Debates of June 16th, 2006

Transportation

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, an internal analysis from the Department of Transport might actually justify the major reservations, if not plain and simple opposition, some department officials have about reducing the number of flight attendants on passenger flights within Canada.

Will the minister confirm the existence of such a document and immediately make it public, given that his party promised, and has apparently already forgotten its promise a few months later, to expand Canadians' access to information held by their federal government?

[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 broad concept of more access to public information, we are very proud to report that just the other day the government passed Bill C-2, the federal accountability act, through the parliamentary legislative committee, which will give Canadians more access to public information.

With regard to the specific issue that the member raises in terms of a ratio for flight attendants, the government believes in security in the air. We believe in proper service and we believe in a level playing field across the industry. We want to ensure our industry is strong and serves all Canadians well.

International Development

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Lévis—Bellechasse, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as our Prime Minister made clear yesterday by announcing a contribution of $15 million for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, our government actively supports international development.

Small Canadian non-governmental organizations, better known as NGOs, have been anxiously waiting for many years for the government to give them an opportunity to play an important part in the development of civilian society in developing countries.

Could my hon. colleague, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources, tell the House how the department plans to build a new relationship with Canadian NGOs?

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, the announcement made yesterday that many in the House did not hear was in response to the fact that NGOs and partners within Canada had been cut out of the process of delivering aid to countries which needed our help.

The Minister of International Cooperation yesterday announced a new program that launched a voluntary sector fund of $20 million per year that will go through these NGOs in Canada to help those in other countries.

Federal Accountability Act

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this week Parliament took one great step to ending cronyism when the special legislative committee looking at the accountability act adopted NDP amendments including the creation of a stronger public appointments commission. The commission will oversee and report on the appointments made by ministers in the current government and all future governments as well.

Will the government do the right thing and support the creation of the appointments commission or will it follow the lead of the pouting Prime Minister who wanted to take his bat and ball and go home?

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

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from the NDP got off to such a great start with her question and then spoiled it at the end.

I want to thank members of the New Democratic Party for their support of bringing accountability on issue after issue after issue. They joined the Conservative Party and the Prime Minister in bringing about real accountability ensuring that we have more qualified government appointments.

If this Parliament can do one single thing, it will be to end the culture of entitlement created by the Liberal Party and bring in a culture of accountability. Bill C-2 is the toughest anti-corruption bill in Canadian history and it is--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member for Parkdale—High Park.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, not only will this commission have oversight and reporting duties, but future appointments made to it will only be made after the Prime Minister consults with all other parties in the House of Commons. The NDP amendment is a victory for democracy, transparency and accountability. No wonder the Liberals were split on it.

Can the minister tell us when the government will table the name of its next appointee for the appointments commissioner, so that we can get on with cleaning up politics in this country once and for all?

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

Mr. Speaker, it would certainly put the Prime Minister in a rather awkward position because he asked the most well respected business leader in Canada, as voted by his colleagues, to come to government to take what was the biggest salary cut in Canadian history in the service of Canadians. It was rather awkward. Would the member suggest we go to the second most trusted person in Canada?

Foreign Affairs

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy leader in Burma, spent 10 of the last 16 years under house arrest. She was due to be released on May 27, but her detention was extended. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan appealed to the head of Burma's military junta to free her.

I believe the time has come to demonstrate leadership on this issue and work with fellow member states to embrace the report of former Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former Czech President Václav Havel.

Is the Minister of Foreign Affairs prepared to endorse this initiative and take appropriate steps to free Aung San Suu Kyi?

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, officials of the Canadian Embassy in Burma met with senior Burmese officials to express Canada's concern about the continuing detention of Aung San Suu Kyi. We are also concerned about her health and we have expressed our deep concern. We are hoping that the Burmese authorities will take some steps to work toward her release.

Atlas of Canada

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in 1906 the first edition of the Canadian Atlas was published by what is now the Department of Natural Resources. That atlas contained vital information for the European immigrants who helped build this great country. Through its subsequent editions, the atlas has grown and, in 1999, Canada was one of the first countries in the world to publish the atlas entirely on line.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources tell the House what the government is doing to commemorate the one hundredth birthday of the atlas?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in this House to acknowledge the success of the Earth Sciences Sector at Natural Resources Canada. Over the past 100 years, the Atlas of Canada has benefited Canada's identity, economy and environment.

I am pleased to announce today that the government will be unveiling a postal stamp celebrating 100 years since the publication of the first Atlas of Canada. We are looking forward to the positive contribution the Atlas of Canada will be making over the next 100 years.

Agriculture

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today farmers throughout northeastern Saskatchewan are facing economic disaster. Family farms are being abandoned. Credit has run out. Electricity is being turned off.

The federal promise of $15 per seeded acre is simply not enough. These farmers need substantial help now to survive. Farmer Liz Mackay has just learned that the government is threatening to go after her family for $3,000 in taxes.

Can the Prime Minister explain when he is planning to finally help the farmers of Saskatchewan?

[David Anderson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary (for the Canadian Wheat Board) to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, the agriculture minister has stepped up for the farmers in Saskatchewan. We have brought forward a green cover program of $15 an acre, which will cover some of the costs they are experiencing in their province.

It is ironic that the NDP is criticizing us, because it was the agriculture minister in Saskatchewan who asked for the $15 that we provided for the farmers in that province. If the provincial government would step up and do the same thing, perhaps those farmers would have some hope in the future.

Justice

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, reference was made in question period earlier today to last year's Liberal bill on mandatory minimum sentences, based on evidence and expert advice and based on science and principle. It was in fact infinitely better than the Conservative Bill C-10.

Since the government has raised the issue, and those members did raise it, favourably referring to the Liberal precedent from last year, will the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice agree now to substitute our Liberal bill for Bill C-10? We will pass it immediately.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I will quote from the Liberal platform of last year: “A Liberal government will reintroduce legislation to crack down on violent crimes and gang violence, and to double the mandatory minimum sentences for serious gun-related crimes”. All talk.

This government took action to protect Canadians.

Manufacturing

[Robert Vincent, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the oil industry is making record profits and the government continues to keep that industry in its good graces. However, the Quebec and Canadian manufacturing sector has been harshly affected by the increased price of oil and its impact on the value of the Canadian dollar. We are talking about some 38,000 jobs lost this year in addition to the 145,000 jobs lost in 2005.

Does the Minister of Industry intend to support the Quebec and Canadian manufacturing sector, thereby protecting hundreds of thousands of jobs?

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

Mr. Speaker, so far this year 220,000 new jobs have been created in Canada. Unemployment rates are at a historic low. We are committed to lower taxes for all industry and corporations. Our budget was called the best budget in five years by the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters. We are on the right track and we hope to see the Bloc supporting us throughout this matter.

Comments made during Oral Questions

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period in a question from the member for Oakville concerning the issue of child care, a number of members on the government side clearly heard the member for Beaches--East York heckle, “You don't give a”--and I regret to say--“goddamn about children”. That expression is clearly unparliamentary. It is clearly insensitive religiously. It is taking the Lord's name in vain. It is clearly a slur that is unparliamentary.

I would ask you, Mr. Speaker, to ask the member to retract her words and apologize, and for goodness' sake, could he call on the member for Wascana to get control of his opposition bench?

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I regret having used the word “God” and I take that back, but--

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

I retract that. I regret that.

But they do not care about children and are impoverishing women in this country. That is true.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I am sure the House appreciates the clarification from the hon. the President of the Treasury Board and the hon. member for Beaches--East York.

The hon. member for New Westminster--Coquitlam is rising on a point of order. We will hear her now.

Statement by Member for Bruce--Grey--Owen Sound

[Dawn Black, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to hear the member for Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound pay tribute to Agnes Macphail earlier in members' statements and talk about Canada's first female member of Parliament, elected in 1921, but it is important to correct the record.

Agnes Macphail was never a Conservative, nor was she ever a Progressive Conservative. She was a radical member of the Progressive Party. She joined the Ginger Group, which later led to the formation of the CCF, the forerunner of the NDP. She was in fact the first leader of the CCF in Ontario. She once said that what gave her strength was hearing the sound of thousands of women following her. Sadly, we have not achieved that.