Debates of June 11th, 2010

Carolyn Bennett St. Paul's, ON

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out to the parliamentary secretary that the festival funding program had $12 million in extra funding that was never spent. The minister, instead, shifted cash to dubious G8 projects in his riding, $1 million for sidewalks that obstruct the fire hydrants and a $100,000 gazebo.

Canadians see this for what it is: blatant pork-barrelling politics at the expense of vital cultural events. How can the government possibly defend this action?

John Baird Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, as part of Canada's economic action plan, we are making infrastructure investments with municipalities, with the province, and Parry Sound—Muskoka. We are also making important economic investments in every part of the country.

We are investing in the city of Toronto. We are investing in the Royal Ontario Museum, not far from the member's riding. We are investing in the Art Gallery of Ontario, not far from the member's riding. We are investing in a new cultural centre in Regent Park, not far from the member's riding. That is all the federal government is doing to support culture in the city of Toronto.

Thierry St-Cyr Jeanne-Le Ber, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Industry has been caught rigging the selection criteria for the marquee tourism events program in order to exclude certain festivals for ideological reasons. The festivals are right to be upset because the government changed the rules after the applications had been submitted.

Will the government admit that it changed the criteria midstream in order to exclude certain events for ideological reasons?

Dean Del Mastro Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to supporting culture, this Conservative government has done more than any government in Canadian history. We have been more supportive for culture than any government before.

In fact, I would point out a couple of examples to the member. Les FrancoFolies received $350,000 over two years, the Pop Montreal International Music Festival received $7,300, Le FestiVoix received $36,000, The Envol and Macadam Festival received $25,000, Jazz and Blues Festival in Chicoutimi received $8,300, Festival du nouveau cinéma received $91,000, and Festival Mode & Design received $53,000.

I have a long sheet here. I can keep going.

Thierry St-Cyr Jeanne-Le Ber, QC

Mr. Speaker, in addition to adapting the selection criteria to the Conservative agenda, the Minister of Industry, who managed to get money out of the G8 budget for an arena, diverted $8 million from the festivals program to the Canadian Tourism Commission, a crown corporation that already receives its funding from Parliament.

Does the minister realize that if he had not diverted that $8 million, he could have funded, among others, the FrancoFolies, the Festival des Rythmes du monde and the New France Festival?

Lawrence Cannon Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the MTEP is to help out the Canadian tourism industry, which is in great need. The goals of this two-year recovery program have been met. During the first year of the program, almost 75% of the funding was granted to large Canadian cities. During the second year, we want to make sure that the smaller cities and towns can also benefit from the program and that is why 19 new events will receive funding this year.

Jean-Yves Laforest Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC

Mr. Speaker, while the forestry industry is recovering from the crisis elsewhere in the world, Quebec and Canadian companies continue to experience difficulties. According to an international comparison done by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the top five Quebec companies listed on the stock exchange lost $466 million in the last quarter.

Why does the government refuse to help these businesses and workers get through the crisis with measures such as loan guarantees?

Jacques Gourde Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and to the Minister of National Revenue

Mr. Speaker, we are working with the Government of Quebec and with the forestry industry to find short-, medium- and long-term solutions.

Jean-Yves Laforest Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC

Mr. Speaker, many proposals have been made, but the government rejects them, even though they are worth considering, according to officials with the Department of International Trade. Loan guarantees are legal.

Foreign governments have taken advantage of the crisis to invest and modernize their forestry industries. As the recovery is starting to take hold, these companies are ready to capture the markets. Businesses here will be emerging from the crisis weak and in debt, and will not be able to take advantage of the new opportunities that will be out there. Why does the Conservative government refuse to invest—

The Deputy Speaker Andrew Scheer

Order, please. The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and to the Minister of National Revenue.

Jacques Gourde Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and to the Minister of National Revenue

Mr. Speaker, one thing is clear, we are working with the forestry industry. Imagine a Liberal-NDP-Bloc coalition. Imagine the Leader of the Bloc Québécois as Minister of State for the Economic Development Agency of Canada.

Laurie Hawn Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, that is just absolute rubbish from top to bottom.

The government has been looking at the next generation fighter capability for many years. In fact, it started with the previous Liberal government. This is a program that was started by Art Eggleton when he was minister of national defence.

Everything that we do is going to have economic spinoffs for Canadian industry. That is how every program has been run so far and that is how this program is going to be run as well.

Wayne Easter Malpeque, PE

The question is competition, Mr. Speaker. Is our Prime Minister just a puppet on a string for U.S. industry? What about Canadians and what about Canadian jobs? A sole-sourced contract to a U.S. parent company is just plain unacceptable.

Costs for new fighter jets are going up faster than the security costs for the G8, from $6 billion to $9 billion to $16 billion. This is the height of incompetence.

With a $50 billion deficit, how can the Conservatives justify spending $16 billion without competition?