Debates of May 31st, 2012

Kirsty Duncan Etobicoke North, ON

Mr. Speaker, in solidarity with Black Out Speak Out, a campaign to highlight the Conservatives' persistent assault on the environment and democracy, the Liberal website will be darkened on June 4. By silencing scientists—

The Speaker Andrew Scheer

Order.

Order. Once again I will ask members to hold off on their applause until the member has finished putting the question.

The hon. member for Etobicoke North has the floor.

Kirsty Duncan Etobicoke North, ON

Mr. Speaker, by silencing scientists, threatening NGOs—

The Speaker Andrew Scheer

Order. The hon. member for Etobicoke North has the floor.

Kirsty Duncan Etobicoke North, ON

Mr. Speaker, in solidarity with Black Out Speak Out, a campaign to highlight the Conservatives' persistent assault on the environment and democracy, the Liberal website will be darkened on June 4. By silencing scientists, threatening NGOs, firing or insulting—

The Speaker Andrew Scheer

Order. The hon. member for Etobicoke North has a few seconds left to finish putting the question.

Kirsty Duncan Etobicoke North, ON

Mr. Speaker, by silencing scientists, threatening NGOs, firing or insulting independent watchdogs, using Revenue Canada as an attack dog or de-funding groups, the message is clear from the government: “Sit down and shut up”.

Today it is environmental groups. My question for the Prime Minister is, who is next?

John Baird Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. It is not the Liberal Party that is blacking out their website. It is the Canadian voter who is blacking it out.

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, will anyone hear it?

Stéphane Dion Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC

Mr. Speaker, it would be better to hear nothing than to hear the absurd answers the Conservatives give us every day.

In fact, speaking of absurd answers, I would like to mention the one from the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, who today is quoting what was said by Tom Siddon, the former Minister of Fisheries under Mulroney, saying that at the time, he thought the law was a good one. Indeed, the law is a good one.

Why does the government now want to dismantle the Fisheries Act and withdraw from habitat protection, by burying this scandal in a budget implementation bill? This is scandalous.

Randy Kamp Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and for the Asia-Pacific Gateway

Mr. Speaker, we are of the opinion that the Fisheries Act needs modernization. It was originally written in 1868, and that is even a few years before the member for Cardigan arrived here.