House of Commons Hansard #66 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.

Topics

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Parry Sound—Muskoka Ontario

Liberal

Andy Mitchell LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, I hate to correct the hon. member again but the budget did in fact contain tax measures to help with agricultural co-ops. I believe it is on page 143 of the budget if the hon. member wants to look at it.

Alberta and other provinces are announcing a combination of things, not just increased slaughter capacity, which we are there for and which we believe needs to be done, but as well, as we announced back in September, the need to create new foreign markets. It is not just an issue of having increased capacity. It is an issue of having a place in which to sell that capacity. We understand that and we are doing both.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Conservative

Rick Casson Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Mr. Speaker, today was to be a celebration in Canada's cattle industry, but due to the government's complete mismanagement of the BSE crisis, this dire situation has only worsened. Instead of celebrating, once again we are facing the possibility of prolonged closure of the United States border to the movement of live cattle. It is rumoured to be affecting our boxed beef exports as well.

With ill-informed forces outside Canada working to destroy our cattle industry, why have we not seen construction started on at least one new world-class packing facility in Canada? Why have we not seen the establishment of these new secure markets?

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Parry Sound—Muskoka Ontario

Liberal

Andy Mitchell LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, we have been fully engaged with the United States in making the point that the opinion of many in that country is ill-informed. In fact the critic from the hon. member's party was engaged in that process with us. That is why, rather than having the U.S. government opposed to us, in this respect both the USDA and the President are four-square behind Canada in our move to get the border open.

We have seen new plants in Prince Edward Island. We have seen new plants in British Columbia. We will partner with additional new plants across the country.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

Rick Casson Conservative Lethbridge, AB

Mr. Speaker, we all know that the U.S. Senate voted to overturn that USDA rule. It has been political and continues to be a political issue.

There are other outstanding issues the government is not addressing, including the slaughter capacity, and they are the increasing number of cull cows in this country and the harmonization of health standards.

With this politically motivated crisis squarely back in the government's hands and with cattle prices falling through the floor, producers are asking, after two years why the government has not moved to insulate the industry from further destruction by dealing with these outstanding issues. When can they expect some action?

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Parry Sound—Muskoka Ontario

Liberal

Andy Mitchell LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, as I said in the answer to the Leader of the Opposition, $1.9 billion of federal money is dealing with this issue.

In terms of repositioning the industry, we were out there in September with the provinces and with the industry with a repositioning strategy. We will pursue that. There are many issues that need to be dealt with. Older animals is one of them. We are committed to doing that. We will do that working with the industry and with the provinces. We will come up with approaches that will do what they are supposed to do and work to deal with--

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Beauport--Limoilou.

HousingOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Christian Simard Bloc Beauport, QC

Mr. Speaker, despite the promise to invest up to $1.5 billion in social and affordable housing in this budget, the result is nothing, zero. What a disappointment and what a betrayal for everyone who believed the Prime Minister's promises.

During the Liberal convention last weekend, should the Prime Minister not have admitted to his followers that when it comes to social housing it is promise made, tenants deceived?

HousingOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

London North Centre Ontario

Liberal

Joe Fontana LiberalMinister of Labour and Housing

Mr. Speaker, had the member been watching our convention, you would have heard very clearly that the Minister of Finance--

HousingOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

The Speaker

Order. The hon. member I know will want to address his remarks to the Chair.

HousingOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Liberal

Joe Fontana Liberal London North Centre, ON

Of course, Mr. Speaker.

As I indicated to the member, I am sure he was watching the convention. I know that he heard the minister indicate clearly that not only will we invest $1.5 billion, but as we have said before, we continue to invest $2 billion each and every year: $1 billion toward the affordable housing initiative and $1 billion toward our homelessness initiative, including the RRAP. I must say that Quebec is doing very well and we will do more in--

HousingOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Beauport--Limoilou.

HousingOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Christian Simard Bloc Beauport, QC

Mr. Speaker, in fact, I prefer to address my remarks to the Chair than to hear that.

The government's justification in no way changes reality. The government did not honour its promise to invest in social housing, while CMHC has accumulated $3 billion in surpluses.

With regard to social housing, will the Prime Minister finally admit that it is promise made, tenants deceived?

HousingOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

London North Centre Ontario

Liberal

Joe Fontana LiberalMinister of Labour and Housing

Mr. Speaker, the government remains committed. In fact, out of the $1 billion that was initiated back in 2001, $670 million presently exists for the provinces to take advantage.

I am happy to report to the House that just three days ago we signed with the province of Nova Scotia. We have signed with Quebec. We have signed with B.C. We have signed with Saskatchewan. In other words, we are working with the provinces to make sure that the money presently on the table is being spent. We continue to build housing and support people across the country. We will do more.

ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC

Mr. Speaker, the immigration act was amended three years ago now, but the refugee appeal division has not yet been put in place, despite the promises made.

Does the government realize that this is not just a commitment but also a duly enacted legislative measure, which has not yet been implemented over three years later?

ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Eglinton—Lawrence Ontario

Liberal

Joe Volpe LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, we are well aware of the issues before the department. We have said that we will do the appropriate thing in terms of phasing it in as is necessary.

The member should know that the appeals processes are there for everybody and that they work quite well. We are not interested in adding another layer of appeals, but we are looking at this measure.

ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC

Mr. Speaker, the government has missed an excellent opportunity to put the refugee appeal division in place, by not earmarking the necessary funds in its latest budget.

How can the government justify this lack of political will at a time when everyone is calling for the establishment of the appeal division? Once again, a promise made, refugees deceived.

ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Eglinton—Lawrence Ontario

Liberal

Joe Volpe LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, last year 33 refugees were accepted into this country. That is an increase over previous years. I would say, therefore, that the hon. member's claim is not substantiated by the facts. If there are more refugees, it is a matter of a promise made, a promise kept.

ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Diane Ablonczy Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB

Mr. Speaker, the investigative news program W-FIVE has just revealed that the Liberal government is still very much active in bringing young women to Canada as strippers, yet both the Prime Minister and the immigration minister led Canadians to believe the opposite. The Prime Minister told the House, “There is no official program.... It is over”.

Who are Canadians to believe, W-FIVE investigators or the Prime Minister?

ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Eglinton—Lawrence Ontario

Liberal

Joe Volpe LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, the decision was made several months ago. The Prime Minister reiterated the position, then elaborated on by the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. There is no blanket assessment for any exotic dancers. The program does not exist.

Any application by temporary workers comes on a case by case basis. I think the people on W-FIVE indicated that was the case. The Prime Minister made a promise and he kept it.

ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Diane Ablonczy Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB

There is another contradiction, Mr. Speaker. The immigration minister told the House, “We looked at whether we wanted to continue to provide labour market opinion on strippers and the answer was clearly no”. But he told W-FIVE , “We are giving an analysis of this job market”. W-FIVE has exposed the government as untrustworthy because officials have warned for years that bringing in strippers amounts to trafficking in vulnerable young women.

Why is the Canadian government still secretly complicit in the exploitation of women?

ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Eglinton—Lawrence Ontario

Liberal

Joe Volpe LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, all of this rhetoric flies in the face of the reality. There is no such program. I made that clear in the House, as I did on W-FIVE . There is no such program. People can accuse the government of doing anything they want to accuse it of doing, but there is no program to bring in exotic dancers.

CitizenshipOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

James Rajotte Conservative Edmonton—Leduc, AB

Mr. Speaker, Edmonton has been without a citizenship judge for more than eight months and now has a backlog of over 2,000 people waiting to become new Canadians. Instead of actually making a decision and appointing a judge, the government has been occasionally flying in judges from all over the country, but this move has not addressed the backlog.

My question is for the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. Why has it taken eight months to make this appointment? When will the people of Edmonton have a citizenship judge?

CitizenshipOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Eglinton—Lawrence Ontario

Liberal

Joe Volpe LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for acknowledging the fact that the government is acting to address the issue by flying in members of the Citizenship Court to address an immediate need.

I am sure the member would also agree that he would want the government to put in place a merit based system whereby we make all the appropriate appointments and where people fit, with their competency, the requirement of the period. We are in the process of doing that. When that process is completed, we will then make the appropriate appointments.

CitizenshipOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Conservative

James Rajotte Conservative Edmonton—Leduc, AB

Mr. Speaker, the judge who was already appointed, Judge Bhatia, was an excellent judge. He was a non-partisan judge who did a fantastic job, and he is willing to do it again. In fact he is doing it on a voluntary basis as much as he can while the government dithers.

The fact is over thousands of people in Edmonton have had to wait to become official citizens of the country because the government has not acted and has dithered. It is the responsibility of the government to act in this situation.

Why do the people of Edmonton have to wait for eight months to get a citizenship judge? When will they finally get a citizenship judge appointed to deal with this backlog of people waiting to become new Canadians?

CitizenshipOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Eglinton—Lawrence Ontario

Liberal

Joe Volpe LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to see the new found love for immigrants by members of the Conservative Party.

However, we can see that at least they acknowledge the fact that--