Debates of May 18th, 2006

National Defence

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

The Leader of the Opposition, a supplementary question.

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it is always the same partisan politics.

Yesterday when she was answering a question, the Minister of the Environment displayed a blatant lack of respect toward the House. She said, and I quote, “it is too bad we used taxpayer dollars” to pay for opposition participation in ministers' business trips, as though her own trip did anything for the environment.

Can the Prime Minister assure us that his government will stop scorning the privileges of all members of this House, and will finally respect our vote on Kyoto?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of the Environment did an excellent job of representing Canada in Bonn.

For the first time in a long time, we have a Minister of the Environment who tells it like it is. She expressed herself truthfully before the international community by saying that the previous government failed utterly with respect to the Kyoto protocol, because greenhouse gas emissions had risen 35%, despite targets that were—

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

The hon. member for Bourassa.

Prime Minister

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the Conservatives have decided to take an arrogant and disrespectful attitude toward our cradle of democracy: the Parliament of Canada.

My question is directed to the Prime Minister, but it could also be directed to Mini-Me.

This Prime Minister chose to ignore a motion on Kyoto passed by this House. This Prime Minister is completely dismissing decisions by the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates with respect to his friend and bagman, Gwyn Morgan.

So, instead of behaving like a little Napoleon—

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

The hon. member's time has expired.

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister.

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

I have no idea what he is talking about, Mr. Speaker. Let me point out that, last night, for the first time in 60 years, the hon. members were given the opportunity to vote on the deployment of Canadian forces overseas.

The hon. member and many of his colleagues, including the critics for foreign affairs and defence, voted against the mission of our troops in Afghanistan, which is to maintain peace and protect human rights. In doing so, the Liberal Party has proven itself irresponsible.

Older Workers

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today, workers from Huntingdon and Montmagny are on the Hill to demand an income support program for older workers.

Through an amendment, the Bloc Québécois forced the government to add to the throne speech a mention of the importance of setting up such an assistance program.

In the budget, the government indicated its intention to create such a program. The Minister of Human Resources and Social Development recently said that she was studying the matter. Today, it is high time to move from talk to action.

Will the Prime Minister finally decide to act and create an income support program for older workers, who have long been calling for such a program?

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

Mr. Speaker, as was announced in budget 2006, we are very pleased to recognize the contributions of older workers and the need to, wherever possible, keep them in the workforce, whether that is through retraining or mobility methods. That is why I was so pleased when the Prime Minister announced that we will be conducting a feasibility study into ways to assist older workers.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the time for talk is over. The Prime Minister has no excuse, and neither does this minister.

The feasibility studies have already been carried out. The costs of such a program are known. All that is left is to put the program in place. Will the Prime Minister, who says he leads a government that makes decisions to act, prove it now by taking the necessary steps to help older workers? Everything is ready. The Minister of Finance has even been provided with the costs. The people across the way need to wake up.

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

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite knows that this issue has broad implications for a lot of people right across this country. That is why we are going to make sure that the decisions we make are based on a broad range of consultations. As well, they are going to meet the needs of older workers while respecting the value of taxpayers' dollars.

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

Before proceeding to the next Bloc question, I neglected to give the hon. member for Bourassa his supplementary question.

The hon. member for Bourassa.

Prime Minister

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the government's very partisan Mini-Me.

This is the Prime Minister who said that even if we voted against it, he would still go ahead. We will do democracy some other time. The day before yesterday, the Prime Minister thumbed his nose at democracy and this Parliament on the Kyoto protocol issue and with regard to his friend Gwyn Morgan. Now his Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and his Conservative pawns in the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development are getting in on the act. These are the people who decided yesterday, most disrespectfully, not to appear before the committee to discuss the government's position. Even if they do not have a position, they still have to be there.

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again, I did not hear the question.

Last night's vote took place with the unanimous consent of all members and all parties, including the party to which the hon. member who asked the question belongs. The real question is why the Liberal foreign affairs and national defence critics voted against our troops' mission in Afghanistan, a mission that they themselves set in motion as members of the Liberal cabinet. Why place our troops in harm's way by sending them overseas if they do not support—

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

The time allocated to the honourable Parliamentary Secretary has expired.

The hon. member for Chambly—Borduas.

Older Workers

[Yves Lessard, Bloc, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this is further to the question of the Bloc leader. Hundreds of families, caught up in the massive layoffs and who can no longer count on an income support program for older workers as in the past, are in a very difficult situation.

The problem is widely known and the solutions have been identified. All the government has to do is make a decision. Why is the Prime Minister, who wants to make it look as if the government is capable of making decisions, leaving these workers high and dry? What is he waiting for before coming to their assistance?

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

Mr. Speaker, we are not waiting. We are taking positive action. I was pleased to have my staff meet with some of the people who were here on the Hill today. They received over 100 letters from these people. They also took the time to listen to their ideas and to receive their recommendations. I look forward to hearing them.

[Yves Lessard, Bloc, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we know that the minister is capable of having meetings, but can she make decisions?

Yesterday, the government pushed for a decision on Afghanistan and, even though not all the information was available, the Prime Minister went ahead nonetheless. Today, we are talking about helping older workers who have lost their jobs and all the information is available, all the studies have been done, but the government is hesitating and not giving an answer.

What will it take for this government to help older workers who are the victims of massive layoffs?

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

Mr. Speaker, we do recognize the importance of older workers. That is why we are going to take the time to review the documentation that is out there. We have received several recommendations. We want to make sure we get the best one. We are going to take the time to make sure we make the best decision, the one that is in the best interests of older workers and value for taxpayers' dollars.

Prime Minister

[Jack Layton, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Speaker, why is there such contempt for hon. members and elected officials on the part of this government and the Prime Minister? We know he will only respect the decisions of the House when it suits his agenda. In other cases, he will disregard them. Just look at the Kyoto protocol and the appointment of Mr. Morgan. We know that a few Liberals supported his position on the war and now the Prime Minister will accept that decision.

Why such contempt for democracy?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is quite the opposite. For the first time, the Prime Minister has given a committee of this House the opportunity to question Mr. Morgan, a highly qualified man. The committee did not accept Mr. Morgan, who was named the best businessman in Canada, and the Prime Minister withdrew his nomination.

Last evening, he kept his word with the vote on the mission in Afghanistan. The real question is why is the NDP against Canada's role overseas?

[Jack Layton, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the fundamental question here is respect for Parliament and democracy.

The Prime Minister has demonstrated very clearly that he has no respect for this House. The only time he will accept its decisions is when the House agrees with him. Other times he is going to reject the decisions of democratically elected representatives.

With respect to the nomination of Mr. Morgan, he did not like our point of view so he rejected it. In fact, he threw out the whole idea because apparently he cannot find anyone else to fill the spot.

On the issue of climate change, a most fundamental issue that we have to deal with, he rejects the House's view.

When the Liberals help him out on the war, he is all--

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister.

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, being lectured on democracy by the head of the NDP is a remarkable thing.

I heard that member say the other day on the way into the Morgan hearing that his member was going to “tear Gwyn Morgan apart”. Sure enough, those members did a hit and run, a partisan lynching, of Canada's top business leader, for no reason other than to score cheap political points. This government listened to the committee and took back that nomination.

Last night Parliament voted in favour of the mission in Afghanistan. The question is--

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

The hon. member for Mount Royal.