Debates of Oct. 30th, 2006

National Defence

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

Mr. Speaker, the NDP has learned that the chief of the air staff had serious concerns about the emphatic language used to counter suggestions that Canada would be deploying CF-18s to Afghanistan. Internal emails state, “CAS is concerned that this statement has painted us into a corner for the future, if for instance, our allies who currently provide support pull out and leave...”.

Could the minister please explain why his generals were concerned by the categorical denial that CF-18s were to be deployed?

[Gordon O'Connor, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, there has been no recommendation to deploy CF-18s. They will not be deployed unless there is an operational requirement. At this time, there is no operational requirement.

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

Mr. Speaker, the chief of the air staff and the embassy in Washington were pretty sure that Canada would need CF-18s in Afghanistan, but the minister has indicated he knew nothing of the issue. Yet his department ordered up a million dollar, sole source contract to ready the fighter planes.

Earlier this year, we heard repeated denials that the Leopard tanks would be deployed, yet they were.

The minister has admitted he did not read his briefing book.

Is this just another example of the minister not really knowing what is going on in his department?

[Gordon O'Connor, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, recently we made a commitment to NATO that we will have six CF-18s ready for NATO if it requires us. That is why the money was spent to fix up these CF-18s.

The Environment

[John Godfrey, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government's muzzling continues. For the first time ever, Canada's minority Conservative government is refusing to include environmental, aboriginal and industry representation in the official delegation to the next Kyoto conference in Nairobi.

Including these groups was a practice started 14 years ago. Is the environment minister expecting so much controversy at the Kyoto conference that she just does not want any real environmentalists around to contradict her?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

In fact, Mr. Speaker, our government appreciates all of the consultations we have, both with industry and with environmental groups. In fact, more than 80 Canadian organizations are accredited observers in Nairobi. I understand that at this point 31 of them are confirmed to be attending to date. We not only look forward to consulting with them here before we leave, but we will also be giving briefings on location in Nairobi.

[John Godfrey, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, since the government will not amend its no fly list to include environmental groups as part of the Canadian delegation, what about members of Parliament? Canadians deserve to be represented at this important international conference by parliamentarians who actually believe in Kyoto, not just by Kyoto's enemies.

Will the minister include representatives of all parties in the Canadian delegation, as has been the case every time in the last 14 years?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I think he is fishing for an invite to Kenya, but what I will say is that we continue to work with all opposition parties on the Canadian submission on these issues.

We look forward to hearing from the members about their views before we leave so that we can make sure we represent Canada on the international stage, including all of the concerns the opposition has. I would ask the member to please approach me at any time with his concerns.

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we know that some of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases in Canada are Ontario's coal-fired electricity plants. Canada's minority government is ignoring that fact. Ontario is still waiting for the $540 million that was set aside by the previous Liberal government to help it close those plants.

Why has the minority Conservative government not paid its share to shut down coal-fired electricity production in Ontario?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, as members know, we have introduced legislation that would apply to all the industry, including the electricity sector. We will be talking with the OPG, the Ontario Power Generation, about the concerns we have about not only the greenhouse gas emissions that they have but also the pollution issues coming out of the electricity sector.

I would encourage the hon. member to work with us and encourage Ontario to come to the table to support the new regulations we will be putting in place.

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Ontario had a clean, clear, specific deal: $540 million from the federal government to shut coal-fired electricity production down.

The minister knows that the $540 million had nothing to do with transfers, equalization, health care, education or any other support from the federal government to the Ontario government. This is something that will really deliver clean air for Ontario.

When will the minister deliver the money? Where is Ontario's money?

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I know the premier of Ontario is grumpy about some things but the one thing he should not be grumpy about is the funding of the Canada-Ontario agreement which is fully funded in budget 2006. Not only that, but we recently signed an agreement on the collection of corporate taxes that will save businesses in Ontario $100 million a year.

Not only that, but the Canada-Ontario agreement, thanks to the Prime Minister, was extended for an additional year. It is now six years fully funded.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, aboriginal housing is so dilapidated and in such disrepair that in a number of areas you would think you were in the third world.

Given that aboriginal housing is a federal responsibility, the lack of interest of the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development in the inhumane living conditions of aboriginal peoples is scandalous.

With surpluses accumulating, how could the government show up empty-handed at the Mashteuiatsh forum and have nothing better to say than, and I quote the member for Lévis—Bellechasse, “everything is already in the works”.

[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, the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development was very proud to be a co-sponsor of the socio-economic forum at Mashteuiatsh. He took part in a meaningful way and was very proud to be a part of the deliberations there.

In relation to housing, the minister has moved forward with one of the largest announcements we have seen in many years: $300 million for northern housing and $300 million for off reserve housing.

We are taking action and we are very proud of that.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, one of the major issues discussed at this forum was the dire shortage of housing on reserves, an area of federal jurisdiction.

How is it that the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development , who has responsibility for aboriginal peoples, was not in attendance at the forum on the very day that the housing shortage on reserves was debated in a workshop?

[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, the Minister of Indian Affairs was very proud to be a co-sponsor of this event. Meaningful things came from this event, including deliberations on housing.

Our government has moved forward with important funding announcements: $300 million for northern housing, $300 million for off reserve housing, as well as a $450 million package, which is one of the largest investments we have seen in the last 10 years.

The Environment

[Jean Lapierre, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after tearing up Kyoto, this government is now rejecting the Stern report, which proposes an emergency plan to prevent the anticipated disasters due to global warming.

Despite another red alert, why is the government continuing to stick its head in the sand and refusing to do anything before 2050? That will be much too late.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, the report stresses that there has been a lack of progress made worldwide on this issue. In fact, it is something our government has said clearly and repeatedly from the beginning that there has been a lack of progress in Canada under the previous government, particularly in relation to the Kyoto protocol.

The report also says that, “strong deliberate policy decisions need to be made to motivate change”.

What we need are regulations. We need to regulate industry to cut its pollution and its greenhouse gases, which is exactly what the government is doing.

Skilled Trades

[Peter Goldring, Conservative, Edmonton East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, as we know all too well, in economically heated market areas across Canada there is a great need for skilled tradespeople.

On this National Skilled Trades Day, could the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development tell the House what initiatives Canada's new government has taken to encourage more Canadians to enter into apprenticeships and the skilled trades?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, we recognized more and more that Canada's growth would be dependent upon people entering the skilled trades, from welders and carpenters to hairstylists and chefs, which is why, within the first 100 days of taking office, Canada's new government introduced three bold new initiatives that will benefit over 800,000 apprentices and tradespeople.

The apprenticeship incentive grant, the apprenticeship job creation tax credit and the tradespeople's tool tax deduction are just three examples of how Canada's new government is taking action.

The Environment

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, we are back to the British government report which says that unchecked global warming will devastate the world economy on the scale of the Great Depression. The report says that the world could lose up to 20% of GDP if greenhouse gases continue to rise.

Now that the first comprehensive economic based report on climate change has been completed, does this do what those countless other scientific studies could not, which is to force the environment minister to take climate change seriously as an environmental and as an economic issue?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, what motivated us to take serious action was the call from Canadians. They were worried about smog days and about the increase in greenhouse gases by up to 35% under the former government, which is why we have already moved to regulate every industry sector across the country for both greenhouse gases and air pollution.

That is the kind of deliberate policy choice that will motivate change and the kinds of policy decisions that this report calls for.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister's climate change plan just does not cut it. It needs a major overhaul and the NDP is willing to help.

The Stern report says that climate change is the greatest market failure the world has ever seen. British Prime Minister Tony Blair says that unless we act now, not some time in the distant future but now, these consequences will be irreversible.

The U.K. Prime Minister gets it. The NDP gets it. It is just the environment minister who does not. Will the Minister of Finance look past the oil patch and toward the future? Will he make a real plan for climate change?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with all members of this House on our new legislation that would regulate both greenhouse gases and pollution. It is what Canadians want and what Canadians deserve. If the NDP members have good ideas, I look forward to hearing from them.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, since January, politics is rampant in ACOA, in the timing of announcements, the minister's arrogant attitude toward criticism and in the appointment to key public service positions. The former chief of staff to former premier Lord in New Brunswick has been appointed the vice-president of ACOA. Now we hear a political operative from Premier Binn's office will be appointed to a similar position in P.E.I.

Are Atlantic Canadians really expected to believe that the only qualified people to lead ACOA reside in the offices of tired Conservative premiers? Will the Prime Minister assure this House that he will not parachute any more partisans into a comfortable landing at ACOA?