House of Commons Hansard #139 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was land.

Topics

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:20 p.m.

An hon. member

That statement is simply untrue.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:20 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)

Order, please.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Catterall Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, that last statement is untrue. The member was told a year ago it is untrue.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:20 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)

That is not a point of order. The hon. member should know better.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:20 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON

Mr. Speaker, they seem very nervous at hearing the truth. These are the words of Jeff Polowin, the former chair of the hospital. He said that the Liberal rent increase as scheduled at the end of the current lease could cost as many as 40 nurses. But it is worse than that. It could prevent the construction of the new cancer care centre.

The only thing standing in the way of solving this problem of simply giving the hospital the assurance that it will control its own land for the price of $1 is the Prime Minister who has the legal authority to make this decision at any time he wishes. I am calling on him to make that decision today.

It is too important to be left to partisanship. That member over there who continues to interrupt me has the opportunity to change her tune. She knows her community wants her to represent the hospital and not her Liberal friends. I ask her that she do the right thing just once for the hospital. The community in her riding has been crying out for her to stand up for that hospital and so far, she has chosen the other Ottawa, the downtown Liberal cronies, her friends. Choose the patients over your friends, Mr. Speaker.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:20 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)

I presume that the hon. member for Nepean—Carleton was not talking about my friends. May I remind the hon. member that he must address his comments through the Chair, please.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:20 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON

Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, we have a classic case of the people versus the powerful, a group of community members who are rising up to support a local community hospital versus an unholy alliance between the separatist Bloc and the governing Liberals.

The New Democrats are supporting us and I thank them for doing so. They have shown conviction. I thank my colleague from Winnipeg and the member for Ottawa Centre. They have shown their support. I thank all the members who rise for the hospital.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

Ken Boshcoff Liberal Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON

Mr. Speaker, this has been a very interesting debate, especially for those of us who have served on a hospital board, and probably many in the House have at one time or another given up their own time and energy to do this. In my previous role as mayor I served on four hospital boards over the course of my terms.

It is wonderfully appealing when someone says that they have a wonderful idea, that they will do something for free. Of course, the hospital board would say that yes. Of course, the residents of that riding would say yes. The constituents would say it was a wonderful idea . Then we would realize that in terms of fairness, and it seems this debate is about fairness, what about all the other hospitals?

Some hospitals make PILs, payments in lieu. There are those which do pay taxes and those which are in other situations. We are talking about one simple case. It would be a wonderful world if we were able to do this, I agree. However, I think it is patently unfair to every citizen of this country to assume that we could say to one riding that this is federal and it would be wonderful to do this. In this life, it just does not happen that way.

We talk about hospital situations throughout the whole country with each hospital trying to manage its budget in an equitable manner. Then we have the federal government addressing--

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:20 p.m.

Conservative

Brian Fitzpatrick Conservative Prince Albert, SK

You are doing it for golf courses.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:25 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)

Order. I would enjoy hearing the comments of the member.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:25 p.m.

Liberal

Ken Boshcoff Liberal Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON

Mr. Speaker, I think I was extremely well mannered and practised decorum when listening to the other side. I do not understand why members opposite would not want to hear someone who is rational and logical. At least this is what I am offering to the House.

When we discuss issues such as medical care and all of those things, they are volatile emotional concerns. Everybody wants to be on the right side of this and I hope we are for the right reasons. However, we cannot mislead people. We cannot tell them that they could have such a wonderful thing--

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:25 p.m.

Conservative

Dick Harris Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, the hon. member knows very well that we cannot accuse another member of the House of misleading somebody.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:25 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)

The hon. member will understand that this particular debate has been very heated. There is leeway. I will give the floor again to the hon. member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:25 p.m.

Liberal

Ken Boshcoff Liberal Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON

Mr. Speaker, in trying to present facts on the issue, we understand the roles between federal, provincial and municipal governments. We understand the special role of the National Capital Commission.

This is a situation where, if we took this example, it would apply throughout the nation. A precedent would be set. It is not that anyone is trying to be unfair.

If I lived in that particular constituency and someone told me that I should get something for free, I would certainly take up that cause. However, once we settle down and understand the real rationale behind it, which is that we have to administer a whole nation, then it starts to make much clearer sense. I think the fair-minded people of that riding would understand that quite convincingly.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:25 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)

The member moving a motion has a five minute right of reply to conclude the debate.

The hon. member for Nepean—Carleton.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:25 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the House that this is a very unique situation. The Queensway Carleton Hospital is the only hospital that pays rent to the federal government. As such, it is impossible to create any kind of a precedent that could be repeated. Why? It is because there is no other similar situation in the entire country.

However, a golf course, which sits on National Capital Commission land, pays $1 a year; $1 a year for a golf course to rent its land from the federal government. If it is impossible for the hospital to rent its land for $1 a year, why is it possible for the Liberal government to rent its land to a golf course for $1 a year? The answer again is that is a quintessential example of the people versus the powerful.

I had a chance as a member of the common people, who we are supposed to represent here in the House of Commons, to work at the Queensway Carleton Hospital as a nurse's assistant for one day throughout the summer. I spent 12 hours on my feet with the people who work in that facility, and they do work hard. They work hard every day with 180 patients who come through the emergency triage every day. They go home bone tired. They give. The community gives. The community raises millions to support that hospital because it cares about the people around them. The people want the government to care too.

Yes, my colleagues across the floor might attack me for fighting for my constituents but that is my job. It is my job to fight for Nepean—Carleton, from Barrhaven to Bells Corners, from Kars to Kenmore and from Manotick to Metcalfe to Manordale, and fight for them I will.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:30 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)

It being 2:30 p.m., the time provided for the debate has expired. The question is on the amendment. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

No.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:30 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)

All those in favour of the amendment will please say yea.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Yea.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:30 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)

All those opposed will please say nay.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Nay.

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:30 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)

In my opinion the yeas have it.

And more than five members having risen:

Queensway Carleton HospitalPrivate Members' Business

2:30 p.m.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx)

Pursuant to Standing Order 93, the division stands deferred until Wednesday, October 26, immediately before the time provided for private members' business.

It being 2:32 p.m., this House stands adjourned until Monday, October 24, at 11 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 2:32 p.m.)