Debates of May 5th, 2006

Finance

[Robert Vincent, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last Friday, I asked the Minister of Finance what he intended to do about the Canadian International Trade Tribunal's recent decision to allow a surtax to be imposed on cheap bicycle imports from certain countries. I was told to wait for Tuesday's budget and look for the answer in it. There is, however, no mention of this important issue anywhere in this budget.

What is the Minister of Finance waiting for to act and enforce the decision of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, before the bicycle industry in Quebec and Canada disappears?

[Diane Ablonczy, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the member was very pleased to see in Tuesday's budget that economic measures were introduced to improve the productivity and overall competitiveness framework for Canadian businesses, including the bicycle industry. These include the reduction of small business taxes, the general corporate tax break, as well as the elimination of the corporate surtax, and greater support for education and training for all industries.

National Defence

[Robert Bouchard, Bloc, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the military base in Bagotville plays a major economic role in the Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean region. Some facilities, including several F-18 and helicopter hangars, need to be replaced quickly because of how rundown they are.

Will the Minister of National Defence give the people of my riding and my region the assurance that new money will be allocated to the military base in Bagotville to revitalize the infrastructure and confirm the base's role in the long term?

[Gordon O'Connor, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, during the campaign, we said that we would keep the vital base at Bagotville into the future. We will keep that base going. We are committed to adding a rapid reaction battalion to that base. We will look at the infrastructure of all bases everywhere in the country to try to improve infrastructure.

Government Accountability

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, despite the Prime Minister's promise to abolish corporate political donations to end the influence of big money on government, he broke that promise again last night by participating at yet another Conservative fundraising dinner at $7,500 a table. This “do as I say not as I do” attitude represents an unacceptable double standard.

If the government seeks to be honest, transparent and accountable, should it not start with the Prime Minister?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite will be very interested to know that the government has brought forward some of the most comprehensive changes to outright ban corporate and union donations to political parties, something that is very important to clean up the ethical mess that was left by the previous government.

The Prime Minister attended two very important functions yesterday in the city of Toronto. He had a very good meeting with the Premier of Ontario. He completely followed all the rules as legislated by the Ontario legislature with respect to its political funding.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

Mr. Speaker, last year the member for Richmond told the Chinese community repeatedly that the government could not and would not apologize for the head tax. It claimed that it had received legal advice that to do so would create open ended liabilities.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister please tell the House if the former government had its facts straight?

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

Mr. Speaker, last year the member for Richmond, when he was multiculturalism secretary, said, “My reason for not apologizing is because of the legal position that was given to me by my department”. That was the excuse. We have since discovered, according to access to information, that he received exactly the opposite advice. The legal advice was that it would appear, from a legal point of view, that none of the outstanding claims would meet such a burden.

The government is doing what is right for Chinese Canadians, under the leadership of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Canadian Heritage. It will offer a formal apology.

I think the member for Richmond should apologize to Chinese Canadians for not telling--

[The Speaker, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member for Ottawa Centre.

Public Service

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we have examples of public servants who, through their disclosures of serious wrongdoing in past governments, have saved taxpayers millions of dollars. Yet we continue to harass these men and women through the courts, causing them serious financial hardship and emotional stress for simply being ethical.

Is the President of the Treasury Board prepared to give assurances that the government will compensate past whistleblowers whose claims are proven correct?

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

Mr. Speaker, I will totally agree with the member of the New Democratic Party when he says that we have to do more to reward whistleblowers, people who have the courage to stand up. Our federal accountability act is all about that.

As for those brave individuals who did stand up in previous administrations and reported wrongdoing, this government is more than happy to look at each case and seek a speedy resolution. We want to do the right thing by our public servants. I agree with the member.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, again, these men and women have put their careers on the line for the sake of better government. No one has asked for the $1,000 cash reward, which the government has dropped into the whistleblower legislation. What is required is real protection for anyone whose actions unveil serious wrongdoing in government.

Will the government commit to undoing these past wrongs and call off the courts against these innocent men and women and, instead, give them the compensation they deserve?

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

Mr. Speaker, again, I completely agree with the member from the New Democratic Party. Those brave public servants who stood up, did the right thing, reported wrongdoing, reported criminal activity or gross waste and mismanagement under the previous administration and were not dealt with fairly, their cases should be reviewed. If there is a speedy and expeditious way to do that, this government is very anxious to consider anything that would do right by our public servants.

British Columbia Economy

[Blair Wilson, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of International Trade is gaining quite a shoddy reputation. First, the minister sells out British Columbia by leaving over $1 billion on the table in the softwood lumber settlement. Second, he reduces the funding for the Pacific gateway initiative from $190 million to $90 million. That is not all. Now the minister is taking British Columbia to the mat. He is holding us ransom for $55 million that the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games desperately needs.

Three strikes and he is out. When will the minister stop selling out British Columbia?

[James Moore, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics]

Mr. Speaker, this budget and this government is providing for British Columbia in a way that the Liberals never did. In fact, members of the Pacific gateway council support our plan. The eight year timeframe for money for the Pacific gateway is precisely the timeline that is required. This is the timeline that the projects are coming on line.

Here is what the Vancouver Sun said in an editorial:

--the Tories have committed themselves to spend just as much money as the Liberals had promised, and to provide more of it faster than the previous government ever said it would.

We are delivering; they promised. That is the difference between a Liberal and a Conservative government.

Public Safety

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I believe there is no greater responsibility for a parliamentarian than the protection of the health and safety of our citizens. My question today is for the Minister of Public Safety.

The Auditor General has found that the RCMP is lacking over 1,000 officers to meet its provincial and community police duties, that it routinely pulls people from national police work, including drug and organized crime investigations, simply to fill the gap and that the national police force has to improve its training.

What is the government doing to ensure that the RCMP has the resources needed to combat crime and to keep our citizens safe?

[Stockwell Day, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Prince Edward—Hastings has long been an advocate for safety and security of his constituents and the areas in which he serves. I can give him assurance that we have heard his voice and the voices of his constituents and people across Canada.

There are going to be 1,000 more police officers trained and added to the existing force in the years ahead. To do that, for the next two years, $161 million will be provided to put that in place. With that, there has to be training, as the member said. Therefore, $37 million is being provided to expand the training facilities depot in Regina along with a number of other initiatives. The previous regime took care of criminals; we are taking care of citizens.

Older Workers

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, to our great disappointment, the tabling of the latest budget has seen older workers ignored once again, and not only by the government, but also, at everyone's surprise, by the Bloc Québécois.

Could the minister tell us what concrete action she intends to take to provide assistance, once and for all and as soon as possible, to older workers and theirs families?

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

Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased yesterday when the Prime Minister announced in the House, “In the budget there is a fund related to the forest industry of about $100 million for this year to help older workers. We are examining our options”.

I am pleased to say he also announced that during the budget we will be conducting a feasibility study on this very issue. I look forward to the hon. member's participation in that process.

Certificates of Nomination

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege to table a certificate of nomination for a position to the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Address of the Australian Prime Minister

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, I think you would find unanimous consent that Motion No. 1, concerning the Address of the Australian Prime Minister, be adopted.

[The Speaker, Peter Milliken]

Is it agreed that Motion No. 1 on the order paper be adopted?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

(Motion agreed to)

Rights of the Unborn

[Garry Breitkreuz, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, it gives me pleasure to table quite a number of petitions from constituents across Canada, mostly from western Canada.

The petitioners point out that under the current federal criminal law an unborn child is not recognized as a victim with respect to violent crimes. When Olivia Talbot of Edmonton was shot and killed in November 2005, her 27 week old unborn son, Lane Jr. also died. Because we offer no legal protection for unborn children today, no charge could be laid in the death of baby Lane.

The vast majority of the public supports laws that protect unborn children from acts of violence against their mothers, which also injure or kill the baby in their womb. Forcing upon a pregnant woman the death or injury of her unborn child, is a violation of a woman's right to give life to her child and protect her child.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to enact legislation which would recognize unborn children as separate victims when they are injured or killed during the commission of an offence against their mothers, allowing two charges to be laid against the offender instead of just one.