Debates of April 14th, 2010

Denis Lebel Minister of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)

Mr. Speaker, as part of our digital economy strategy for Canada, we are taking measures to extend broadband service to all provinces and territories. The 2009 budget directed $225 million to extending the broadband Canada program.

Industry Canada launched an application process that has been very successful. We are taking a final look at these applications and we will announce those selected at a later date, no thanks to the Bloc, which, once again, voted against this project.

Brian Masse Windsor West, ON

Mr. Speaker, the American transportation secretary has labelled Toyota “safety deaf”. He has actually levied millions of dollars of fines and is considering more. Now Consumer Reports has put a Toyota vehicle on the rare “do not buy” list. What is happening on the Canadian side? The minister actually issued a statement and a press release applauding Toyota's behaviour.

Meanwhile, American, Japanese and European governments are investigating Toyota executives for failure to act. The minister and the Prime Minister know how to call the RCMP. When will Toyota executives be investigated in Canada just as they are being investigated across the planet?

John Baird Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, let me say two things. One is that officials within Canada's defect investigations and recalls division are in fact conducting an investigation. The member knows that, because these officials appeared before committee. With respect to the Lexus issue he raised, coming from Consumer Reports, our defect investigations and recalls division has received no complaints of rollovers and no complaints about steering systems from the 2007-11 years.

Mike Wallace Burlington, ON

Mr. Speaker, one year ago today, the Liberal leader issued his pledge to raise Canadians' taxes and kill jobs. The Liberal leader called for higher taxes on all Canadians. He has been joined by key Liberal spokespersons like the members for Parkdale—High Park and Dartmouth—Cole Harbour.

Can the Minister of Finance please inform the House how many jobs the Liberal leader's GST hike will kill?

Jim Flaherty Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Burlington for his historically accurate question about the Liberal leader and tax hikes.

Canadians are, of course, concerned with the Liberal plan to recklessly raise taxes. A 2% hike in the GST by the Liberals would kill 162,000 jobs in Canada. While they dream of tax hikes, our government is cutting taxes and helping fuel job growth, with 18,000 new jobs in the month of March and 180,000 new jobs since July 2009.

Wayne Easter Malpeque, PE

Mr. Speaker, information in the public domain suggests Nazim Gillani has unsavoury connections, including public links to organized crime, and is reported to be the subject of police investigations. Today we learned that he put his business associates in compromising positions by taking photographs as a means to ensure their silence. Given this, is the government aware of any risk that Mr. Jaffer or the former minister was or could have been compromised by Mr. Gillani or anyone associated with him?

John Baird Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Malpeque certainly has quite the imagination. I do not know the individual in question so I cannot speak to the issue. But what I can say is that when allegations were brought to the Prime Minister's attention, what he did was refer the issue to an independent officer of the House, what he did was refer it to the relevant police authorities. That is ethical conduct. That is doing the right thing.

Robert Vincent Shefford, QC

Mr. Speaker, the government has announced that it will crack down on gas stations that are overcharging customers because of inaccurate pumps. But the real problem is that the retail price of gasoline systematically increases just before long weekends or vacation. The near-monopoly held by oil companies needs to be watched more closely.

Why is the government not really dealing with the problem by giving the Competition Bureau more power, as the Bloc proposes in Bill C-452?

Mike Lake Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, our government has always been supportive of the Canadian consumer, and although of course I cannot speak specifically to the issue the member is referring to, I look forward to this possibility. This is a great example of a positive change that will benefit Canadians where it matters most. There are those in the opposition who want to talk about raising taxes, but our government believes in instituting measures that will positively affect Canadian consumers.

Michael Savage Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order on something that was raised in question period.

A few minutes ago the member for Burlington, in his fiction about the Leader of the Opposition calling for more taxes, invoked my name, the member for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, suggesting that I had suggested we should have higher taxes. I am not suggesting that we should have an incredibly high standard such as truth from the government side. I never did that.

I did an interview where the Tory war room put out a quote suggesting a whole bunch of things that journalists have pointed out were totally inaccurate and untrue. I never said that. I do not expect an apology from that side because I do not know if it is capable of it, but I would ask the member for Burlington to check those little notes that he got from the apparatchiks in the back room and see if it is true before he stands up and besmirches himself.

The Speaker Peter Milliken

I am sure the hon. member for Burlington will be paying close attention to the hon. member for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour.

Vic Toews Minister of Public Safety

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), it is my pleasure to table, in both official languages, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service public report for 2008-09.

Tom Lukiwski Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 19 petitions.