Debates of Sept. 28th, 2010

Rob Merrifield Minister of State (Transport)

Mr. Speaker, of the 23,000 projects, they have six months yet to go. My hon. colleague may be a little ahead of himself with regard to that.

We encourage all these projects to be completed on time but we will work with all of the municipalities and provinces with regard to these 23,000 projects to make certain that we follow them through to completion.

Leona Aglukkaq Minister of Health

Mr. Speaker, when we were first elected, one of our goals was to reduce tobacco-related deaths and diseases in Canada. We acted quickly by introducing Bill C-32, the Tobacco Act. This was an important bill because it banned the advertising and flavours that were particularly appealing to children.

We are encouraged by the results of the recent Canadian tobacco use monitoring survey report which shows an increase in the number of young Canadians who have stopped smoking.

Megan Leslie Halifax, NS

Mr. Speaker, while countries all around the world are taking tougher action to curb smoking and educate consumers, the government is actually moving in the opposite direction.

Not only are Conservatives backing away from new warning labels, they have cut anti-smoking commercials altogether.

When will the minister stop putting the tobacco lobbyists' concerns ahead of the health of Canadians and do more to protect Canadians from the dangers of smoking?

Leona Aglukkaq Minister of Health

Mr. Speaker, we have allocated $15.7 million annually under the federal tobacco control strategy to support a number of tobacco projects across Canada designed to help people stop smoking, prevent youth from starting to smoke and to protect Canadians from second-hand smoke.

Thanks to the actions of our government, Canada is a world leader in tobacco control.

Phil McColeman Brant, ON

Mr. Speaker, last week, the coalition voted to keep the long gun registry.

We know that the registry does nothing to prevent crime and that it is wasteful and ineffective. This party does not believe in treating law-abiding farmers and hunters as criminals.

Would the Minister of Public Safety update the House on our efforts to scrap the long gun registry?

Vic Toews Minister of Public Safety

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his hard work on this file. I also thank him for having the courage to stand in his place and vote to scrap the wasteful and ineffective long gun registry any way we can do it.

Coalition MPs,like the member for Malpeque, will need to answer to their constituents as to why they flip-flopped on the vote.

This is the furthest we have come to scrap the wasteful $2 billion long gun registry and we will continue our work to scrap it.

Scott Andrews Avalon, NL

Mr. Speaker, while the government has wasted tens of thousands of dollars on glow sticks, snacks and mosquito traps, it has shown no interest in helping unemployed Canadians.

The EI pilot project for extended weeks of benefits ended in September. Two more pilot projects, best 14 weeks and increased allowable earnings, are scheduled to end in October and December. The unemployed are stressed out enough and these two pilot projects need an extension.

The question is simple. Will the minister approve an extension to these two pilot projects, yes or no?

Diane Finley Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development

Mr. Speaker, under our economic action plan, we introduced several new measures to help those workers and families who were hardest hit by the recession. I am pleased to say that those measures have been very successful.

Pilot projects are just that. They are attempts to try something new to see if we can provide further benefits in a cost-effective way that is a responsible use of taxpayer money and that will help those hardest hit.

We are reviewing these pilot programs. We are sensitive to the needs of Canadians as we go forward with the economy changing and we are sensitive to the effects of the U.S. economy. We will be reviewing these projects accordingly.

Robert Carrier Alfred-Pellan, QC

Mr. Speaker, securities have always fallen under the jurisdiction of Quebec and the provinces. But the Conservative government's attempts to create a Canada-wide securities commission undermine the concerted effort made by the 10 regulatory commissions. According to Louis Morisset, from the Autorité des marchés financiers, the federal government's plan is counterproductive and it divides Quebec and the provinces.

When will the government recognize that the decentralized system works well, and that it would work even better if the government minded its own business?

Jim Flaherty Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, this is a voluntary initiative. We have respected the provinces' jurisdictions. We will continue to do the same in the future.

Irene Mathyssen London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Speaker, today is the 40th anniversary of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women report. However, instead of celebrating, women across the country, four decades later, are still waiting for action on key recommendations: pay equity, child care, support for first nations and recognition of women's unpaid work.

Rather than moving forward, the government has actually backtracked on equality. Women are still waiting. When will the government start listening to Canadian women and take action on these recommendations?

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

Mr. Speaker, this government has listened and we have acted. In fact, we have increased the funding for women to its highest level ever in the history of Canada. We have increased the funding by almost 40% more than it was under the previous Liberal government. We are now supporting projects in every province and territory across the country.

I would ask the hon. member to work with us to support women instead of dividing women's groups.

Patricia Davidson Sarnia—Lambton, ON

Mr. Speaker, Canadians trust our Conservative government to manage the economy.

Two years ago, when the global economy was pulled into the deepest recession in over a generation, our government responded with the economic action plan to ensure that the Canadian economy was the least affected, the last to enter the recession and the first to recover from it, and stronger than any of the other industrialized countries.

Would the minister tell this House about the new program from our Conservative government to support Canadian small and medium enterprises?