Debates of Oct. 3rd, 2005

Foreign Affairs

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Joliette.

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is confusing veto power with consultation. Speaking of consultation, civil society in Quebec wants to be heard before an international agreement with direct consequences for everyone is signed by the federal government.

By using Quebec as a threat, is the Minister of Foreign Affairs not the one behind the refusal of the Conservatives and the NDP to accept this request from civil society in the form of Bill C-260, which they voted down?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we do not need legislation for our government to consult civil society. We are constantly consulting civil society in Quebec and throughout Canada. I did so when I was Minister of International Trade and my colleague continues to do so. My colleague at Canadian Heritage does so as well. We are constantly consulting civil society. This government's access is also direct, not just indirect. These consultations will continue because it is very important for Canada's voice in the world to be well informed.

Public Transit

[Caroline St-Hilaire, Bloc, Longueuil, QC]

Mr. Speaker, most parliamentarians in this place have given their support to passage on second reading of Bill C-306, which proposes a tax credit for users of public transit. Spiralling gas prices, highway congestion and air pollution all point to the urgency of taking action to encourage greater use of public transit.

Can we not only count on government support to accelerate the passage of this bill at all stages, but also on its commitment to implement the bill promptly once passed?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, this is a matter under debate in the House of Commons. I can assure the hon. member and all hon. members that we are taking a variety of ideas into account in terms of energy efficiency, energy conservation and energy innovation because we want to be an energy smart economy.

[Caroline St-Hilaire, Bloc, Longueuil, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister does not seem in any rush to implement such a measure despite its simplicity and efficiency, while his government did not hesitate in the least to make a $250 million gift to the oil and gas industry.

When does the minister plan to get moving and provide tangible support for the creation of a tax credit to encourage the use of public transit?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, if there is one government that has done a great deal for public transit, it is this one. Thanks to the agreement with the municipalities, we are going to be able to inject billions of dollars across the country for public transit over the years. That is far better than what the Conservatives proposed, and what the Bloc Québécois appears to support, which is to give a rebate of 16% of the cost of every transit ticket, which would not, according to all the studies, do much to change people's behaviour.

We will, of course, have a well-supported policy. As the Minister of Finance has said, we are aiming at an energy smart economy. We will make use of all available means to that end.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Diane Ablonczy, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are rehashing their broken 1993 red book promise to increase yearly immigration by 40%. Meanwhile, the government simply ignores the most important numbers. Over half a million applicants are stuck in a huge backlog. Newcomers are twice as likely to be unemployed. Immigrant incomes are 25% below average. International credentials are not accepted.

Why should anyone trust the Liberals after 12 years of failure on immigration?

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

What a sorry position to be in, Mr. Speaker, when the opposition implies that—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Speaker, opposition members are applauding the fact that they are against all the numerous successes that we can list. For example, an average of 230,000 people per annum are settled and integrated successfully. They are the driving force of growth in all of Canada's major cities and provinces. We have moved very forcefully in the direction of credentialing and recognition. The member will recognize that we put $68 million—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Calgary—Nose Hill.

[Diane Ablonczy, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is talking nonsense.

It was that Liberal government that froze settlement funds for nearly a decade. That Liberal government secretly shut down the processing of parent and grandparent applications. Those Liberals skim huge fees from newcomers but provide little value in return.

The government keeps overseas offices chronically under-resourced and understaffed, creating huge backlogs. It ignores its own laws on the refugee appeal process. How can its latest promises be trusted?

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, that is argy-bargy nonsense, I guess.

The member ignores the fact that we have already done something for parents and grandparents. We increased the amount that we would land over the course of this year and next from 6,000 to 18,000 in each of those two years. We have introduced a multiple entry visa in order to accommodate those who are on a waiting list and would be reunited with their families. We recognize the importance of family reunification with those measures, including in Canada spousal sponsorship developments. All of those issues and more indicate vibrant—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Edmonton—Strathcona.

[Rahim Jaffer, Conservative, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the bevy of buffet expenses from the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration knows no bounds. In the past six months the minister has charged over $10,500 in gluttonous restaurant expenses to the Canadian taxpayer. Not to be outeaten, his staff rang up an additional $7,000 in food expenses.

Would the minister please table any and all of the notes taken during these so-called working meals, or is an empty breadbasket the only thing Canadians get for $17,500?

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I think we have already answered those kinds of questions.

These things are posted on a proactive disclosure website so that everybody understands exactly what happens with the moneys that are put at the disposal of ministers for the conduct of business.

I think if the member did an examination of what each and every one of those expenses were for, he would find that everything was well within measured Treasury Board guidelines and that it involved the conduct of business. If the member took the trouble to examine that, he would find that he would be more than satisfied.

[Rahim Jaffer, Conservative, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we know Liberals are partial to fine dining, but the immigration minister takes the cake, or should I say the whole bakery?

According to Canada's national food basket, a family of four in the minister's riding should be spending $256 every two weeks on groceries. The minister is spending an average of $257 per meal with Canadians picking up the bill.

Would the minister please tell the House how these meals advance Canada's immigration policy?

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I guess he is absolutely right. In this instance we are talking about working meals designed to ensure that the roles and responsibilities as a minister, both in immigration and in regional responsibilities are done through stakeholder meetings and with other ministers and other people who have an interest.

We have seen the outcome of some of those discussions already in terms of the immigration policy that is being developed. I am sure the member will look forward to applauding what we are going to present for the House's consideration in just a few short weeks.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it has been seven weeks that Canadians have been without the full services of the CBC. This disruption in service has cut off Canadians from the news, the arts, and local information and stories that are important to all communities, especially rural communities that depend on the CBC's culturally specific programming.

On behalf of my constituents who would like to see the end of the labour dispute, I would like to ask the Prime Minister what update he can give us on the negotiations between the CBC and the Canadian Media Guild.

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to announce that the parties in the CBC and Radio-Canada dispute have reached a settlement.

I congratulate the parties for their willingness to work hard and arrive at an agreement. In particular, I want to congratulate the Minister of Labour for his time, passion, inspiration and leadership on this problem.

Health

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, since the June 9 decision on private health insurance by the Supreme Court, Canadians have waited for a response, any response, from the government on how it plans to protect our cherished public health care system. It has been 118 days.

I have a simple question for the minister. Where is the federal government response to this decision and when will we be able to review it?

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said before, the Supreme Court of Canada simply gave its legal expression to the concern that the Prime Minister expressed and dealt with in the accord of September 2004 by providing an additional $41.3 billion to the provinces to deal with the issue of wait times.

I made that very clear at the CMA meeting. Our choice is clear. We stand for public health care. We stand for making sure that it is strengthened and improved right across the country and that wait times are dealt with.

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the health minister just does not get it. How many times can he point to that fabled $41 billion that he continues to talk about? When will he understand that money does not equate leadership?

It is because the minister has not done a darned thing. The only question left is when will the government finally respond to the Chaoulli decision? When?

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, December 31, 2005 is the first important deadline in the September 2004 accord. That deadline is to establish benchmarks. No government has the option not to do it. We are working. The Prime Minister appointed Dr. Postl to deal with it on behalf of the federal government. We are dealing with it.

My quarrel is not with the NDP. My quarrel is with the opposition Tories. They have not spoken a word on this issue. I want to know where they stand.