David Sweet
Encyclopedia
David S. Sweet is a Canadian politician who began serving his first term of office in January 2006. He is a former CEO of Promise Keepers
Canada.
for the Conservative Party
nomination in the riding of Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale
. In the 2004 election, Sweet placed second to former Hamilton city councillor Russ Powers
(Liberal). In the January 2006 election, he defeated Powers.
On June 22, 2006, Sweet obtained the unanimous consent of the House of Commons for a motion awarding honorary Canadian citizenship
to the 14th Dalai Lama
of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso. Tenzin Gyatso was the 3rd person to receive such an honor by the House of Commons after Nelson Mandela
in 2001.
Sweet makes an annual Members Statement in the House of Commons each June to recognize Scleroderma Month in Canada, saying on June 1, 2006,"If there is a note of passion in my voice, it is because my own family has had to deal with the devastating effects of scleroderma. My mother passed away from complications of this disease and cancer." The environment, Veterans Week and seniors have been among the other topics addressed by Sweet in the House of Commons.
On February 10, 2011, Sweet introduced a Private Member's Bill, Bill C-620, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (parole review and victim impact statement) which was debated only once, on March 23, 2011, before the 40th Parliament was dissolved for the 2011 General Election.
Sweet is chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, a role he has held since September 30, 2010. He also serves on the Steering Committee of the Canadian Parliamentary Committee to Combat Antisemitism Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism
(CPCCA). He also served on the CPCCA's Inquiry Panel which released a public report on July 7, 2011. http://www.cpcca.ca/CPCCA_Press_Release_English.pdf.
Sweet has served on three Parliamentary Committees: The Veterans’ Affairs Committee, the Public Accounts Committee and the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs. On February 17, 2009 he was elected Chair of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, which he served on since he was elected in 2006. In response to his election as chair he said: “While it’s an honour to be asked by your colleagues to take on this responsibility, the real honour is in serving veterans from coast to coast – the men and women who so selflessly sacrificed for our country, or freedom and the rights and privileges we enjoy as Canadians today.” Sweet also served as Vice-Chair of the Public Accounts Committee.
On November 27, 2001, Sweet said in an interview with Christian Week about the success of Promise Keepers in bringing men back to the Church: “[M]en are natural influencers, whether we like it or not ... There’s a particular reason why Jesus called men only. It’s not that women aren’t co-participators. It’s because Jesus knew women would naturally follow. Men, on the other hand, had to be called.” The article refers to a statistic that "when a man comes to Christ ... in 74 per cent of the cases the rest of the family will come along as well," but the figure is only 17 per cent for women.
Sweet voted to reopen the issue of same-sex marriage
on December 16, 2006 in order to "restore the traditional definition of marriage".
During his tenure, Mr. Sweet has presented a number of petitions to Parliament on varied topics. On May 14, 2009, Mr. Sweet presented two petitions to the House of Commons. "Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions I would like to table. The first on employment insurance. Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from 200 individuals asking the government to recognize its obligations under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and to particularly focus on the right to life. Since 1969 there has been no law to limit abortion in Canada. They are asking the government to enact legislation to the protect the life of the unborn." On October 26, 2009, Mr. Sweet presented the House with a petition of 100 signatures, including constituents. "Mr. Speaker, I have a petition here signed by 100 signatories who want to draw the attention of the House to the fact that there has been no legislation regarding abortion and life for the last 40 years. They would like to draw the attention of the House to the fact that legislation is needed in order to protect life from the time of conception until natural death.
It is my pleasure to present this to the House."
|David Sweet
|align=right|24,530
|align=right|39.1%
|align=right|+4.5%
|-
|Russ Powers
|align=right|21,656
|align=right|34.5%
|align=right|-5.2%
|-
|Gordon Guyatt
|align=right|13,376
|align=right|21.3%
|align=right|+0.4%
|-
|David Januczkowski
|align=right|2,767
|align=right|4.4%
|align=right|-0.4%
|-
|Ben Cowie
|align=right|303
|align=right|0.5%
|align=right|-
|-
|Jamilé Ghaddar
|align=right|112
|align=right|0.2%
|align=right|-
|-
|colspan=3|Total number of valid votes
|align=right|62,744
|align=right|100%
|-
|colspan=3|Rejected ballots
|align=right|175
|align=right|
|-
|colspan=3|Total number of votes
|align=right|62,919
|align=right|
|-
|Russ Powers
|align=right|21,935
|align=right|39.7%
|align=right|
|-
|David Sweet
|align=right|19,135
|align=right|34.6%
|align=right|
|-
|Gordon Guyatt
|align=right|11,557
|align=right|20.9%
|align=right|
|-
|David Januczkowski
|align=right|2,636
|align=right|4.8%
|align=right|
|-
|colspan=3|Total number of valid votes
|align=right|55,263
|align=right| 100%
|-
|colspan=3|Rejected ballots
|align=right|252
|align=right|
|-
|colspan=3|Total number of votes
|align=right|55,515
|align=right|
Promise Keepers
Promise Keepers is an international conservative Christian organization for men. While it originated in the United States, it is now world-wide...
Canada.
Political career
In 2004, he defeated sitting Liberal-turned-Conservative MP John BrydenJohn H. Bryden
John H. Bryden is a Canadian politician, journalist, historian.-Education:He received an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English and History from McMaster University in 1966, and a Masters of Philosophy in English from the University of Leeds in 1968.-Early career:From 1969 to 1989, Bryden held...
for the Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
nomination in the riding of Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale
Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale
Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004....
. In the 2004 election, Sweet placed second to former Hamilton city councillor Russ Powers
Russ Powers
Russ Powers is a Canadian politician. He is a former member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale for the Liberal Party....
(Liberal). In the January 2006 election, he defeated Powers.
On June 22, 2006, Sweet obtained the unanimous consent of the House of Commons for a motion awarding honorary Canadian citizenship
Honorary Canadian citizenship
Honorary Canadian citizenship is an honour wherein Canadian citizenship is bestowed by the Governor General of Canada, with the approval of parliament, on foreigners of exceptional merit...
to the 14th Dalai Lama
14th Dalai Lama
The 14th Dalai Lama is the 14th and current Dalai Lama. Dalai Lamas are the most influential figures in the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, although the 14th has consolidated control over the other lineages in recent years...
of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso. Tenzin Gyatso was the 3rd person to receive such an honor by the House of Commons after Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
in 2001.
Sweet makes an annual Members Statement in the House of Commons each June to recognize Scleroderma Month in Canada, saying on June 1, 2006,"If there is a note of passion in my voice, it is because my own family has had to deal with the devastating effects of scleroderma. My mother passed away from complications of this disease and cancer." The environment, Veterans Week and seniors have been among the other topics addressed by Sweet in the House of Commons.
On February 10, 2011, Sweet introduced a Private Member's Bill, Bill C-620, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (parole review and victim impact statement) which was debated only once, on March 23, 2011, before the 40th Parliament was dissolved for the 2011 General Election.
Sweet is chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, a role he has held since September 30, 2010. He also serves on the Steering Committee of the Canadian Parliamentary Committee to Combat Antisemitism Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism
Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism
Formed in March 2009, the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism is a group of Canadian parliamentarians organized for the stated purpose of confronting and combating antisemitism in Canada...
(CPCCA). He also served on the CPCCA's Inquiry Panel which released a public report on July 7, 2011. http://www.cpcca.ca/CPCCA_Press_Release_English.pdf.
Sweet has served on three Parliamentary Committees: The Veterans’ Affairs Committee, the Public Accounts Committee and the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs. On February 17, 2009 he was elected Chair of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, which he served on since he was elected in 2006. In response to his election as chair he said: “While it’s an honour to be asked by your colleagues to take on this responsibility, the real honour is in serving veterans from coast to coast – the men and women who so selflessly sacrificed for our country, or freedom and the rights and privileges we enjoy as Canadians today.” Sweet also served as Vice-Chair of the Public Accounts Committee.
On November 27, 2001, Sweet said in an interview with Christian Week about the success of Promise Keepers in bringing men back to the Church: “[M]en are natural influencers, whether we like it or not ... There’s a particular reason why Jesus called men only. It’s not that women aren’t co-participators. It’s because Jesus knew women would naturally follow. Men, on the other hand, had to be called.” The article refers to a statistic that "when a man comes to Christ ... in 74 per cent of the cases the rest of the family will come along as well," but the figure is only 17 per cent for women.
Sweet voted to reopen the issue of same-sex marriage
Members of the 39th Canadian Parliament and same-sex marriage
This article lists the members of the 39th Parliament of Canada and their voting records in regards to the Civil Marriage Act. Bill C-38 amended the Marriage Act of Canada to recognize same-sex marriage . The 39th Parliament was elected at the federal election of January 23, 2006...
on December 16, 2006 in order to "restore the traditional definition of marriage".
During his tenure, Mr. Sweet has presented a number of petitions to Parliament on varied topics. On May 14, 2009, Mr. Sweet presented two petitions to the House of Commons. "Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions I would like to table. The first on employment insurance. Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from 200 individuals asking the government to recognize its obligations under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and to particularly focus on the right to life. Since 1969 there has been no law to limit abortion in Canada. They are asking the government to enact legislation to the protect the life of the unborn." On October 26, 2009, Mr. Sweet presented the House with a petition of 100 signatures, including constituents. "Mr. Speaker, I have a petition here signed by 100 signatories who want to draw the attention of the House to the fact that there has been no legislation regarding abortion and life for the last 40 years. They would like to draw the attention of the House to the fact that legislation is needed in order to protect life from the time of conception until natural death.
It is my pleasure to present this to the House."
Electoral record
|-|David Sweet
|align=right|24,530
|align=right|39.1%
|align=right|+4.5%
|-
|Russ Powers
Russ Powers
Russ Powers is a Canadian politician. He is a former member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale for the Liberal Party....
|align=right|21,656
|align=right|34.5%
|align=right|-5.2%
|-
|Gordon Guyatt
Gordon Guyatt
Gordon Henry Guyatt is a physician and Professor of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He is known for his work on evidence-based medicine, a term that first appeared in a paper he published. He has published over 450 peer-reviewed articles in...
|align=right|13,376
|align=right|21.3%
|align=right|+0.4%
|-
|David Januczkowski
|align=right|2,767
|align=right|4.4%
|align=right|-0.4%
|-
|Ben Cowie
|align=right|303
|align=right|0.5%
|align=right|-
|-
|Jamilé Ghaddar
|align=right|112
|align=right|0.2%
|align=right|-
|-
|colspan=3|Total number of valid votes
|align=right|62,744
|align=right|100%
|-
|colspan=3|Rejected ballots
|align=right|175
|align=right|
|-
|colspan=3|Total number of votes
|align=right|62,919
|align=right|
|-
|Russ Powers
Russ Powers
Russ Powers is a Canadian politician. He is a former member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale for the Liberal Party....
|align=right|21,935
|align=right|39.7%
|align=right|
|-
|David Sweet
|align=right|19,135
|align=right|34.6%
|align=right|
|-
|Gordon Guyatt
Gordon Guyatt
Gordon Henry Guyatt is a physician and Professor of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He is known for his work on evidence-based medicine, a term that first appeared in a paper he published. He has published over 450 peer-reviewed articles in...
|align=right|11,557
|align=right|20.9%
|align=right|
|-
|David Januczkowski
|align=right|2,636
|align=right|4.8%
|align=right|
|-
|colspan=3|Total number of valid votes
|align=right|55,263
|align=right| 100%
|-
|colspan=3|Rejected ballots
|align=right|252
|align=right|
|-
|colspan=3|Total number of votes
|align=right|55,515
|align=right|
External links
- David Sweet website
- Parliament Webpage
- http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=40&Ses=2&DocId=4171633