Debates of Nov. 17th, 2005

Child Care

[Ken Dryden, Liberal, Minister of Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said to the House many times before, we have an early learning and child care system that now has eight agreements in principle, and one funding agreement.

There are eight provinces that are involved, eight provinces that have rural populations, including New Brunswick. Of the eight provinces with which we negotiated and had a final agreement, in one instance, the province of New Brunswick decided to pull the plug.

As I said yesterday, and I am just asking a question, if anybody is playing politics, who is playing politics?

Aboriginal Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I raised the issue of violence against women in aboriginal communities and noted that aboriginal women are 37 times more likely to be assaulted.

Yesterday, in the House, the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development said that this will be specifically discussed at the first ministers meeting on aboriginal affairs next week. I have the agenda for the meeting and neither violence against women nor justice issues are on it.

Could the minister please commit today to ensuring that this life or death issue is raised at the meeting next week.

[Liza Frulla, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, first, I want to point out that $5 million has been allocated to the Sisters in Spirit program to prevent violence. This is in addition to the $7 million that Status of Women Canada also invested in this program.

A federal-provincial meeting on violence against women, including native women, is scheduled for January. However, if we are in the midst of an election campaign, brought on by the opposition, we will not be able to hold this meeting.

Who then will address the issue of violence against women?

Keeseekoose First Nation

[Jim Prentice, Conservative, Calgary North Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, let us return to the stolen education moneys of the Keeseekoose First Nation.

The minister has led the House to believe that these financial irregularities, to use his term, are the sole responsibility of the first nation and the RCMP. In fact, the band is in departmental co-management, and believe it or not, the theft of the money took place while his department paid $2 million to the accountants.

Could the minister confirm that over $600,000 was stolen from the children's education fund right from underneath his accountant's and department's noses?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, whether the Conservatives like it or not, first nations governments take accountability very seriously. In exactly this case, when irregularities were found, they contacted the RCMP, charges were laid. It is what any responsible government would do.

What we see from the other side is an attempt to discredit the leadership of first nations communities across Canada. Shame on them.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Mr. Speaker, most Canadians by now have come to the realization that the minister really does not understand what is going on. I am going to give the minister a chance to stand in the House and try to convince Canadians that indeed he has not been hit in the head by a rock.

Therefore, I am going to speak slowly and distinctly. Money was stolen from school children. Liberals were involved. Why does the minister simply not take his finger out of his butt and do something about it?

[The Speaker]

I think we will move on. The hon. member Ottawa—Orléans.

Official Languages

[Marc Godbout, Liberal, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this morning's papers reported that official language communities are quite worried that there was no mention of them in the government's economic statement.

Can the minister responsible for official languages indicate whether these communities can expect additional funding for priority projects that promote their vitality and support their development?

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Minister for Internal Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. Among the many programs in the action plan, it is true that funding stops for two of them at the end of March 2006.

I am pleased to announce today that the funding for these two programs, one in the area of health and the other in the area of language training in the public service, will be extended beyond the end of this fiscal year.

Terasen Inc.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberal government punched British Columbians in the nose by rubber-stamping the takeover of Terasen by George Bush bagman Richard Kinder, this after thousands of British Columbians said no. No due diligence was done. No thought was given to Kinder Morgan's horrible environmental and safety record, or the huge rate increases Kinder Morgan demands.

This is a fire sale of Canada. There have been 11,000 takeovers of Canadian companies and the Liberals just keep selling us out. Just like no action on softwood, this is a kick in the teeth to B.C.

How can the government sell out Canada so irresponsibly?

[David Emerson, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, this investment was reviewed under the Investment Canada Act. I was personally recused from that decision because I had sat on the board of Terasen in my previous corporate life.

We have extracted and put in place undertakings to ensure that Canadian jobs are protected, that environmental management is strong, that the community focus of the corporation continues to be strong and that it continues to have major operations in British Columbia. It is going to be making multiples of billions of dollars of investments in Canada for the benefit of Canadians.

Mining Industry

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this past spring I wrote the finance minister asking if he would extend the super flow-through program for mining shares. Northern Canada is still waiting for an answer. Mining exploration is a long shot game with high risks and we need firm commitments.

The minister had the opportunity to express his commitment to the mining industry with his $39 billion election budget that he just offered. There was nothing for forestry, nothing for agriculture and nothing for mining.

My question is simple. Why has he turned his back on the mining communities of northern Ontario and northern Canada?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, it is certainly true that the mining industry is a jewel of the Canadian economy. In Canada the mining industry globally receives most of its financing. This government has historically supported that industry to a very high degree. If the opposition were to wait for the budget instead of forcing an election, the government might be able to do even more.

World Aquatic Championships

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in 2004, the Liberal government invested over $16 million in the World Aquatic Championships in Montreal. Many Liberal cronies were involved in organizing these championships, but the federal government abruptly withdrew its additional funding.

Was an audit ever done to determine who received that money and, if so, why does the government not release the report?

[Stephen Owen, Liberal, Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of State (Sport)]

Mr. Speaker, the FINA organizing committee is just closing its books on the highly successful world aquatic games hosted by Montreal, which has put Montreal back on the world map in terms of host cities for superior athletic competitions. I can assure the House that a full audit will be done when the books are closed. There has been a $1.5 million holdback against any inconsistencies in the contribution agreement.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I guess we would call those successful inconsistencies. If it was so successful, why is the federal government now holding back its money?

The notorious names of ad scam have their fingerprints all over the 2005 aquatic games, Liberal Senator Francis Fox, Serge Savard, Marc Campagna, André Ouellet, all strong supporters of the current Prime Minister.

With revelations of millions more missing in this Liberal handout scheme, why will the government not immediately produce an audit, or is it is just trying to protect the Prime Minister's favourite fundraisers?

[Stephen Owen, Liberal, Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of State (Sport)]

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member was not listening to my answer. The audit has not been done because the books are just about to be closed, but have not yet been completely closed. The holdback is against any irregularities. The audit will be made public when it is completed.

Softwood Lumber

[John Duncan, Conservative, Vancouver Island North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has refused to back the Canadian forest industry for over three years. Now the government has had a deathbed conversion and is set to announce a softwood package consisting of half measures. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has added insult to injury by reducing our demand for the return of U.S. imposed softwood tariffs by $1.5 billion.

Why is the government continuing to abandon the Canadian forest industry?

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, this is utter nonsense. The Prime Minister has been in the vanguard of saying that the NAFTA has to be respected and that the duties illegally taken by the United States have to be returned in total.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have mismanaged our relationship with the White House for over 12 years and it is our foresters and ranchers who pay the price. The Prime Minister's record with the President is meetings on the margins but nothing to show for it.

If he cannot get the job done, will he appoint a special envoy and demand a formal meeting with President Bush in Korea? On behalf of Canadians, I say do not bother to come home without that $5 billion cheque.

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has raised the softwood lumber issue in every single meeting that he has had with the President. It is the Prime Minister who has so strongly said that the NAFTA must be respected. I will take a back seat to no one in terms of our Prime Minister standing up for our forest industry and for all our traders who go by the rule of law. The rule of law must be respected.

Sponsorship Program

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Charlevoix—Montmorency, QC]

Mr. Speaker, following the statements by Marc-Yvan Côté at the Gomery commission, some tongues have loosened up. Following the statements by Jocelyne Gosselin, former Liberal candidate in Lévis, and Patrick Gagnon, former Liberal candidate in Gaspé, we learn today in this House from the member for Beauce that he did not receive tainted money for his 1997 campaign. We now have the names of three candidates who did not receive tainted money. We have to conclude then that Hélène Scherrer, the candidate in Louis-Hébert, did.

How can the Prime Minister allow her to be a policy advisor in his office, when she received tainted money?

[Jean Lapierre, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, Hélène Scherrer was categorical. She said she had never received money from Marc-Yvan Côté. I would point out to the member that in a society, attitudes fraught with hypocrisy and innuendo are not to be tolerated. If there is evidence, let it be known, do not let the rumour mill run. Rigour is required at all times. That is what his leader said to Le Soleil in defence of André Boisclair. The very same rule should apply here.

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Charlevoix—Montmorency, QC]

Mr. Speaker, how can the Prime Minister claim to have cleaned house following the sponsorship scandal, when the former candidate in Louis-Hébert is a policy advisor in his office?

Can the Minister of Transport confirm that neither Hélène Scherrer nor her organization received dirty money from the sponsorships?

[Jean Lapierre, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, we are getting into the business of third-hand information. It is hearsay, rumours. This kind of treatment of politicians, of anyone for that matter, is unacceptable. There is nothing more harmful than rumour, because it cannot be proven. That is exactly what the leader of the Bloc said. It was a statement made in the case of André Boisclair. It should apply in everyone's case. He should listen to his leader, who is seated in front of him.