Debates of Nov. 6th, 2009

Marcel Proulx Hull—Aylmer, QC

Mr. Speaker, so far, more than half the job losses during this Conservative recession have affected young people. Again in October, 50% of the 43,000 jobs lost were held by this category of worker. Last year, youth employment dropped by nearly 10%, which is unprecedented. Young Canadians are disproportionately affected by the recession and disproportionately neglected by the Conservative government.

Instead of wasting $100 million on propaganda, why have the Conservatives not instead increased funding for young entrepreneurs?

Ed Komarnicki Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour

Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that thousands of jobs have been created for students and young people this summer. We have invested over $20 million over two years for Canada summer jobs and created 40,000 jobs. We have done a number of things to create jobs and to help those unemployed.

I would like to ask the member, why would he oppose aid to those who are unemployed?

Christian Paradis Minister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, repealing the long gun registry is a Conservative Party position. There is nothing new in that. The Conservative members from Quebec are proud to support that position because that is what we promised our voters and we are going to keep our word. The Bloc does not represent every point of view in Quebec. If it asked the general public, the Bloc would see that popular opinion is much more divided than it lets on. I am thinking about the Fédération québécoise des chasseurs et pêcheurs, with whom the Bloc has probably never spoken. If Quebec wants to set up a registry, then it can do so through the registration of goods and property, which is a provincial jurisdiction. We have decided to decriminalize this, period.

Richard Nadeau Gatineau, QC

Mr. Speaker, what little good faith the government still had on this has just vanished. The government waited until the day after the vote to release an RCMP report underscoring the usefulness of the firearms registry.

Why is the government determined to deprive police forces of a tool that they consider useful?

Christian Paradis Minister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, the report was tabled here in the House according to the rules of the House of Commons. They should stop making all these unfounded insinuations.

The problem lies with illegal weapons, knives and handguns, and that registry is still in effect. We are repealing the long gun registry. Let us stop penalizing farmers and hunters. There are going to be more restrictions on getting a permit.

Instead of saying whatever they want, the members should get out and talk to people in Quebec. They will see that opinion is much more divided than they think.

André Bellavance Richmond—Arthabaska, QC

Mr. Speaker, Quebec municipalities deplore the fact that infrastructure money is not flowing quickly enough. By insisting on entering into agreements for each individual project, the federal government is more concerned with its own visibility than with the need to create jobs.

Why is the federal government refusing to transfer a block of funds to Quebec for infrastructure so that the work can get started quickly?

Christian Paradis Minister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, my colleague does not understand that within a federation the government can work with the province of Quebec. That is what we are doing.

Quebec is in charge and we are working together with Quebec. I will say it again. If we followed their logic not a single cent would have been disbursed. There would be no construction sites and no new construction jobs in Quebec. What is shameful is that they opposed us from the beginning. They oppose every measure we suggest to help Quebec. They should explain that to their voters.

André Bellavance Richmond—Arthabaska, QC

Mr. Speaker, the promise made with regard to highway 185 just three days before the by-election in Rivière-du-Loup reveals the Conservatives' cynicism. The voters in that riding will not be taken in by these partisan games.

A study by the Canadian Press indicates that the riding, which has been represented by the Bloc Québécois for 16 years, has received its share of investments. With a Bloc member, it is ranked fourth in terms of the number of projects funded by the last budget.

When will the Conservative government stop politicizing the infrastructure program?

Christian Paradis Minister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to imagine a more ridiculous question because all Bloc Québécois members voted against Canada's economic action plan.

The reason why Bloc, Liberal and Conservative ridings throughout Quebec have benefited is because there are 10 Conservative members from Quebec in this House who support the implementation of the Government of Canada's economic action plan.

If we followed their logic, they would not see a single cent.

Navdeep Bains Mississauga—Brampton South, ON

Mr. Speaker, the city of Mississauga tried to get funding for a pathway project in Willowcreek Park. It was turned down. Yet, with the money the government forced Mississauga to spend on partisan signs, it could have done the project twice and still had money left over.

Why has the Conservative government put propaganda ahead of the people of Mississauga?

Pierre Poilievre Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has a problem. For months, the Liberal Party has been telling Canadians that there are no projects or construction under way throughout the country. Now, there is construction everywhere throughout the country. We are creating jobs, building bridges, expanding hockey facilities for young people, and providing a home renovation tax credit.

All of these things are happening and the Liberals do not want these to be publicized. Now, they complain that there are signs all over the place. First, they say there are no projects and now they say that there are too many projects with too many signs.

Navdeep Bains Mississauga—Brampton South, ON

Mr. Speaker, the priorities of the government are a joke. It forced the city of Mississauga to spend an average of $227 per sign, yet when it comes to infrastructure spending, Mississauga only received $46 per resident.

Could the government explain why propaganda is five times more important to it than people?

Pierre Poilievre Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Speaker, members of the Liberal Party really have to decide. Either they believe that there are no construction projects and therefore no signs to advertise those projects, or they believe that there are too many construction projects and therefore too many signs to publicize them.

At the end of the day, the Liberal Party has to make a decision. On this side, we have made our decision. We are funding job-creating projects that are building communities across this country. They are creating jobs today, expanding hope for the long-term, and providing Canadians with an economic action plan that delivers results.