Debates of March 2nd, 2011

Pierre Poilievre Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Speaker, I would like to share with the hon. member a quote from a distinguished colleague, who I think will be familiar to the Liberal Party, who said, “What's a national ad, what's a local ad? It's nonsense. It's time we got back to things Canadians care about”. That was from an insider and close adviser to the hon. Liberal member for Toronto Centre.

Maria Minna Beaches—East York, ON

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are facing electoral fraud charges from the 2006 election. Almost $20,000 in taxpayer dollars were laundered through the riding of Vaughan. The funds that helped elect the Minister of State for Seniors was dirty money. They even doctored invoices.

As a former police officer, the minister swore an oath to uphold the law. Does he now believe he is above the law, or will he get the dirty money from this scheme out of his riding?

Pierre Poilievre Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party continues to be engaged in this five-year long administrative dispute. One court has ruled in favour of the Conservative Party and another has done otherwise. This is the normal back and forth that one can expect in a five-year long dispute of this nature.

The Conservative Party continues to have a strong case that we will defend and advance in front of the courts.

Christiane Gagnon Québec, QC

Mr. Speaker, from the very start, the Conservatives, led by the minister responsible for the Quebec City region, have made private funding a requirement for the Quebec City arena project.

At the very moment when interested parties have confirmed they will invest heavily in the project, the Conservatives have flatly refused to take part and are backing out.

Will the minister finally admit that this condition was just a pretext and that from the very start the Conservatives never had any intention of contributing funding to the Quebec City arena?

Christiane Gagnon Québec, QC

Mr. Speaker, the minister supposedly responsible for the Quebec City region repeatedly demanded a business plan for the arena.

Less than an hour after the business plan was presented, the minister closed the door on the project.

Either it took her less than an hour to grasp all the ins and outs of the business plan drafted by the mayor of Quebec City and Quebecor, which we doubt, or the Conservatives never had any intention of contributing funding to this project.

Is that not the real story? They never had any intention of funding the project.

Josée Verner Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times, the government wanted the private sector to have a significant stake in this project and the agreement concluded between the Quebecor group and Mayor Labeaume falls short of the mark.

I want to take this opportunity to point out to the hon. member for Québec, who called me “supposedly” responsible for the Quebec City region, that I still have my responsibilities, whereas she has been replaced by her colleague from Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord.

Daniel Paillé Hochelaga, QC

Mr. Speaker, according to the 2011-12 estimates, the Conservatives plan to make significant budget cuts, particularly in the areas of environment and culture. Even the contribution to the International Criminal Court has been decreased by 64%. And yet the Conservatives still want the court to look into the actions of the Libyan dictator! This is typical of their ideology. Nevertheless, they do not hesitate to expand prisons. Who knows? Perhaps it is so that they will have somewhere to put Conservative fraudsters.

How can the government claim to be addressing Quebeckers' priorities when it is cutting the budgets for environment and culture? These estimates are really not good for Quebec.

Lawrence Cannon Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, the allegations that the government is trying to reduce its obligations to the International Criminal Court are false. Facts are facts and so I would simply ask the hon. member to take a closer look at the funding mechanism. Canada is respecting its obligations to this court.

Carole Lavallée Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC

Mr. Speaker, the tabling of the estimates confirms what the Bloc Québécois has been saying. The Minister of Canadian Heritage has falsely boasted to the media that his government has increased grants for arts and culture. However, a document submitted by his deputy minister to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage shows that the opposite is true: grants and contributions for arts and culture decreased by 7% in 2010-11.

Does the minister realize that, contrary to his claims, funding for arts and culture decreased last year and that, if we are to believe the most recent spending estimates, these ideological cuts will continue next year ?

James Moore Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Bloc Québécois critics do not understand the figures presented here in the House of Commons. Canada is the only G8 country that decided not to cut, not to maintain, but to increase its investment in arts and culture across the country.

From the Liberal Party of Canada's last budget in 2005-06 until 2010, we have increased our investments in culture, official languages and festivals by 18.4% across Canada. We are spending more money on culture than any other government in the history of Canada.

Bonnie Crombie Mississauga—Streetsville, ON

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of International Cooperation has now dodged dozens of questions about her conduct. She has failed to perform even the most basic duty of a minister, to be accountable to Parliament for her actions. Yet she continues to enjoy all the rights, all the privileges and all the entitlements of her office. Her actions and the cover-ups are disgraceful and her refusal to be held accountable is offensive.

The minister has a choice. Will she stand up and answer, or will she stand up and leave?

John Baird Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, let me tell the member about the work of the Minister of International Cooperation.

She has played not just an important but an instrumental role in helping women and young girls in Afghanistan as we seek to redevelop that country. She has played an outstanding role in dealing with the aftermath of the consequences in Haiti. She has also played an instrumental role in the child and newborn maternal health initiative led by the Prime Minister for this will save the lives of literally millions of women and children in Africa. She has done an outstanding job for Canadians.

Bonnie Crombie Mississauga—Streetsville, ON

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister continues to defend the minister. He continues to defend the indefensible. He continues to pay her quarter million dollar salary and her limousine.

The Prime Minister's directive to his ministers states that they must be accountable to Parliament and must answer honestly and accurately about their areas of responsibility.

I will ask again. Will the Minister of International Cooperation stand up, do her job, and answer questions in this House?