Peter Stoffer, "Veterans Affairs" on March 11th, 2011

Pensions
Oral Questions

11:50 a.m.

Macleod
Alberta

Conservative

Ted Menzies Minister of State (Finance)

Mr. Speaker, we have looked into it, along with our partners, the provinces, which need to be consulted on any changes to the Canada pension plan. They said that they do not want to move forward with increased costs for employers right now. We continue to look at options where we might make the Canada pension plan better for Canadians.

However, what is more important is a proposal, on which the provinces agreed with the federal government, to look at the option of a fully registered pension plan.

I would encourage the hon. member to get behind the bandwagon on that. This will help more seniors and more Canadians prepare for their retirement.

Veterans Affairs
Oral Questions

March 11th, 2011 / 11:50 a.m.

NDP

Peter Stoffer Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS

Mr. Speaker, Major Mark Campbell of Calgary is one of Canada's heroes. Unfortunately, he lost both of his legs in Afghanistan, while serving his country. He has already fought one war. He does not need to fight another one with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Again, Mr. Mark Campbell is one of Canada's heroes. The Conservatives gave him zero and Christiane Ouimet half a million dollars to keep quiet, and she did not do her job. Major Mark Campbell did his job.

Will the veterans affairs minister or his staff immediately meet with Major Mark Campbell to assess his needs and ensure that he is entitled to every benefit that he and his family should have in order to give him—

Veterans Affairs
Oral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Speaker Andrew Scheer

The hon. Minister of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans Affairs
Oral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Jonquière—Alma
Québec

Conservative

Jean-Pierre Blackburn Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State (Agriculture)

Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that the individual responsible for this file has in fact contacted Major Campbell. Veterans Affairs Canada has several programs to help injured soldiers returning from Afghanistan, among others.

Indeed, there will be a vote in the House today on Bill C-55, which will bring further improvements to help our modern-day veterans, in order to ensure that they and their families do not experience financial difficulties.

Aerospace Industry
Oral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Conservative

Royal Galipeau Ottawa—Orléans, ON

Mr. Speaker, I understand that building and maintaining the F-35 military aircraft will create thousands of jobs in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada.

Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs explain to the House how the Government of Canada is going to create jobs for Quebeckers in the aerospace industry?

Aerospace Industry
Oral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Jonquière—Alma
Québec

Conservative

Jean-Pierre Blackburn Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State (Agriculture)

Mr. Speaker, the CF-18s are near the end of their useful life. We need new equipment. We made a choice: the F-35. With eight other countries, including the United States, we developed the best aircraft out there—a new technology. We invested $168 million.

Today, the Bloc is abandoning the member for Chicoutimi—Le Fjord and the military base in Bagotville. We want to give that military base 40 years of security. We want to give it a long-term future, but this party is failing our soldiers.

Taxation
Oral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

Mark Eyking Sydney—Victoria, NS

Mr. Speaker, rural Canadians are faced with skyrocketing prices for gasoline and home heating oil. It hurts those who can least afford it. It hurts those on fixed incomes and it hurts our seniors. Loggers, tourist operators, farmers and fishermen will be faced with a cash crunch.

The Conservatives betrayed these people in the last election by promising them a 2¢ a litre break that never happened.

Why is the government giving a corporate tax break to big oil companies instead of giving a break to rural Canadians?

Taxation
Oral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Macleod
Alberta

Conservative

Ted Menzies Minister of State (Finance)

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure where that hon. gentleman was when we voted on reducing GST for all Canadians. We reduced it from 7% to 6% and then from 6% to 5%. That is reduced costs for every Canadian for all products on which GST is placed.

As I said earlier, we are proud to remind everyone that we have had 15,000 net new jobs in February. The low tax plan we are on is working for all Canadians.

Official Languages
Oral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Bloc

Richard Nadeau Gatineau, QC

Mr. Speaker, Service Canada's chief operating officer has said that the four Atlantic provinces will now be grouped into a single, unilingual English, administrative region. Yet, there are nearly half a million francophones in Atlantic Canada. Once again, the Conservative government is making a mockery of the Official Languages Act.

Will the government review this offensive directive and ensure that Service Canada offers services in French to the Acadians and francophones of the Atlantic provinces?

Official Languages
Oral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Haldimand—Norfolk
Ontario

Conservative

Diane Finley Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to providing Canadians with excellent service in their choice of either official language. All Canadians have the right to speak the official language of their choice, no matter which Service Canada office they go into.