Debates of March 28th, 2007

Gerry Byrne Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL

Mr. Speaker, an impasse that needs to be resolved now is on equalization.

For 14 months, provinces have operated believing that 100% of non-renewable natural resources with no caps will be out of the equalization formula. Second, they believed that no province would be adversely affected by the Prime Minister's directive. Newfoundland and Labrador and Saskatchewan, however, are being negatively affected by a broken promise to the tune of over $1 billion.

Will there be full compensation to Newfoundland and Labrador, to Saskatchewan, to Nova Scotia, and to B.C., yes or no?

Loyola Hearn Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, what the member should realize if he read the budget, which some of his colleagues did not and which the premier did not before he commented, is that Newfoundland was given a third choice, to hold on to the benefits of the Atlantic accord without any cap, the very agreement Premier Williams himself negotiated. Not one jot, not one tittle, not one cent, Newfoundland has not been a loser here. It is the biggest winner because it held on to the Atlantic accord.

Gerry Byrne Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL

No, Mr. Speaker. What was said was no small print, no excuses, no caps. Why?

Conservative Party literature in 2004 clearly stated that to put a cap on equalization would keep Newfoundland and Labrador “a have not province forever”.

Why are provinces as expendable as promises?

The Speaker Peter Milliken

Order. We are going to have a little order.

There seems to be some papers that people are waving in the air today for some reason. I do not care what they are. Hon. members know that props are not permitted in the House. This sets a very bad example that can only lead to future trouble. I would urge hon. members to refrain from waving any kind of paper around in the House.

Second, there is excessive noise. The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has the floor. I could hardly hear the last question, and I want to hear the answer. The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has the floor. We will have some order.

Loyola Hearn Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, I thought it was a surrender because those members are so wrong on this.

When the member said a commitment was made that there would be no cut, no cap, that was to the Atlantic accord. He is right. He is dead on. There was no cut to the Atlantic accord. There was no cap on the Atlantic accord. The Atlantic accord was negotiated by Premier Williams.

We will deliver the benefits under the Atlantic accord to the province as was committed with no cap.

Carole Lavallée Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Saint-Hubert Pratt & Whitney plant in Longueuil is another example of how dithering and delay in making decisions is threatening to result in high-quality jobs being lost and moved abroad.

Are the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec aware that they have to act quickly, or many jobs in key aerospace industries are going to be exported somewhere else in the world?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member has asked that question several times now. Over the last few days, I said that we were going to be looking at this matter. We have examined it in a little more detail in recent hours. In fact, what the department is being asked for is $70 million out of a total budget of $200 million. Obviously, allocating $70 million to this project would mean depriving all the other regions of Quebec. I believe that the promoter should instead take a look at the strategic infrastructure program.

Carole Lavallée Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC

Mr. Speaker, there is nothing to stop the ministers from thinking outside their bureaucratic box and still being responsible.

When we know that they have billions of dollars at their disposal, would it not be a better idea to model their programs and budgets on what the needs are, and not the reverse, as is still the case?

Lawrence Cannon Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, I am entirely open to looking at the framework of the new infrastructure programs. We are currently reworking the architecture of those programs so that they will in fact reflect the needs of our regions and communities, and so when we know what the new programs will be, we will be happy to inform our colleagues in the House.

Bev Oda Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women

Mr. Speaker, the women that I meet in my constituency, the women that are in their families raising children, the single mothers who are struggling every day to offer the best for their children and their futures, the senior women who are struggling to meet their bills, many of them who are alone now, these are the women that have to be supported, that we know have contributed and will contribute and will pass on to the next generation, their children, the best that Canada has to offer.

Nicole Demers Laval, QC

Mr. Speaker, all women deserve the title “real women”; we are not inferior beings.