Debates of Nov. 24th, 2009

Diane Finley Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development

Mr. Speaker, as you pointed out, things happened earlier today. The member for South Shore—St. Margaret's made a sincere and complete apology for his remarks.

Let us move on. Let us look at what we are doing to help those who have been unfortunate enough to lose their jobs in this global recession. We are offering unprecedented training to them. We are offering unprecedented economic supports while they look for new work.

We have provided numerous things to help those unfortunate enough to be unemployed. Unfortunately, opposition members in the NDP have not supported those moves.

Megan Leslie Halifax, NS

Mr. Speaker, an empty apology just will not cut it, because the member's comments are more reflective of the government's opinion than is his apology. After all, the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development once said:

We do not want to make EI lucrative for [the unemployed] to stay home and get paid for it.

During this recession alone, tens of thousands of Canadians have been thrown out of work, and families from coast to coast to coast are being forced out of their homes. Where are hard-hit Canadians supposed to turn when their own government clearly thinks so little of them?

Diane Finley Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development

Mr. Speaker, this government is the one that brought in an additional five weeks of EI benefits for everyone across the country. We enhanced the work-sharing program, extending it and making it easier to get into. It is now protecting some 165,000 Canadian jobs. They voted against that one too.

We are supporting our long-tenured workers. We are providing an extra five to twenty weeks of benefits, giving them a hand up while they go looking for a new job so that they can care for their families the way they want to.

Paule Brunelle Trois-Rivières, QC

Mr. Speaker, there is consensus in Quebec that we must reduce our oil dependency, particularly by developing electric vehicles. Since nearly 40% of all greenhouse gases come from the transportation sector, electric vehicles represent an important tool in the fight against climate change.

What is the government waiting for to actively support research and development, as well as the infrastructure needed to encourage the use of electric vehicles?

Lisa Raitt Minister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, this government has taken a very expansive approach to all issues having to do with reducing energy consumption and increasing energy efficiency, dealing with homes and also dealing with transportation, from curbing tailpipe emissions to taking part in the road map towards bringing electric cars to fruition.

We have been a partner in that with industry, and we are very happy with our record of accomplishment on that.

Paule Brunelle Trois-Rivières, QC

Mr. Speaker, the minister is trying once again to avoid the question. Specifically what we are talking about here are measures to encourage the development of electric vehicles in Quebec, not programs to provide billions of dollars in subsidies to the traditional automotive industry.

Why does the government refuse to introduce strong incentives to encourage consumers to buy rechargeable electric vehicles or hybrids?

Carolyn Bennett St. Paul's, ON

Mr. Speaker, the isotope shortage is having a profound effect on Canadian patients and their health care providers. The nuclear medicine community is worried. They have seen a 10% to 25% drop in patient referrals for nuclear, cardiac and cancer tests. Disease will be detected too late.

The government was given four specific recommendations by the Canadian Association of Nuclear Medicine. Will the government commit today to implement all four recommendations and do the right thing for worried Canadians?

Leona Aglukkaq Minister of Health

Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank all those doctors who have done so much to mitigate this issue. I share the concerns of Canadians regarding the shortage and that is why I have taken swift actions to deal with that.

Our focus is ensuring that Canadians have a predictable and reliable supply of medical isotopes and we continue to take every step necessary to protect the health and safety of Canadians. Our government has also taken action to identify alternatives to medical isotopes such as thallium and sodium fluoride and the options that are available to those Canadians who require the testing. This means that more medical isotopes are available for those individuals that need them.

Marc Garneau Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC

Mr. Speaker, the uncertainty about the future of a Canadian nuclear reactor to produce isotopes is having impacts in a number of areas. There are concerns now that our colleges will see a drop in enrolment of nuclear medicine technicians, who are responsible for diagnostic procedures.

What is this government doing to ensure that Canadians with certain cancers or heart problems will have access not only to isotopes, but also to the technicians who administer the required procedures?

Leona Aglukkaq Minister of Health

Again, Mr. Speaker, we have been working with the provinces and the territories and have created a guidance document to mitigate the issue.

Our government has invested in alternative medical isotopes based on the recommendations of the experts that we appointed to deal with the situation with us. This means that more isotope alternatives will be identified through the research that we are doing.

We have also appointed Dr. McEwan as a special adviser. He is a renowned expert in this field. We will continue to work with him as well as the medical experts on this file and the provinces and the territories in the future.

Claude Gravelle Nickel Belt, ON

Mr. Speaker, the federal Conservatives want to impose a new tax. The provincial Conservatives do not. The provincial Liberals want to impose a new tax. The federal Liberals are not sure they do. One thing is certain: the NDP does not want a new tax that would drive up heating costs, any more than the Canadian Association of Retired Persons does. In two months, opposition by retirees to the Conservatives' proposed harmonized tax has risen from 73% to 85%.

Why is the Minister of Finance turning his back on retirees?

Jim Flaherty Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I think the question was about harmonization of the provincial sales tax and the GST, which is proposed by two provinces now. They are going ahead with their legislative options in that regard. It is up to the provinces that are not harmonized to make that decision. Two of them have done so, in line with the provinces that did so in the 1990s.

Yvon Godin Acadie—Bathurst, NB

Mr. Speaker, for the past two years, the International Longshoremen's Association has been trying to stop Irving Oil from taking over part of the port of Saint John.

No one in New Brunswick has the courage to ask Irving Oil to respect the law. That is why I sent a letter to the Minister of Transport asking him to deal with this situation. His answer was that the transaction has to be approved by his department. However, Irving has taken over the Long Wharf Terminal and is now building on it without proper authorization.

Why is the minister letting Irving Oil break the law?