Debates of April 3rd, 2014

Air Transportation

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to complaints about airline services in Canada, nobody has ever complained about having too many flight attendants aboard. At least, that is what the Conservatives seem to think. Transport Canada wants to allow airlines to operate with one flight attendant per 50 passengers. To ensure passenger safety, there should always be one flight attendant per emergency exit.

Why does the Minister of Transport want to eliminate such an important regulation?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the rule as it is currently in Canada is one flight attendant per 40 passengers. What is being proposed is that we move to one flight attendant to 50 seats. The difference is just standardization with an international norm.

What should be noted is that when U.S. carriers and international carriers fly in Canadian airspace, that is exactly the standard they are adhering to.

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there is simply no justification for this change, and the government knows it. Canada's major airlines are profitable. There is no excuse for allowing anyone to cut corners, especially when passenger safety is at stake. If something goes wrong on a flight, these rules would reduce by 25% the flight attendant ratio.

Will the minister commit to studying the safety impact of this change instead of just rubber-stamping it?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, as I already indicated, this is a standard that is in place internationally and in the United States. We are taking a look at it right now, as the hon. member is aware.

I would also say that it is the ratio that is recognized by ICAO, the International Civil Aviation Organization. It clearly says that regardless of the standard, it provides the same level of safety.

Health

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, keeping people safe is the first job of any government, whether it is airlines or drug safety. Why can the Conservatives not understand that?

Conservatives are keeping Canadians in the dark about drug safety reviews. Last year the minister promised that reviews would be published, quote, “transparently”, but it turns out that Health Canada is keeping over 80% of the reviews totally secret, and even then, the published reviews will only be very brief summaries.

Why did the minister break her promise to be transparent with Canadians about drug safety? She said that. She is not being transparent anymore.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, the minister has asked Health Canada to take steps to begin posting drug reviews to ensure that needed information is available. Health Canada experts always monitor the latest science on drugs, and we expect them to take action as needed.

We have also launched the plain language labelling initiative, which aims to improve the safe use of drugs by making drug labels easier to read and understand.

[Dany Morin, NDP, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government is obviously trying to take people for fools. In the past, the minister clearly stated that drug safety reviews would be made public. Now she is planning to keep a significant amount of the information that people are entitled to secret. Doctors count on that information to make informed decisions that have a significant impact on the health of Canadians.

How will keeping 80% of the reviews secret enhance patient safety?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, that is absolutely ridiculous. As I have said, the minister has asked Health Canada to take steps to begin posting drug reviews to ensure that needed information is available.

While I am on my feet, I just want to thank my colleague from Oakville who last week gave one of the best speeches I have ever heard in the House. We introduced a law that he was so important in helping to put forward. It is a government bill to introduce Vanessa's law, which will help identify potentially dangerous drugs and ensure the quick recall of unsafe drugs. We are looking to have support across the House.

Canadian Coast Guard

[Yvonne Jones, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Mr. Speaker, today two ferries were stuck in the ice, this time off the coast of Cape Breton. The ferry between Newfoundland and Labrador, the Sir Robert Bond, is still hampered by ice.

The Coast Guard exceeded its budget this fiscal year and no additional employees were called in. Additionally, the largest icebreaker in Atlantic Canada, the Louis S. St-Laurent, has been on refit in Halifax.

I ask the government why it is jeopardizing the lives of people and the economy by operating the Atlantic fleet understaffed and undercapacity in one of the worst ice seasons we have seen in this country?

[Gail Shea, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to report that both ferries are now free and on their way to Port aux Basques and North Sydney.

The Canadian Coast Guard is working around the clock to deal with extraordinary ice conditions seen almost everywhere this year. I want to salute our men and women of the Canadian Coast Guard for a job well done keeping Canadians safe and keeping traffic moving.

Thankfully, our government has been making the investments required to keep our icebreakers operating effectively, because when the Liberals were in power, the ships were often tied to the wharf, rusting and out of gas.

Health

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in 2012 the U.S. banned generic OxyContin in favour of the tamper-proof OxyNEO. Provincial health officers, provincial health ministers, and the U.S. attorney general asked the current government to do the same thing. Instead, it gave the production okay to six companies.

Oxy addiction is the fastest-growing opioid addiction in North American. Increased border traffic of OxyContin has prompted U.S. senators to renew their appeal to the current government.

Will the new Minister of Health undo the damage and ban Canadian production of OxyContin?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that prescription drug abuse is a growing problem here in Canada. We are looking at tamper resistance as a way to address prescription drug abuse.

Economic action plan 2014 delivers nearly $45 million to expand the focus of the national anti-drug strategy to include prescription drug abuse in Canada, including education, enhancing prevention and treatment services in first nation communities, and improving surveillance data on abuse. I would like to point out that this member voted against that.

We will continue to work with all of our partners, including the United States, to combat this issue together and ensure that we make the right decisions—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. member for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Robert Chisholm, NDP, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the members of the Kitasoo First Nation have been fishing Kitasoo Bay for thousands of years. They know how to manage their stocks and have told the minister loud and clear, “No herring fishing in that bay. The stocks need more time to recover.” Yet the minister ignored these warnings, ignored experts in her own department, and has directed commercial fishermen into the bay, creating a potential confrontation.

Why will the minister not listen to science, listen to the first nations, and protect Kitasoo Bay?

[Gail Shea, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, the decision to reopen the fishery in the three previously closed areas was based on the department's scientific advice. For the west coast of Vancouver Island, DFO scientists said there was 7,000 tonnes more than what would be a safe reopening of the fishery.

As with any fishery's opening, we consulted with local stakeholders, including first nations. This first nations group also protested the closure of the commercial fishery back in 2006.

We do stand strongly against any violence on the water and expect all parties to respect the rule of law.

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this is the minister who has gutted the Fisheries Act, muzzled scientists, and ignored experts from her own department.

Now she is turning her back on first nations, too. She is provoking unnecessary conflict and confrontation. Conservative mismanagement of our fisheries has British Columbians just shaking their heads.

The government is putting the herring fishery at risk. Why is the minister refusing to listen to the Kitasoo, and why is she refusing to protect Kitasoo Bay?

[Gail Shea, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, as I said previously, for the west coast of Vancouver Island, DFO scientists said there was 7,000 tonnes more than what would be safe for the reopening of this fishery. It is a very precautionary approach to the opening of the fishery. There is only a 10% fishery happening. We have consulted local stakeholders, along with the first nations.

Obviously, it would be an inappropriate time to comment further on this issue, as some of these openings are currently before the courts.

Health

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian families, and parents especially, are always on the look out for healthy food options for their children. However, these choices are not always easy. As a parent, I find food labels lacking the information I need to make the right choices for my family. Serving sizes are unclear, and the terminology used can be complex.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister please update the House on the work that our government is doing to improve the quality of nutritional labelling for Canadian families?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the member for Oakville for the incredible work he has done since 2008, helping to turn back the billions of dollars in health care cuts that were, of course, the hallmark of the Liberal time in office.

As members may know, I am the father of two beautiful young girls. As a father I try to make healthy food choices for my family.

Our Minister of Health has been doing some excellent work on this file. Part of that work has been hosting consultations with mothers and fathers across this country so that we can do our best to improve labelling. The minister's consultations will be a major part in meeting our throne speech commitment to making sure parents have the knowledge they need to make the right choices.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Mr. Speaker, at committee the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans said she was not aware of any applications for longliners to be used in the Gulf tuna fishery. In fact, I have copies of the applications. I would hope that the minister is aware of the value of the sustainable hook and line tuna fishery in the Gulf.

Will the minister commit to the tuna fishers that she will not allow longliners into the Gulf under the pretense of research, and that if any work is to be done, it is to be done with the perfectly capable hook and line vessels?

[Gail Shea, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I do not work in front-line management at DFO, so if an application has come in, I was not aware of it.

There is an advisory process for bluefin tuna. Any requests for changes would go through this advisory process before it would come to my desk.

Health

[Djaouida Sellah, NDP, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government's approach to drug shortages is not working. At present, companies voluntarily record drug shortages in a database managed by the industry. Often it is too late, as we just saw in the case of Ritalin, which was just added. However, the media have been talking about it for three weeks.

Instead of waiting for a new crisis, why is the government not working on finding real solutions?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, drug shortages are a global problem that our government takes very seriously. We are working with drug companies and the provinces and territories as part of a pan-Canadian strategy to manage and prevent shortages and to reduce their impact.

As a result, companies are providing advance notice of shortages online, including information on alternative treatments. We continue to monitor this issue very closely and are open to considering a mandatory approach, if it is required.

Natural Resources

[Rodney Weston, Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, a recent IMF study of energy development confirms that greater investment in exports in Canada's energy sector will further improve Canada's economy. In fact, it notes that investment in exports have increased by approximately 10% since the year 2000.

Can the Minister of Natural Resources update the House on the impact of our energy sector on the Canadian economy?

[Greg Rickford, Conservative, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Saint John for his objective reflections on this study and for this timely, pertinent question. He knows that the energy sector has the potential to grow Canada's GDP substantially over the next decade and that while the New Democrats continue to attack our natural resource sector, our government is focused on responsible resource development, environmental protection, creating jobs and economic prosperity. That holds great potential for New Brunswickers and great potential for Canada.