The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister.
House of Commons Hansard #27 of the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.
House of Commons Hansard #27 of the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.
Jason Kenney ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I am sure that as taxpayers, Quebeckers—like all Canadians—do not want their money wasted. The firearms registry was a huge waste of money, a waste of over $1 billion dollars, according to the Auditor General.
That is why the government will focus on fighting organized crime and gun related crime. This is why we will keep the handgun registry and increase prison terms for such crimes.
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, the registry helps saves lives, and that is what matters.
Police forces consult the registry over 6,500 times a day, and they were the first to say that the registry is an essential tool for ensuring public safety.
The minister says he wants to improve safety on city streets, so why is he so dead set against a registry that, as everyone knows, helps meet this goal?
Jason Kenney Conservative Calgary Southeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, this government's priority is to protect our fellow citizens against crime, against violent crime, and against gun related crime.
The point of our public safety policy is not really to go after duck hunters who use long guns. That is why, instead of spending $1 billion on this registry, we will introduce a real policy against crimes committed with guns, especially handguns.
Pauline Picard Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of the Environment has run out of arguments and now feels the need to invent them. Yesterday, for example, she stated that Japan was adopting a position on the Kyoto protocol in line with Canada's. In fact, Japan is saying that a more aggressive stand must be taken on climate change without delay.
Does the minister realize that with such statements she is undermining not only her own credibility but also that of her government both here, in Canada, and abroad?
Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, Canada, like many other countries that are involved in the Kyoto talks, has taken the position that there needs to be an assessment of the Kyoto protocol at this point, particularly in light of the fact that under the Liberals we were 35% above target.
I would like the hon. member to know that just yesterday one of the most well respected scientists in Quebec, Dr. Claude Villeneuve, actually said that the plan the Liberals had was doomed to fail, and all experts knew this, and he looks forward to seeing what our party is bringing forward.
Pauline Picard Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, the minister praises the Asia-Pacific partnership. However, the experts say that this agreement is based solely on goodwill, that it does not establish any constraints, deadlines or financial framework.
Will the minister recognize, as do the experts, that in the end this agreement is nothing but a sham.
Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member might like to think about what she said in the question, because Japan is actually one of the key players in the Asia-Pacific partnership, a partnership that she just called an impostor. Some of the largest players on climate change are part of the Asia-Pacific partnership. Right now Canada is focused on our own domestic plan, but yes, countries such as Japan, Australia and the United States have asked Canada to consider participating.
Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Mr. Speaker, the government's gun registry scheme is making an end run around democracy and this Parliament. It does subvert democracy, but I think more important at this point is that it is going to cost millions and millions of taxpayers' dollars, because the government is intent on going ahead outside of the democratic process.
The Conservatives will not bring the legislation forward because they know that if they bring the legislation forward, and they know they have to, they know they are probably going to lose it in the House. They are not going to get the approval of the House.
Will the government table the legislation immediately and will it commit today to abide by the result of the vote on that legislation?
Jason Kenney ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I find it curious that a member of the NDP is complaining about the concrete steps taken by this government to stop the waste represented by the long gun registry, which involved over $1 billion to pursue law-abiding hunters and firearms owners.
He should perhaps consult his own member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley, who said that “the gun registry has not been a positive solution for Canadians” and that “it has faltered as a tool to stop the use of guns for criminal ends. Meanwhile, it has unfairly targeted people who use firearms lawfully”.
Does he agree with his colleague?
Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Mr. Speaker, I get to ask the questions at this point.
The member is missing the point. If the government goes ahead with its scheme now and loses that vote somewhere down the road, it is going to be repeating the same type of mismanagement and the mistakes that the Liberal government made with the program. It is going to spend a lot of money making the changes and then it will have to put it all back.
Again, will the government today commit to abide by the vote when it finally gets the legislation before the House?
Jason Kenney ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
What we are doing, Mr. Speaker, is committing to abide by our political engagement to the Canadian people, part of our electoral mandate, to stop the waste and abuse of hundreds of millions of tax dollars that should have gone to fighting crime on our streets.
The real question that Canadians are asking, particularly rural Canadians, is why the NDP continues to support the wasteful Liberal billion dollar firearms boondoggle when even the member for Winnipeg Centre says that half the NDP caucus is going to vote to abolish it.
Keith Martin Liberal Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments from the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, but he must also recognize that this is Hitler's shadow stalking the earth, that this is the same regime in Iran that has denied the Holocaust and has state sponsored persecution of members of the Baha'i faith. Quite frankly, words are not enough.
I ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs if, at the very least, he has called in the Iranian ambassador to Canada to express Canada's disgust over these actions in Iran.
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the intent of the question, but to pre-emptively call in somebody and express dismay over an allegation would be nothing short of irresponsible. The Islamic fashion legislation has not become law and we are unaware of the specific content of the draft legislation.
Surely, as has been expressed by the parliamentary secretary, we would condemn in the strongest possible terms if in fact this were to happen, but we will be following this issue very closely and responding appropriately in a measured way.
Keith Martin Liberal Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC
Mr. Speaker, Canada's response must be focused, clear, strong and unequivocal. I ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will he bring the matter up at the United Nations Security Council? If this comes to pass, will he then call for an international ban on the purchase of Iranian oil?
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Mr. Speaker, if in fact this allegation and this legislation are verified, then certainly we will respond appropriately. Certainly we will take all measures through the United Nations and through other diplomatic means to express Canada's dismay, along with our international partners.
It would be nothing short of irresponsible to act precipitously, to do as the hon. member is suggesting, to condemn in the strongest possible terms, to follow all diplomatic means, based on one single solitary factor and that is to verify that it is true. The member knows that has to be the case.
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the agriculture minister gave three confusing timeframes for his illusionary money for farmers. In the House he said:
We are putting $950 million today into farmers' hands.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Order. I know hon. members want to hear more, but we have to have some order so we can hear.
The hon. member for Malpeque.
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Mr. Speaker, the minister of course was not factual. In the press conference he said the money would be out in two months. In the press release he said they would not see the money until fall.
The minister knows there is no money today. There is no cash this spring. Will the minister apologize to the House for how he misspoke yesterday? Will the minister admit today that there is no cash this spring?
Jacques Gourde ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, over the balance of the past 13 years did the Liberal Party prove to us that it provided Canadian farmers with a short- and long-term vision for agriculture? We are obliged to say no.
The member for Malpeque is quite mistaken. Our government ordered the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food to start working immediately with farm groups that administer the improved advance payment programs, to double the maximum amount of interest-free loans to $100,000 per Canadian farmer. This does not require any amendments to the act and goes immediately to 1.2—
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Mr. Speaker, does the Minister of Finance or any member of the House believe that farmers can borrow themselves out of debt?
That is what the Minister of Agriculture is doing. He is telling farmers he will give them a little break on interest if they borrow more money, go further into debt. Yesterday's new farm plan was no cash for spring and borrow more money. This does not deal with the farm crisis. It violates your commitment of immediate cash for spring.
Will the minister tell us how many farmers will not qualify for this money?
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Order. The hon. member knows he must address his remarks through the Chair.
Jacques Gourde ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, we should ask the government that was in power at the time and voted against emergency aid of $400 million in 2001 for Canadian farm families. In addition, it voted against assistance for farmers hit hard by mad cow disease.
The Liberals had 13 years to help Canadian farmers and they failed. Our government has made a commitment to farmers. That is why we will ensure that this record payment is made to Canadian farmers this year, and in record time.