Mr. Peter Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the member talked about infrastructure and there is no doubt we are in crisis after six or seven years of Conservative government. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities evaluates that crisis in infrastructure development at about $170 billion. There is no doubt there is huge economic fall-out from that.
It means a lower quality of life for Canadians. It also means bridges with cracks that cannot be used anymore like the Champlain Bridge. There is a whole range of places across the country like the city of New Westminster, for example, where the railway bridge which needs to be replaced and has needed to be replaced for years, is not being replaced. So $170 billion deficit and we have a government that very cynically put forward a budget and, wait for this, the sum total of the infrastructure funding provided for this upcoming fiscal year is $200 million. That means when we look at the overall scope of needs, the government is spending money on its pet projects rather than spending money where it counts, developing infrastructure and contributing to economic well-being.
My question is simple. When we see the tragedy of the Champlain Bridge and the impact on the greater Montreal area, when we see the railway bridge in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia is not being replaced, and we see Conservatives wanting to withhold all that infrastructure funding to make some announcements during the election campaign but only providing $200 million in the next fiscal year, how can the member support that cynical approach to budgeting which leaves Canadians far short?
NDP Critic for Canadian Heritage Peter Julian issued the following statement:
"It has come to our attention that a consultant for a federally funded anti-racism project has a disturbing track record of spewing hate speech online against Jewish and francophone communities. This is completely unacceptable. We call on the Minister of Heritage to take drastic action and terminate his contract.
NDP Heritage Critic Peter Julian issued the following statement:
“Today’s announcement by Hockey Canada is another attempt to delay the important and urgent work to deal with the toxic culture in this organization. While a former Supreme Court Justice is a credible appointment to conduct the review into Hockey Canada, this won’t be the first time the organization undergoes this process.
NDP critic for Canadian Heritage, Peter Julian, made the following statement:
“Canadians are horrified by the incidents of sexual assault and by what they’re hearing from Hockey Canada. They are left with many questions about how this toxic culture is allowed to persist in our sports organizations and what the government is actually doing to ensure this doesn’t happen again.