House of Commons Hansard #56 of the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was children.
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, when he appeared before the committee, Commissioner Zaccardelli acknowledged that he had known since early 2003 that the information leading to the deportation of Maher Arar to a Syrian prison was false. He even went so far as to say that he was convinced of his innocence. Instead of taking remedial action, he let Maher Arar rot in jail.
Does the government not feel that, on the basis of these revelations alone, the resignation of Commissioner Zaccardelli is imperative?
Jason Kenney ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety has been very clear that the government has confidence in the commissioner. The Prime Minister has been clear that the government does not act precipitously in these matters. We want to be absolutely clear. The commissioner came before a parliamentary committee yesterday to express the sincere regrets of both himself personally and the RCMP corporately.
The government recognizes that Mr. Arar suffered a terrible injustice, which is why we have accepted all the recommendations of the O'Connor report. We either have implemented them or we will implement them quickly.
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government must act more quickly and act now. It is evident that because of his irresponsible behaviour Commissioner Zaccardelli failed to do his job. In these circumstances, it is quite questionable whether he has the necessary leadership to implement the O'Connor report recommendations.
I am asking again, what is the government waiting for to demand the immediate resignation of Giuliano Zaccardelli?
Jason Kenney ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I must point out that the government did take action as a result of Justice O'Connor's recommendations. The Minister of Public Safety advised the American authorities to remove the names of Mr. Arar and his family members from their watch list, among other things. We accepted all recommendations of the O'Connor report. The government and the RCMP are implementing all these recommendations.
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday in committee the Minister of Public Safety made hollow assurances that he would file a formal complaint with the United States for the way Maher Arar was treated. However, in the House, the minister said he had sent a letter suggesting to the Americans that they remove Maher Arar's name from their list. This does not constitute a formal complaint.
What is the Minister of Public Safety waiting for to file a formal complaint with U.S. authorities, which the O'Connor report clearly recommends?
Stockwell Day ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague pointed out, I immediately sent a personal letter to Mr. Chertoff and I indicated that we hope the Americans will follow our example and clear the security information on Mr. Arar and his family.
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Mr. Speaker, “We hope the Americans will follow our example”; is that what the minister calls a formal complaint?
It is utter confusion in this matter. While the Minister of Public Safety makes hollow assurances about filing a formal complaint, his colleague, the Minister of Foreign Affairs is making vague suggestions about the possibility of filing a complaint in the more or less distant future.
What is the government waiting for to put an end to this ambiguity, to do what needs to be done and file a complaint right away next week?
Stockwell Day ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, in agreement with my colleague, under the previous administration, under which this whole situation took place, there was abominable confusion.
Justice O'Connor indicated in his report that once the RCMP had given the information to the government that Mr. Arar was not a concern in terms of coming back from Syria to Canada, the former federal government could not speak with one voice to get that man out of prison.
In contrast, within hours of receiving the O'Connor report, the new Government of Canada took action. We removed the information about Mr. Arar and agreed--
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, we can see the Conservative government getting more desperate in its position on Afghanistan.
Today we have further evidence that Canada's mission is on the wrong track. Reports from Kandahar city prove that the provincial reconstruction team is not doing much reconstruction at all. Lieutenant Colonel Hetherington admits that he has “few concrete results”.
If reconstruction is working, could the government tell the House and Canadians how many schools, roads and hospitals has the PRT built in Kandahar?
Jason Kenney ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, if the NDP had its way and Canadian Forces were to be removed from Kandahar province, not only would there be no schools, no hospitals and no development work happening in that region, but schools, hospitals and development work that has been done would be completely destroyed by the Taliban, which is the enemy of civil reconstruction, democracy and stability in that country.
Yes, we want development, as does President Karzai, as do the people of Afghanistan and Kandahar province. None of us can deliver that kind of development until we have security in the region. That is what our brave men and women in uniform are doing for us today.
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. The government's plan, even around reconstruction, is not working. This is the evidence coming from the field. Why is the government still telling Canadians that this is the game plan? Even today General Hillier offered his very deflated outlook on the current plan.
First, the government says that it is two years maximum. Then it says that it is five years minimum. Then we have the Prime Minister who says that it could be a lot longer. All the while we have officials who are saying that reconstruction is not taking place and victory through counter-insurgency is certainly not possible.
When will the government admit that this unbalanced mission has no clear--
Jason Kenney ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the NDP does not understand about the situation in Afghanistan.
A hostile militia is seeking to overthrow the democratically elected government and to cause violence and mayhem, an organization that is clearly closely associated with the al-Qaeda network. The Taliban is not interested in developing Kandahar province, which is precisely why it is seeking to destabilize the situation.
We cannot send aid workers in, as the NDP would have us do, to submit themselves to the tender mercies of the Taliban without first establishing security in the region.
Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
Mr. Speaker, on Monday the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister was forced to admit that he misled this House when it came to a Privy Council memo on access to information. However, the fundamental issue is that the Prime Minister's director of communications, Sandra Buckler, had the name of a journalist who made a private information request.
When did the Prime Minister find out about this breach of law and why has no one been disciplined yet?
Jason Kenney ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister found out about this matter when it appeared in a news article early last week, as did the President of the Treasury Board, who immediately called the Privacy Commissioner, as did the Minister of Public Safety, who immediately called the Privacy Commissioner.
We want to get to the bottom of this. That is one of the reasons I put forward a motion, on behalf of the government, at the privacy and access to information committee for a full committee inquiry into the practices, as it relates to these names, of the current and previous governments. The Privacy Commissioner rapped former minister Art Eggleton on the knuckles precisely for having received this kind of information.
Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
Mr. Speaker, I would never want to use an unparliamentary word in the House, but if the parliamentary secretary would check, perhaps his pants are on fire.
Two days ago, the deputy information commissioner warned that the accountability act would make corruption harder, not easier, to discover. The Prime Minister broke his promise to implement the Information Commissioner's report.
Accountability starts at the top. Where is it?
John Baird ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, it is passing strange to get a lecture on accountability from a member of the Liberal Party opposite. Every member of the Liberal Party voted against opening up access to information last November. Every Liberal wanted to keep the cloak of secrecy there.
When this government tried to open up and provide a little bit of light at the Canadian Wheat Board by making it subject to access to information, every Liberal in the House stood and voted for darkness and secrecy.
We will proceed with accountability and we will proceed--
Omar Alghabra Liberal Mississauga—Erindale, ON
Mr. Speaker, as if Mr. Arar and his family needed any more pain and misinformation from the Conservatives, yesterday the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister falsely claimed that the Liberals took actions “which ended up putting Maher Arar in a Syrian jail”.
It is no wonder the Conservatives have not apologized to Mr. Arar. They have not read Justice O'Connor's report.
Will the parliamentary secretary stand up and apologize for misleading this House again?
Jason Kenney ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I am a little confused here. It seems to me that when the unfortunate incident surrounding Mr. Arar occurred, the government at the time was a Liberal government. Perhaps the hon. member would like us to forget that.
All I know is that the Liberals are asking the government to issue apologies because they think the government should take responsibility. This government is taking responsibility. I simply pointed out that it would be nice to hear a little bit of responsibility from the Liberals who were then in power.
Omar Alghabra Liberal Mississauga—Erindale, ON
Mr. Speaker, I will say what Canadians have not forgotten. When Mr. Arar was in detention, the Minister of Public Safety called for an inquiry to determine why the Liberals were defending him. The member for Calgary—Nose Hill convicted Mr. Arar as having links to al-Qaeda. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister was the first to leap to his feet to applaud those members every time.
The Conservatives did not hesitate to condemn Mr. Arar, but now that they know they were wrong why are they dragging their feet and not apologizing?
Stockwell Day ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, rather than collapsing into hysteria and misinformation, perhaps we should go directly to the report. In terms of talking about misperceptions, on page 240 of the report, referring to the foreign affairs minister of the time, the report says:
The perception that Mr. Arar had not been tortured was wrong and, no doubt, the Minister’s statements planted the seeds of that misperception in the minds of some.
Here we have the former minister of the Liberal government, under whom this took place, who did not even believe he was tortured.
Marcel Lussier Bloc Brossard—La Prairie, QC
Mr. Speaker, in her report presented yesterday, the environment commissioner said that to achieve the objectives for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the government will have to focus its efforts on the oil, gas and transportation sectors, three sectors that are responsible for 78% of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the government is ignoring these sectors and is choosing to maintain tax benefits for the oil companies.
How does the government think it will achieve the Kyoto objectives if it ignores 78% of the causes of the problem?
Mark Warawa ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, this government is taking a comprehensive approach to greenhouse gas emission reductions and climate change. All sectors need to be a part of the solution to clean up our environment. We want to involve all Canadians to be a part of the solution of our made in Canada plan.
