Debates of May 29th, 2006

Schizophrenia

[Steven Fletcher, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to invite members of the House to join me in recognizing Schizophrenia Day. In celebration of this day, many different organizations will be holding walks and other events in order to raise funds to fight this illness.

I am pleased to note that through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research our government is funding over $54.1 million in mental health and addiction research. About one in 100 people will develop schizophrenia during their lifetime. Thankfully it is treatable with proper therapy and support. Therefore, those affected can go on to lead productive lives.

As hundreds of Canadians come together to mark this day with various events, I am pleased to extend my support to this important cause and I invite members of the House of Commons to do the same.

Indonesia

[Johanne Deschamps, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a year and a half after the Christmas 2004 tsunami that caused hundreds of thousands of deaths in many areas surrounding the Bay of Bengal, Indonesia has been struck by another tragedy.

Last Saturday, an earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale shook the island where Jakarta is located, causing more than 5,000 deaths, according to initial reports.

Unfortunately, that number is likely to rise since it is very difficult, if not impossible, to access most of the villages that were most seriously damaged by the earthquake.

In addition to the 5,000 deaths, more than 20,000 people have been injured and 200,000 have been left homeless.

Unlike what happened after the 2004 tsunami, we hope that the aid promised by the international community will reach the people who need it and that it will bring some relief to their suffering so that they may resume their normal lives as soon as possible.

Search and Rescue

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the actions of the pilots and swimmers of the United States Coast Guard who courageously risked their lives in rescuing five Canadian sailors in distress deep in the Atlantic Ocean late Saturday night.

The sailors, two of whom are constituents of mine and another who is the father of one of my staffers, were trapped in severe weather and sea conditions some 300 nautical miles from shore. Despite this extreme range, the United States Coast Guard immediately mounted and flawlessly executed a search and rescue operation involving Falcon and C-130 fixed wing aircraft and a Black Hawk helicopter. I am told that the Black Hawk pilots, the swimmer and the winch operator displayed particular bravery under these dangerous conditions.

On behalf of this House, I offer my heartfelt thanks to the men and women of the United States Coast Guard.

Père-Edgar-T.-LeBlanc School

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Beauséjour, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to the House today about a class project put together by the students of two grade 6 classes at Père-Edgar-T.-LeBlanc School in Grand Barachois. Marc Cormier and Rémi Petitpas proudly submitted a few written quotations, declaring the students' attachment to Canada. Here are a few excerpts.

Venyse McGraw wrote, “In Canada, we have our freedom thanks to our veterans who risked their lives to save our country. There are many beautiful, interesting things to visit in Canada. We all have the right to be respected and accepted by others—”

Mathieu LeBlanc wrote, “I am very proud to be Canadian because we have more rights than other countries... We are safe—”

Josée LeBlanc said, “I am proud to be Canadian because we have no war. We have many different nationalities. We help other countries—”

This next generation will most certainly uphold our fundamental values of freedom and tolerance.

Accountability Act

[Ken Epp, Conservative, Edmonton—Sherwood Park, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it was my privilege to work on the special subcommittee that was charged with developing the code of conduct for parliamentarians. Never in our deliberations did we think that frivolous complaints to the Ethics Commissioner would reach the level that they now have.

Liberal members of Parliament have recently launched a number of frivolous and vexatious complaints. The purpose of the accountability act and the work of the Ethics Commissioner is to bring those into line who behave inappropriately, not to help promote the Liberal political agenda.

It is shameful of the Liberals to use this process to try to undermine the reputations of their political adversaries. Every one of their complaints has been found to be without ground when investigated. Could it be that they are using this tactic to deflect from the massive moral failure in their own camp when they were in power? Shame on them.

I hope the members for Ajax--Pickering, Malpeque and Beauséjour will act responsibly, support the accountability act and stop making these frivolous and unfounded allegations.

Immigration

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have a community office that is staffed by three extremely talented and resourceful people: Liz LaForme, Dave Sturgeon and Warren Smith. All three are tireless advocates for residents of Hamilton Mountain who come to my office seeking help in dealing with government departments. They are almost always successful, unless it comes to immigration.

Despite their incredibly positive working relationships with front line ministry staff, it is impossible for them to cut through the bureaucratic nightmare that is the Canadian immigration system. The red tape is impenetrable, even for us.

As a result of Liberal cutbacks to staffing at immigration centres abroad, delays for families wanting to reunite in Canada are currently up to 10 years. The backlog of applications is now up to 800,000 cases. Despite the fact that the Conservatives promised a fair immigration plan during the last election, they have done nothing to address the problem.

When three of the brightest constituency assistants in the country cannot fight their way through the immigration system, then the system is in crisis.

I urge the government to take this issue seriously. It affects its constituents as much as mine and lives, quite literally, hang in the balance.

The Environment

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a priority for all of us. It is a priority for the opposition parties, a priority for the international community, a priority for all Canadians. It is a priority for everyone except this government.

Will the government realize any time soon that climate change is a reality, that global warming is a reality? Will it realize that the fight against greenhouse gas emissions is not an invention of the evil communists or an infernal machination by Fidel Castro?

Will it finally admit that it has made a mistake by abandoning the Kyoto protocol? Will it admit that it was a mistake to ruthlessly slash programs dealing with climate change? Will it admit that by abandoning the environment today, it will make future generations pay an unprecedented price?

Will it stop making excuses and hiding, and finally show some courage so that we can take action today for future generations?

Kitcisakik Community

[Yvon Lévesque, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, at a meeting I attended together with my colleague from Abitibi—Témiscamingue on May 18 in Kitcisakik, I had the opportunity to talk to some welcoming and warm people who are determined to go ahead with the Wanaki project, which seeks to provide better living conditions for the members of their community.

To the members of this chamber who have not had the opportunity to visit the Kitcisakik community, located in La Vérendrye Park, I would say that the community has been more than patient while awaiting the federal government's initiative that should have been set in motion a long time ago.

The leader of the Bloc Québécois, who was meeting this morning with the chief of the Kitcisakik community, supports the Wanaki project.

The Bloc Québécois urges the federal government to finance the construction of a new village for the Kitcisakik community, which has been living for years without running water or electricity. It is a matter of dignity and respect.

Mining Industry

[Raymond Bonin, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on October 11, 2005, Inco and Falconbridge, two Canadian icons in mining, announced a friendly merger to create the new Inco.

The new Inco is a made in Canada response to the global consolidation in the mining sector. The new Inco will have the scale, expertise and financial strength to remain independent and successfully operate in Canada and around the world.

Unfortunately, the merger is still awaiting regulatory approval in the U.S. and the European Union. This has given Xstrata, a Swiss corporation, the opportunity to undo the Canadian solution by bidding for Falconbridge.

It is imperative that this House and the government review the Xstrata bid and that the review not be completed until the Inco-Falconbridge merger receives the approvals it requires in the U.S. and Europe.

I call upon all members of the House and the government to ensure the regulatory playing field is level and the made in Canada solution prevails.

Kyoto Protocol

[Rick Norlock, Conservative, Northumberland—Quinte West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the hypocrisy of the opposition on the Kyoto protocol is appalling. This plan of the previous government would have cost billions of dollars and would have accomplished nothing.

The truth is that the Liberals' $12 billion plan to implement Kyoto over seven years would have been largely ineffective, states an unpublished report by the C.D. Howe Institute. The report reads:

This policy approach will fail dramatically to meet national objectives and yet will entail a substantial cost.

Even the Liberals' own member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore is quoted as saying:

We think Kyoto has been an asset for us. It's actually been a huge political liability.

I think our party has got into a mess on the environment. As a practical matter of politics, nobody knows what (Kyoto) is or what it commits us to.

The Liberal plan for Kyoto is actually no plan at all.

Today I challenge the opposition to work closely with the government and the Minister of the Environment to do what is right and best for Canada.

Child Care

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have a growing understanding that the government's child care scheme will fail them. Ontario's Minister of Children and Youth Services said, “The Conservative plan betrays Ontarians because it offers no money to cover operating costs”.

The British Columbia minister said that she knows of no business or community organization prepared to buy into the proposed tax deductions.

However, the government is determined to press ahead with the very deduction that it knows failed to create a single space under Mike Harris.

When will the Prime Minister listen to the provinces that are actually engaged in delivering child care and implement the child care agreements they signed and they know are crucial to the future of Canadian children?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, not only did the party opposite fail to create a national child care program in its 13 years in office, but members of that party topped that off by recently voting against the universal child care benefit that the government will deliver to Canadian families.

It is about time Canadians received a benefit, which is what this government is doing. We are proud of the progress we are making.

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's answer totally demonstrates how far out of touch he is with reality.

The Ontario minister was stunned by the Prime Minister's recent claims that the Liberal government created no real spaces. Last week she said, “I do not know what to say to that, except to say that it is wrong”.

In the riding of the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, 100 child care spots have been opened as a result of the agreement and another 60 spaces were slated to open next year. Today, all of this is at risk.

Would the Prime Minister admit that the Liberal plan was working and it is only partisan ideology that keeps the government from implementing a much needed early learning and child care system for our country?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I will certainly admit no such thing nor will the Canadian people who cast judgment upon this issue in the last election.

Canadians want a program that creates real spaces and delivers real benefits to real families. That is what the Liberals failed to do and what this government is doing.

The Environment

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we also hear this sort of double talk when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The government talks about reductions but cuts funding.

The governments of Quebec and Manitoba are calling on the government to respect the Kyoto protocol. Today, no one in Canada or abroad knows where the Minister of the Environment really stands.

Will the Prime Minister finally tell us whether he intends to honour our national and international commitments?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the Leader of the Opposition changed the subject when he asked me a question in French, because he decided not to ask a question about a child care program. We realize that child care is a provincial responsibility.

The Government of Quebec already has such a program, without the help of the Liberal Party of Canada. And we have also given parents in Quebec a universal family allowance of $1,200 a year.

[John Godfrey, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to get back to the Kyoto plan.

The C.D. Howe Institute is about to publish an evaluation of the first phase of the Liberal Party's climate change plan confirming that this first phase would alone have achieved 80% of Canada's Kyoto commitments, 175 megatonnes, two years before the deadline.

The Conservative government is at odds with reality. How can the minister claim we cannot fulfill our Kyoto commitments when Conservative think tanks are concluding we could be 80% of the way there with two years to spare?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, the preliminary findings of that report show that the Liberal Party of Canada failed Canada's environment. It failed Canadians and it failed to bring forward any sort of implementation plan that would actually show real reductions in greenhouse gases.

Worse yet, we thought it would cost $5 billion in overseas credits but the preliminary report shows that it could have cost up to $12 billion a year. Most of that money would have been spent overseas.

Our government refuses to spend that money overseas. We will invest it right here at home.

[John Godfrey, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, why does the minister insist on saying that the sky is falling, when in reality 80% of the job was done before she even took office?

How can she claim that the Asia-Pacific partnership, which provides for no emission reduction targets or deadlines and no sanctions, would be better for Canada than the Kyoto protocol?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Let me just point out, Mr. Speaker, that the hon. member actually might like to read what his party and the former government were going to put in place. They actually did not have a hard cap and targets in the so-called green plan or what they are calling the dream plan. I will call it the pipe-dream plan, and I am really glad the Conservatives were elected so we can make sure that pipe-dream plan goes up in smoke.

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

Mr. Speaker, last week the Quebec National Assembly voted unanimously in favour of a motion calling on the federal government:

—to abide by its international commitment and the objective to reduce greenhouse gases as set by the Kyoto protocol by financially contributing to the implementation of the Quebec action plan on climate change.

Will the Prime Minister act on this motion passed unanimously by Quebec's elected representatives?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Bloc knows that the latest budget—which his party supported—contains measures to improve the reduction of carbon dioxide gases. It provides, for example, support for public transit and its users in addition to new money for renewable fuels. In my opinion, these measures will make progress possible both provincially and federally.

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

Mr. Speaker, in the motion, the Government of Quebec calls for a bilateral agreement that would permit a territorial approach.

In the late 1980s, the Government of Canada accepted a similar agreement with the Government of Quebec to resolve the problem of acid rain. This approach proved very effective.

Rather than propose a new Canadian plan to implement Kyoto, why could the Prime Minister not agree to negotiate a bilateral agreement with Quebec based on a territorial approach, since Quebec is in a position to meet the objectives set by the Kyoto protocol?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, this government encourages discussions between the federal and provincial governments on climate change and the programs that could improve the situation. If, however, a provincial government wants to make its own decisions within its own jurisdictions, it can also use its own money.

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, according to Quebec's environment minister, the Government of Quebec delegate to the Bonn conference was never informed ahead of time of the Government of Canada's official position on the future of the Kyoto protocol. How can the federal government talk about openness and cooperation with Quebec when the Government of Quebec did not have access to the documents on the future of the Kyoto protocol before they were officially submitted to the United Nations.