And under the Conservative regime, he has seen his bill for the preservation of lighthouses adopted by the government, as well as one that made amateur sports tax-deductible. (He had hoped to make gym memberships immune to taxes as well, but is happy with the compromise.)
If I do have to introduce them to the end of time, that means I'm going to be a very old MP.— New Democrat Peter Stoffer
He would very much like to see royal assent given to Bill C-214, which would designate April 6 as Tartan Day. It wouldn't cost the government anything, he said, and the day is already recognized by every province and territory. “There's an awful lot of people who would look forward to National Tartan Day. I just have to keep convincing the government.”
All of Mr. Stoffer's bills begin in suggestions from constituents or people he meets in his work on fisheries and industry. Mel Pittman, a retired military policeman who lives in lower Sackville, asked him to introduce Bill C-201, which would reduce deductions from military and RCMP pensions.
The bill died in committee in November, after two Liberal MPs filling in for colleagues abstained from a vote, allowing it to be defeated. It was the fourth time the bill had been introduced.
Recently, Mr. Stoffer met with Mr. Pittman and his friends to say he would bring up the bill again, with modifications, if they were still keen.
“It certainly is a part of his character,” Mr. Pittman said. “He goes out of his way, and I don't know how he finds time.”
Until Parliament resumes, Mr. Stoffer plans to spend time in his riding, knocking on doors and getting ideas for new bills. He might take a weekend off and go to Montreal with his wife, Andrea, and spend time with his two daughters.
He is enjoying being able to sleep at home, but he wishes the House leaders would come to some sort of agreement to clear up the backlog of private member's bills, finding a way to rescue him from his Groundhog Day mission to state their cases in Parliament again and again. But he has no plans to give up his fight, repetitive as it might be.
“I'll introduce them as soon as I can,” he said.
