Debates of Oct. 26th, 2006

Aerospace Industry

[Jean Lapierre, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the former government of Canada made a commitment of up to $350 million to the Bombardier CSeries project. Today the spokeswoman for the Ministry of Industry declared that the deal was off because Bombardier pulled the plug on the project. Nothing could be further from the truth. The CSeries project is still being actively considered by Bombardier management.

Will the Minister of Industry deny his spokeswoman's claim and confirm that the Government of Canada still financially supports the CSeries project, and that it still has the $350 million in reserve—?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, in May 2005, it is true, the Government of Canada committed $350 million to support the CSeries project. This support is conditional on Bombardier meeting certain conditions, including the formal launch of the CSeries program. As the CSeries program has not yet been launched, no funds have been disbursed to the company with respect to the CSeries project.

Bombardier has yet to launch the CSeries project. When the company does so and when it fulfills its conditions, this government will honour its agreement.

[Jean Lapierre, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the parliamentary secretary why the Minister's spokeswoman said that everything has to be re-evaluated.

Are the funds in reserve or not?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, what I can say for certain is that the minister's goal is for Canada's aerospace and defence industry to be positioned to be a world leader, with fair opportunities to supply products, components and services. The minister is carefully considering what direction Canada's new government can take to ensure that our aerospace and defence industry reaches its full potential.

The Environment

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this morning, Conservative members ground to a halt the work of the Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development.

The Prime Minister is trying to act as though he had a majority. When the opposition calls him to order, he throws a temper tantrum like a spoiled child, and he sulks.

When he was opposition leader, the Prime Minister said it is Parliament that leads this country, not just the party that has the most seats. He was in favour of democracy at the time and showed at little judgment.

Can the acting chair of the committee assure this House that the committee agenda will allow for fair and responsible work on my bill on Kyoto?

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the agenda of the environment committee ground to a halt today due to Conservative members filibustering the committee. This is shameful and unprecedented.

Clearly the Conservatives do not care about climate change and do not care about the environment. We, as members of the committee, are prepared to deal at our committee with the most important issue of climate change and the most important issues facing the environment.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this is the first time I have received a decent answer to my question.

The party on the extreme right has just reached a new all-time low. This morning, the Conservative members of the Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development filibustered. They trampled the will of this House. They turned their backs on democracy. It is altogether petty, cheap and immoral.

After abandoning Kyoto, after ruining our reputation internationally, after proving that he does not care about future generations, the Prime Minister has shown again today that he detests democracy as much as he detests Kyoto. Why?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, our government tabled a bill that surpasses Kyoto, that addresses climate change and air pollution in an integrated manner. Canadians and Quebeckers want to know if the opposition will agree to discuss that bill in committee.

Health

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health is putting the health of women at risk. This same type of mistake by irresponsible people in the past caused the contaminated blood scandal.

I am asking him, without trying to dodge the issue, to name a single, totally independent expert he used to make his decision. Name one.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Minister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, I can say that many studies were done, and I shall list them.

For example, the Public Health Agency, in collaboration with cancer care agencies in Ontario and Quebec, studied the incidence of cancer. That study has been published in the International Journal of Cancer. It shows that women undergoing cosmetic breast augmentation do not appear to be at an increased long term risk of developing cancer. I rest my case.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am asking the minister to name a single independent expert used for his decision. We are talking about the health of women in Canada.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Minister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, I have answered the question. I gave an example. If the hon. member disagrees with the example, she is entitled to do so, but the facts speak for themselves.

Canada Post

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, last night the House of Commons unanimously passed a Liberal motion ordering Canada Post to restore traditional mail delivery to rural Canadians. Canadians across the country are watching the government carefully to see if the minister keeps his word and respects this motion.

This is a huge issue for our rural communities and any further delay is completely unacceptable. It has been many months. When can rural Canadians expect to see their mail service restored?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, as I have had the opportunity of mentioning, there indeed have been many representations, not only from my colleagues in this caucus but also from members of the House, and last night we did support unanimously a private member's bill.

Of course in the coming weeks we will be able to scope out measures that the House will look at and hopefully will support--

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Provencher, MB]

Unanimously.

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

Yes, unanimously, dear colleague, so that we can get on and protect traditional mail rural delivery in Canada.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Norman Doyle, Conservative, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, on Monday evening, another foreign fishing vessel was caught misreporting its catch on the Grand Banks just outside Canada's 200 mile limit. It was clear that the vessel had over-reported its actual catch of shrimp in order to later catch an illegal amount of Greenland halibut, a species under moratorium.

Can the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans tell the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and all Canadians what has happened since? Is that vessel still breaking the rules in NAFO waters?

[Loyola Hearn, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's question. Our fisheries officers boarded the Spanish boat and found that the captain was misreporting catch. Our colleagues from the EU came on board and verified that. Spain immediately ordered the boat out of the NAFO zone.

When the Liberals were in power, our patrol boats did not have any fuel, relations were bad with the EU and we had a confrontation with Spain. What a difference.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, one year ago, the NDP member for Timmins—James Bay told of the horrors facing the people of Kashechewan. He said, “The school is closed, the health centre is closed and a Health Canada official told the people that it was perfectly safe to bathe their children in E. coli contaminated water”.

One year later, the situation is not much better for the people of Kashechewan. The school is still closed. The children are going to school in Timmins, not at home.

Will the minister tell us what the plan is for the community in the coming year?

[Rod Bruinooge, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians]

Mr. Speaker, a year ago all members of the House were definitely concerned about the situation that was seen in Kashechewan. The people there faced a harrowing experience.

Thankfully, there has been some improvement since then. All residents have returned as of August of this year. Water now meets the Ontario standards.

Our government continues to work with the leadership of Kashechewan, the Mushkegowuk Tribal Council, to find a durable, long term solution to the challenges faced by the people of Kashechewan.

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, where are the new homes? We are coming up to a critical time. The ice roads connecting the village to the rest of Ontario will be accessible to bring in building supplies. The government must commit now to a new community. People in Kashechewan deserve no less.

Will the minister commit to a definite timeline? When will the last new home be built? When will the last students be able to return home and receive schooling in their own community?

[Rod Bruinooge, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians]

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year we appointed Alan Pope as our special federal representative, who is working with the community, the provincial government and all those affected to find a lasting solution. We look forward to working with the community to find options in relocation in the context of a plan to develop a sustainable long term community.

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, despite being on different sides of the conflict at Caledonia, the one thing all the parties agree on is that the federal government has not done enough to resolve the situation. Premier McGuinty said so. Karl Walsh, of the association of provincial officers, and Ken Hewitt, of the Caledonia Citizens' Alliance, said so.

The Minister of Indian Affairs says that resolving land claims is a priority. Why, then, has the minister been AWOL on resolving Caledonia? Is this how he solves priority issues?

[Rod Bruinooge, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians]

Mr. Speaker, our government has been at the table in Caledonia since the beginning. We will continue to work with all parties to find a peaceful solution.

I must be clear that the Government of Ontario did act unilaterally in purchasing the land that is currently in dispute. Of course, policing is still a provincial jurisdiction on that land as well.

We will continue to be involved with all parties to find a lasting solution.