House of Commons Hansard #144 of the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was child.

Topics

Human Resources and Skills DevelopmentOral Questions

Noon

Haldimand—Norfolk Ontario

Conservative

Diane Finley ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Skills Development

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we did two years ago. Two years ago, through Canada's economic action plan, we added $10 million to that program, and last year, we made it permanent. We did so in order to create 3,500 more jobs for students who need them. But the hon. member and her colleagues voted against that.

Retirement CongratulationsOral Questions

Noon

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

I'd like to draw the attention of members of the House to the presence in the back of the House of our Assistant Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms, Monsieur André Boivin. Today is his last day. He will be retiring after 37 years of service, 31 of which were in Parliament.

Retirement CongratulationsOral Questions

Noon

Some hon. members

Hear, hear!

Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions

Noon

Ottawa West—Nepean Ontario

Conservative

John Baird ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, during question period, I made reference to a number of documents, and I am very pleased to table them.

The first document is a press release entitled, “Paul Martin government announces...budget.” The sub-headline says, “Budget 2004, announced today by the Paul Martin government—”. Then the first paragraph says, “The budget today announced by the Paul Martin government—”. In the second paragraph, it mentions, “Minister of Finance [the member for Wascana]”. I cannot mention his name, but I believe that if members went to www.ralphgoodale.ca, they would find the name. It also has the government website at the end, www.fin.gc.ca.

I want to assure the House that some press releases were saying the “H” government because if we called it the Paul Martin government, people would be very confused.

I will table that.

In response to a question by the member for Repentigny, I talked about a Bloc press release.

It is about a fundraising cocktail party for the Bloc Québécois in Chambly—Borduas. For more information, there is a number to call. I will table this press release in the House.

I am also pleased to table a story by the Canadian Press dated March 11, 2011, 11:51 a.m., about a senator appointed by the Liberal Party. It reads, “Liberal Senator Raymond Lavigne guilty of fraud.”

I will table all three of these documents in the House.

Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

I would like to thank the hon. government House leader for tabling those documents, but I would also caution him that we are not allowed to do indirectly what we are not allowed to do directly. So when it comes to mentioning members by names, even if he thinks he is doing it in a roundabout way, I think the House would appreciate it if he remembered not to mention them by name.

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12:05 p.m.

Liberal

Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON

Mr. Speaker, during question period, it was quite obvious that the Conservative government's dark ops teams have been working very hard to dig up some kind of information. They may be digging it up, sir, but the reality is that they are digging up inaccurate, incorrect and misleading information.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration used a document in his response to my question that is not from my website, has never been on my website and never would be on my website. It was an email that was sent from a political account with no parliamentary resources used. Several weeks ago, the whip on this side of the House told the whip on that side of the House that this has nothing to do with that.

It is an intentional misleading of the House on something that is beyond and above them, and I would hope that they would actually have some—

Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order, order. I have not heard anything that is a point of order. It sounds like there is a dispute about facts.

Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Conservative

John Baird Conservative Ottawa West—Nepean, ON

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite said that a member of the government intentionally misled the House. That is completely unparliamentary. The government requests that you require that member to withdraw his comments.

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12:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

The hon. government House leader is making a good point. The term “intentional misleading of the House” is unparliamentary in referring to a member of the House.

I would ask the member for Don Valley West to withdraw those comments.

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12:05 p.m.

Liberal

Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON

Mr. Speaker, there is something interesting about this. Somehow I am being told that calling something unparliamentary is worse than actually misleading the House.

My concern is that someone on that side of the House actually already knew that this document was never on my website and that it was from a sophisticated program called email. It uses a thing called constant contact—

Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order, order. It is not for the Speaker to pass judgment on the accuracy of statements made in the House.

However, one thing the Speaker is tasked to do is to keep the rules of decorum. I did ask the hon. member for Don Valley West to withdraw the unparliamentary language that I heard. “Intentionally mislead” is a term that has consistently been found to be unparliamentary. That is something the Speaker is allowed to pass judgment on.

I would ask the member for Don Valley West to withdraw that portion of his remarks.

Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Liberal

Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON

Mr. Speaker, I will withdraw the remarks with deep concern that he unintentionally misled the House.

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12:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

I think the House appreciates that.

I see the hon. parliamentary secretary rising. I am going to caution him. If this is another exchange or debate over facts, the Speaker is not going to have much time for that. We have to move on to other business.

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12:05 p.m.

Conservative

Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am simply going to inform the House that I am quite prepared, with unanimous consent, to table this document that shows on the front page that the member is a member of Parliament.

The email that the member referred to states, “[The member for Don Valley West], 1 Leaside Park Drive, Unit 1, Toronto, Ontario”, and the postal code. On the—

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12:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

The hon. member is requesting unanimous consent to table a document. Does the House give its consent to table the document?

Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

No.

Export of Military Goods from CanadaRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Pontiac Québec

Conservative

Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the Report on Exports of Military Goods from Canada for the years 2007-2009.

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern DevelopmentCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Conservative

Bruce Stanton Conservative Simcoe North, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, entitled “Supplementary Estimates (C) 2010-11”.

Status of WomenCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Conservative

Tilly O'Neill-Gordon Conservative Miramichi, NB

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 12th and 13th reports of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women in relation to gender-based analysis of federal funding in sport and gender-based analysis of legislation.

HealthCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

NDP

Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 15th report of the Standing Committee on Health.

It is in relation to supplementary estimates (C) 2010-11, votes 1c, 5c, 10c and 25c under health.

Canadian Mission in AfghanistanCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Calgary East Alberta

Conservative

Deepak Obhrai ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan entitled, “Recommendations on Non-Military Aspects of the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan Post-2011”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

Government Operations and EstimatesCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

NDP

Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 10th report of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates in relation to its study on the freeze of departmental budget envelopes and government operations.

Transport, Infrastructure and CommunitiesCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Fort McMurray—Athabasca Alberta

Conservative

Brian Jean ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour today to present, in both official languages, the 10th report of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in relation to Bill C-33, An Act to amend the Railway Safety Act and to make consequential amendments to the Canada Transportation Act. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments.

Purchase and Sale of Precious Metal Articles ActRoutine Proceedings

March 11th, 2011 / 12:10 p.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-638, An Act respecting the establishment of a National Strategy for the Purchase and Sale of Second-hand Precious Metal Articles.

Mr. Speaker, as the title of the bill obviously implies, the bill seeks to drive out unscrupulous gold buyers from the purchase and sale of second-hand metals.

As the prices of precious metals increase, more and more people are getting into this business. Therefore, the bill calls on the minister to work with his provincial counterparts to make sure that only those individuals with the actual intent of doing this properly are allowed to maintain and stay in this business. The bill would get rid of all of the unscrupulous people who would seek to prey on those who find themselves in desperate situations.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Income Tax ActRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-639, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (universal child care benefit).

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to move a bill to remove the taxes from the universal child care benefits, seconded by the member for Halifax.

Every Christmas parents get a rude surprise. They receive a letter from the government and are told that they must pay taxes on their $100 a month baby bonus from the government. It is a classic case of the Conservative government giving with one hand and taking with another.

Working parents are particularly hard hit. In a month's time, by the end of April, these parents will have to pay collectively over $200 million in taxes.

My bill would make this child benefit tax free so Canadians have a few more dollars in their pockets to buy a few more toys, books and nutritious food for their kids. There is absolutely no excuse to pay taxes on money destined for children.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)