Debates of Nov. 3rd, 2006

Health

[Joy Smith, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Commonwealth Fund released a report comparing Canada's health care system to those of six other developed nations.

Can the Minister of Health inform the House of the judgment of Canada's physicians who were polled for this study in regard to the previous Liberal government's legacy for our health care system?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Minister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a stunning indictment after 13 years of Liberal misrule when it comes to the funding of our health care system. After that mismanagement, it is not surprising that physicians had that point of view when it comes to our health care system.

Canada's new government is taking action to reduce wait times and improve the quality of health care, with 1.2 billion extra dollars this year alone for our health care system. We are acting for Canadians and for health care.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Mr. Speaker, the languages that were first heard in Canada are dying and the Conservative government is lending a helping hand.

In the Northwest Territories, the number of aboriginal people fluent in their languages fell from 59% in 1984 to 44% in 2004. The figures are even worse for the rest of Canada. Soon, languages that have been spoken in this country for millennia will be gone.

With a $13 billion surplus, can the minister please explain why the government has cut $160 million from aboriginal language programs?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, the previous government, in its usual way, always set aside moneys and made some big announcements but did nothing with that money. There were no plans.

We intend to work with the groups to make sure that these languages, some of which are in jeopardy, and the culture of the aboriginal communities are there. In fact, this government has committed $40 million in permanent funding for the aboriginal languages initiative.

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Mr. Speaker, Innuvialukun, Gwich'in, North Slavey, South Slavey, Chipewyan, Tlicho, Cree, Beaver, Hare, and Mitchef, all of these languages in my riding and many others across the country could become extinct without proper funding.

The minister calls her work a reallocation of funds. Should aboriginal people trust that statement any more than senior citizens should have trusted a promise not to tax income trusts?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, I am very aware that there are languages that are on the brink of extinction. That is why we need a plan. We have to record these languages. We have to make sure, instead of continually talking about what is to be done with vast sums of money and doing nothing, that we are actually going to act.

Canadian Wheat Board

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Agriculture is attempting to destroy the Canadian Wheat Board, yet the Conservative sheep representing Winnipeg refused to defend the city they represent.

When the minister speaks in Winnipeg today, will he tell the chamber of commerce audience about the 460 lost jobs and the $66 million in lost wages and salaries in the city?

My question is for the Minister of Justice. How much damage must his government inflict on the city of Winnipeg before he will stand up and say “no more”?

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, I have duly noted my colleague's question. I am convinced that our government will act in the best interests of this sector and I will refer the question to my minister so that he may respond next week.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Dick Harris, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, Liberals are skilled in dithering on important issues such as addressing land claims. The B.C. treaty process talks started by the former Conservative government were followed by 13 years of Liberal inaction. It took a Conservative government coming back into power to bring about a final agreement with the Lheidli T'enneh Band in an official signing ceremony.

Can the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development tell the House about this great new chapter for aboriginals in British Columbia?

[Rod Bruinooge, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians]

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to say that last Sunday was a historic step, with the first modern treaty signing ceremony to mark the final agreement in Prince George, British Columbia, with the Lheidli T'enneh Band. B.C. minister Mike de Jong said that we are actually seeing things accomplished after years of frustration.

This morning's National Post wrote that it is “a realistic (and thus workable) solution that could be the model” native agreement throughout B.C. and the rest of Canada. It only took Canada's new government a few months to act and get things done, not decades like the former Liberal government.

Infrastructure

[Mario Laframboise, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

The Trappist monks have put the Oka Abbey up for sale. A group of regional organizations has already obtained $3 million in funding from Quebec, under the Quebec infrastructure program for municipalities, for an agritourism project. The federal government's contribution is the only thing needed for the project to go ahead.

Considering that he has met with the group, does the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, the minister responsible for Quebec, intend to provide the $3 million needed for the project?

[Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Conservative, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, those in charge of the Oka Abbey project have applied for funding under the infrastructure funding program. Quebec holds one key for this program and we hold the second. Each party provides one third of the funding.

The application had been submitted, but the Quebec government decided that it would not keep it in the same program and changed it. In that case, we will not intervene. However, the project was resubmitted to Economic Development Canada. We have analysed the application and with regard to the purchase of the land, unfortunately, we are unable to provide funding at present. We will only be able to intervene in respect of the second request concerning—

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

The hon. member for Ottawa Centre.

Government Appointments

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is Friday and that means it is time for the blue plate special. On the menu today is Christopher Essex, a government appointment to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council who denies the science of climate change.

The amendments to the accountability act that the NDP put forward will eliminate this kind of political cronyism. Sadly, the Liberal Senate is blocking changes to political patronage as usual and Conservatives right now are scrambling to make as many appointments as they can.

Will the Conservatives withdraw Mr. Essex's appointment and immediately halt the appointments gravy train?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, we do make merit based appointments to all positions regardless of what position that may be, but the reality is that the member is correct in pointing out that the Liberals continue to hold up the federal accountability act. They continue to block the toughest anti-corruption law in Canadian history.

On the subject of appointments, they attempted to amend the accountability act to legalize the practice of phantom jobs. On this Halloween week, they should be ashamed of themselves for still looking out for old Liberal ghosts and old Liberal cronies.

Federal-Provincial Relations

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, once again Torontonians and Ontarians have been let down by the government. The Minister of Indian Affairs refuses to meet to help deal with Caledonia. The Prime Minister snubs the premier and now the government has failed to provide funding for Expo 2015 in Toronto. This is proof that the government simply does not care about Ontario.

Given the government's failure to support Expo 2015, will the government now commit to secure stable funding for Toronto's waterfront redevelopment?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, we did support the Expo bid. We committed $600 million to that effort. I am not sure why the Ontario Liberals would not make a commitment to Toronto. Perhaps the member for Ottawa South could get us an answer to that question.

We support Toronto. We support Ontario. This is a lost opportunity. We asked Toronto and the province to work with us to ensure that Toronto and Ontario play a full role in Canada and the world.

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

That brings question period to an end. Before we proceed to routine proceedings, I would ask members who do not intend to stay to please clear the chamber, instead of having the usual chit-chat.

Oral Question

[Sue Barnes, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Yesterday the Minister of Public Safety, in response to a question, implied that the Liberal Party did not support the age of consent legislation that was announced. I am sure he needs the opportunity not to misdirect this House in what he said yesterday and to correct the record because he knows that is part of the Liberal justice plan.

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

That is not the first time that a dispute as to facts has been raised as a point of order. We will now proceed to routine proceedings.

Government Response to Petitions

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to five petitions.

Indian Claims Commission

[Rod Bruinooge, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians]

Mr. Speaker, under the provisions of Standing Order 32 I have the honour to table, in both official languages, copies of the 2005-06 annual report of the Indian Claims Commission.

Status of Women

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth and ninth reports of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. The reports deal with the main estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2007, and the funding cuts and the new mandate for Status of Women Canada.

Marriage

[Sue Barnes, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present to the House a couple of pages of petitions from the London area. The petitioners are looking for an amendment to the Marriage for Civil Purposes Act.

[Kevin Sorenson, Conservative, Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured today to present this petition signed by individuals from my constituency of Crowfoot, from Coronation, Brownfield, Castor and Houssar. They feel that marriage should be promoted in this country and defended as the lawful union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, and they call upon Parliament to reopen this issue.

As well, they feel that a child has a natural right to know and be raised by his or her father and mother. They also feel that the decisions of courts and legislative bodies should be made in the best interests of the child.