Debates of May 1st, 2012

The Speaker Andrew Scheer

Order. The hon. minister has the floor.

Jason Kenney Calgary Southeast, AB

Mr. Speaker, decisions on admissibility are made by highly trained independent members of Canada's professional public service. They are not made by politicians. They should not be made by politicians.

I know that member and his party like to politicize these matters. They want to make a former vice-president of the United States inadmissible to Canada, but they want us to welcome convicted cop killers.

We think the law should be consistently applied by independent highly trained public servants, not by political demagogues.

Joyce Murray Vancouver Quadra, BC

Mr. Speaker, apparently the government just does not like facts. First, it cut the long form census and compromised years of data collection. Now, it is slashing half of the jobs at Statistics Canada. StatsCan provides unbiased demographic data that is essential for small businesses, for the success of new Canadians and for public services. That benefits all Canadians.

Why does the government make decisions based on belief and ideology rather than evidence? Will the government stop its war on information and reverse the StatsCan cuts?

Christian Paradis Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture)

Mr. Speaker, Canadians gave us a strong economic mandate. I must remind the member of the third party that this means ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent as wisely and efficiently as possible in all government departments, including StatsCan.

StatsCan has developed these savings in order to operate more efficiently while continuing to offer high quality statistics and services to Canadians. That is what Canadians are expecting.

Hedy Fry Vancouver Centre, BC

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health refuses to answer questions on her draconian cuts to aboriginal health, questions she calls “unacceptable”.

What is unacceptable is her disregard for the concerns of aboriginal leaders themselves. National Inuit Leader Mary Simon calls her cuts “unconscionable”. The president of the Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada said that Inuit women will suffer a direct and negative impact as a result.

Does the minister also think that it is unacceptable for these organizations to criticize her cuts?

Leona Aglukkaq Minister of Health and Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency

Mr. Speaker, I take no lessons from that party in terms of how they handled health care in this country.

The answer is very simple when it comes to the National Aboriginal Health Organization. Through the annual general meeting of the AFN there was a resolution put forward by those memberships to dissolve NAHO. At the same time, I received a letter from the three elected leaders of NAHO asking me to dissolve NAHO because it was dysfunctional.

We listened. Why can those members not listen to the elected aboriginal leaders of this country?

Sylvain Chicoine Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC

Mr. Speaker, Canadian veterans have fought courageously for their country, yet this government keeps telling them that they have to take care of themselves. The decision to close nine Veterans Affairs offices will make things even more difficult for a huge number of veterans and their families who need help.

We recently learned that the number of suicides by military personnel rose in 2011. How can the government tell veterans to seek help online instead of talking to a real, live human being?

Peter Stoffer Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS

Mr. Speaker, what absolute nonsense. He is now telling veterans on Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton Island that in order to see someone they have to go all the way to Halifax to meet the individual.

What is worse, the Conservatives are cutting back on offices to the point now that when veterans call 1-866-522-2122, the veterans number, they get a private company called Quantum. This private company gets over $600,000 of tax money to say, “Veterans Affairs Canada”.

Why is the government allowing a private company to disguise itself as Veterans Affairs Canada and why is it so ignorant of the needs of the heroes of this country?

Steven Blaney Minister of Veterans Affairs

Mr. Speaker, it is good to have two critics because I can clearly answer the question.

We are proud to work with Service Canada. It has employees here in this country, in the Atlantic, serving Canadians for general information.

Steven Blaney Lévis—Bellechasse, QC

Excuse me, kindergarten, I am speaking.

The Speaker Andrew Scheer

The hon. minister has the floor.

Steven Blaney Lévis—Bellechasse, QC

Mr. Speaker, I want to add that any veteran--