Debates of Feb. 10th, 2005

The Vatican

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

Mr. Speaker, today, as His Holiness John Paul II returns to the Vatican following a brief hospitalization, I am deeply privileged to have the honour of expressing, on behalf of my colleagues, the most sincere wishes for continued good health.

I would also like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for the profound affection he has shown Canada over the years. His Holiness has graced our country with his presence three times, visiting big cities, small communities and remote areas.

Many will fondly remember his most recent visit to Toronto for World Youth Day 2002. For these moments we are grateful.

As Roman Catholics around the world and across our country enter into the solemn Lenten season of spiritual reflection, we should pause and contemplate the Holy Father's message of peace and understanding, a message which has touched the lives of Canadians of all faiths.

Today our thoughts and prayers are with him. May God bless the Holy Father, John Paul II.

Wal-Mart

[Sébastien Gagnon, Bloc, Jonquière—Alma, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the multinational Wal-Mart announced the closure of its Jonquière store. I was extremely saddened and upset at the news.

A company like Wal-Mart cannot challenge the fundamental right to form a union. It has acted in bad faith, claiming an agreement with the workers was impossible. The people of my region do not deserve such shabby treatment from the firm's management, which, visibly engaged in global expansion, thinks it can do anything it pleases.

Two hundred jobs lost in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean is a huge number. These workers have my sympathy for losing their jobs so abruptly and at a particularly bad time, moreover, because the La Baie plant of Abitibi Consolidated also shut down for good just a few weeks ago. That put some 650 people out of work

I heartily condemn this action by Wal-Mart, a very poor corporate citizen. I call upon my colleagues and the general public to challenge such actions.

Equalization Program

[Gerry Ritz, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of National Revenue said complaints about equalization were “mired in the world of have nots clamouring for more subsidies”. It amazes me how this minister can so easily display ignorance and arrogance at the same time.

All provinces pay into equalization so the so-called have not provinces can share the revenue of the haves. This money is not for the federal government's coffers and should never be a subsidy handed out by a bunch of Liberal hacks in Ottawa.

The Liberal formula is so screwed up that Newfoundland actually benefits more from oil and gas drilled in Saskatchewan than the citizens of my province who do the work. Provinces that see the value of their non-renewable resources go up, quickly discover the Liberals picking their pockets, undoing any hope of future prosperity.

Canadians would be better served by getting the Liberal Party and their holier-than-thou rhetoric out of this equalization debate. We must fix the formula so that all provinces benefit from their investments without going cap in hand to Ottawa every year.

What we really need to do is stop robbing Saskatchewan to pay Paul.

Tsunami Relief

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to recognize the success of Kitchener's tsunami relief concert which raised close to $150,000 for Asian tsunami and earthquake survivors.

The concert is an excellent example of how the arts, local citizens and businesses work together to help others. The Kitchener-Waterloo philharmonic choir, the Kitchener-Waterloo symphony and the Centre in the Square worked in cooperation to organize this special concert.

All musicians and staff donated their time to support the event, ensuring that 100% of the proceeds would support the relief effort. The money raised from the concert has been given to the Mennonite Central Committee that will distribute the funds to the people in need.

Canada's arts community is always keen to help others in times of need. Across Canada, artists have been donating their talents to support the tsunami relief effort.

I ask the House to join me in recognizing the outstanding contributions made by our talented and dedicated artistic community.

Teacher's Week

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this year, from February 6 to 12, we have an opportunity to formally thank teachers for the professionalism they bring to their work with young people each and every day.

Teaching is more than just transferring knowledge, it is about promoting the values of equality and justice, freedom and cooperation. It is about working against marginalization and failure. It is about shaping independent and responsible citizens capable of critical thinking. It is multi-faceted.

Teaching is also about meeting a number of daily challenges. It is about helping young people achieve their goals and giving them the inspiration to pursue their studies. It is about transmitting enthusiasm for life and shaping the adults of tomorrow.

As a former teacher, I invite my colleagues from the Bloc Québécois to join me in applauding Quebec's teachers and expressing our gratitude to them.

Sponsorship Program

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, two Liberal prime ministers have appeared before the Gomery inquiry and their lines are, “We authorized the programs and we take all the credit, but we didn't know anything about what happened and we accept no responsibility”.

Do the Liberals really expect Canadians to buy these lines from their Prime Minister?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is committed to transparency and accountability. It was this Prime Minister who set up the Gomery commission. This Prime Minister indicated from the outset that if called upon to do so, he would appear before that commission. That is what he is doing today. He is answering the questions put to him in a candid, frank and straightforward way.

In fact, the opposition asked 178 times on the floor of this Parliament for an independent investigation. That is what we--

[The Speaker]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Yes, Mr. Speaker, and 178 times later we are still waiting for the first answer.

The Prime Minister continues to say that he saw nothing, heard nothing and knew nothing. However, as Minister of Finance, he was the one who signed the cheques and as Vice-President of the Treasury Board, he was the one responsible for the proper management of public funds.

Does the Prime Minister really think that the Canadian public is buying his alibi?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has not even completed his testimony, and once again those members are already commenting on daily testimony.

Despite daily warnings that it is folly to comment on daily testimony, because it can be contradicted by other days testimony, they continue to do that. This morning the commission chair submitted evidence correcting testimony provided at the commission on Tuesday, testimony that the opposition presented in the House as fact on Tuesday.

The opposition members are frequently jumping to the wrong conclusions by foolishly commenting on daily testimony. They are making mistakes, and they should wait for Justice Gomery to complete his work.

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, as his mother said, he would do anything for a few extra bucks.

Media reports today state that the Prime Minister's Office is looking for ways to shut down the Gomery inquiry. According to one source, “it remains to be seen if we can actually dump Gomery, but we are working on it”.

We know it shut down the Somalia and APEC inquiries. We know it tried to shut down Krever. It only did this when it was dragged in kicking and screaming. Why would anybody be surprised that the Liberal Party wants to shut down this inquiry too?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister appointed Justice Gomery to do his work. The Prime Minister is appearing before Justice Gomery today, in full cooperation with Justice Gomery's work.

The government has defended Justice Gomery. The only people who are subverting the work of Justice Gomery are the Conservatives who on a daily basis are interfering with the work of Justice Gomery, an independent judicial inquiry.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are doing everything they can to defame the Gomery inquiry. Here they keep asking us to allow Justice Gomery to do his work. Outside the House they talk about how much the inquiry is costing and they make disrespectful comments about Justice Gomery.

After seeing them in action, why should we believe they sincerely support the Gomery inquiry?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is the government has supported Justice Gomery. We are cooperating with Justice Gomery. We have provided him with the resources and the information he needs, including cabinet confidences back to 1993.

We are cooperating with Justice Gomery because we, like Canadians, want to see Justice Gomery complete his report and do his work.

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

Mr. Speaker, I do not know to whom the public works minister is referring when he says, “we are supporting Justice Gomery”. The transport minister refers to the inquiry as water torture. Jean Chrétien's testimony was an insulting comedy act. Former Deputy Prime Minister John Manley has been attacking the investigation.

When will the Liberals walk their talk outside the House and tell people like Warren Kinsella, Jean Chrétien and John Manley to stop attacking Justice Gomery and support the inquiry right through to the end? When will they do that?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, we now learn that the members of Conservative Party are actually against free expression of thought in the country. They want us to tell people who have no direct connection, people like John Manley, people who are not involved in the government anymore, that they do not have the right to express their views as individuals.

Last week they wanted us to interfere and to witness tamper by telling Mr. Chrétien what to say before the inquiry.

This is shocking that an ongoing basis they are willing to on the floor of the House of Commons admit that they do not value individual rights and freedoms in the country.

Social Development

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs promised, “to respect Quebec's experience in this matter”, as Quebec already has a generous child care program. As for the Minister of Social Development, he promised to invest $5 billion over five years.

Given such promises, could the Minister of Social Development tell us whether or not, as of the budget to be tabled on February 23, Quebec will be receiving its fair share of the funding for child care, with no strings attached and without having to wait after the other Canadian provinces?

[Ken Dryden, Liberal, Minister of Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said repeatedly in the House, we will respect the jurisdiction of the province of Quebec. We are respectful of its leadership in early learning and child care, and we will continue to be.

I am optimistic that we can find a way for Quebec to participate in this new initiative.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister says, on the one hand, that he will respect Quebec's jurisdiction and, on the other hand, that all the provinces will have to account to Ottawa.

Is he in favour of Quebec receiving its share, with no strings attached by Ottawa and with full compensation, and administering its own program without the need to follow standards imposed by Ottawa?

[Ken Dryden, Liberal, Minister of Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, I can only repeat the answer I gave before. We have been respectful of the jurisdiction of Quebec, of the leadership that Quebec has taken and of the inspiration that it has provided in the area of early learning and child care. I am optimistic that we will be able to find a way for Quebec to participate.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister appears to be having a hard time with his answers. I am not trying to blindside him. The question is explicit, but I will simplify it for the minister.

Is the Minister of Social Development prepared to sign an agreement similar to the one that was signed for health, which gives Quebec full jurisdiction and full control over that area and recognizes that Quebec is accountable to its own population?

[Ken Dryden, Liberal, Minister of Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, I can only try to simplify my answer. The answer is the same answer. There are conversations coming up this weekend in which the government of Quebec will be present. It has been a constructive member of these discussions. It has added to the experience around the table and I am very confident that we will be able to work out something with the government of Quebec.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, an agreement like the one signed for health is required. I ask the minister again.

Is he prepared to include in the future child care program the right for Quebec to opt out with full compensation, and with no strings attached? That is the question.

[Ken Dryden, Liberal, Minister of Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, we will be meeting with the provinces and territories this weekend. We will not be coming to an agreement. Any kind of understanding will come later, after budget time. Quebec has been a very constructive member of all of this and we expect that we will be able to work out an arrangement with the government of Quebec.

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, no wonder the largest corporation in the world, Wal-Mart, feels that it can throw workers out into the street. Our federal government will not even stand up and use the charter or defend the charter in the Supreme Court from attacks by Wal-Mart.

The federal government must protect workers by invoking the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is important.

My question is for the Minister of the Environment. Why will the minister's officials not acknowledge the amount of money that we are going to be spending buying air in Europe, when a European magazine, expert in the field, says it is $1.4 billion?