Mr. Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, let us go from southern sovereignty to northern sovereignty.

Read more: Arctic Sovereignty

Mr. Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, official documents indicate that because of CSIS' recommendation, a Canadian citizen went to prison in Sudan, a country known for torture and ill-treatment of its prisoners. Meanwhile, CSIS believes that it acted in a manner consistent with Canadian law and policy.

Read more: CSIS

Mr. Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre, NDP): Mr. Speaker, Canadian citizen Bashir Makhtal continues to face harsh prison conditions in Ethiopia, unclear charges, and lack of access to legal representation.

Read more: Canada's inaction on Bashir Makhtal's case

Mr. Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, we have just learned that the government wasted another $7.5 million in its ill-conceived mismanagement of the portrait gallery. The portrait gallery file is another example of the financial incompetence of the government. This partisan approach to culture has wasted millions of taxpayers' dollars with no portrait gallery to show for it.

Read more: Portrait Gallery

Mr. Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, there is an $8 billion hole in the Conservative budget. In November's economic update, the government was ridiculed for padding its books with the phantom sale of government assets. Despite criticism from all sides on this scam, it is in budget 2009. In table 4.2 in the budget there is a gaping hole.

Read more: The Budget

Mr. Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, last week in Bucharest the Prime Minister said that when it came to the high levels of opposition to the war in Afghanistan, Canadian public opinion was being misread. He said that it was not the mission to which Canadians were opposed, but rather it was not being successful of which Canadians were afraid.

Read more: Afganistan

Mr. Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, for weeks now I have been trying to get an answer from the Minister of Foreign Affairs regarding his responsibility under the Remote Sensing Space Systems Act. The act requires him to make a decision regarding the licence of RADARSAT-2, based on Canada's national interest and the defence of Canada.

Read more: RADARSAT 2

Mr. Paul Dewar (Ottawa Centre, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, it is not yet a foregone conclusion that Canada will be at war in Afghanistan for another three years. For the extension to come into effect, NATO needs to come up with an additional 1,000 soldiers and the deployment of medium and heavy lift capacity. To date no official announcements have been made on additional troops committed to the war or planned procurement of airlift capacity.

Read more: Afganistan