House of Commons Hansard #41 of the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was pfos.

Topics

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Liberal

Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect leadership from their government. In this regard, the government receives a failing grade for its handling of the crisis at Caledonia.

For 106 days the Prime Minister has been silent. His only comment was an abdication of responsibility labelling the land claim as a provincial matter.

Protests in support of Caledonia are planned across the country, disrupting roads and rail travel for Canadians.

Will the Prime Minister acknowledge his negligence? Will he commit to being an engaged participant in resolving this dispute?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Calgary Centre-North Alberta

Conservative

Jim Prentice ConservativeMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians

Mr. Speaker, let us speak of leadership and let us talk about sanctimony which the Liberals now add as one of their public character flaws.

Yesterday the member for Kings—Hants referred to Barbara McDougall as a “wax museum figure”. Barbara McDougall is one of this country's most distinguished senior citizens.

I ask the hon. member to disavow and withdraw that comment on the floor of the House of Commons if he is interested in leadership.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB

Mr. Speaker, she is a distinguished citizen but she should attend more meetings.

The member for Haldimand—Norfolk wrote her constituents and said that she wished she could walk in and take down the barricades herself.

Wishing on a star only worked for Jiminy Cricket. The member should have wished that the Prime Minister had shown leadership.

When will the Prime Minister respond to his own caucus, to the people of Caledonia and to Canadians? When will he accept the government's responsibility? When will he take an active role? When will he commit to ensure a resolution of this issue?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Calgary Centre-North Alberta

Conservative

Jim Prentice ConservativeMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians

Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows and as the House knows, the government has been involved in Caledonia. We have had senior negotiators at the table since the dispute began.

We continue to work through Ms. McDougall and Mr. Doering, with the Government of Ontario, within our respective constitutional jurisdictions. Considerable progress has been made over the last few days.

What is appalling is that a member of the Liberal Party would resort to referring to a respected and distinguished Canadian, who is helping to resolve this issue, as a wax museum figure. It is beneath contempt.

Older WorkersOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Speech from the Throne mentioned something about a plan to help older workers. The House unanimously voted for such a plan, and the necessary funds have been allocated in the budget. Several weeks ago, the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development told us about feasibility studies on this issue.

Given that the minister has had plenty of time to develop an assistance plan for older worker, when will she announce its implementation?

Older WorkersOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Blackstrap Saskatchewan

Conservative

Lynne Yelich ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development

Mr. Speaker, the government recognizes the importance older workers make to both Quebec and Canada as a whole. Older workers help increase our country's productivity and competitiveness.

The Minister of Human Resources remains committed to finding ways to encourage older workers to stay on the job longer while helping those who lose their jobs to return to employment.

Older WorkersOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

France Bonsant Bloc Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Speaker, older workers cannot wait several more months, and that is what is likely to happen if the minister has one feasibility study after the other to justify doing nothing. This is a humanitarian issue affecting older workers in all regions, including those in Huntingdon, Montmagny, Sherbrooke, Waterville, Drummondville, who cannot find other jobs in spite of their efforts.

Does the minister intend to show compassion and announce a support program for older workers?

Older WorkersOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Blackstrap Saskatchewan

Conservative

Lynne Yelich ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development

Mr. Speaker, the government recognizes the important contributions older workers make to Canada as a whole, as well as Quebec.

The recent budget committed to doing a feasibility study in consultation with the provinces. The study will examine current programs and potential options for addressing the needs of older workers.

DecorumOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Ralph Goodale Liberal Wascana, SK

Mr. Speaker, matters of basic decency in the House need to be dealt with firmly so unacceptable behaviour is not condoned.

The House received a semblance of an apology from two parliamentary secretaries for their crude gestures during Tuesday's vote. However, as the video tapes show, there were perhaps eight, ten or more other Conservative MPs making exactly the same gestures. It was an epidemic.

Will the Prime Minister, with respect to all of the offenders, unequivocally reject their gross behaviour and apologize to Canadians for the insult?

DecorumOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Niagara Falls Ontario

Conservative

Rob Nicholson ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House have nothing to apologize for. However, what those members could do is apologize to the Minister of Health.

When the country needed leadership during the SARS epidemic, it was the Minister of Health, when he was the provincial minister of health, who stepped forward and provided the leadership the country needed. He deserves an apology.

Charitable DonationsOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Conservative

Gary Schellenberger Conservative Perth—Wellington, ON

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have proven to be generous in giving to worthy causes. It is important that non-profit organizations and charities be able to raise funds easily and that roadblocks to giving are removed.

This government promised to make changes to making giving easier. Could the heritage minister tell us what actions the government has taken to encourage donations and how this will benefit the arts community?

Charitable DonationsOral Questions

3 p.m.

Durham Ontario

Conservative

Bev Oda ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women

Mr. Speaker, in its first budget this government gave $50 million directly to the Canada Council for the Arts. Not only that, we introduced a new innovative mechanism to support the arts. The elimination of the capital gains tax on publicly traded shares donated to non-profit organizations has proven profitable.

I have heard anecdotally that in mere weeks almost $80 million has been donated to cultural organizations. This is the public and private sector working together for Canada's arts.

Automobile IndustryOral Questions

3 p.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

Mr. Speaker, for every dollar we export to Korea, Canada imports $268 of Korean made vehicles. This means Canada has a $3 billion trade deficit with South Korea equal to 15,000 lost manufacturing jobs. Now the government is walking blindly into free trade talks with Korea without thinking out the consequences to the auto industry.

Will the government insist that the Korean auto deal that is happening right now will put Canadian cars on equal footing in Korea or it will ditch the deal altogether?

Automobile IndustryOral Questions

3 p.m.

Vancouver Kingsway B.C.

Conservative

David Emerson ConservativeMinister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has been working for about 18 months on consultations with Canadians and negotiations with Korea on the potential for a free trade agreement with Korea. I can tell the hon. member that we would only enter into such an agreement if there were substantial benefits to the Canadian economy.

We have consulted extensively with the automotive industry on both the Canadian side and the U.S. side. The hon. member should also know the Government of the United States is also negotiating with Korea. The last thing he should want is the Americans to have a deal and us not to have one.

Automobile IndustryOral Questions

3 p.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

Mr. Speaker, this is not just about free trade. It is about one way trade that is happening right now and there are protectionist items that are currently preventing Canadian vehicles from being exported to South Korea. Those are regulations and rules that need to be cleaned up first.

Why does the government not get action on that file now before selling us out like it did on softwood lumber?

Automobile IndustryOral Questions

3 p.m.

Vancouver Kingsway B.C.

Conservative

David Emerson ConservativeMinister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member might want to ask himself about his logic. He talks about a trade deficit in automotive parts, accessories and vehicles with Korea. What about the relationship with the United States? Will he stand up and say that we should have balanced trade in automotive products with the United States and kill the thousands of jobs that have been brought to Canada because we do have a surplus with the United States?

DecorumOral Questions

3 p.m.

Liberal

Ralph Goodale Liberal Wascana, SK

Mr. Speaker, I would note that the Minister of Health closed more hospitals in Ontario than his margin of victory in the last election.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board, during committee proceedings on Bill C-2, used the most obscene language. His vulgarity was caught on tape. He denied it until he was caught. He has apologized only for his hand gestures, not for his foul language in the committee.

The House needs a complete apology and the Prime Minister needs to give this clearly immature individual some time off to mellow. Will he do so?

DecorumOral Questions

3 p.m.

Ottawa West—Nepean Ontario

Conservative

John Baird ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board

Mr. Speaker, the people of Ontario are waiting for an apology from the Liberal government which cut the health care budget in this country by $25 billion. The only government in this country that cut health care and created a crisis was the Liberal government, of which that member was a member. He should stand in his place and apologize to the people of Canada.

JusticeOral Questions

3 p.m.

Independent

André Arthur Independent Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC

Mr. Speaker, during his inquiry, Justice John Gomery learned that federal judge positions in Quebec had been granted, in fact sold, in exchange for contributions to the Liberal Party of Canada, but he refused to investigate. Every citizen who will one day appear before these judges should be worried about this.

Quebec's chief justice is the former president of the Liberal Party of Canada; a credible investigation will not come from the current judicial authorities and the government has a duty to reassure us about the integrity of those who are able to decide on the liberty of other citizens.

Does the government intend to investigate—

JusticeOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

The hon. Minister of Justice.

JusticeOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Provencher Manitoba

Conservative

Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his question and for his work and his concern on this file.

Judicial advisory committees do operate at arm's length from the Minister of Justice in every province to vet candidates for judicial office. The committees include a variety of individuals from the legal and lay communities.

The government believes there is always room for improvement in the appointment process, as we did with the appointment of Justice Rothstein to the Supreme Court of Canada. The government remains open to examining ways in which the process can be improved.

Presence in GalleryOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of members of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds team.

Presence in GalleryOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear!

Response by Minister of the Environment during Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Liberal

Dominic LeBlanc Liberal Beauséjour, NB

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. With all the noise in question period, there may have been some confusion. We heard the Minister of the Environment claim, we believe erroneously, that the Saint John, New Brunswick harbour has been cleaned up. In fact, raw sewage, to borrow a phrase that has been used before, as we speak is going into the Saint John, New Brunswick harbour. Maybe she meant St. John's, Newfoundland. That was done some years ago.

Mr. Speaker, I think you may want to afford an opportunity for the minister to clarify the record. To say that the Saint John, New Brunswick harbour is in fact cleaned up now might lead to some terrible incident where somebody might go swimming in the harbour, for example, and not realize that it is a very long way from being cleaned up.

Response by Minister of the Environment during Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Edmonton—Spruce Grove Alberta

Conservative

Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, I am glad the hon. member raised this. What I said was that we said we would help clean up the Saint John harbour and we are.

As Minister of the Environment, I can assure him one of the things I was most concerned about when I went to take what the locals call the “toilet tour” and saw the 65 raw sewage outlets pouring into Saint John harbour was the fact that when I returned to my department I found out that there was never a plan put in place by the former Liberal government. No plan was ever put in place, no money allocated, no plan designed to clean up the harbour.