Debates of Jan. 28th, 2013

International Co-operation

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have again misused government resources. A partisan letter attacking the NDP was published on the CIDA website, which is a clear breach of Treasury Board guidelines.

This is not the end of the minister’s incompetence. He has frozen financial assistance to Haiti because there is too much waste. Furthermore, he has ignored the rules of diplomacy by talking to the media before talking to the Haitians, to our allies and to our partners.

When will the Conservatives take international co-operation seriously?

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, as the minister has clearly stated, we are concerned for the people of Haiti. While the results of projects have largely met expectations, progress toward a self-sustaining Haiti has been limited. Projects to which we previously committed are making progress, and we stand ready to help should a humanitarian crisis arise. But future commitments will be dependent on greater leadership, accountability and transparency from the government of Haiti.

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are outraged at the single largest identity breach in the history of the federal government, but these Conservatives are merely using smoke and mirrors to solve this incompetence on their part, offering credit and identity protection services that are already available free of charge to most Canadians.

The Conservatives talk a lot about the victims of crime. Identity theft is a crime and all these victims are getting is a heads up and a “good luck”. Meanwhile, their bank accounts are being drained, their credit cards are being maxed out, and lives are being ruined.

When will the minister take some real action to clean up yet another mess in her department?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development]

Mr. Speaker, very clearly, the loss of this information is totally unacceptable. That is why we called in the Privacy Commissioner and called in the RCMP for a full investigation. That is why we are making available to those Canadians affected fraud alert protection through Equifax at no cost to them.

Fortunately, there has been no fraudulent activity identified as a result of this loss, but we want to make sure that if anything does happen, we are protecting Canadians.

Search and Rescue

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

Mr. Speaker, we learned this weekend that the Minister of National Defence's officials were against holding the July 2010 photo op that he used to justify taking a search and rescue chopper for his fishing holiday on the Gander River.

This new revelation comes on the anniversary of the tragic death of Burton Winters on the ice in Labrador. The young man lost his life after search and rescue assets were held back because they might be needed elsewhere.

The question remains, why was the chopper available for the minister but not for an emergency in Makkovik? Where is the public inquiry to ensure this never happens again?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I just answered the question with respect to government aircraft being used for government business and my leaving time off early to return to work.

However, with respect to young Burton Winters, this was indeed a tragedy. We send our condolences again to his family and those of the community.

I note that in response to this issue, the military has taken procedures that were updated. In fact, we are now working better with all provinces to coordinate ground search and rescue.

In addition, specific to Labrador, the member would know that we have added a Griffin helicopter to the fleet at Goose Bay. We have provided additional operational flexibility by increasing the use of the serviceable aircraft as well as giving them a secondary--

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Churchill.

Status of Women

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, 25 years ago today, the Supreme Court of Canada issued the Morgentaler decision, striking down laws restricting access to abortion.

For 25 years women in Canada have had the fundamental right to choose. In the years since, Canadians have said time and time again that they do not want the abortion debate reopened.

Our question is, why does the Minister for Status of Women want that debate to happen in this House?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Stealing a quote from someone I admire very much, Hillary Clinton, I believe abortion should be safe, legal and rare.

I would encourage the member to work with me on the status of women committee on issues that women want to debate. This is an issue that women are not interested in debating.

[Françoise Boivin, NDP, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is a bit rich when it comes from a government that keeps re-attacking, reopening, putting in doubt the whole question of abortion.

Today, I would like to ask the members opposite to remember why the Morgentaler ruling was so important and to think about the horrors that women faced before abortion was legalized. We on this side of the House believe that abortion is a medical decision between a woman and her doctor and that this decision must be respected.

Does the Minister for Status of Women agree with this? If she does, will she stop giving her support to the resolutions and the motions—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. Minister of Justice.

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons whatsoever from the NDP when it comes to standing up for women's rights or anybody else's rights in this country.

That being said, the Prime Minister has been very clear on this that the government will not reopen this issue.

The government will continue to create jobs and stand up for victims' rights and make sure our communities and streets are safe.

Natural Resources

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker the natural resource sector is creating jobs, growth and revenue for essential social services across Canada.

Last week I was pleased to help host a group of oil sands companies which went to southwestern Ontario to establish links with manufacturing companies. This development is expected to create $63 billion in revenue for the Ontario economy over the next 25 years.

Would the parliamentary secretary comment on the NDP's insistence that our resources are hurting Canada's economy?

[David Anderson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP will always insist that ideology trumps good economics. The NDP leader is no exception to this rule with his constant attack on Canada's resources as an economic disease. His favourite notion has been debunked by economists and leaders across Canada. Just recently, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute again demonstrated that resources are a tremendous asset to Canada's economy.

The question is: When will the leader of the NDP finally change his position, surprise Canadians and support the hundreds of thousands of Canadians employed in resource development?

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, with great shock and surprise we see that Enterprise Cape Breton is going to put the wrecking ball to our historic building at the Royal Cape Breton Yacht Club, with no consultation or plan. Meanwhile the Conservative-appointed CEO is funnelling our precious development dollars into another marina where he is going to park his own boat. While this abuse is happening, nobody is coming clean to Cape Bretoners or Canadian taxpayers about this brazen patronage.

Will the minister for ACOA stand in the House and explain this fiasco?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Associate Minister of National Defence and Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (La Francophonie)]

Mr. Speaker, as an arm's-length crown corporation, ECBC—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order. The hon. minister has the floor.

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Speaker, as an arm's-length corporation, ECBC is responsible for its business decisions and, of course, we expect ECBC to make its decisions in the best interests of Canadian taxpayers.

Financial Institutions

[Glenn Thibeault, NDP, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the cost to merchants every time someone uses a credit card continues to skyrocket. Travelling the country and speaking to small businesses, I heard two major complaints loud and clear. Credit card processing fees are too high and are hurting small businesses, and the voluntary code of conduct is full of loopholes and just is not working.

New Democrats understand that small businesses drive our economy, but Conservatives are happy to let Visa and MasterCard gouge merchants daily.

When will Conservatives acknowledge their voluntary code is failing small businesses and finally enact legislation that protects them?

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, in fact, the code was developed with the support of small business in Canada, with support of the Retail Council, and it has been welcomed by consumer groups across the country, and it is working.

There was a group in Canada that voted against the code, and that was the official opposition, the New Democratic Party of Canada.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Kevin Sorenson, Conservative, Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers appreciate our Conservative government's hard work to create jobs and economic growth for our agricultural industry. They understand our government's commitment to bolstering trade and opening markets for our top quality products.

Since forming government, we have consistently made representations to Japan, seeking expanded access for Canadian beef derived from animals under 30 months of age.

Could the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food please update the House on the status of these negotiations?

[Gerry Ritz, Conservative, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Crowfoot for his dedication on this file. I am pleased to announce today that Japan has expanded access and is now accepting Canadian beef from animals under 30 months of age. This is expected to double the value of Canadian exports by some $150 million annually.

Unlike the anti-trade NDP, our government continues to open up markets and provide opportunities for our producers.

Employment Insurance

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the people of Atlantic Canada are livid about the Conservatives’ employment insurance reforms.

Last weekend in New Brunswick, thousands of people demonstrated, calling on the Minister not to make decisions against their interests using money that does not belong to her and without consulting the workers.

Working people and their families are saying no to the Minister’s plan, because it is destroying the economy in the regions. If the Conservatives do not change these hastily concocted reforms, it is the workers who will pay the price.

When will the Conservatives start consulting communities that depend on seasonal work in Atlantic Canada and Quebec? It is a—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.