House of Commons Hansard #207 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was indian.
Diane Ablonczy Canadian Alliance Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, while a lot more people worry about terrorism these days, far too many Canadian women live in terror every day of their lives. The horrific shooting deaths of a Grimsby family at the hands of an ex-boyfriend are a new reminder of how little protection many women receive from very real threats to their safety and even to their lives and the lives of their families.
What exactly will the government do to step in and find new ways to prevent such tragedies?
Denis Coderre LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the government, and on behalf of all of parliament, we must express regret over this unspeakable act. I thank the member for her question.
I think that the public needs to know what is currently being done. First, I think that it is critical—
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
I would think the Bloc Quebecois should listen. This is an important question. It involves women and domestic violence and it is important to talk about it.
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
First, I wish to confirm that the Niagara regional police are investigating. However, it is also—
Violence against WomenOral Question Period
The Speaker
I am sorry to interrupt the minister, but his time is up. The member for Calgary—Nose Hill.
Diane Ablonczy Canadian Alliance Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, Canadian women would rather hear real answers from the minister than shots at his political opponents.
I ask again why is this happening? There is a real concern about the issue of safety for women in the country. The government needs to give serious consideration to how women can be protected. On behalf of Canadian women and their families who are listening, can we have an answer as to what the government intends to do to make us safer in this country?
Denis Coderre LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
I agree, Mr. Speaker. First, I think that when individuals come from the United States with a long criminal record, we have to fall back on the second line of defence, which is Citizenship and Immigration Canada. In this case, that did not happen.
That said, the second line is being looked into. We are taking this into consideration. I would like to assure Canadians that this work is being handled with professionalism. If there have been mistakes, if there have been problems, we will take them into consideration. However, the safety of all Canadians is a priority for us.
Judi Longfield Liberal Whitby—Ajax, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and the Status of Women.
The recognition of foreign credentials is a longstanding concern for many newcomers to Canada. It is an acknowledged fact that Canadians are expected to account for all the net labour force growth by 2011. Could the secretary of state tell the House what is being done through multiculturalism programs to address the recognition of foreign credentials?
Jean Augustine LiberalSecretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the question and also for her concern with the issue.
Foreign credential recognition has become an increasingly urgent problem in Canada, especially among the immigrant population. We outlined in the 2001 Speech from the Throne some areas which we will pursue.
The multiculturalism program has been working with other levels of government and other government bodies to address the challenges that people with foreign credentials face. As well, I announced on the 15th two programs on which we will work with the volunteer sector to address the issue.
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the minister of Indian affairs what specific steps he will take to ensure that first nations leadership will participate in the committee hearings on Bill C-61 and not boycott them as they did the first round of consultations.
The Penner inquiry was a joint committee. As a gesture of goodwill and to ensure the participation of those representatives, will he allow a representative of the Assembly of First Nations to sit as an extraparliamentary member of that committee so that at least first nations will have the assurance that their views will be valued and that they will participate in the committee hearings on Bill C-61?
Don Boudria LiberalMinister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, this is a very serious issue. Some members have approached me as late as this morning about the budgets of this committee to ensure that there is adequate funding so that a parliamentary committee can review this issue in a very serious way.
The House leaders of all parties are meeting tomorrow afternoon. If the hon. member has a suggestion about the actual structure of a committee, I am sure that his House leader and I will be glad to discuss this with other colleagues in order to cause the proper House order that we feel collectively is the appropriate way to proceed.
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, that was not exactly my point but I am going to move on.
The Minister of Veterans Affairs knows that thousands of first nations men and women voluntarily enlisted to serve their country in the second world war and in the Korean conflict. After these wars first nations veterans found that the benefits provided to the average Canadian soldier were not available to them.
First nations veterans have been waiting for more than 50 years for justice on this issue and aboriginal veterans are passing away. Again I ask the Minister of Veterans Affairs, will he act immediately to remedy this historic injustice? Will he act now to give first nations veterans the equal recognition and compensation--
Rey D. Pagtakhan LiberalMinister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Science
Mr. Speaker, in fact the Government of Canada facilitated a round table so that we could look into this issue in a more comprehensive fashion. Recommendations were made in the ensuing report. The Government of Canada is seized of the issue. It is one of my priorities.
Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS
Mr. Speaker, despite the best efforts of the public works minister to keep a lid on the details of corrupt contracting practices, the list keeps getting longer.
Fugitive from Commons committee and former bureaucrat Chuck Guité and Groupaction did it again. Using a special no paper trail method made so popular under disgraced diplomat Alfonso Gagliano, Guité hired Groupaction to communicate the government's message on the merits of the ridiculous long gun registry, but guess what? The department apparently forgot to communicate that to the Department of Justice.
Has the public works minister referred this latest disgrace to the RCMP litany of investigations?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, there is obviously no attempt here to conceal anything in the process. Whenever there is a matter that comes to my attention or to the attention of my officials that merits a reference to the police, that reference is made immediately. That is not only a public duty, it is something that is in fact required by the Financial Administration Act with which we are compliant.
Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS
Mr. Speaker, to quote the public works minister earlier in today's question period, the facts are that $330,000 of public money has gone missing for nothing, zero. Reports from the justice department officials clearly indicate they had no knowledge of a contract to Liberal friendly Groupaction to promote and sell the disastrous long gun registry, another example of money for nothing.
Was the justice minister aware of this latest debacle? How does he explain the public works official's unauthorized contracting of that magical figure of $330,000 on behalf of his department?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, I take very seriously the allegations that work was performed without consultation with the appropriate department or that money was paid without value having been received. My investigation with respect to this file is ongoing. As with all other files, if there is anything here that merits the intervention of police, I will refer the case automatically.
Leon Benoit Canadian Alliance Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, we have copies of contracts that show that over a two year period Media IDA Vision Inc., a subsidiary of Groupe Everest, received $15 million from the federal government to run a recruiting campaign for the Department of National Defence. The results of the $15 million were that recruiting levels went down. Despite that, the government shovelled another $17 million into the Groupaction black hole the following year.
How can the government justify this kind of wasted spending on Liberal friends?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, I have commented on both of the matters to which the hon. gentleman refers on other occasions. I simply make the point that as I go through the files to find where there were errors, mistakes and problems that need to be corrected, I make no attempt to justify them. I seek out what is wrong and aim toward solutions to solve the problem for the future.
Leon Benoit Canadian Alliance Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, if it is not millions of dollars for luxury jets, it is millions of dollars for Liberal friends. If the government had properly supported our military, it would not have to worry about recruiting at all. First, $15 million was wasted on Groupe Everest and then was $17 million spent on Liberal friends in Groupaction.
How can the government continue to put Liberal friends ahead of our serving members in the Canadian forces?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian forces are obviously extremely important to all Canadians, as evidenced by their excellent work around the world.
In terms of the government's action with respect to advertising, we made the very firm commitment that where there were administrative mistakes, they would be corrected. Where there were overpayments, they would be recovered. Where there was conduct that could be considered illegal, that would be referred to the police and prosecuted if appropriate.
Odina Desrochers Bloc Lotbinière—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Speaker, we are stunned to see that even the President of the Treasury Board no longer controls what is going on in her department, even though she insisted that all the rules had been complied with. As we can now see, these statements were far from accurate.
How can the Prime Minister keep her in her position the President of the Treasury Board who, like Media IDA Vision, is paid to monitor the work being done and who, in reality, monitors nothing?