Debates of Oct. 17th, 2005
House of Commons Hansard #135 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was trafficking.
Topics
- Question Period
- Canada Labour Code
- Canada Elections Act
- Sudan
- Chief of Police for Durham Region
- Agriculture
- Myra Cree
- Fall Fairs
- Immigration
- Breast Cancer
- World Food Day
- Citizenship Week
- Liberal Government
- Co-op Week
- George Hislop
- Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
- World March of Women
- Natural Disasters
- Women's History Month
- International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
- Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
- David Dingwall
- Fisheries and Oceans
- Child Care
- Municipalities
- Health
- David Dingwall
- Campaign Financing
- Budget Surpluses
- Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
- Softwood Lumber
- South Asia Earthquake
- Lobbyists
- Health
- Softwood Lumber
- National Defence
- Social Development
- Firearms Registry
- Canada Post Corporation
- St. Lawrence Seaway
- Service Canada
- Health
- Government Response to Petitions
- Interparliamentary Delegations
- Petitions
- Questions Passed as Orders for Returns
- Question No. 174
- Canada Elections Act
- Criminal Code
- Business of the House
- Criminal Code
Softwood Lumber
Oral Questions
2:45 p.m.
Bloc
Paul Crête Rivière-Du-Loup—Montmagny, QC
Mr. Speaker, Quebec businesses have so far had to pay out close to $1 billion in illegal customs duties, which have been frozen by the U.S., thereby paralyzing their operations. Tembec alone has paid $300 million.
Does the government realize that loan guarantees could help businesses by giving them the leeway they need to survive the present crisis? Is it going to act?
Softwood Lumber
Oral Questions
2:50 p.m.
Brossard—La Prairie
Québec
Liberal
Jacques Saada Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec and Minister responsible for the Francophonie
Mr. Speaker, the sector in which we intervened this morning in reaction to Bill 71 relates specifically to resource reduction. It is intellectual dishonesty to link the two things.
The purpose of our announcement this morning was to provide a response to the Government of Quebec's request for assistance in managing the resource in keeping with the fundamental principle of sustainable development. There is no connection whatsoever with softwood lumber.
National Defence
Oral Questions
2:50 p.m.
Conservative
Gordon O'Connor Carleton—Lanark, ON
Mr. Speaker, the minister has authorized the purchase of 77 add-on armour kits for the LAV IIIs located in Afghanistan. They are available at three different levels of performance, with the third generation being the latest and the best. Incredibly, the minister has chosen to provide our troops with 10 year old, first generation protection, not the latest and safest version.
The Prime Minister said that he would not put our military in harm's way without giving them the best of equipment. Generation one protection is not the best equipment.
Why is the minister prepared to put our troops at unnecessary risk with outdated protection?
National Defence
Oral Questions
2:50 p.m.
Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca
B.C.
Liberal
Keith Martin Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, we take the protection of our troops extremely seriously which is why the Minister of National Defence has authorized the purchase of brand new vehicles with up to date protection for those troops.
We recognize that the threat is an evolving threat, changing all the time, and first and foremost is the protection of those troops. That is why we authorized the production and delivery of those vehicles as soon as possible.
National Defence
Oral Questions
2:50 p.m.
Conservative
Gordon O'Connor Carleton—Lanark, ON
Mr. Speaker, that answer is nonsense. It is just rhetoric that adds nothing to the security of our troops.
Joint Task Force Two is buying 40 millimetre grenade machine guns, which are definitely required by the army to replace protection previously provided by antipersonnel landmines. Unfortunately, they are not buying grenades that self-destruct. Unexploded grenades can maim and kill innocent people just like mines.
Is the minister prepared to contravene the spirit of the Canadian sponsored treaty to ban antipersonnel landmines by leaving unexploded grenades littered throughout Afghanistan?
National Defence
Oral Questions
2:50 p.m.
Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca
B.C.
Liberal
Keith Martin Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, the member points out one of the threats there, and that is unexploded devices, not only those but the IEDs that we have seen being used with such deadly effects in Iraq. We know this and that is why the minister and all of our defence colleagues are working very hard to ensure our forces personnel are protected.
I might say that it is well known that our forces in Afghanistan are some of the best protected forces there on the ground. We will do no less for our CF members who work so hard to ensure peace and security will come to the beleaguered country of Afghanistan.
Social Development
Oral Questions
2:50 p.m.
Liberal
Susan Kadis Thornhill, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of State for Families and Caregivers.
Like all parliamentarians, I am very aware of the important contribution made by our caregivers to Canadian society. Would the minister provide an update on the government's efforts and initiatives on behalf of caregivers?
Social Development
Oral Questions
2:50 p.m.
Trinity—Spadina
Ontario
Liberal
Tony Ianno Minister of State (Families and Caregivers)
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her concern for our three million Canadians, our unsung heroes, who give of themselves 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with little at their behest.
What we are saying is that we are having a national conference today and tomorrow. We brought together Canadians from across the country to ensure that cooperatively with the provincial and territorial governments we will find a long term solution to help those who are our heroes.
Firearms Registry
Oral Questions
October 17th, 2005 / 2:50 p.m.
Conservative
Joy Smith Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Mr. Speaker, provincially, Manitoba reported the highest homicide rate in Canada for 2004. Just last week an innocent bystander, 17-year-old Philippe Hayart, was shot to death in a gang crossfire while walking down the street.
The government has sunk more than $1 billion into the gun registry, money that could be spent on front line police officers to make our streets safer in Manitoba.
When will the government realize that criminals do not register their guns? When will the government shut down the gun registry and put those resources toward front line police officers?
Firearms Registry
Oral Questions
2:50 p.m.
Edmonton Centre
Alberta
Liberal
Anne McLellan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, the only people who do not get the importance of gun control in this country appear to be members of the opposition. In fact, front line police use this system over 35,000 times a week. The chiefs of police endorse this system and describe it as an ever increasingly important tool in our fight against crime.
I find it amazing that the opposition would suggest that a comprehensive approach to gun control is not absolutely key to keeping our families, streets and communities safe.
Firearms Registry
Oral Questions
2:55 p.m.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Oshawa, ON
Mr. Speaker, the only people who do not get it are those in the Liberal government.
Over the weekend a TTC bus driver was shot in the head after getting caught in the middle of a dispute during his shift. Just hours before the shooting, I attended a crime and justice forum in Scarborough where constituents were in unanimous agreement that mandatory prison sentences were needed to control the recent wave of violent crime. The Liberal government has opted for throwing money at an ineffective gun registry instead of investing in front line policing to keep our communities safe.
When will the Liberals start listening to Canadians and institute mandatory prison sentences for violent offenders?
Firearms Registry
Oral Questions
2:55 p.m.
Northumberland—Quinte West
Ontario
Liberal
Paul MacKlin Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I think everyone in the government is concerned about our communities and the violence that is being demonstrated in those communities.
Clearly this is a complex matter that requires a number of steps to be taken. One of those is dealing with legislation, which we already have on the books, another one is working with the community groups to educate the public, and the third one is to make sure we work with those other community groups that are interested in keeping these young people employed in other aspects of their lives and not to participate in this sort of activity.
Canada Post Corporation
Oral Questions
2:55 p.m.
Bloc
Christiane Gagnon Québec, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government has to understand that Canada Post closing down the Quebec City sorting station without providing a satisfactory explanation is wrong. Canada Post has to make its intentions known, not only for the Quebec City sorting station, but also for the other sorting stations elsewhere across Canada.
Will the government admit that the best, and the only, way of knowing what Canada Post's true intentions are is for the corporation to table its plan for its entire network? We want to see the plan; it is as simple as that.
Canada Post Corporation
Oral Questions
2:55 p.m.
Markham—Unionville
Ontario
Liberal
John McCallum Minister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, there is one very simple point that the hon. member does not seem to be grasping: no jobs will be lost. I have repeated several times that no jobs will be lost. That is an extremely important point. Another important point is that, if we do not want it to go back into deficit, Canada Post has to be efficient.
St. Lawrence Seaway
Oral Questions
2:55 p.m.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport.
Given the critical importance of the St. Lawrence Seaway, can the minister give us details of the investments made by the government to maintain the St. Lawrence Seaway infrastructure, and of the positive economic spinoffs for the Quebec economy?
Can the minister also give us his vision for the future, to ensure that the St. Lawrence Seaway remains a key component of shipping trade in our country?