Debates of Nov. 29th, 2006

Health

[Penny Priddy, NDP, Surrey North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is laughable that the Conservatives have announced only two minor projects recently and the minister trumpets them as the saving grace of health care. This is not what Canadians had in mind when they were promised reduced wait times across the board. In fact, the pilot projects do not affect any of the five priority areas identified by the Wait Time Alliance.

The Minister of Health has been ineffective and invisible, and time is running out. The Conservatives will not achieve the meaningful reductions in wait times called for in the first ministers “A 10-year Plan To Strengthen Health Care”. How is the minister going to fix this mess?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the hon. member does not want to suggest that prenatal care on aboriginal reserves is not a priority. I am sure she is not suggesting that diabetes on reserves is not an issue that is incumbent upon all Canadians to be concerned about. We are going to those people who need the most help. We have taken leadership in our own area of competency and jurisdiction. We are leading the way for the country.

If the hon. member wants to be of help, perhaps she can get the NDP in Saskatchewan, who rule the roost in Saskatchewan, to get on board with wait time guarantees, so we can move ahead in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and anywhere else where the hon. member has some--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member for Kitchener Centre.

Minister of Foreign Affairs

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is becoming an international embarrassment at the hands of the Conservative government and it is small wonder. Once again, the foreign affairs minister has shown that he does not know the meaning of diplomacy.

First, he insinuated that a female member of the House was his dog. Several of us heard him. Last night he went further and claimed on television “when you sleep with dogs, you get fleas”. We all know what he was getting at.

When will the foreign affairs minister stop embarrassing all Canadians with this offensive behaviour?

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the foreign affairs minister of Canada is doing an excellent job in representing Canada at international forums. He is standing for the principles that define the government and this country. We are all very proud of him.

Status of Women

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this week the Liberal women's caucus released “The Pink Book”. This groundbreaking policy document addresses several issues that impact women and discusses the challenges that they face in their daily lives. It focuses on modern, forward thinking approaches to these issues.

We in politics, on this side of the House at least, often say that more women are needed in the House, but when Canadian women hear the foreign affairs minister continue to make degrading remarks that go unpunished, do we blame them for simply saying no thanks?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, I want to be very clear. In the caucus of this government we do not have a women's caucus or a men's caucus. We have one Conservative caucus.

We do not have a washed out policy book, a pink book. We have one Conservative policy book. In fact, every member in this caucus and every member of the government, men and women, will stand up and do the right thing for women across Canada.

Government Appointments

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

Mr. Speaker, putting political partisans into the civil service was not one of the Conservatives' five stated priorities, but this week the former policy adviser to Conservative Premier Binns was appointed vice-president of ACOA in P.E.I. Just months ago the former chief of staff to Premier Lord was appointed VP of ACOA in New Brunswick. These appointments are allegedly the result of a legitimate screening process.

Are we really expected to believe that the only qualified candidates to lead ACOA are evacuees from dying or dead Conservative governments in Atlantic Canada?

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

Mr. Speaker, I find it very amusing that a person who in a day from now will be supporting the only Liberal leadership candidate who is dead set against ACOA would be complaining about the hiring. The people who are hired are highly qualified people, including highly qualified and heavily involved women. What does he have against that?

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

Mr. Speaker, we raised this issue in the House a month ago. The minister then said that competent, professional public servants were being put in place. Really?

Members should understand that there are three maritime provinces. In New Brunswick the new vice-president of ACOA is Premier Lord's former chief of staff. In P.E.I. the new vice-president is Premier Binns' former policy advisor. Who is next for Nova Scotia, perhaps John Buchanan?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his suggestion. We will certainly take note of it.

Judicial Appointments

[Carole Freeman, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on November 10, the Minister of Justice announced that he had decided arbitrarily to alter the make-up of the judicial selection committee and the candidate rating scales.

Instead of making reforms in secret, why does the Minister of Justice not re-establish the subcommittee on the process for appointment to the federal judiciary, created at the request of the Bloc Québécois during the 38th Parliament, which could make impartial recommendations to depoliticize the judicial appointment process?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is very important to add people to the committee who have a real and practical knowledge of the criminal justice system. Certainly, the Liberal critic for democratic reform said it was consistent with that motivation and the NDP justice critic also agreed with that position.

[Carole Freeman, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice has decided that a police officer should sit on every selection committee, in addition to the three members already named at his discretion. In this way, the minister is ensuring that he controls the committee.

Why is the minister trying to take over the judicial selection process? Is he hoping to appoint friends who share his vision of justice?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member should get her facts straight. These are in fact police officers who are appointed by police associations, not the minister.

Regional Economic Development of Canada

[Jean-Claude D'Amours, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Speaker, in order to help the Atlantic regions, financing must be provided to our entrepreneurs. However, ACOA no longer has funds available for programs such as the SEED capital program and the women in business initiative. The communities of Kedgwick and Baker Brook, which are presently going through tough times, are crying for help. The village of Baker Brook has turned to ACOA to find solutions.

Will the minister finally approve financing for the village of Baker Brook or will he continue to play petty politics with a community in need of assistance?

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

Mr. Speaker, we recognize on this side of the House that in communities across Canada, whether they be in the Maritimes, out west, in Ontario, Quebec, or in the north, it is incredibly important that economic development and economic growth be a priority.

In my province, we learned a lot. We learned what happens when one overgoverns, overregulates and overtaxes. We saw the damage that Bob Rae did to Ontario. The member opposite could be part of the solution if he could go to Montreal and his convention and ensure that Bob Rae does not have the opportunity to do to Canada what he did to Ontario.

United Nations

[Luc Harvey, Conservative, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we have always known that no Canadian government, either Liberal or Conservative, has ever accepted the wording of the United Nations draft declaration as it now reads, as indicated in the Canadian Press article of September 27, 2003, and the Globe and Mail article of September 26, 2003, and for very good reason.

Can the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development tell this House why the draft declaration is unacceptable and what Canada's new government is doing about it?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. I agree with him entirely.

During yesterday's vote, it became clear that many countries, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States, have concerns and want to continue consultations. In total, 107 countries want greater clarity and want the declaration to fulfill its goal of effectiveness.

This new government is deeply committed to producing such a document.

Broadcasting Industry

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, hosting political fundraisers for the heritage minister certainly seems to be paying off for the broadcasters. They are in Ottawa with a whole wish list of regulatory changes. They want to impose a TV tax on Joe Public. They want to open the airwaves to all commercials all the time, and of course, they want Cancon rules to be the same as YouTube.

My question is for the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Given the regulatory free ride the broadcasters already enjoy, why would she put the interests of the people who hold her fundraisers ahead of the needs of Canada's domestic television production sector?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, it amazes me that the critic does not understand that it is the CRTC that is having these hearings, not the Minister of Canadian Heritage. In fact, if he has a problem with legitimate fundraising, maybe he would like to return the money he received and his leader received from the artistic community.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, another swing and an ethical miss. If the heritage minister does not know the difference between receiving a donation from industry and having industry host fundraisers in her boardroom, then God help Canada's artistic sector.

Let us get back to the point. She is dragging her feet on renewing the television fund. She is dragging her feet on the new media fund. She is dragging her feet on the video fund. Meanwhile, broadcasters have declared open season on Cancon.

Why would she impose a television tax on viewers while doing nothing to promote domestic Canadian television content?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, obviously for that member, consistency is not important. He said that regarding fundraisers, a critic should not be receiving funds. As I just said, he himself has received funds from artists, photographers, creators and musicians. He would then support us in our movement. He would work positively on committee when it was working on broadcasting issues. In fact, instead of misleading the House and Canadians, he would recognize he has his work to do as well.

Canadian Wheat Board

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday during a question of privilege we forced the minister to allow discussion by the Wheat Board before the standing committee, a partial reinstatement of freedom of speech. However, the minister has failed to table his letter ordering the Wheat Board to take down from its website its analysis of the minister's discredited task force. The government continues a campaign of intimidation and suppression of information and a flood of propaganda utilizing the federal bureaucracy.

When will the minister lift his gag orders and allow freedom of expression by the board?

[Chuck Strahl, Conservative, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Malpeque knows full well that every member of the Canadian Wheat Board is free to speak out, on their own dime of course. They should not be using farmers' money for that.

Speaking of intimidation, one thing we will not do to intimidate farmers is we will not put them in handcuffs and drag them off to jail.