Debates of April 19th, 2013

Suicide Prevention

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, once again, I thank the House for passing Bill C-300, my legislation on suicide prevention. The situation in Neskantaga only reinforces the need for a federal framework, the need to overcome the stigma that prevents conversation about suicide.

Over the past year, there have been 7 deaths by suicide and 20 attempts in this community of only 421. Our government has sent additional nursing and counselling assistance, but more needs to be done at Neskantaga and right across Canada. Suicide prevention programs must be delivered by more than just nurses and counsellors. It takes people who are able to recognize the warning signs, people brave enough to engage in conversations.

Teachers, coaches, paramedics, pastors and police officers, even members of Parliament, we all must do our part as members of a caring community. Do not be afraid to start the conversation. It will shine light and expose hidden fears that can finally be addressed. A simple conversation can bring hope, the oxygen of the human spirit.

Canada Job Grant

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak about a key measure in budget 2013: the Canada job grant. In consultation with employers and provinces, our government will be creating a grant of up to $15,000 for unemployed Canadians to connect with available jobs. Canada is facing a skills mismatch. We have Canadians looking for work, while employers are unable to find workers with the skills they need.

We are excited to be partnering with job creators to ensure that training for work is connected to a job that employers are looking to fill. This is good news in my riding of Etobicoke—Lakeshore and across Canada.

Our unwavering focus has been jobs, the economy and the long-term prosperity. The Canada job grant is a key measure to ensuring Canadians have the skills they need to fill the jobs that are in demand today.

Ethics

[Jonathan Genest-Jourdain, NDP, Manicouagan, QC]

As everyone knows, Mr. Speaker, seaports play an undeniably important strategic role in our country's development.

Since 1999, port authorities have had some flexibility in how they manage day-to-day activities, but they are still required to represent Canada in the marine sector.

They are shared-governance corporations, which are corporate entities without share capital for which the Government of Canada, either directly or through the intermediary of a crown corporation, has a right to appoint or nominate one or several members to a governing group.

We recently learned that at the port of Sept-Îles, an individual the Conservatives appointed to the board of directors in 2006 reported making $94,000 for the 2011 fiscal year, which is $22,000 more than any other port administrator in Quebec. We also learned that his helicopter transport company occasionally receives contracts from the port authority he runs.

Are we to conclude that the candidates for the Conservatives' partisan appointments are exempt from complying with ethics rules and that they can scoff at the code of conduct and legal provisions that define conflicts of interest? It is a question worth asking.

Veterans

[Eve Adams, Conservative, Mississauga—Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to supporting Canada's veterans. Their dedication and sacrifice to this nation is unmatched.

I am pleased to announce that earlier this week members of the all party Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs reviewed the services provided to veterans by our neighbours to the south. We had the valuable opportunity to review the U.S. Veterans Affairs Medical Center and meet with a number of experts on shared priorities of services and benefits for veterans.

I would like to highlight for the House Canada's position as a world leader when it comes to providing for our veterans. Through funding for funerals and burials, the enhanced the new veterans charter and cutting red tape for veterans, Canada is leading the way. In fact, many experts we heard from noted that Canada is considered the gold standard when it comes to services we provide for veterans suffering from PTSD.

I was very pleased to hear that our closest allies recognize the tremendous work this government and the Prime Minister continue to do for our veterans.

Genetically Modified Alfalfa

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Mr. Speaker, last week a National Day of Action was held across Canada to stop Forage Genetics International from releasing Monsanto's genetically modified Roundup Ready alfalfa. I would like to thank the National Farmers Union, CBAN and many others for undertaking this important initiative. A special thanks to Colleen Ross of the NFU for organizing the rally in Nelson, B.C.

Alfalfa is a high protein animal feed and is also used by organic farmers to build nutrients and organic matter in the soil. Alfalfa pellets are also exported to other countries.

It is well-known among farmers and agronomists that alfalfa is an insect-pollinated perennial plant. GM alfalfa will contaminate non-GM and organic alfalfa. This poses a serious threat to farmers if markets are closed to them because of consumer rejection.

Forage Genetics International was planning on releasing GM alfalfa in Ontario. Thanks to a strong and unified voice of protest, it has backed off for now.

I strongly urge the minister to support Canadian farmers and prohibit the introduction of GM alfalfa. The livelihood of farmers depends on it.

Public Safety

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

Mr. Speaker, my constituents in Nova Scotia and people throughout the Maritimes were shocked that yesterday Herbert John Hawkins, the brutal murderer of the beloved Cape Breton musician Shelly Boutilier, was granted leave.

Victims do not think it is right that convicted murderers are released into their safe communities, and our Conservative government agrees.

We believe that to keep our streets and communities safe, dangerous criminals should be kept behind bars where they belong. Our government has taken several measures to ensure that the rights of victims always come first.

We will soon bring forward legislation, the victims' bill of rights, to ensure that the rights of victims are always respected first and foremost.

Shelly did not get a second chance when he was brutally murdered and neither should his murderer. We will ensure that victims have a stronger say in our justice system so decisions like this will never be made again.

Rwanda

[Irwin Cotler, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week I commemorated the 19th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, which targeted the Tutsi population, and the Rwandan diaspora.

This unspeakable horror where one million Tutsis were murdered in a three-month genocidal onslaught, itself preceded by an orchestrated dehumanization and demonization of the minority Tutsi population.

What makes this Rwandan genocide so unspeakable is that it was preventable. No one can say that we did not know. It was the indifference and inaction of the bystander international community that made this genocide possible. While the United Nations and government leaders in the U.S. and Europe dithered and delayed, Rwandans died.

What makes this genocide so painful today is that it is being forgotten, or worse, being denied. Therefore, may this Rwandan genocide be an occasion not only to remember but to learn the lessons of the crime whose name, genocide, we should even shudder to mention.

Never again.

Never again.

Status of Women

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Mr. Speaker, thousands of aboriginal women in our country are at a disadvantage. When going through a divorce, they can suddenly be banned from their home or watch as their property is sold without their consent and without receiving any of the funds.

That is why we introduced legislation to provide matrimonial property rights for first nation women.

This bill will allow judges to make emergency protection orders in situations of domestic violence. Every other Canadian has that right, but the NDP and Liberals are opposed to aboriginal women having that same right.

The leader of the NDP and the leader of the Liberals should apologize for instructing their caucus to vote against these rights.

Whether it is on reserve or anywhere else in Canada, I am proud to say that our Conservative government continues to stand up for the protection of women and children everywhere.

Conservative Party of Canada

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, let us reflect on the magnitude of failure coming from the Conservative benches.

We have Senator Duffy, who has broken his promise and is stiffing the taxpayer. We have the democratic reform minister who promised on Tuesday that he would deliver legislation yesterday on robo fraud and gave us a big goose egg.

Now we learn that the big fundraising machine of the Conservative Party is not just broke, but owes a million dollars in back taxes. How is this for a fundraising pitch, “Hi, Mr. Taxpayer, could you lend me a dime?”

We are not even getting into the big backbencher revolt of 2013, as the members stand up to the little runts in the PMO.

Remember the iPod stunt where the minister went to the mall to tilt at the windmills.

This is not just about stunts. This is not about the Conservatives' ideological failures; it is about the fact that they are bad managers.

In 2015, Canadians will be able to choose a party that stands up for taxpayers, stands up for its word, that being the New Democratic Party of Canada.

The Economy

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that our government is squarely focused on what matters to Canadians: creating jobs and economic growth and securing Canada's long-term prosperity.

By implementing our economic action plan, Canada has experienced one of the best economic performances among any of the G7 countries, both during the global recession and throughout the recovery. We are focused on creating jobs. We know that the NDP is committed to imposing the $20-billion job-killing carbon tax on Canadians, which would increase the cost of gas, food and just about everything. We know that this would ruin the Canadian economy.

Canadians can count on our government to fight this reckless NDP economic experiment and to keep implementing our strong job-creating measures.

Employment

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, 2.4 million Canadians are unemployed. Today, fewer people have access to employment insurance because the Conservatives have gutted it. Furthermore, under the mismanaged temporary foreign worker program, employers are replacing Canadian workers with foreign workers who are paid less.

When will the government take responsibility for this fiasco and protect Canadian jobs?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I just want to, at this time, express the support of our government for the American people and the efforts of the American authorities as they respond strongly to the difficult challenges they are facing, in particular the violent terrorist threats. Serious threats require decisive and serious responses.

With regard to the question of temporary foreign workers, we are, of course, taking action through our economic action plan to ensure that Canadians have first crack at jobs that belong to them and that the program is appropriately reviewed and improved.

The difficulty for the NDP is that they always say one thing and do another. They say here they have problems with the program, yet they continually write to our government asking for temporary foreign workers to be brought to their constituencies.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it is the same old story. Problems were identified years ago with the temporary foreign worker program. Conservatives vowed they would fix them, and then nothing happened. In 2011, they promised to start listing employers who were banned from the program for failing to follow the rules. Well, how many are listed on the website today? None.

How can Canadians possibly trust the Conservatives to fix this program, when all they have done so far is make it worse?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, we have been taking decisive action to improve circumstances for Canadian workers and, in fact, create jobs, the most important element of that. We are doing this through a review of the temporary foreign worker program to ensure that Canadians get first crack at jobs, but we are also doing it through providing other opportunities, including, in the recent economic action plan, the Canada job grant. This is a proposal that will get governments and bureaucrats out of the way and allow employers who want to hire workers, and workers who want to work, to get access to training funds so that when someone is trained, they are trained for a job that actually exists.

That is how we are going to add to the over 900,000 net new jobs that we have already created for Canadians since the economic downturn.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers are being replaced because of Conservative incompetence. This program tripled in size over the last decade. Successive governments have let it grow without oversight.

The Auditor General rang the alarm four years ago. They knew full well that the program had serious problems, but it took a crisis for the Conservatives to intervene. Why did it take so many Canadians losing their jobs for the Conservatives to actually make this a priority?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the New Democratic Party does have a track record of saying one thing and then actually doing the other. It has certainly been doing that on this file. They continually write to our government and demand that we bring in temporary foreign workers, in some cases bending the rules to bring temporary foreign workers to their constituencies.

We are actually looking to create jobs for Canadians right here in Canada, and we are doing it through measures that they have indicated they oppose, things like the Canada job grant, the advanced manufacturing fund and expanding our hiring credit for small businesses. That one has helped create thousands of jobs across the country. We have had it in two budgets. We have it another one. The NDP is actually going to oppose it again. It says one thing and does the other.

Taxation

[Matthew Dubé, NDP, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

Mr. Speaker, NDP MPs rose not to take away Canadian jobs, and that is what the Conservatives' mismanagement is doing. They should look at themselves in the mirror.

Speaking of mismanagement, it is still costing Canadians dearly. The Conservatives have raised tariffs on almost everything while trying to distract people by claiming to reduce tariffs on hockey equipment, but hockey helmets, essential safety equipment, are still subject to tariffs. Budget 2013 will likely raise the price of hockey helmets.

Why are Conservatives raising prices and taxing hockey players' safety equipment?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, for greater clarity, hockey helmets will be covered under the tariff relief in the budget, but let us talk about the hypocrisy of the NDP. It is this government that has reduced taxes over 150 times so that we are leaving $3,200 more in an average family's pocket. Every step of the way, the NDP, every single member, voted against those tax reductions. They should be ashamed of themselves for this hypocrisy. They ought to start supporting measures for Canadian families.

[Matthew Dubé, NDP, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as always, we are proud to vote against a budget that only increases Canadians' cost of living.

Fishing, a proud Quebec and Canadian tradition, is another sport being squeezed by the Conservatives. The price of fishing rods, reels and line will all go up. Millions of Canadians preparing to go trout fishing in a month's time will have to pay more thanks to the Conservatives.

Why do the Conservatives want to impose such a high tax on fishing?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, it is thanks to our government that Canadians' taxes are at their lowest in almost 50 years.

Instead of supporting our efforts, the NDP wants to give Chinese companies special breaks. On this side of the House, we will continue to reduce Canadians' taxes and fight for Canadian jobs and businesses.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Conservative policy on tariff taxes is incoherent and deceitful. They boastfully leaked information, pre-budget, to divert attention from sporting equipment and baby clothes, but then they increased—repeat, increased—tariff taxes on baby carriages, hockey helmets, school supplies and wigs for cancer patients.

Why should cancer patients be punished with a new 15% Conservative tax? Why are middle-class Canadians—not foreigners, Canadians—being hit with tariff tax increases of more than $300 million every year?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, hypocrisy on taxes and the economy is nothing new coming from the Liberal Party, and this is yet another example, because, of course, we have brought in over half a billion dollars in tariff reductions, hundreds of items on which we have reduced tariffs, and the Liberal Party has voted against that every single time. Hundreds of times they have opposed it, but guess what? They finally decided to stand up and complain about something. What are they doing? They are saying that the government should be giving special breaks to Chinese companies. That is the one time the Liberal Party finally stands up, when it is about tax breaks for Chinese producers, never when it is for Canadians.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, tariffs are taxes. The Conservatives are ripping off middle-class families with tariff tax increases of $333 million every year. It is a naked money grab, and it is--

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. member for Wascana still has the floor.

The hon. member for Wascana.