Debates of June 15th, 2006

Softwood Lumber

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when he announced an agreement in principle on softwood lumber, the Prime Minister said that loan guarantees were not necessary because the dispute was practically settled. A month and a half later, we still do not have an agreement.

In any event, the Americans have stated that even if the agreement were signed today, they would not be able to refund the illegally collected duties until April 2007, 10 months from now.

Since companies urgently need ready cash—many are on the brink of bankruptcy—will the government finally agree to provide loan guarantees, which everyone in the industry is calling for, not just the lawyers?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, we had the pleasure of having representatives of the forestry industry at the industry committee this morning and they were quite anxious to see us move ahead in the way that we are moving ahead. We do not need loan guarantees. We need to guarantee this industry. We need to have a long term solution and that is what the forestry sector wants.

[Jean-Yves Laforest, Bloc, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in contrast to the parliamentary secretary's answer, what we are asking the government to do is quite simple: just help the industry.

I would remind the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec that he does not have the right to abandon the thousands of people working in the softwood lumber industry.

Does the minister realize that he too will be personally responsible for the loss of thousands of jobs in the regions if he does not manage to convince the government that the industry urgently needs loan guarantees?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, that is the legacy of the Liberal Party. We have seen mills closing and tens of thousands of jobs either lost or pending. What this government and this minister have done is taken a position on the side of Canadian workers. We want to see Canadian mortgages secured and jobs for the next nine years. It is a great deal and we would like to see the Bloc support us in this deal.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it is clear that minister for ACOA is unable to take any kind of criticism. Just the other day, the foot in mouth minister indicated that MPs should register as lobbyists simply because they support projects for community or business groups in our ridings, which is our job.

It is not clear if the minister's brilliant idea applies to all MPs or just opposition MPs. However, would he indicate whether or not he intends to register as a lobbyist when seeking funds for projects from ACOA or any other federal departments for the people of Central Nova?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, contrary to Liberal members opposite, this party is interested in having an impartial, functioning regional development agency that helps aboriginal people, helps women and helps youth in Atlantic Canada. That is exactly what we are doing.

The good work of ACOA has been applauded by a lot of people in the business community throughout Atlantic Canada. There have been numerous announcements made by the government to assist the development, the innovation and the research going on within Atlantic Canada.

I can say this. There is no greater supporter of the innovation, the development and the support for the economy of Atlantic Canada than this Conservative Prime Minister.

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the people of Atlantic Canada know who supports ACOA. It is the Liberal Party that supports ACOA.

There are more questionable comments. During the recent Nova Scotia election, the minister dangled federal cash in front of voters on behalf of a Conservative candidate, indicating that if the candidate won he would only need to knock and the minister would answer it with cash in hand. His candidate lost.

Will the deserving people of Preston be punished because their MLA is a hard-working Liberal member and their federal member is a hard-working New Democrat?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, if that member and Liberal members opposite are so in support of ACOA, why are they complaining when millions of dollars are going into the region to support business initiatives?

The Liberal member of Parliament from Moncton--Riverview--Dieppe said in the New Brunswick Telegraph -Journal today, “Both sides of the House agree that ACOA must be apolitical, effective and supported by the national government”.

That is exactly what is happening. That is exactly what this government is going to continue to do. In spite of the efforts to stop money going into Atlantic Canada and in spite of the leadership candidate of the Liberal Party that the member is supporting, we are going to continue to do the good work that ACOA is completing in Atlantic Canada.

Foreign Affairs

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on March 26 Canadian citizen Huseyincan Celil was detained in Uzbekistan and is facing deportation to China, where he has been sentenced to death in absentia for defending basic human rights. In April, the foreign affairs minister assured this House that he would use all possible and necessary diplomatic measures to secure his release. Now we learn that Mr. Celil has been moved to another unspecified location.

Can the minister tell us if he knows where he is and whether there is any progress to report on his safe release?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for the notice that he was going to be asking this question today and for the question. I have met personally with Ms. Celil. She is also with child and I have a great deal of sympathy for the ordeal that she and her family are facing.

Consular officials have met with Uzbekistan officials to continue the effort to assist Mr. Celil personally. He has also had a number of visits. We continue to seek more visits. His extended family has had the ability to supply him with food and basic nourishment.

As well, I have sent a diplomatic note to the government of Uzbekistan demanding that Mr. Celil be returned to Canada or at least be given reasons for his detention. We are going to continue each and every effort, each and every day.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I think the minister has been misinformed by his own officials. Uzbekistani authorities have just advised the family that they would have preferred to release Mr. Celil to Canada but that “there has not been sufficient pressure or concern raised by the Canadian government”, contrary to the minister's claims.

Will he immediately contact the Uzbekistani ambassador in Washington, negotiate the terms of a release, and obtain the necessary visas so that a government delegation can go to Uzbekistan and bring this Canadian back home to his family?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, while I appreciate the indignation from the member opposite, that is not going to help the case of Mr. Celil. As I have indicated, we have had regular contact with officials in Uzbekistan. We have made numerous interventions on his behalf to secure his release. We will continue to do so.

If the member opposite is actually in receipt of accurate information, I wish he would provide it to me personally rather than trying to politicize this case on the floor of the House of Commons. That will not help Mr. Celil.

Public Works and Government Services

[Dave Batters, Conservative, Palliser, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP is in need of more office space. There has been much speculation and discussion on this file.

Can the parliamentary secretary for public works give us an update on this file?

[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, with regard to the potential lease and purchase of the former JDS Uniphase building, this process and agreement was initiated under the former Liberal government. Canadians voted for change and a higher ethical standard and we are delivering. We will always work to get the best value for taxpayers' dollars and support the RCMP.

To that end, we are moving this file to a new competitive process and in doing so we will be ensuring that no contingency fees will be paid to any lobbyist. We will get right what the Liberals got wrong.

The Environment

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, not only are the Conservatives abandoning our environmental commitments, they are also abandoning the provinces.

Without the help of the Conservatives, the Quebec government today announced its plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and we have learned that the Conservative government is not discussing anything with Quebec.

Why not officially communicate with Quebec and the other provinces? Can the minister explain why this government is abandoning Quebeckers?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about commitments, and let us talk about commitments that this government has already kept in the first four months in office. We said we would help clean up the polluted harbour in Saint John and we have. We said we would clean up the polluted drinking water for first nations and the Minister of Indian Affairs took action and is fixing the problem.

We said we would develop a biofuel strategy and we are. We said we would invest in clean public transportation and we went even farther and made the largest investment in clean public transportation in Canadian history, followed by the first ever incentive for two months of free public transit for people who take the bus.

We said we would clean up the air Canadians breathe and we passed two new pollution laws in four months.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the way the minister talks about doing something serious about climate change and yet does nothing makes many of us believe she might be taking a run at the Liberal leadership race. All we got out of those guys for 13 years was talk and no action.

Perhaps she does not believe she can actually do something about the environment and she might walk across to the Bloc who are unable to do such a thing.

Today the NDP tabled a green transportation plan that would bring in mandatory vehicle emission standards similar to California and to the announcement today in Quebec.

When will the minister follow the leadership of New Democrats and Quebec and commit to mandatory vehicle emission standards in this country?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, first, that was the lowest blow he has ever dealt me.

Let me go further and say that after 13 years of the agriculture industry and industry looking for a biofuel strategy, it took four months for this government to get every province and territory at the table to set a national target. We are not afraid to set targets and when we set targets we will meet them.

Marriage

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today we have the rare opportunity to congratulate the Conservative government. Let us savour it. The government is ending its rhetoric and finally embracing the status quo on same sex marriage in Canada.

The government and the Canadian Tourism Commission have begun an advertising campaign targeted at our American neighbours, celebrating Canada as a vacation destination for same sex couples.

May we now take it for granted that the Prime Minister has no intention of reopening in the House the issue of same sex marriage?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, the Canadian Tourism Commission is a crown corporation that operates at arm's length from the federal government. It is led by its own board of directors. The commission is composed of industry and provincial funding partners.

Industry Canada does not deal with matters such as the commission's decision making process or its program design.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we all know that the government gives the directive of where to go to the independent commissions.

I would like the Prime Minister—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Order, please. I am sure the hon. member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine appreciates all the help with her question but I cannot hear it. The parliamentary secretary needs to hear the question in order to answer. We need to have some order in the House.

The hon. member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine has not run out of time. She will want to continue with her question so we can all hear it.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like the Prime Minister to go on record.

Now that it is clear that this Conservative government is satisfied with the status quo regarding the marriage of same-sex couples, can we assume that it condemns discrimination against gay couples and that he no longer intends to reopen this contentious issue in the House of Commons?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should know that we have a different way of doing things. She does not understand it. I think I had it wrong the first time around.

The Canadian Tourism Commission is a crown corporation that operates at arm's length. She obviously does not understand what arm's length means. It is the mandate of the Canadian Tourism Commission to market Canada as a desirable tourism destination for all markets, which is exactly what it is doing.