Debates of June 21st, 2012

Judy Foote Random—Burin—St. George's, NL

Mr. Speaker, the government is fond of announcements and re-announcements, but it never delivers. The Conservatives announced the joint supply ships, cancelled them, re-announced them and still there is no sign of when they will be delivered. The Arctic patrol ships are more than three years late, which will delay the replacement of our destroyer fleet.

Among other examples are fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft, military trucks and fighter aircraft.

When will the government actually deliver on its commitments?

Rona Ambrose Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to our shipbuilding strategy, after a very competitive and successful process two Canadian shipyards were selected to build our ships for the Coast Guard and navy. This is a long-term industrial strategy. It will go on for decades, and it will create an estimated 15,000 jobs in the shipbuilding industry. There is a lot of work to be done, but I have every confidence that the navy, working closely with Irving Shipbuilding, and the Coast Guard, working closely with Seaspan on the west coast, will do what they need to do to deliver these projects. We will remain vigilant, overseeing the contracts as they unfold, but we are very proud of our commitment to build ships in Canada and we know Canadian—

The Speaker Andrew Scheer

Order, please.

The hon. member for Scarborough—Guildwood.

John McKay Scarborough—Guildwood, ON

Mr. Speaker, in November 2008 the PBO predicted a deficit, the minister a surplus. The PBO was right, the minister wrong. In December 2009, the PBO predicted a lapse in infrastructure spending. The PBO was right; the minister was wrong. In 2010, the PBO pegged cost overruns on the F-35 at more than $10 billion more than the minister. Again, the PBO was right and the minister was wrong.

There seems to be a pattern here. The PBO is more frequently right than wrong, and the government appears to be more frequently wrong than right. If this is overstepping the mandate, maybe we need a bit more of the PBO, not less.

Tony Clement President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario

Mr. Speaker, in 2009 this was said: “I'm quite concerned the Parliamentary Budget Officer sees himself as an independent practitioner who can report whenever he wants”. Who said that? It was the Liberal member for St. Paul's.

What the public can see through right away is that when the opposition members want to use the Parliamentary Budget Officer as an attack talking point, then they side with the Parliamentary Budget Officer; when they disagree because it does not fulfill their arguments, then they attack the Parliamentary Officer.

Stéphane Dion Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday night, watching from the Trois-Rivières marina, Captain Frigon witnessed a shipwreck and called the Quebec City search and rescue centre. Within a few minutes, four people were rescued by the Coast Guard. Tragically, two people are still missing.

Does the minister not see that time, ultra-fast intervention, full knowledge of French and familiarity with the St. Lawrence saved four lives?

Will he keep the Quebec City search and rescue centre open?

Keith Ashfield Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway

Mr. Speaker, of course we are saddened by any deaths and we are also very happy to hear that four lives were saved.

The changes we are proposing would have no effect on the services being provided. We would provide the same bilingual service, the same rapid response as the Coast Guard has always done in the past.

Christine Moore Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC

Mr. Speaker, here is another mark on the Conservatives' record.

Over six years, the Conservatives have developed a very detailed guide on what not to do with military procurement. They did not have a bidding process for the F-35s; they did not offer any guarantees of industrial spinoffs or jobs; and they hid $10 billion from the total of costs. The worst part of this whole fiasco is that no one has taken any responsibility.

Are they simply irresponsible?

Rona Ambrose Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women

Mr. Speaker, we take responsibility in terms of meeting all the recommendations that the Auditor General has outlined in his report. Importantly, no money has been spent on the acquisition of any aircraft.

To replace our aging CF-18s, we have launched the National Fighter Procurement Secretariat. This arm's-length secretariat will be doing the due diligence very transparently and openly. We look forward to its conclusions.

Christine Moore Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative's record is rather impressive when it comes to failures.

But Canadians are not fooled. They know full well that to fix all of the problems with the F-35s, particularly the ever-increasing costs, we need much more than the creation of a simple secretariat made up of the very people who were responsible for the fiasco. After making many mistakes, the Conservatives have lost control over this procurement process.

Will we have to wait for a new Minister of National Defence before we get answers?

Matthew Kellway Beaches—East York, ON

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have had over six years. The CF-18s need to be replaced, but they just cannot get the job done: “It's the best plane in the world”. “No, it's just a developmental project”. “The AG is right”. “No, the AG is wrong”. “We haven't spent any money, except for the $700 million”. “That minster is in charge”. “No, it's the other guy”. “No, now it's this minister in charge”.

Why have the Conservatives turned defence into an Abbott and Costello sketch? Who is on first?

Peter MacKay Minister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, I can say who is not supporting the military and it is that member and his party.

While our party has spent up to $1 billion annually to replace equipment, support programs, to make our forces better and ready to respond and to support the men and women in uniform, what we get is claptrap and insults.

The member from Winnipeg referred to war toys. However, C-17s brought compassionate aid to Haiti. Those are not war toys. There has been a lot of work that has been done in Afghanistan to protect those men and women's lives who are doing so much for Canada. That is an insult to our soldiers.

Matthew Kellway Beaches—East York, ON

Mr. Speaker, I thought that minister was on the bench. However, instead of turning this important project into a comedy of errors, the Conservatives could have just committed to an open and transparent competitive process. That would have guaranteed the best plane for the best price with the best benefits to our economy. Instead, we get more of this ducking and diving, with no answers to some very simple questions.

When will the comedy team get the hook? When will the Conservatives get a new act together to replace the CF-18s?