Issues & Legislation
The Pickering
Airport Lands:
After hearing from
many constituents, federal and municipal officials, and
transportation experts, Mark has decided that he cannot support
the development of any airport in Pickering. He had previously
been opposed to an international airport, but had been willing
to consider a regional airport if need for one could be shown.
Mark is now convinced that other alternatives in the area make
an airport in Pickering unnecessary. He also believes that
future spillover from Pearson International Airport should be
directed to John C. Munro International Airport in Hamilton
instead. For more information, please see
this page.
Cruelty to
Animals:
Mark re-introduced
his bill for effective animal cruelty legislation on November
26, 2008. Now numbered C-229, it is identical to his private
member's bill C-373 from the previous Parliament and the former
Liberal government's C-50 from the 38th Parliament. Since 2006,
he has worked cooperatively with respected animal welfare
organizations and citizens from across the country who care
about modernizing Canada's archaic and inhumane Criminal Code
with respect to animal cruelty. The focus of their effort is on
trying to get the Conservative government to put forward their
own bill based on Mark's bill C-229. Government bills generally
advance more quickly than do private member's bills. To date,
the Conservative government has ignored all appeals to put
forward progressive legislation that gets tough on crimes
against animals. Bills on this issue have been introduced in every Parliament
since 1999, but died on the order paper. An earlier version of
the bill was passed in 2002 and 2003 in the House of Commons,
but the House and Senate could not agree on amendments. For more, please see this page.
Global Climate
Change:
Global climate change
is one of the most serious environmental threats to humanity.
Reputable international scientists are overwhelmingly agreed
that human activity has caused an alarming increase in
greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide in the earth's
atmosphere, and that this increase is directly linked to climate
change. Canada was committed to addressing global climate change
as a signatory to the international Kyoto Protocol. That
commitment has been abandoned by the Stephen Harper Conservative
government, which maintains close links with climate change
skeptics largely funded by the petroleum industry. For more
information, please see this
page.
Gasoline Prices:
Spikes in gasoline prices have been a major concern for
many constituents. Many rely on their vehicles for work or
family needs, and the increased price of a fill-up can cause
great hardship for the family budget. While recent spikes can
be attributed to conflict in the Middle East, the war in Iraq,
and previously to the impact of Hurricane Katrina, there is also
a long-term rise in fuel prices that is part of a global trend.
For more information on this issue and what can be done about
it, please visit this page.
Common e-mail
hoaxes:
Mark regularly
receives e-mails and calls from constituents who have received
hoaxes by e-mail, often making false claims about the federal
government. For information about some of the more popular
hoaxes and their origins, please visit
this page.
Marriage and Bill
C-38:
Mark is
a strong supporter of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The
issue of same-sex marriage affects both freedom of religion as
well as the equality rights section of the Charter. Mark
supports the freedom of religious institutions to celebrate
marriage according to their beliefs. He also supports the
equality rights of same-sex couples to civil marriage. He
believes the former Bill C-38, passed in 2005, strikes the right
balance between religious freedom and equality rights. He
opposes the Harper government's plans to reopen this highly
divisive issue. For more
information please see this page.
Other information about Issues and Legislation:
-
LEGISinfo - The Library of Parliament's guide to
legislation currently before the House of Commons and the
Senate
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