House of Commons Hansard #28 of the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was crime.
Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, let us remember how we got into this mess. The Liberal Party of Canada signed the Kyoto accord and then spent years without a plan for implementation and without any action to actually meet those targets.
In regard to our submissions to the United Nations, they are posted publicly. They were posted before I left for Bonn. They were always on the website. If the member needs some help using the Internet, I would be happy to help him with it.
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of the Environment is questioning the validity of the Kyoto protocol because the major partners are not sticking with it. However, 163 countries have stuck with the Kyoto protocol.
Is this not enough countries for the government to consider this accord valid? Is the only valid partner in the Prime Minister's eyes George W. Bush?
Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, the only government that did not support any action to actually implement Kyoto or get anywhere close to our Kyoto targets was the previous Liberal government.
Our government went to Bonn. We have made it possible for Canada to stay at the table and put forward a practical, flexible alternative that is realistic and will show real results for Canadians and real reductions in greenhouse gases.
Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday we had our first smog day. We now have a report from the C.D. Howe Institute indicating that the Liberals' so-called strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions was truly unacceptable. But we already knew that.
Climate change is the greatest crisis Canadians are currently facing. Can the Prime Minister tell us whether people will have to face yet another summer of smog and drought without a real plan for reducing emissions?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, there are two types of problems mixed up in this issue. They are the problem of greenhouse gases—including carbon dioxide—and the problem of pollution. That is why, in our program, we intend to propose measures to deal with pollution and greenhouse gases.
Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, once again we have the Prime Minister suggesting that there is going to be a plan some day down the road to deal with pollution and climate change. The fact is that it is now a critical issue in Canada today.
When he ran for office and sought the opportunity to lead this country, he should have had a plan, as his environment critic of the time said he did have, to take Canada down a path here. In fact, what he has done is dismantle the programs that are in place. He has cancelled all kinds of programs and projects that Canadians were involved in. My question to him is simply this: why will he not lay out some concrete steps that are actually going to make a difference this summer?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, once again, as I said in French, the hon. leader of the NDP is mixing up two subjects, the control of pollution and the control of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases. They are both important problems. In terms of the control of greenhouse gases, he asked for a plan. I would simply note that the budget of this government provided billions of dollars of new money to public transport and subsidies and tax credits for those who use public transit, as well as new money for renewable fuels, and he voted against it. This party voted for those things.
Michael Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS
Mr. Speaker, the government's talk about accountability is at odds with reality. Recently the minister for ACOA told a media outlet that I, an elected member of Parliament, should be careful not to bite the hand that feeds and that I reap what I sow when I ask questions in the House about ACOA.
Does the Prime Minister share his minister's view of this type of accountability?
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Mr. Speaker, what is truly unfortunate is that members opposite get up and make completely unfounded and biased comments about a department that is there to benefit our region of Atlantic Canada. They make unfair suggestions that the hiring practice has changed. In fact, what has happened is that ACOA now uses an open, transparent and inclusive hiring process that is on the website. That is why the member opposite and members of his party do not recognize it.
Michael Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS
Mr. Speaker, that is coming from a member who in opposition never let the facts get in the way of a good allegation.
A minister who threatens to punish constituents when their MP disagrees with him is just wrong, but interference is not limited to federal politics. Last week at a rally for a provincial Conservative candidate in Nova Scotia, he said, “...I can tell you he's going to come knocking and we're going to deliver”.
Will the Prime Minister admit that his government is fully submerged in the cesspool of political patronage to which he once referred?
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is wrong. He made inaccurate allegations in the first instance and stood up in the House and misstated the facts about a position at ACOA having a change in the requirement of the hiring practice. It has not changed. I indicated clearly then, as I do now, that I will look at all applications as the department goes through the process. We will always take into consideration the criteria used previously.
The member opposite should refrain from getting up, simply misstating the facts and misleading Canadians about a department that is working very well for Atlantic Canada, sullying the name of ACOA representatives.
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Speaker, considering the government's recent extension of the Afghanistan mission, and following General Hillier's plea to have tactical airlift as soon as possible, could the minister reassure the House that the government's first airlift acquisition will be the tactical airlift to meet the immediate needs of our forces in Afghanistan?
Gordon O'Connor ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, this government will implement our defence policy in accordance with our policy. When cabinet approves the acquisitions, we will go forward with the proper procurement processes to acquire the equipment.
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Speaker, for reasons of security and sovereignty and to maximize the regional industrial benefits for Canadian industry, previous governments invoked national security exceptions to ensure that maintenance contracts for all our air fleets were handled by Canadian companies.
Could the minister commit today to the Canadian aerospace industry that it will be responsible for the maintenance of any Canadian military aircraft the government will acquire?
Gordon O'Connor ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, the procurement strategy for various pieces of equipment will be determined by the government. I find it strange that the member opposite, who has such an interest in defence, voted against our troops in Afghanistan. He certainly has some interest in the welfare of our troops by his hypocritical act.
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, at the Bonn conference on the extension of the Kyoto accord, the Government of Quebec did not have access to the texts of the Government of Canada, and this is totally unacceptable.
At the meeting of the World Trade Organization, where agriculture and services are being discussed, which could threaten supply management and cultural diversity, will the texts be available this time for the Government of Quebec?
Chuck Strahl ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, our negotiators are busy in Geneva right now, negotiating with the 149 other countries there and trying to get the best deal they can for all of Canadian agriculture. The texts are not prepared by Canadians. They are prepared by the chairmen of the different committees. As they become available and public, of course, they will be discussed in Geneva and I imagine here in the House as well.
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, as I understand that we will not have texts before the accord is nearly final, I ask the following question: can the government reiterate as of now that there is no question of altering in any way the Canadian position at the WTO respecting supply management in agriculture and cultural diversity?
Chuck Strahl ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear. We have been clear in the House and we have been clear in Geneva about our support for supply management. The discussions that are ongoing there involve not only the supply managed industries but access for our export markets as well. The deal we are trying to drive over there is to benefit the entire agricultural sector. We have supported supply management. We have done that in committee, we have done it publicly, we did it during the campaign, and we will continue to support it in the years to come.
Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC
Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, June 4, pilot project No. 6, which extends by five weeks the duration of employment insurance benefits in certain regions, will end, leaving the unemployed to their sad fates.
Can the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development tell us how far she has got in her analysis of the situation and whether she intends this week to announce an extension of these measures or their replacement with permanent measures?
Lynne Yelich ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development
Mr. Speaker, our government has placed a high value on these workers. They are the ones who make us competitive and they are the ones who make us productive. We are reviewing the results of the evaluation as we speak before making any decisions on our options.
Michel Guimond Bloc Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the government that June 4 is in six days. We would like to have the results. Members of the Coalition des sans-chemise, from my riding, are here to remind the minister that the government cannot remain indifferent to their fate.
Do these people not have enough to suffer with seasonal job losses, without going through the anxiety caused by the inability of the minister to settle this question once and for all? These are human beings. These are families that are suffering.
Lynne Yelich ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development
Mr. Speaker, this is part of an evaluation of a five week pilot project. The pilot project is considering several options. They are being considered as we speak and the decision will be made in the next five days.
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Finance continues to deny an obvious truth, I will speak very slowly.
As of July 1, the lowest rate of income tax will be 15.5%, rather than 15%. Obviously, 15.5% is higher than 15%. So, this is an increase in the tax rate, is it not?
Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, all Canadians in all tax brackets will, on average, pay less income tax as a result of the federal budget.
The reductions in taxes are almost $20 billion over the course of the next two years. These are greater tax reductions than the last four Liberal budgets combined.