Debates of Nov. 17th, 2005

Equalization

[Jack Layton, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Speaker, one thing is clear. Canada and this government have no right to lecture anyone, including George Bush, when it comes to climate change.

I would like to ask the finance minister a question. There was nothing in the mini-budget for rural Canada. Despite the fact that farm receipts are at an all time low and farm families are struggling, there was nothing for them.

The premier of his home province says that he is “angry at the minister's failure to respect fairness for Saskatchewan”. How is it that the finance minister can find $10 billion for corporations in tax cuts, but nothing for Saskatchewan?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that transfer payments to the province of Saskatchewan are at an all time record high. Payments to farmers in Saskatchewan from the Government of Canada over the last 18 months have added up to more than $700 million.

The government has invested $500 million in science and research, $500 million in infrastructure, and $300 million in education, training, housing and the environment. We have moved forward on all fronts. That does not include early learning and child care and money for municipalities. The Government of Canada is investing in Saskatchewan's future.

Government Contracts

[Monte Solberg, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the culture of entitlement is thriving in the Liberal Party. In fact, by a very strange coincidence, David Herle, the Prime Minister's good buddy and the Liberal Party's campaign manager, also ended up receiving an untendered contract to craft the message for the alleged economic update. What an amazing thing.

Why should taxpayers be expected to fund the Liberal Party campaign manager, so that he can write the Liberal Party platform?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman is wrong. I wrote the fiscal update, in partnership with my officials.

The contract in question was with and by the Department of Finance. News reports today clearly indicate that it was within all the rules. All the guidelines were followed. In addition, it was fully and properly disclosed on the Government of Canada website.

Income Trusts

[Monte Solberg, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is still unethical, I can say that much.

Early this fall, the finance minister set a cloud of uncertainty over the future of income trusts with devastating results. Here is an excerpt from Bonnie's letter to the Canadian Association of Retired Persons:

I was dumbfounded when I received my statements from my broker this month...In one month we had lost $50,000...We contacted our broker...and she explained that [the Minister of Finance] had made a statement and the rest is history.

Will the finance minister tell us specifically on what day he will announce his decision on the future of income trusts, or is he just going to stand up and equivocate, and sow more--

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Finance.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, obviously, I want to make that decision as quickly as possible to eliminate the uncertainty.

I would point out to the hon. gentleman that the decline in market capitalization during the month of October applied to all equities in the marketplace, not just to income trusts. Fortunately, there has been some rebound in the market lately.

The hon. gentleman should not ignore the fact that indeed the market for all equities, and income trusts are equities, went down during the month of October.

Airports

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Toronto area travellers face the highest airport costs in the world because of the government's policies. Air travel is critical to our economic growth and prosperity. These ridiculously high federal charges hurt ordinary travellers going on vacation, pickpocket tourists and threaten business.

While the Liberals fly high in their Challenger jets, Toronto area residents are being grounded by gouging. Why is the government picking on GTA residents and taxing travellers to death?

[Jean Lapierre, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, if there was a prize was exaggeration, the hon. member would win it.

Frankly, the Government of Canada has reduced the rent for the Toronto airport by $5 billion over the next 50 years.

There are short term problems at Toronto airport because of the high debt and the fact that the concessions do not bring in enough revenue. Usually, the revenue is about 40%. In Toronto it is at 20%. There is a lot of work to be done there. In the short term, we are examining, at the request of the GTA caucus, how we could help Toronto airport up front. It is very difficult at this time.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is factually incorrect. I am sure it is an accident. Pearson airport taxes are going up this year by 14%. Pearson airport is the most expensive airport in the world. In the last 24 hours the minister has gone a little wobbly and has been a little unsure in terms of Liberal policies when it comes to Pearson airport.

To be clear, will the minister change his current Liberal policies of overtaxing Pearson airport and give it a tax cut, yes or not?

[Jean Lapierre, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about a $5 billion tax cut on rent. That is an awful lot of money. For the whole country it is $8 billion and for Toronto alone it is $5 billion.

The airport has problems in the short term because of its debt level. We did not incur its debt level; the administration did. It also has a problem with revenues because it does not use the concessions enough. It is at 20% of revenues and it should be at about 40%.

The airport's problem is that its rent is only 14% of the cost. The rest is debt service. We will help the airport address that problem--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Richmond—Arthabaska.

Dairy Industry

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, at a special assembly today, Quebec milk producers urged the government to act. According to Marcel Groleau, the president of the Quebec milk producers' federation, “The choices are clear and time is of the essence. The government must make a choice and do so quickly”.

Why is the government not attending to this matter immediately and making it clear that it considers supply management non-negotiable, before the negotiations begin?

[Andy Mitchell, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister of State (Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario)]

Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely ludicrous that the party over there would demand that we protect supply management in a Hong Kong negotiation and then come into this House and defeat the government, so it cannot do that. It is ridiculous.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker]

Order, please. The hon. member for Richmond—Arthabaska for his supplementary.

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there is rightly cause for concern, because the minister refuses to answer.

Does the federal government not realize that its current position is not clear enough and that not only milk producers, but the members of the National Assembly as well, are concerned?

Should he not be more decisive when he speaks of supply management so that those negotiating with Canada will have no doubt that protection of supply management is a condition of negotiation?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, if there is one government that has taken responsibility for supply management it is the Liberal government, which established the system. We want to go to Hong Kong. My colleagues, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Minister for International Trade, have just said we intend to protect farmers in Quebec and supply management throughout Canada.

And this is the party that wants to overturn the government and weaken our colleagues who want to go and negotiate matters of agriculture and supply management. They are more concerned about their totally partisan issues than about defending agriculture, just when we are going to Hong Kong to defend a strong Canada.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker]

All the members would appreciate a little less noise. Order, please!

The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Bernard Cleary, Bloc, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we saw horrific images on television of the intolerable conditions in which the aboriginal community of Kitcisakik is living, without running water or electricity. For 20 years, this community has been demanding assistance to build a village in keeping with their needs and their values.

How many reports like the one yesterday will we need to see before the government actually decides to provide tangible aid to help the aboriginal people of Kitcisakik?

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians]

Mr. Speaker, the local community passed a resolution in February calling on the government to form a reserve. We have been working with it since that time. I would remind the hon. member that in Kelowna next week, we will be dealing with these various issues and his party will not let us do that.

[Yvon Lévesque, Bloc, Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I remind the federal government that it has fiduciary responsibility for aboriginal people. What we saw yesterday was shameful, here, there or anywhere.

Will the government agree to support the construction of a village worthy of the name, where the living conditions of the people of Kitcisakik will finally be acceptable?

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians]

As I said, Mr. Speaker, the resolution was passed in February. We are working with the community. We will see a community in that area. It is very important to us and to the population that the community will be part of the solution.

Child Care

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Social Development is playing politics with the Premier of New Brunswick instead of providing choice in child care for New Brunswick families. These families are demanding to be treated equally by the federal government regardless of where they live or what they do.

Will the minister finally admit that his one size fits all approach is not working for the people of New Brunswick and it is not working for the three-quarters of Canadian parents who are now feeling abandoned by the government?