Debates of Oct. 2nd, 2006

Aboriginal Affairs

[Jim Prentice, Conservative, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly understand the importance of negotiations involving Canada's first nations. We have many constitutional issues, devolution issues under discussion.

I would, however, counsel the hon. member opposite to approach this matter with some caution because when I became minister, one of the first things I did was to terminate the contract of a Liberal, the former premier of Ontario, Mr. Peterson, who was responsible for this file and I appointed Mr. Harvie Andre to deal with it in a responsible way at a fraction of the cost.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I am sure the minister again appreciates the help with his answer, but we have to be able to hear the answer when the minister is asked a question. Now there is going to be a supplementary. Pity the member for Churchill who cannot hear the answer.

The member for Churchill has the floor. We will have some order.

[Tina Keeper, Liberal, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, apparently what the Conservatives meant in the last election was that they would stand up for Canadians who hold Conservative Party memberships. Harvie Andre is just another example of Conservative patronage.

Could the minister explain why he chose a negotiator with no land claims experience to represent the federal government in negotiations with the Northwest Territories?

[Jim Prentice, Conservative, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians]

Mr. Speaker, I am incredulous at this actually.

The important thing about Mr. Andre is that he is a respected Canadian, a former privy councillor, a university professor, a Ph.D., someone with experience in the north. The real thing that happened when I became the minister, if I might be allowed to finish--

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

We will have some order so the minister can give his answer.

Order, please. The minister has the floor.

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

Mr. Speaker, I can confirm in response to the question that I did dismiss Mr. David Peterson, the former Liberal premier of Ontario. I did so because his fees were excessive and his outcomes were non-performing.

International Cooperation

[Caroline St-Hilaire, Bloc, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada's decision to suspend direct aid to the Palestinian Authority worsens the humanitarian crisis and is a hard blow to the medical and education systems. Due to a lack of funds, the Augusta Victoria hospital in Jerusalem, funded primarily by the Palestinian Authority, can no longer continue to function.

Will the Minister of International Cooperation undertake to find another solution so that these funds are channelled directly to the Augusta Victoria hospital?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the Bloc Québécois member that CIDA makes every effort to assist the most needy. As requested by the member, I will look into this matter and provide an answer at a later date.

[Caroline St-Hilaire, Bloc, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

Mr. Speaker, clearly this government moves much more quickly to cut life-saving supplies than to save lives.

Does the Minister of International Cooperation intend to follow the example of the European Union, the United States, the UN and Russia and put in place a temporary international mechanism for delivering aid to Palestinian civilians?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, as the member is well aware, CIDA always delivers aid through multilateral organizations and according to pre-established rules.

Government Programs

[Raymond Simard, Liberal, Saint Boniface, MB]

Mr. Speaker, last Friday we asked the President of the Treasury Board about his statement that his government did not wish to allocate funds to adult literacy. He answered by saying, and I quote, “—it is not too much to ask that when people graduate from high school that they be literate”.

My question for the President of the Treasury Board is this: Are we just going to abandon the 22% of Canadians who do not complete their secondary education?

[John Baird, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, what I did say in response to questions from members opposite was that the quotes attributed to me were in fact not the case. We believe, those of us on this side--

[An hon. member]

You said it in the House. You said it right here.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

What I said was that the comments that he said on Friday were attributed to me were in fact not.

I say to the member for Wascana to just relax. Maybe members opposite could get the member for Wascana on the question period list for tomorrow.

What I do say is that we believe we have to work more effectively in the areas of provincial jurisdiction. We have to ensure that there is no duplication and ensure that we deliver good results and good value for the money of the taxpayers of Canada.

Street Racing

[Bruce Stanton, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, street racing is a very serious problem in our communities, often ending with fatal consequences. Combating street racing requires action at all levels of government. Most provinces impose fines, licence suspensions and vehicle impoundment.

Would the Minister of Justice tell us what steps Canada's new government is taking to protect our roads, highways and communities from this serious criminal activity?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government is getting things done for families and taxpayers by sending a strong message that street racing on Canada's roads and highways will not be tolerated.

Bill C-19 creates a separate offence in the Criminal Code to specifically denounce this type of crime. This proposed amendment increases punishments with regard to minimum driving prohibition and increases periods of imprisonment in street racing situations.

Afghanistan

[Dawn Black, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians recognize that this government is too close to George Bush, especially when it comes to foreign policy. Incredibly, the U.S. Congress is passing a law that will give the President the power to interpret the meaning and application of the Geneva conventions.

Documents show that this government is fully aware of the fact that prisoners we hand over to the Afghans can be given to U.S. authorities.

What assurances is this government seeking that prisoners handed over to Afghan authorities are not sent on to Guantanamo Bay or to secret U.S. prisons?

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we signed a bilateral agreement with the government of Afghanistan. We have been assured by them that any time a prisoner is detained that they will be held under the Geneva conventions to the highest standards. As well, the International Red Cross will be monitoring these detainees and will keep track of them at every possible opportunity.

I urge the member from the NDP to provide some support for our troops in Afghanistan. That party is the one that is calling for our troops to cut and run.

[Dawn Black, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the previous Liberal administration took the U.S. on its word and look what happened to Maher Arar. The Canadian government has not asked to follow up on one single detainee.

Canadians want assurances that our soldiers' values and international law are not compromised if Afghani authorities hand over prisoners captured by Canadians to the U.S.

In light of what happened to Mr. Arar, does the government really trust the U.S. administration to tell the truth about where it holds Canadian captured insurgents?

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, as I outlined in my earlier answer, we have an agreement with the government of Afghanistan. When detainees are captured they are passed on to this particular government.

We have been assured by the President of Afghanistan that all necessary treatment and standards are kept so that these detainees are not injured or harmed and that they are kept out of harm's way.

Literacy

[Bonnie Brown, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week the President of the Treasury Board justified his meanspirited cuts to literacy by blaming those with literacy problems. By referring only to high school graduates, he showed his ignorance of the fact that one in seven Canadians is functionally illiterate and that it is a national problem.

Has the minister noticed that even Conservative premiers are protesting his cuts? Why is he abandoning the vulnerable Canadians who need literacy programs the most?

[John Baird, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, I think in the 35 second answer I gave on Friday, what I did say was that governments across Canada spend some $45 billion a year on education and training. We now have labour agreements with all 10 provinces. We work closely with the territories.

What we want is to have every Canadian learn how to read and write. We want every Canadian to be able to make a productive contribution to Canadian society. The very best way to do that is for the federal government to respect its jurisdiction and to work with the provinces to ensure that we reduce overlap and duplication, whether it comes at the primary, secondary or adult training level of education.

Natural Resources

[Bradley Trost, Conservative, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

Mr. Speaker, since lighting accounts for about 5% of Canadian electricity consumption, would the Minister of Natural Resources please inform this House what he is doing to promote the development of clean technologies for Canadian homes and businesses?