Debates of June 9th, 2010

Stephen Harper Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the G20 summit, which will bring thousands of influential guests from different parts of the world, is an excellent opportunity to promote Canadian tourism. We have the support of the Ontario and Canadian tourism industry. I am well aware that the Bloc does not want to promote Canada.

Pierre Paquette Joliette, QC

Mr. Speaker, when they were in opposition, the Conservatives railed against the Liberals' waste and patronage. They promised to change things. By buying themselves an artificial lake and flooding the Minister of Industry's riding with projects that have nothing to do with the G8 and G20, they are proving that they are capable, like the Liberals, of the worst abuses and excesses.

Will the government admit that its only concern is to buy the re-election of the Minister of Industry and certainly not to keep spending associated with holding the G8 and G20 meetings under control?

John Baird Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, we have funded infrastructure projects in every region of our country with our economic action plan. Investments in infrastructure and municipalities create jobs. That is the case in Quebec City and in Muskoka; that is the case everywhere. We are very proud of the 300,000 new jobs created in Canada over the past year. And we are not finished; a great deal of work remains to be done.

Pierre Paquette Joliette, QC

Mr. Speaker, under the guise of good management, the government requires community groups and festivals, even the smallest festivals, to submit solid business plans to obtain even very meagre grants.

What would have been the government's response if an association had submitted a project to organize an international conference with an artificial lake beside a real lake, with cardboard scenery, virtual surroundings, a steamboat that would be ready after the event, and bear-proof garbage cans?

What would have been the government's response? Once again, with the Conservatives, there is a double standard: do as I say, not as I do.

Lawrence Cannon Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, it is quite clear that much of the cost of the G8 and G20 events is due to security. A tiny portion of the cost is for the promotion of not just Ontario, but also Canada. We are proud to be welcoming all these people who will spread the good news about Canada throughout the world.

Jack Layton Toronto—Danforth, ON

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Liberal-Conservative coalition were working together against the public interest.

They authorized the sale of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. They initiated the privatization of Canada Post. They cleaned out the surplus in the employment insurance fund, authorizing the theft of $57 billion from the pockets of workers.

Is the Prime Minister proud of having endorsed the $57 billion theft by the Liberals?

Stephen Harper Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I have only one question: if the leader of the NDP thinks such terrible things about the Liberals and is accusing them of working with us, why does he want to form a coalition with them?

Jack Layton Toronto—Danforth, ON

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Liberal-Conservative coalition rammed through its 100th confidence motion. Normally we would ask that it at least get a marriage certificate after that, but the Prime Minister got his misguided budget through, thanks to the coalition of the unwilling. What else will this group support? The privatization of the CBC, an extension of the war in Afghanistan? What is next for the coalition?

Stephen Harper Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the NDP denounces the Liberal Party, which I suppose is a noble cause, but at the same time as he is denouncing the Liberal Party, he is secretly having negotiations to form the coalition with him. I wish he would make up his mind.

Jack Layton Toronto—Danforth, ON

Mr. Speaker, I really do not need to take lessons in secrecy from the specialists.

Billions are being spent on fake lakes and bloated security, while Canada's first nations deal with the crisis of housing, education and health care. Aboriginal communities in Canada have a tuberculosis rate 35 times higher than non-aboriginal Canadians, suicide 11 times higher than the national average and 19% of our inmates are aboriginal.

Will the government at least put as much effort into that as it has in protecting the banks?

Stephen Harper Prime Minister

Once again, Mr. Speaker, the government has taken strong action on this. One of the things we will discuss at the G8 is the child and maternal health initiative, which I note has been strongly supported by many international parties this week.

At the same time, I go back, and this is just really the blindness of the NDP. We are not protecting the Canadian banks. We are protecting the Canadian economy.

We are not going to have an economy that is forced to pay for bailouts that happened in other countries. We are standing up for Canada. The leader of the NDP should at least learn to stand up for the things—

The Speaker Peter Milliken

The hon. member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine.

Lawrence Cannon Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, as I said, most of the costs are associated with security-related expenses. Some of the money will be spent on promoting our country. Most importantly, however, all of these expenses, all of that money was budgeted, and that party supported our budget yesterday.