House of Commons Hansard #81 of the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was money.
Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, with regard to nuclear power, my colleague should remember that, in 1970, when a choice had to be made, they had to choose between a clean and renewable form of energy and another form of energy.
As for the plan, I invite our colleagues to read the bill that has been tabled. They should follow the lead of the PQ and support the clean air bill. They should consider the option; it could be helpful.
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, the very first step the government took toward the people of Kashechewan was to rip up a signed agreement with them.
Now, through Mr. Alan Pope, the government is making all kinds of promises to entice them to leave their territory. One of the promises Mr. Pope made was that they will be able to go home to hunt and fish on their traditional lands. There are no roads to Kashechewan, and try getting a flight out of Timmins to Kashechewan if one is poor.
I think it does stretch credulity to think INAC will be in the business of maintaining flight service for people to go to their hunting territories.
The people of Kashechewan want to know, what kind of financial commitment will the government put on the table today to guarantee that they will have long term flights to their territories?
Rod Bruinooge ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Alan Pope has brought forward an independent report and an assessment of the situation in Kashechewan. That has been something that he took into account from many members of the community with considerable consultation. It has been well received by all those who have read the report.
We look forward to putting it in front of the people of Kashechewan and allowing them to make a decision on their future.
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, continuing on, Mr. Pope said that there was no economic viability in the region. He should tell that to all the mining companies and the diamond prospectors flocking into the Mushkegowuk territory to find another billion dollar project like Victor.
I think it is really convenient to remove people from the land who have section 35 rights, rights that were guaranteed through the Delgamuukw Supreme Court decision to have an economic component.
Is the government willing to enter into a guaranteed treaty with the people of Kashechewan that if they leave their territory they will still maintain economic rights to their traditional lands?
Rod Bruinooge ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians
Mr. Speaker, it is important to remember that it is the people of Kashechewan who will make this decision for themselves. We as a government want to allow for all first nations aboriginal people to have the liberty to choose how they would like to live their lives in the future.
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
Mr. Speaker, let us get back to broken promises, beginning with the mother of all broken promises.
Loudly and repeatedly, the Conservatives promised they would never tax income trusts, and last week that is precisely what they did. As a consequence of this broken promise, a million Canadians, who had taken the government at its word and invested in income trusts, lost more than $20 billion.
How can Canadians believe anything the government says?
Diane Ablonczy ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows very well that his own government botched this whole situation, a situation that was a real threat to the Canadian economy and, particularly, a threat to taxpayers because if corporations are not paying their fair share, then everyone suffers.
The member will know that the situation has changed dramatically in the last few months in a way that was not anticipated. The government took action. It could have preserved its own political credibility and refused to take action and hurt the country but we chose to do the right thing.
Don Bell Liberal North Vancouver, BC
Mr. Speaker, here is another broken promise.
Before the election the Conservatives said they would demand that the U.S. government play by the rules on softwood lumber and return more than the $5 billion in illegal softwood lumber tariffs to Canadian producers. Nothing less would do. However, the agreement they signed with the U.S. did not get all of Canada's money back. They did not tell the truth. They even went so far as to leave a $1 billion tip for the U.S.
How can Canadians believe the government?
Helena Guergis ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question but of course I do not agree with him.
Our party and our government have been focused on delivering to the softwood lumber industry because it has been devastated due to the lack of attention and inability of the previous Liberal government to reach a settlement agreement that would benefit the softwood lumber industry.
What we are seeing is a return of over five billion Canadian dollars to the softwood lumber industry, which is something it will use to reinvest and keep its head above water, something the Liberal Party was unable to accomplish.
Tina Keeper Liberal Churchill, MB
Mr. Speaker, here is another broken promise.
During the election Canadians were duped into believing a Conservative government would honour the Kelowna accord, but that promise was broken with the Conservative budget which cancelled the $5.1 billion agreement.
The Conservatives claimed the money was never booked, but one of its own MPs has admitted the money was there. The only way that money could have been taken off the books was by the finance minister or the Prime Minister.
Why has the government broken its promises to aboriginal Canadians?
Rod Bruinooge ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians
Mr. Speaker, as we have heard quite recently, the member for LaSalle—Émard stated at committee that there was no Kelowna accord, there was no signature page and, in fact, the money was not there. There were $25 billion in promises, promises that the Liberals had no intention of keeping. Our government is moving forward with real plans for aboriginal people backed up by real dollars.
Belinda Stronach Liberal Newmarket—Aurora, ON
Mr. Speaker, here is yet another broken promise by the minority Conservative government.
During the last election the Prime Minister signed a pledge to work for the equality of women, but last month the government did just the opposite. Not only did it cut 43% of the budget of the department for the Status of Women but it removed equality from the mandate of the women's program.
Why did the Prime Minister break his promise to the women of Canada?
Bev Oda ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women
Mr. Speaker, we have to understand that if women are continually told they are not equal, they will continue to believe that. We say that everyone in Canada is equal. We recognize there are challenges and barriers. We will use taxpayers dollars to ensure that all women have equal opportunity and can participate as equal citizens.
Pauline Picard Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, despite what the Minister of Foreign Affairs says, cuts of $12 million have hurt the public diplomacy fund, with the result that the Canadian cultural centres in London and Paris have become empty shells. The minister's explanation for this is that the money earmarked for the fund has not been cut, but is being reassessed.
Is the fact that these two centres still have not received their grants not further proof that the minister has decided simply to cut the public diplomacy fund?
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question. Clearly, we have no intention of closing the Canadian cultural centre in Paris. Foreign tours by artists are supported mainly by the $4.7 million arts promotion program. In addition, my colleague, the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, has announced that the Canada Council's budget will be increased by some $50 million over the next two years.
Pauline Picard Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, is the minister aware that, because of the uncertainty and delays around grants for the cultural centres in London and Paris, tours have been refused and some activities have been discontinued? Does he deny that?
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Mr. Speaker, I repeat, the government has no intention of closing arts centres. We have to find a way to improve efficiency and effectiveness in every program, in every department. I know that the hon. member is interested in promoting the arts in Quebec and across the country. I encourage the member to get involved in the programs this year by suggesting ways to promote the arts.
Thierry St-Cyr Bloc Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada opposes the Minister of Justice's plans to change, without consultation, the current judicial appointment process and the membership of the selection committee.
Are the minister's true intentions not simply to give himself full discretion to appoint whomever he chooses, thus politicizing the judicial appointment process even further?
Rob Moore ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, the judicial advisory committees provide the minister with advice on judicial appointments. We are very proud to be expanding the scope of the judicial advisory committees to include police officers, who we all agree play a very important part in our judicial system.
Thierry St-Cyr Bloc Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
Mr. Speaker, in June 2005, the Bloc Québécois achieved the creation of a special committee whose mandate was to improve transparency in the judicial appointment process. The committee did not have the time, however, to complete its work.
Instead of going ahead with these reforms surreptitiously, why does the Minister of Justice not bring back this committee, which could make impartial recommendations after consultation?
Rob Moore ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, our government firmly believes in broadening the number of voices that we listen to for input on recommendations for potential judges. We know the Liberals in the past used judicial appointments as plum patronage positions. This will not be the approach of this government.
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Mr. Speaker, let us return to the party of broken promises.
In its campaign platform the Conservative Party promised to cut taxes for all Canadians, yet on July 1 Canadians received a nasty little surprise in their pay package when they noticed that the cut had turned into the hike for virtually all taxpayers as it started at the lowest bracket.
Why does the government give peanuts on one hand and take billions out of taxpayers on the other hand? What does the government have against just telling the truth?
Diane Ablonczy ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, it is hard to know what the member is talking about because our budget delivered more tax relief for Canadian taxpayers than the four previous Liberal budgets. In fact, we are delivering $20 billion in tax relief for Canadians over the next two years. The Liberals should be celebrating this instead of criticizing it.
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, here is yet another broken promise.
Before appointing three former lobbyists to his cabinet, including the defence minister, before giving lobbyists senior positions in the PMO and ministerial offices, and before allowing ministers' staff to leave their offices to lobby their old bosses just days later, the Prime Minister promised that he would close the revolving door between government and lobbyists.
Why did he break this promise and reinstall this revolving door at the entrance of the PMO?
John Baird ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, the government and the Prime Minister brought forward to Parliament, in its very first piece of legislation, the most comprehensive lobbyist reform ever brought about not just in Canada but indeed the western world.
We want to impose a five year ban on those who work as ministerial assistants as well as senior public office holders. We want to require every single contact to be reported and made public on the Internet. These are real reforms. Canadians were tremendously disappointed at the corruption in the Liberal government.