House of Commons Hansard #60 of the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was financial.

Topics

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

The hon. member for Laurentides—Labelle.

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Bloc

Johanne Deschamps Bloc Laurentides—Labelle, QC

Mr. Speaker, the government still refuses to be specific about its commitments in the area of maternal health but there is no lack of detail about the extravagance of its preparations for the G20. Foreign affairs will spend $1.1 million on some backdrop to showcase the dignitaries.

Could the foreign affairs minister stop worrying about the decorations and start giving us the details of the government’s maternal health plan?

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Pontiac Québec

Conservative

Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, since my colleague is insisting, I will start all over again. The amounts that are mentioned cover signage and backdrops for four international events: the G8, G20 and B20 and the Youth Summit. In all, the backdrops will be used in seven places at the summits, in three hotels and on 30 premises. The costs include the production, installation and disassembly of more than 130 signs of various sizes. Some are 100 feet long and the banners are two feet by six feet. International summits require clear signage to ensure the safety of the—

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

The hon. member for Toronto—Danforth.

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

NDP

Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON

Mr. Speaker, first we should offer France our apologies for the unacceptable comments of the Liberal leader.

The government has lost control of its spending on the G8 and G20 summits: $1 million for signs and panels, $2 million for a fake lake and its scenery, $5 million for a fence and more than $1 billion for security. It makes no sense.

This money could have gone to women and children. Why spend—

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

The Right Honourable Prime Minister.

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the NDP leader said a number of things that are totally wrong. The cost of these summits is simply the cost of summits of this kind. It is their nature. We saw the same kind of security at other summits. All these costs are in the budget, and it was passed by the House.

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

NDP

Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, six Nobel laureates called on the Prime Minister to make climate change a priority at the G20. Here is what they said to the Prime Minister:

Environmental degradation and global warming, and their impacts, are economic and security issues as well as environmental ones.

They say that failure to act is going to put the global economy at risk and plunge millions, who are already living on the economic margins, into deeper poverty.

Today, the Prime Minister pretends that he is going to put climate change on the agenda. Why will he not really do it by cutting the subsidies to the big oil companies right now?

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I am glad to see that all three partners in the coalition that everybody denies exists have asked the same questions today.

We consult widely on the summit agenda. In the past, there have been discussions of the climate change issues at the G20 for the purpose of trying to assist, not replace, the United Nations process. As I indicated to President Calderón during his visit, we will continue the same practice here.

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

NDP

Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON

Mr. Speaker, it seems as though the Prime Minister's priority with regard to these international meetings has been to save the banks. When I have talked to Canadians to ask them whether they think the most important thing we should be addressing is saving the banks, I do not get a resounding stampede of support for that agenda because the banks are gouging Canadians each and every day. They say that they want climate change to be addressed as a priority, but here we see it sloughed off. They want to see maternal and child health as a priority, but we are spending more on the summit's security—

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

The right hon. Prime Minister.

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I guess I have different discussions with Canadians than the three coalition partners over there. Canadians certainly do not tell me that they think they want to pay banking taxes for bailouts in other countries. That is not the position of Canadians.

While I am on my feet, we know the three coalition partners voted last night to take Canadians' hard-earned EI premiums and give them to people who go on strike voluntarily. That is not what Canadians want either.

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Liberal

Lise Zarac Liberal LaSalle—Émard, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives will end up drowning in their fake lake because of the real waste of money. We learned today that they paid $1.1 million for backdrops, $1.1 million for cardboard displays. The security fence in Toronto is going to cost $5.5 million compared to $800,000 in Montebello.

Considering that they have a $54 billion deficit, will they admit that they are totally, completely, and absolutely incapable of managing a budget?

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Pontiac Québec

Conservative

Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, we have already stated that the vast majority of costs associated with holding these two summits are security costs. We consulted experts, obtained information and followed recommendations.

We are going to ensure that these two summits provide the utmost security for all participants.

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Liberal

Lise Zarac Liberal LaSalle—Émard, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has made Canada the outcast of the international community and now, with his $2 million fake lake, we have become a laughingstock. We have gone from international outcast to international laughingstock.

Even CNN and the LA Times are talking about the $2 million fake lake. Even finance minister Bernard Kouchner said he was surprised by this $1 billion boondoggle.

Does the Prime Minister still believe that a fake lake inside a convention centre is going to help restore our international reputation?

G8 and G20 SummitsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Pontiac Québec

Conservative

Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, you will naturally allow me to introduce testimony from third parties, in particular that of Bill Allen, president of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, who said that the G8 and G20 will make it possible for Ontario to promote tourism in the same way that the Olympic Games made it possible for British Columbia to gain international recognition. It will not be just 20 leaders who discover Ontario, but hundreds of national media representatives accompanying them as well. This is an opportunity to have the world discover Ontario. This is an opportunity we should not miss.

InfrastructureOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

Mr. Speaker, the town of Saint-François has undertaken a project to renovate its arena. The Province of New Brunswick and the town are ready to start this project, but for months now they have been waiting for the federal government's share of $250,000.

The Conservatives are spending $1.1 billion on the G20. Why are they not capable of taking 58 seconds to fund this project?

Yes, 58 seconds from the G20 would renovate the Saint-François arena because that 58 seconds is equal to $250,000.

The question is simple: where do Conservative priorities lie?

InfrastructureOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Ottawa West—Nepean Ontario

Conservative

John Baird ConservativeMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the hard work of six strong members of Parliament on the government side from New Brunswick, New Brunswick is finally getting its fair share in terms of infrastructure spending. We are very pleased with the significant investments not just in infrastructure stimulus, not just in building Canada but also with the great investments that we are particularly making in northern New Brunswick.

LighthousesOral Questions

June 10th, 2010 / 2:35 p.m.

Liberal

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

Mr. Speaker, to pay for the $2 million fake lake equipped with a fake lighthouse, which will guide a $400,000 dry docked boat safely to the convention centre floor, I mean shore, hundreds of historic lighthouses along real waterways throughout Canada will either be shut down, sold off or destaffed.

With that in mind, will the minister tell us how much of the security money will go to conduct fisheries patrols of the fake lake by armed fisheries officers protecting Canada against foreign overfishing by international journalists, instead of protecting real waterways and seas?

LighthousesOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Egmont P.E.I.

Conservative

Gail Shea ConservativeMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, I think that should probably have started with once upon a time.

The new Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act is an act that will provide a vehicle to ensure strengthened protection of those lighthouses that are considered heritage structures are maintained.

SecuritiesOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Daniel Paillé Bloc Hochelaga, QC

Mr. Speaker, the financial world, hosted by Quebec's AMF, is meeting in Montreal.

All of the securities regulators are there. The attendees, including Paul Volcker, the presidents of the securities commissions in Australia and the United States—the SEC—and the presidents of France's AMF and of Standard and Poor's, all recognize the AMF and provincial securities commissions as THE Canadian partner on the international stage.

Why does the Minister of Finance not do likewise?

SecuritiesOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Whitby—Oshawa Ontario

Conservative

Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to securities commissions, we will respect provincial jurisdiction. This is a new, voluntary system for Canada's provinces. As I said, we will respect provincial jurisdiction.

SecuritiesOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Daniel Paillé Bloc Hochelaga, QC

Mr. Speaker, the international players have made up their minds, and the current system is working.

The AMF and other commissions have signed international agreements with France and the United Arab Emirates concerning co-operation between regulators as well as mobility of investment industry professionals.

These new international agreements, and we can assume they will not be the last, prove that the financial world has made up its mind and recognizes the worth of the current securities system.

Why is the minister ignoring this proof?

SecuritiesOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Whitby—Oshawa Ontario

Conservative

Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, as I said a moment ago, the proposed federal system is a voluntary system. This is an opt in system. There are 10 provinces and territories that are working with the Government of Canada on the project. As I have indicated before in this place, Canada is the only major industrialized country in the world without a common securities regulator.

CopyrightOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC

Mr. Speaker, the chair of the Société professionnelle des auteurs et compositeurs du Québec, Mario Chenart, is bitterly disappointed in the Conservatives' copyright bill. He condemns the government's refusal to extend the private copying levy to digital platforms, thereby depriving songwriter-composers of a major source of income.

Because of the bill's imbalance in favour of American commercial interests, Mario Chenart has this question, which I put to this government: where is the heritage minister?