36 St. East
Leduc, AB

To speak, you must be registered at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the session.

If you can’t make it to this meeting, you can also complete the Committee’s online e-consultation form here.

demand-a-vote-web

 

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August 25, 2016 | No Comments

Great discussion with local business and community leaders

I was pleased to host an Economic Roundtable at Concordia University in my riding of Edmonton Griesbach.

This roundtable was an opportunity for me to hear the priorities of local business and community leaders when it comes to growing the economy, creating jobs and ensuring the long-term prosperity of all Canadians.

Roundtable participants agreed that the federal government must do more to support the development of our natural resource sector – including getting Alberta’s oil to wider markets, abandon tax hikes, control spending and streamline inter-provincial trade.

 

Economic Roundtable in Edmonton Griesbach

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June 9, 2016 | 1 Comment

Does Canada need electoral reform?

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June 6, 2016 | 2 Comments

10 good reasons to keep our voting system as is

By KERRY DIOTTE

The governing Liberals insist we must have a new system of voting for future federal elections. Here are 10 reasons why this is a very bad idea:

1 – There’s no groundswell in the Canadian public demanding a new voting system. While knocking on thousands of doors for the October 2015 election I cannot recall one person bringing up the issue.

2 – The Liberals have repeatedly ruled out sticking with our current system of first-past-the-post elections, a method that has served Canada well since Confederation.

3 – Despite pledges to do widespread consultations with the public before changing our system, there’s no plan to hold a national referendum on this historic change to our democracy.

4 – Critics rightfully point out that other systems of voting can favour the ruling Liberals. Under a so-called ranked ballot or proportional representation system, it’s predicted the Liberals would have increased their current seat count Oct. 19 from 184 to 224 in this current Parliament.

5 – The Liberals are already tipping their hand that they’re leaning to the ranked-ballot system. That comes amid news the Privy Council Office (that reports directly to the Prime Minister and minister in charge) recently hired Derek Alton, who founded a group that advocates the ranked ballot system.

6 – A ranked-ballot system would put Conservative voters at a disadvantage. Studies have shown NDP supporters would tend to pick Liberal candidates as their second pick while Liberal supporters would choose NDP reps for their second-string choice. Conservative voters frequently indicate they don’t wish to have a second choice of another candidate at all.

7 – Liberal Minister of Democratic Institutions Maryam Monsef has actually claimed in the House of Commons that consultation on reform using Twitter and townhalls is more valid than holding a national referendum.

8 – Much has been made of the fact Liberals recently changed the makeup of a parliamentary committee tasked with coming up with a new voting system. Now opposition members from the Green Party, the Bloc Quebecois and the NDP will get a vote. But the truth is, the committee is little more than a paper tiger. The ruling Grits can still ignore its finding and choose any new voting system it desires. Such are the perks of winning a majority government.

9 – There are precedents for holding voting referendums in Canada. Through referenda, in British Columbia, Ontario, and Prince Edward Island voters rejected changes to their systems.

10 – Recent opinion polls show that nearly three quarters of Canadians believe a national referendum should be held if there is to be a change in our way of voting.

If you believe there’s no reason to change our voting system or you think we must hold a national referendum before doing so, take action. Write to the Prime Minister at House of Commons, Ottawa, ON. K1A 0A6. There is no postage required to send that letter.

Ballot

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May 4, 2016 | No Comments

May is multiple sclerosis awareness month

Today, I was honoured to participate in the carnation pinning event on Parliament Hill and give my statement in the House of Commons to recognize the start of multiple sclerosis (MS) awareness month in Canada.

MS is an unpredictable and often disabling disease that impacts many Canadians. Please join #TeamFight to help #endMS in our lifetime.

 

Kerry Diotte & MS Society Volunteers

 

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April 20, 2016 | No Comments

A tribute to my friend Ted Marianix – Join #TeamFight to #endMS

Today in the House of Commons, I remembered and paid tribute to my friend Ted Marianix.

May is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month. I invite everyone to join #TeamFight to #endMS.

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April 12, 2016 | No Comments

Standing up for Edmontonian and Canadian taxpayers – Budget debate on April 11, 2016

The Liberal government’s budget is a real disappointment for Canadians who were looking for real action to create jobs and long-term economic prosperity.

The Liberal budget has no plan for jobs, borrows $29.4 billion and raises taxes on hard-working Canadians.

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March 25, 2016 | No Comments

Happy Easter from Edmonton Griesbach Member of Parliament Kerry Diotte

 

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