Debates of Feb. 11th, 2013
House of Commons Hansard #208 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was rcmp.
Topics
- Question Period
- Ban on Shark Fin Importation Act
- Enhancing Royal Canadian Mounted Police Accountability Act
- Resignation of Pope
- Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal
- Government Priorities
- Imjin River Cup
- Syria
- Richard Pierpoint
- Government Priorities
- Airline Service in B.C.
- Wind Power
- Employment in Windsor
- Ethics
- Employment Insurance
- Lebanon
- Gérard Asselin
- New Democratic Party of Canada
- The Senate
- New Democratic Party of Canada
- Ethics
- Employment Insurance
- Parliamentary Budget Officer
- The Economy
- Employment Insurance
- International Co-operation
- National Defence
- Ethics
- Electoral Boundaries
- Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
- Employment Insurance
- Justice
- Fisheries and Oceans
- Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
- International Co-operation
- Parks Canada
- Health
- The Budget
- Veterans Affairs
- Search and Rescue
- Aboriginal Affairs
- Veterans Affairs
- Employment Insurance
- Presence in the Gallery
- Response to the Supreme Court of Canada Decision in R. v. Tse Act
- Committees of the House
- Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act
- Petitions
- Questions on the Order Paper
- Safer Witnesses Act
- Employment Insurance
The Economy
Oral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Liberal
Ralph Goodale Wascana, SK
Mr. Speaker, government boasting is meaningless to those who have lost their jobs or cannot afford a mortgage or a pension or cannot get their kids into higher education. Saying we are not as bad as some others is settling for mediocrity.
Will there be a budget in February? Will it freeze job-killing Conservative EI payroll taxes? Will it make family tax credits available to all Canadians not just the more wealthy? Will it tear down barriers to skills and learning? Will it invest in infrastructure and housing?
Will the budget do these sensible things?
The Economy
Oral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam
B.C.
Conservative
James Moore Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
Mr. Speaker, I did not say we are better than the others. We are, in fact, the best in the world when it comes to job numbers. The World Economic Forum and the OECD confirm that Canada's job numbers are the best in all the G7. It does not mean, of course, that we can be complacent.
We have put in place our economic action plan. We will be bringing forward responsible measures in budget 2013 and we will keep doing what we promised Canadians we would do should we be entrusted with a majority government, which is to take care of the Canadian economy so that Canadian families can take care of their responsibilities.
Employment Insurance
Oral Questions
February 11th, 2013 / 2:25 p.m.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Mr. Speaker, the economy is in enough trouble without the government adding to the problem by pushing ahead with its ill-advised EI reforms, which have been criticized by Quebec’s seasonal employers, including Charles-Henri de Coussergues, the president of the Association des vignerons du Québec. Workers are troubled by the reforms and, in his own words, “they are discouraged and I am losing this workforce”.
Claudine Pedneault, the owner of Les voitures d'eau hotel in Isle-aux-Coudres, had this to say: “We are angry.... Some of my employees have been with me for 20 years. I am afraid of losing them....”
Will the government listen to these people and put an end to EI reforms that kill jobs?
Employment Insurance
Oral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Haldimand—Norfolk
Ontario
Conservative
Diane Finley Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development
Mr. Speaker, the changes that have been introduced clarify the responsibilities of EI recipients. The aim of the EI program is to provide support to people while they are looking for another job. We are helping them to find a new job by expanding the job alert and job bank systems. We want to help workers find jobs.
International Co-operation
Oral Questions
2:25 p.m.
NDP
Hélène Laverdière Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of International Cooperation's office is a renowned black hole for funding proposals. In fact, very few see the light of day and those that are funded are increasingly out of step with Canadians. How did Crossroads, an anti-gay organization, get sign-off from the minister to operate in a country that Canada has strongly criticized for its persecution of its gay citizens?
International Co-operation
Oral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Vaughan
Ontario
Conservative
Julian Fantino Minister of International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, we fund results-based projects, not organizations, and projects are delivered without religious content, including this particular project.
International Co-operation
Oral Questions
2:25 p.m.
NDP
Hélène Laverdière Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, speaking of results-based projects, the Conservative government has taken a dislike to organizations like KAIROS and Development and Peace that work for the welfare of people around the world and that have achieved tangible results in the field.
Meanwhile, religious groups that promote their own ideology have made inroads with these same Conservatives.
Has the time not come to stop making a mess of things at CIDA and issue clear, objective criteria for partnerships—
International Co-operation
Oral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Conservative
International Co-operation
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
Vaughan
Ontario
Conservative
Julian Fantino Minister of International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, that premise is absolutely bogus. As I said earlier, we fund results-based projects, not organizations, and religion has nothing to do with any of that.
National Defence
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
NDP
Christine Moore Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, a procurement contract for Cyclone helicopters was signed nine years ago, but the goods have yet to be delivered.
The Minister of National Defence has called this contract “the worst procurement in the history of Canada”. Okay. But then the minister granted an additional $117 million in funding to Sikorsky.
Although the Conservatives like to suggest that they could support the NDP's proposal to create a defence procurement agency, we still have no helicopters.
When will they finally deliver the goods?
National Defence
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
Edmonton—Spruce Grove
Alberta
Conservative
Rona Ambrose Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women
Mr. Speaker, as the member said, it was under the previous Liberal government that this issue was neglected for years. Our government expects Sikorsky's obligations under this contract to be met. To date, they have not been met. In fact, it has missed every deadline and every timeline. To that end, we have already applied millions of dollars in liquidated damages and we are going to be applying significant additional charges that will begin to accrue against this company for failure to deliver. We will continue to aggressively insist that Sikorsky meet its obligations.
National Defence
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Kellway Beaches—East York, ON
Mr. Speaker, the minister shares the unfortunate reflex of the Minister of National Defence, always pointing the finger of blame at others. However, those ministers have been in the front bench for a long time and that means that they are responsible—
National Defence
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
Some hon. members
Oh, oh!
National Defence
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Speaker Andrew Scheer
Order. Order, please. The hon. member for Beaches—East York has the floor.
National Defence
Oral Questions
2:30 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Kellway Beaches—East York, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pointing at the minister who is responsible. He is responsible for the problems, responsible for fixing the problems and responsible for getting the job done. Our aircrews are still waiting for a replacement for the 50-year-old Sea Kings.
Why the kid gloves with Sikorsky and when will our aircrews get the equipment they need?