Debates of June 9th, 2010

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

It being Wednesday, we will now have the singing of the national anthem led by the pages.

[Members sang the national anthem]

Nuclear Non-Proliferation

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is working very actively against the proliferation of nuclear weapons. That is why recent allegations about the possibility that the Burmese government is working with North Korea to develop a nuclear program are so concerning.

A North Korean initiative to share nuclear material or technology with Burma or any other nation would pose a grave threat to the security in the region and would be a violation of the terms of the UN Security Council Resolution 1874. We further call upon all members of the international community to re-double their vigilance in ensuring the comprehensive enforcement of all Security Council resolutions pertaining to North Korea.

Canada has already imposed the toughest sanctions in the world on Burma. We call on Burma to co-operate fully with the IAEA and follow its international obligations as a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Religious Freedom

[Bonnie Crombie, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we are constantly reminded of the events against human rights, and religious intolerance around the world.

We remember the invasion of the Golden Temple in Amritsar against the Sikh faith in 1984, then quickly following, the bombing of Air India flight 182 over the shores of Ireland. We still deeply mourn these losses.

Last year, thousands of innocent Sri Lankans lost their lives in defenceless attacks against humanity.

This past Christmas Eve, six members of the Coptic community were shot down for practising their faith.

Not even two weeks ago, Ahmadiyya Muslims worshipping and attending prayers on a Friday in Lahore, Pakistan faced violent and brutal attacks.

We have a duty to defend against religious intolerance and the violation of human rights that these deplorable acts of violence, fear and intimidation represent. I urge all members to join together today in condemning these violent acts and call on all governments around the world to bring justice to the perpetrators to ensure religious freedom for all people.

Annette Savoie

[Luc Desnoyers, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to pay tribute to a remarkable woman in my riding and to highlight a very special event. On June 28, Annette Savoie will celebrate her 100th birthday.

In light of this occasion, Mrs. Savoie has started writing her memoirs, in which she will tell the story of her life as it relates to the history of Quebec and the evolution of women over the course of nearly a century. Mrs. Savoie's age has not dimmed her strong ideals or the force of her convictions. Still sharp as a tack, this amazing woman is the very antithesis of what we imagine when we think of growing old.

On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I wish Mrs. Savoie much happiness and good health for many more years to come.

Harmonized Sales Tax

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives can still do the right thing on the HST. British Columbians are united in our opposition to the HST. We have mobilized in communities in every corner of the province and are sending a clear message to Conservative and Liberal MPs who supported this tax that they must reverse their position and stop it now. There is time for them to repent.

The Prime Minister and the premiers should sit down immediately, reverse course and stop the HST. The Conservatives thought that they were finished with the HST after they enabled it and rammed it through Parliament back in December, but people in B.C. remember what they have done.

New Democrats continue to stand in solidarity with British Columbians on the HST. We opposed it then, we voted against it at all stages, and we, too, want it stopped now. Conservatives and Liberals imposed the HST on B.C. in perhaps the most notorious action of the only active coalition in this Parliament, the one between Conservatives and Liberals.

Citizens of the Year

[LaVar Payne, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to two outstanding constituents of the Medicine Hat riding, Albert Zagorsky and Talon Chandler.

Albert Zagorsky was recently named citizen of the year by Grasslands Regional Family and Community Support Services. For over 40 years, Mr. Zagorsky has devoted his time and expertise to teach music to thousands of students in the Grasslands area. Albert is an accomplished ambassador to Brooks and the Newell region, which have gained recognition across western Canada thanks to his dedication to music.

Talon Chandler was named junior citizen of the year thanks to the leadership he has taken on at his high school where he serves on the student council as co-president. Talon volunteers his time refereeing local volleyball matches and was recently elected grad class president by a group of 170 students. Positive and outgoing, Talon is constantly looking for ways to lend a helping hand.

Congratulations to both of them.

I also want to welcome the Friendship Force of Medicine Hat, who are in Ottawa today.

India

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Mississauga—Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the days following the assassination of Indira Gandhi, thousands of innocent Sikh men, women and children were slaughtered in the streets of Delhi and other parts of India. A senior researcher at Human Rights Watch writes, “Delhi was a scene of carnage, yet 25 years later the victims are still waiting for justice”.

However, it is important to remember that all humanity was not lost as Hindu, Muslim and Christian families risked their lives in order to shelter and rescue their Sikh neighbours from the blood-thirsty organized mobs.

The real issue according to Human Rights Watch is, “The failure of successive Indian governments to bring to justice those responsible for mass revenge attacks on Sikhs after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi 25 years ago is a severe blot on India's legal system and democracy”.

As Canadians, we will always fight for justice and the protection of human rights, two ideals in any democracy.

India's democracy will be made stronger when it pursues reconciliation and accountability, but none of this will be possible without first making an honest search for the truth.

Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

[John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, tonight this House will vote for a final time on Bill C-475, my private member's bill that seeks to put a stop to the horror of drug addiction in Canada.

This bill, which criminalizes the procurement of precursors for the manufacture of crystal meth and ecstasy, received unanimous consent in this House at second reading. I ask my colleagues in this House, what could send a stronger message to Canadians than again to pass this bill unanimously?

Canadians are proud that our government is acting to protect its citizens from illegal drugs. Bill C-475, which has been endorsed by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the B.C. Association of Police Chiefs along with many municipalities in the riding I represent, would make it harder for Canadians to produce or gain access to dangerous drugs.

For the sake of all Canadians, I implore my colleagues in this House to stand in favour of health, fitness and freedom from drug addiction.

Quebec Archaeological Museum

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great enthusiasm and pride that I am highlighting yet another wonderful achievement in my riding. Opened almost 25 years ago, the Pointe-du-Buisson Archaeological Park, in Melocheville, has recently become the Musée québécois d'archéologie.

This site, which welcomed the first researchers more than 40 years ago, was Quebec's first accredited archaeological field school. The museum now comprises 17 archaeological sites and a collection of more than 2 million objects documenting the 5,000 years that this land has been continuously inhabited. It is one of the richest sites in the American northeast.

Located in Beauharnois, this important regional cultural not-for-profit organization holds an enviable place when it comes to Quebec's museums. In July 2010 it will unveil a new permanent exhibit on archaeology as well as new equipment. I would invite all of those who are passionate about history and archaeology to visit and discover Quebec's archaeological heritage.

Congratulations to all those who have had a hand in this success. Long live the Musée québécois d'archéologie.

Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal leader is secretly scheming with the NDP and the Bloc to come up with a Machiavellian strategy to overturn the democratic results of the last general election.

By refusing to go along with the people's verdict, the Liberal coalition with the NDP and the Bloc—the famous big spenders coalition—shows that the Liberal leader's ego is more important to him than our country's best interests.

But that should come as no surprise because this is not the first time the Liberal leader has chosen to ignore Canadians' and Quebeckers' real concerns. At the height of the global economic downturn, he was the one who wanted to increase taxes.

We all know that the Liberal leader is not interested in the economy. He would rather play partisan politics at the expense of Canadians by making crazy spending promises to be paid for by higher taxes.

Human Rights

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, let each of us in this House take a minute to respectfully and solemnly remember the thousands killed, many of them innocent bystanders, in 1984.

Canada is celebrated around the world for our diversity, diversity which would never have allowed such events to occur.

Today we pray for those who were killed, mothers, fathers, siblings, and we pray for those who survived but who have to endure a trauma the rest of us cannot imagine, and for those who bravely risked their lives to save others. We meet to express together what cannot be endured alone. We must continue to work toward ending suffering and building peace.

Let all of us here in Canada pledge our determination to protect human rights as the best way to remember those who lost their lives. Let all of us embody Guru Nanak's message of universal love and peace.

Firearms Registry

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals continue to do nothing but play partisan political games when it comes to the wasteful and ineffective long gun registry. Even members from his own party think this is nonsense.

This is what former Liberal MP, Hec Clouthier, said:

I told [the Liberal leader] the Liberal Party policies and priorities were targeting the major cities and forgetting about rural Canada.

He continued to say that if the Liberal leader continues playing these political games, he could hold his next caucus meeting in a phone booth.

Not even Liberals are fooled by the real motives behind the Liberal leader's decision to whip the vote. It is clear that the Liberal leader has turned his back on rural Canadians, whipped his members to oppose the long gun vote and empower his attack dog, the member for Ajax—Pickering, to hijack the public safety committee.

We call upon all opposition members who voted in favour of Bill C-391 at second reading to stand up for their constituents and vote to scrap the long gun registry once and for all.

Status of Women

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the Social Planning & Research Council of Hamilton for continuing its important work of tracking and reporting on the basic indicators for women's progress.

The council's most recent report confirms that women in Hamilton still earn significantly less than men. In fact, they only make 73% of men's total income.

However, the picture of poverty in our city is multi-faceted. Single women, visible minority women, newcomer women and aboriginal women have especially high rates of poverty, pointing to the fact that women's poverty is not equally distributed in our community.

Among women who work full time, 7% are earning wages so low that they are still poor. There are more than 4,000 working poor women in Hamilton, and the general poverty rate for women is 20%, significantly higher than the provincial average of 16%.

For senior women, the picture is especially bleak. Older women are more than twice as likely to be living in poverty as older men, and the poverty rate for single female seniors is much higher than for the general population of women 65 years of age and older.

It does not have to be this way. It is time to heed the advice from the UN, whose recent report showed that electing more gender-balanced legislatures leads to policies that improve women's lives. Clearly--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member for Barrie.

Ministerial Responsibility

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has a tradition of ministerial responsibility. That means that cabinet ministers are responsible for what happens in their names and to Parliament. Canadians expect those in charge to account for their staff and this situation is no different.

The tradition of ministerial responsibility is as old as Canada itself. That is why Conservative cabinet ministers answer questions in question period and that is why they appear before committees to answer for their offices.

The Liberal leader wants to do away with this tradition. Instead, he wants to import the foreign U.S. committee system that is used as a political weapon to bully, intimidate and to humiliate opponents, something we will not allow.

We hope that all opposition committee chairs will follow the rules and procedures, rather than conduct kangaroo courts as they have been doing.

The Conservatives

[France Bonsant, Bloc, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the extreme right has arrived in Parliament. The ultra-conservative members of the Reform Party, the Canadian Alliance and other right-wing splinter groups have won: they have taken Parliament hostage.

Using their favourite puppet, the Conservative Party, these groups take pleasure in destroying all the gains achieved over the years. I am referring to their position on abortion, the firearms registry and the funding cruelly taken away from the most vulnerable members of our society.

As we near the end of this session, only one conclusion can be drawn: these Reform Conservatives will do everything they can to impose their regressive views. Quebec can always count on a party that, unlike the Liberals and the NDP, will always stand up when it is time to protect these gains. The Bloc Québécois is here to defend the interests and values of the Quebec nation.

Religious Freedom

[Gurbax Malhi, Liberal, Bramalea—Gore—Malton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in June 1984, the most holy place of the Sikh religion, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, and many other Sikh places of worship were dishonoured. Thousands of innocent children, women and men who were there to mark a holy day were killed.

In November 1984, an anti-Sikh pogrom of violence, rapes and killings took place in New Delhi and many other Indian cities, resulting in the deaths of thousands more.

In June 1985, Air India flight 182 was blown up in mid-air and over 300 people died.

I strongly urge the Indian and Canadian governments to take all reasonable measures to ensure that justice prevails for innocent victims' families. Both countries should work together to ensure that such tragedies never happen again.

I would invite all my colleagues to take a moment to reflect upon the many innocent lives lost in 1984 and 1985.

Liberal Party of Canada

[Phil McColeman, Conservative, Brant, ON]

Mr. Speaker, everywhere we turn, the Liberals are talking about forming a coalition. The member for Ottawa South and the member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine like the idea. The Liberal Party president has come out in support of it. Even Jean Chrétien and Warren Kinsella have said that they like the sound of it.

However, before the Liberals dust off their 2008 website, liberaldemocrats.ca, we should remind them that their coalition is not just with the NDP but also with the Bloc whose goal it is to break up this country.

It is as unacceptable now as it was in 2008 for the Liberal Party to give the NDP co-management of this economy or to share power with a party committed to the breakup of our country.

If the Liberal Party continues with its coalition talk, it should be truthful with Canadians and register the website blocquébécois-liberals-newdemocrats.ca and put that to Canadians.

G8 and G20 Summits

[Michael Ignatieff, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we have a fake lake, a boat that does not float and even washrooms 20 km away from the leaders. This attempt to promote Canada is turning us into a laughingstock. The government has not only lost control of the costs, it is being ridiculed around the world.

When will the Prime Minister get this summit under control and when will he pull the plug on this comedy of errors?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, the opposition made the same complaints about the Olympic Games that they are making now. Canada hosted one of the most successful Olympic Games in the world. We will also have a world-class G8 and G20.

[Michael Ignatieff, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it is no good hiding behind the Olympics. The government's story keeps changing every day.

Yesterday it was $2 million for a fake lake, then it was just a fake alley and then it was just $57,000 for the water. Then the government hired security guards who do not even have approval in Ontario.

Money seems to be gushing out of half a dozen secret slush funds. This thing is out of control.

When will the Prime Minister get a grip and tell Canadians the honest truth about what this boondoggle is costing us?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we heard all of the same complaints about the cost of the Olympics and we put on a world-class Olympics, just as we will have a world-class G8 and G20.

What the opposition does not want to talk about is the real story here, which is that as we host the G20 we have the lowest taxes on new business investment, the lowest debt of any country, the lowest deficit, the strongest employment growth, the strongest economic growth and the soundest banking system in the world.

[Michael Ignatieff, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the economy.

Hungary is in danger, Greece is struggling and Spain is next in line. The world is looking to the G20 and to Canada for economic leadership but, instead of providing it, the Prime Minister seems to think he is running a convention for travel writers.

Why does he not understand that we are throwing away a once in a lifetime opportunity for Canadian leadership?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I answered that question before the Leader of the Opposition even asked it. He should have listened to my answer before he asked the question.

We are leading the developed world in every important economic category. Those guys can talk about a fake lake but what we are learning in these coalition talks is that they have a fake party over there.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the largest deficit in Canadian history, apparently, was not enough for those guys. They think an extra $1 billion of debt to hold one of the most expensive meetings ever held was a good idea.

The government has given up on using security as an excuse for spending tens of millions of dollars on gazebos, fountains, a fake lake, fiddlers and a great wall of plants. Now it says that it is good for tourism.

Does the government think the G8 and G20 journalists sitting around their fake lake work for the Lonely Planet?

While the world laughs at Canada's government, the only message getting out is that the Conservatives should not hold meetings on fiscal restraint. Who signed off on this stuff? How did it get so out of control?