House of Commons Hansard #27 of the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was money.

Topics

Human RightsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Simcoe—Grey Ontario

Conservative

Helena Guergis ConservativeSecretary of State (Foreign Affairs and International Trade) (Sport)

Mr. Speaker, I will remind the hon. member that the Prime Minister is meeting at this moment with the president of Russia.

Human RightsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

NDP

Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON

Mr. Speaker, we will look forward to hearing whether he raises the following facts, because in today's Russia, 17,000 children are serving prison sentences, 14,000 women die every year at the hands of their husbands, the Russian military is responsible for the hazing death of at least 100 soldiers a year and torture is widespread and accepted in prisons.

I know members want to try to shout down free speech, even in this House, but let us hope the Prime Minister is raising the questions of free speech and free functioning democracy with the Russian leader.

Will the Prime Minister raise these facts in the discussion?

Human RightsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Simcoe—Grey Ontario

Conservative

Helena Guergis ConservativeSecretary of State (Foreign Affairs and International Trade) (Sport)

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, Canada does have a strong and vibrant relationship with Russia. The hon. member also knows that the Prime Minister has been very clear on issues of human rights abuses and he will always stand up for issues of human rights.

I cannot comment on exactly what is going on in the conversation at this very moment but I am sure the Prime Minister will relate that to Canadians as soon as it is complete.

AirbusOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Liberal

Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS

Mr. Speaker, now that Mr. Schreiber has stated under oath that he retained Mr. Mulroney's services for $500,000 while he was still prime minister and now that he has also stated that the pasta business had nothing to do with the cash transaction of $300,000, will the Prime Minister absolutely guarantee that Mr. Schreiber will remain in this country until both the ethics committee and the public inquiry can get the full truth and finish their work?

AirbusOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Niagara Falls Ontario

Conservative

Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, there is a process in place. The individual in question was before the ethics committee today and the Prime Minister has set in place a process by which an independent third party will advise on the terms of a public inquiry.

We should let Dr. Johnston do his work.

AirbusOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Liberal

Robert Thibault Liberal West Nova, NS

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Schreiber knew that Mr. Mulroney would meet the current Prime Minister at Harrington Lake in 2006, from the website I am sure. Mr. Mulroney was to ask for help on Mr. Schreiber's extradition.

After the meeting, Mulroney assured Schreiber that the Conservative government would do the right thing to help him.

Who is not telling the truth, the current Prime Minister or his valued adviser, the former Conservative prime minister?

AirbusOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Niagara Falls Ontario

Conservative

Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Of course, there is the possibility of a third individual in that question, Mr. Speaker, but the Prime Minister addressed this matter on November 2 when he called for the appointment of an independent third party.

AirbusOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

Mr. Speaker, today Mr. Schreiber confirmed that he received correspondence from this Prime Minister and his office. That letter of January 22, 2007, says it will also be forwarded to guess who? The justice minister. Why has the government repeatedly denied that the Prime Minister's Office ever saw any correspondence from Mr. Schreiber?

AirbusOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Niagara Falls Ontario

Conservative

Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that the hon. member wants to get into the business of letters and evidence, but as has been indicated by the government, we are setting in place a process by which an independent third party is going to set the parameters for an independent public inquiry. I think the hon. member should wait for that.

AirbusOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

Mr. Speaker, letters and emails relating to the Mulroney-Schreiber issue explicitly refer to the Prime Minister and his advisors.

Why did the Prime Minister, his advisors and the Minister of Justice deny corresponding with Mr. Schreiber?

And this time, perhaps the Minister of Justice could reply in French.

AirbusOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Niagara Falls Ontario

Conservative

Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's comments are wrong.

In addition, we put a process in place that I think should satisfy all reasonable individuals.

Manufacturing and Forestry IndustriesOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Bloc

Paule Brunelle Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC

Mr. Speaker, in the Antoine-Labelle RCM, 1,800 direct and indirect jobs have been lost. The unemployment rate is over 22% and 14 of the 17 lumber mills have closed. The government has the money to help this region, as well as others, which would be better than putting it all towards paying down the debt.

What is the minister waiting for to implement the measures suggested by the Bloc Québécois, such as a $1 billion fund to breathe new life into companies affected by the forestry crisis by stimulating value-added processing?

Manufacturing and Forestry IndustriesOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Jonquière—Alma Québec

Conservative

Jean-Pierre Blackburn ConservativeMinister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

Mr. Speaker, in the throne speech, we mentioned that the forestry and manufacturing sectors as well as the tourism sector would be priorities for our government. As mentioned earlier, first of all we have put in place measures and new tools to foster the economic development of Quebec regions, SMEs and diversification. In addition, we are working on the forestry file.

Manufacturing and Forestry IndustriesOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Bloc

Paule Brunelle Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC

Mr. Speaker, the forestry sector needs life-saving measures and needs them now. Other measures could be implemented. For example, $2 billion could be allocated to the manufacturing sector by establishing a fund to replace Technology Partnerships Canada for research and development and another fund to help companies modernize.

What is the government waiting for to introduce these measures rather than putting all the money toward the debt?

Manufacturing and Forestry IndustriesOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Jonquière—Alma Québec

Conservative

Jean-Pierre Blackburn ConservativeMinister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

Mr. Speaker, the Economic Development Agency of Canada, the agency I oversee, helps companies become more innovative and more competitive. We have put in place six new tools especially designed to help companies that wish to grow, expand or start up.

Here is the bottom line: in 18 months, 680 projects for the manufacturing sector in Quebec received assistance, resulting in 11,240 jobs maintained and 5,363 jobs created.

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC

Mr. Speaker, the minister has not mentioned lost jobs however. The Prime Minister said that it was immoral not to respect majority decisions of the House. Today, we are asking the government to improve the employment insurance program, as are all the opposition parties and all the delegates at the FTQ convention.

Will this minority government respect the parliamentary majority, which is speaking on behalf of workers, and give royal recommendation to Bill C-269?

This year alone, the employment insurance fund surplus stands at $1.5 billion. That is more than enough to take action.

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Medicine Hat Alberta

Conservative

Monte Solberg ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Social Development

Mr. Speaker, the fact is of course that the government has both improved benefits and reduced premiums. Most importantly, we are investing more in training than any government in history which is extraordinarily important because today we have a job market where employers are looking for workers.

So far in Quebec this year 90,000 new net jobs have been created and the great news is that last month the most successful job seekers of all were older workers. That is tremendous news.

Guaranteed Income SupplementOral Questions

November 29th, 2007 / 2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Raymond Gravel Bloc Repentigny, QC

Mr. Speaker, this week, the Quebec National Assembly adopted a unanimous motion calling on the federal government to ensure that seniors who are entitled to the guaranteed income supplement receive the money they are owed. Today, the Association des retraitées et retraités de l'enseignement called for the same thing. The government wants to use almost all the surplus to pay off its debt. That is immoral. The first debt the government should be paying off is the debt to our seniors.

What is stopping the government from using the surplus to pay our seniors the money they are owed under the guaranteed income supplement?

Guaranteed Income SupplementOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Medicine Hat Alberta

Conservative

Monte Solberg ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Social Development

Mr. Speaker, there are so many misstatements in what the member says it is hard to know where to start.

The fact is that the government has been very active in pursuing seniors, no matter where they are in the country, to make sure that they are aware of the benefits for which they are eligible, including going into homeless shelters to tell them about it and going on to reserves.

I have to point out that at the end of the day if any jurisdiction, including the Government of Quebec, wants to go ahead and provide more transfers to seniors in that province they are welcome to do it.

Wireless IndustryOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

Mr. Speaker, the industry minister's decision on wireless spectrum came after months of intense lobbying by industry executives.

In the long run-up to this announcement, were there any meetings, conversations, communications or contacts of any kind with any ministers or federal officials, arranged or facilitated directly or indirectly by Brian Mulroney or any of Brian Mulroney's associates?

Wireless IndustryOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Oshawa Ontario

Conservative

Colin Carrie ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe the nonsense. The minister's bold announcement yesterday is heralded as a home run for Canada's wireless industry and for consumers.

We want more competition, more choice, reduced prices and better services. This is great news and it is in line with our decision to rely on market forces. I cannot believe the member's hogwash.

Wireless IndustryOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

Mr. Speaker, Luc Lavoie is registered to lobby the industry minister on this file on behalf of the same company for which Brian Mulroney serves as director.

Mr. Lavoie is also Mr. Mulroney's official spokesperson. On November 9, the Prime Minister demanded that his ministers end any dealings with Brian Mulroney. Did that prohibition apply to Mr. Lavoie?

Wireless IndustryOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Oshawa Ontario

Conservative

Colin Carrie ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, again this is totally ridiculous. The minister yesterday took a bold step to ensure that Canadians get access to wireless, get cheaper prices and more competition. This is ridiculous.

HIV-AIDSOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON

Mr. Speaker, last week at the health committee the minister confessed he took $15 million from Canadian HIV-AIDS programs to match the Gates Foundation dollars for the HIV vaccine initiative.

Gates Foundation policy clearly states that money previously committed to HIV-AIDS will not be matched because it does not want to take away from domestic programs.

Will the minister stop the shell game and reinstate that money now and promise never again to tamper with precious resources for the Canadian HIV-AIDS community?

HIV-AIDSOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia Manitoba

Conservative

Steven Fletcher ConservativeParliamentary Secretary for Health

Mr. Speaker, I am really surprised that the member has the gall to stand up and complain about the $16 million in cuts that her government made when she was the minister of public health.

Fear not, the government has invested $84.4 million in HIV-AIDS and that is more than any other government in the history of Canada.