Debates of Oct. 26th, 2007

Post-Secondary Education

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

Mr. Speaker, this week, representatives of the Canadian Federation of Students came to meet with us in Ottawa. They are here to tell us that tuition fees are too high, sometimes more than $5,000 a year. It has become the norm today to graduate from university with a $40,000 to $50,000 student debt. Yet the only place in the Speech from the Throne where there is any mention of young people is in the section dealing with crime.

When will this government finally help our students and invest in their future and the future of our country?

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that our government is committed to students. The government offers $5 billion annually in direct support to students, including the Canada student loans program which provides loans or grants to students based on assisted financial payments.

We have also extended the eligibility for Canada student loans. We have eliminated the federal income tax on the income from the scholarships and grants. We believe we are supporting students.

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

Mr. Speaker, let us ask the students of Selkirk College in my riding what they are seeing in front them. Let us ask that of the students in the rest of Canada.

We have $14 billion in unexpected surpluses and not one concrete penny has gone to our kids to afford the schooling they need.

Before coming to Ottawa, I was a teacher and I tried to instill in my students the value of lifelong learning.

It is not fair that a rich country such as ours places such a low value on our students and is not willing to invest in their future. Other prosperous countries have free tuition. What is wrong with us?

The NDP has a plan to help students. Will the government work with us to implement our proposals and invest--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development.

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, I continue to tell the member, with all due respect, that we have eliminated federal income tax from on all income from scholarships, bursaries and fellowships. We provided over $1.7 billion in tax credits for books and tuition. We strengthened the RESP program. We invested $1 billion into post-secondary education. We provided $2 billion through scholarships, bursaries and grants.

We have provided more for students and those people did not get it done.

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on July 24, the CRTC recognized Avis de recherche TV as a television service of exceptional public interest. This channel helps police authorities apprehend wanted criminals with help from the public. Instead of recognizing this innovative service, this Conservative government has bowed to the demands of Quebecor and is asking the CRTC to review its decision.

This government brags about being tough on crime, so why is it trying so hard to force Avis de recherche TV to close?

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary for Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, we all know that the CRTC is a body that is independent of the House but our government continues to monitor these things very closely.

Foreign Credentials

[Nina Grewal, Conservative, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the previous Liberal government just did not get it done on foreign credentials. They made promise after promise but delivered nothing. Unlike the Liberals, we are getting the job done on foreign credentials.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration please inform the House how our government is assisting foreign trained individuals and new Canadians to access what they need to become accredited here in Canada?

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, today we are pleased to announce that 75 Service Canada centres across Ontario are now providing in person foreign credential information and referral services.

Ontario newcomers will now have more locations where they can go to receive information and in person help on how to get their credentials assessed and recognized more quickly. By the end of this year, these services will be available across the country at 320 Service Canada outlets. This is good news for new immigrants and it is good news for Canada.

We are getting the job done, unlike the previous government that did nothing for 13 years under six ministers and four terms in government.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Mr. Speaker, in 2003, an historic plan was mapped out to recognize the full aboriginal status of the Mi'kmaq people under the membership of the Federation of Newfoundland Indians.

The hon. Marc Lalonde was asked to chart a course for the status of a landless, reserveless band with full economic, social and aboriginal benefits going to the members. He did just that and cabinet approved formal negotiations to proceed under this framework.

Could the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians report to the House whether the government has continued to negotiate with the FNI under the original Lalonde plan and, if so, whether we are near ratification?

[Rod Bruinooge, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is very mindful of the Mi'kmaq in that region and specifically in Newfoundland. We continue these negotiations and we are hopeful that there will be resolution in the short term.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in a scramble to keep their operations going while they await the financial compensation they were promised, producers in Saint Amable dealing with the golden nematode crisis have to rent land hundreds of kilometres away from their farms and follow rules that are stricter than ever. Worse yet, their children have to abandon their dreams and leave the family business.

The minister's parliamentary secretary said in this House on November 22, 2006, that he was “going to find a solution for Saint-Amable”. How does he explain that one year later we are still waiting for a long-term assistance plan?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Secretary of State (Agriculture)]

Mr. Speaker, we have to remember that our government has shown leadership in this issue. A lot of money was put on the table and it continues to flow. Things are going well with the producers. We are talking and a plan is being implemented as we speak. That is what I call taking action.

Say what you like, but we know that with the Liberals nothing would have happened, with the Bloc nothing could happen, and with us there is leadership. We are getting things done.

Notices of motions

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 83(1) I have the honour to table a notice of ways and means motion to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, the Wage Earner Protection Program Act and chapter 47 of the Statutes of Canada, 2005.

I ask that an order of the day be designated for consideration of the motion.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, could the government House leader confirm that this notice of ways and means motion in fact relates to what we knew in the previous sitting of Parliament as Bill C-62?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that is correct.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 83(1) I have the honour to table a notice of ways and means motion to amend the Income Tax Act, including amendments in relation to foreign investment entities and non-resident trusts.

I ask that an order of the day be designated for consideration of the motion.

Pilotage Act

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-4, An Act to amend the Pilotage Act.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Nuclear Liability and Compensation Act

[Loyola Hearn, Conservative, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-5, An Act respecting civil liability and compensation for damage in case of a nuclear incident.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Canada Elections Act

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-6, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (visual identification of voters).

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Business of the House

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, I was not given an opportunity yesterday to designate the allotted days for next week. Normally I would do that in response to the Thursday question but it was not asked.

Therefore, I would designate Monday, October 29 and Thursday, November 1 as allotted days.

Gun Registry

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

Mr. Speaker, my constituents are from Leask in Saskatoon and Hafford, Mayfair and other parts of my riding. They are calling on Parliament to end the registration requirement for non-restricted long guns.

Age of Consent

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

I have a second petition, Mr. Speaker, signed by a number of constituents from Warman in the riding of Saskatoon--Wanuskewin who are calling on Parliament to increase the age of sexual consent from 14 years of age to 16 years of age.

The present legislation before the Senate right now is in respect of that very thing and we do hope that bill will be passed.

CRTC

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a petition from petitioners of the riding of Beaches--East York who are asking for the government to overturn of the CRTC's inexplicable and harmful decision to add nine non-Canadian Chinese language services to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-166.

Canadian Pacific Railway

[Gary Goodyear, Conservative, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a petition containing 1,159 signatures. These petitioners from across Canada, but specifically my riding of Cambridge, North Dumfries and the riding of Oxford, have raised serious concerns about Canadian Pacific Railway and its lack of civic, social and corporate responsibility as well as its refusal to cooperate and respect the communities it steamrolls through.

CP Rail is planning on constructing a bargain basement rail yard which, in the opinion of all levels of government, fails to adequately protect the environment and threatens the current living conditions of many Canadians. CP is flaunting the fact that federal laws have little jurisdiction over them. We will not be railroaded by the railroad, say the petitioners.

The petitioners ask that the Minister of Transport, the Minister of the Environment, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Minister of Public Safety, as well as the Minister of Health, use their collective influence to immediately require Canadian Pacific Railway to appropriately protect the environment, show some respect for these Canadians and start acting like good neighbours should.

Remembrance Day

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to present three petitions from the residents of Sarnia—Lambton.

The first petition, signed by 134 constituents, and the second petition, signed by 398 constituents, support Remembrance Day as a national holiday.