Debates of May 8th, 2006

Mark Holland Ajax—Pickering, ON

Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister snubs the premier of Canada's largest province, it seems he has time to sit down and talk governance with U.S. republican pollster Frank Luntz. In fact, the pair met this weekend at the national conference of the radical right wing Civitas Society.

Why is the Prime Minister taking direction from republican pollsters? Why are they more important to him than the elected premier of the province of Ontario?

Stephen Harper Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I have known Mr. Luntz for some years, but he does not work for the government or the Conservative Party.

In terms of Premier McGuinty, the government recently concluded a historic softwood lumber agreement with the cooperation and support of Premier McGuinty. I wish the party opposite would support that agreement.

Mark Holland Ajax—Pickering, ON

Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is the Prime Minister has been ignoring the premier of the province of Ontario and has been shoving him aside. I want to go a little further on the issue of this cozy relationship between the government and the Civitas Society.

The Prime Minister's close associates, Tom Flanigan and Ian Brodie, are intimately involved. Many Conservatives, including the Treasury Board President, were there this weekend. Their mission: to plot out a social conservative agenda and discuss such topics as the morality and justification for war.

Since the Prime Minister muzzles his MPs and hides from the press, is the Civitas Society where we need to look to uncover the truth about the government's real agenda?

Stephen Harper Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the member seems to be amazed that the leader of the Conservative Party would attend a cocktail party where there were several hundred members of the Conservative Party.

I had a good meeting with Mr. McGuinty on Friday. We have his support and we hope to have the support of his federal cousins for our work on the softwood lumber agreement.

As usual, when it comes to Mr. McGuinty and Mr. Luntz and everything else, the member has all his facts wrong.

Lawrence Cannon Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question, which give us an opportunity to clarify this matter.

What is involved is an agreement between two levels of government, between the Quebec government, duly elected and represented by the current government, of course, and the party in power here. This agreement is obviously the product of those discussions.

We believe--and this is also the Quebec government's position--that the agreement is excellent for everyone.

Vivian Barbot Papineau, QC

Mr. Speaker, will the Prime Minister admit that he and Jean Charest signed, for the first time, an agreement that gives the federal government, in writing, the right to make decisions internationally concerning areas of jurisdiction that have always belonged to Quebec?

Lawrence Cannon Minister of Transport

No, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline St-Hilaire Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC

Mr. Speaker, children in a Palestinian day care centre supported by CIDA are being deprived of medical care because an Israeli bank is refusing to forward donations made to the Quebec organization Aide médicale à la Palestine and meant for those children. Yet the government gave assurances that humanitarian aid would not be affected by the end of Canada's relations with the Palestinian authority.

What exactly does the Minister of International Cooperation plan to do to put an end to these arbitrary and discriminatory measures?

Josée Verner Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages

Mr. Speaker, CIDA is continuing to fund aid for the Palestinian population, but it is reviewing the situation and has suspended funding that was intended for the Palestinian authority, for Hamas.

Caroline St-Hilaire Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC

Mr. Speaker, as far as I can tell, children in a daycare centre are part of the population.

How can the minister reconcile this decision by the Israeli banks with her joint statement with the Minister of Foreign Affairs that Canada would continue to support the Palestinian people and meet their humanitarian needs?

Josée Verner Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages

Mr. Speaker, I want to repeat to my colleague that future funding depends on the Palestinian government's commitment to non-violence, the recognition of Israel and the peace accords that have been signed.

That said, Canada is continuing to respond to the Palestinians' humanitarian needs through multilateral organizations and other partners not associated with Hamas.

Anthony Rota Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.

Last Thursday, at a Conservative Party fundraiser in Toronto, the Prime Minister went out of his way to damage the already tenuous relationship that his government has with the province of Ontario. With his meddling in provincial politics, the Prime Minister has insulted the Premier and shown contempt toward the voters of Ontario who elected the Premier to work on their behalf.

Will the Prime Minister today rise in the House and apologize to the Premier and the people of Ontario for his actions last week?

Stephen Harper Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I do not think the House will be surprised to learn that John Tory is a very good friend of mine. He is a great Ontarian and Canadian, and he and I have campaigned together in the past. I do not think that is any surprise to the House. However, it would be a surprise if the party opposite were to say it would not in fact campaign or work with its provincial cousins. That would be a surprise.