Evidence of meeting #26 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 39th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Conservative
Lawrence Cannon Conservative Pontiac, QC
CBED is a partner, in the sense that it has a specific role to play in delivering part of the program.
Bloc
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
If we are told that you are being too demanding, then I guess I'm talking to the right person.
Conservative
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Why are you deliberately delaying signature of the agreement and demanding something from Quebec that other governments before you never demanded?
Conservative
Bloc
Conservative
Bloc
Conservative
Lawrence Cannon Conservative Pontiac, QC
That simply is not true, Mr. Laframboise. Neither Alberta, Ontario or Quebec have signed the agreement. In my opinion, we are following the normal schedule of discussions with our partners. As I mentioned, eight provinces and territories have signed an agreement with the Federal Government.
When I arrived on Parliament Hill, some of the previous programs that had been announced three or four years earlier had not yet come on stream. Issues involving the Government of Quebec had been dragging on for five years: they couldn't find the right fit. Well, we did.
Bloc
Conservative
Lawrence Cannon Conservative Pontiac, QC
Let's take the example of Highway 30, that Mr. Carrier didn't want to talk about. We took action in a spirit of cooperation and open federalism, working with the Government of Quebec. We resolved those issues.
Am I worried about the possibility of not reaching an agreement with the Government of Quebec? No, not at all.
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
If you ask me, you are going to outdo them in terms of the amount of time this is taking.
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
In the 2007 Budget, you announced the Building Canada Plan. The agreement has not yet been signed, and I am told that you are demanding more than the Liberals were.
Conservative
Lawrence Cannon Conservative Pontiac, QC
You know perfectly well that in 2007, the goal was to meet with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the UMQ and other stakeholders. I went across Canada and met with people in many different municipalities in Quebec. I heard what people had to say, because they asked for prior consultations. Like me, you come from the municipal level; so, you understand that it's important to consult the municipalities. That is the level at which people can make their views known. It is normal for our government to have engaged in these consultations…
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Except that the 1,100 municipalities out there are in a hurry, Minister.
Conservative
Conservative
Lawrence Cannon Conservative Pontiac, QC
… while at the same time abiding by the Loi sur l'exécutif du Québec, which you seem to be forgetting.
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Mr. Minister, for appearing today.
I have three questions relating mostly to infrastructure in the northern territories.
The first one is that there's been some work through the NWT Association of Communities as well as through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in endorsing resolutions that would ask you to design a municipal infrastructure program that would more suit the northern territories and perhaps some of the smaller provincial jurisdictions like Prince Edward Island, where the cost of delivery of infrastructure is so much higher than it is for the rest of the country. The first question is whether you have considered a program like that. Are you moving ahead to consider a program like that?
The second question deals with the urgent need for infrastructure within the Northwest Territories to match up to the requirements for resource development that have been plaguing us over the last number of years. There are two initiatives currently under way in the Northwest Territories. One of them of course is the Mackenzie River bridge, which our government in the Northwest Territories is moving ahead with now and which is looking for support. Actually, when it's put in place, it will turn money back into the federal treasury and it will provide a more efficient system of transportation for the diamond mines and the mining development in the North Slave province, which directly turns back royalties and taxation to the federal government. There is a quid pro quo here in terms of investment and return on investment for the federal government.
As well, the Government of the Northwest Territories, in conjunction with this crown corporation, the Power Corporation, is moving ahead with the Taltson hydro initiative, which is an opportunity to provide clean energy to the diamond mines. Once again, this will have a very strong positive impact on the future of the mining industry in that area and will return dollars to the federal treasury.
On that point, are you considering how to invest in the Northwest Territories to make those types of returns to this government?
