House of Commons Hansard #13 of the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was equality.
Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Mr. Speaker, we are talking about the commutation of a death penalty.
Canadian law also prohibits the extradition of an American citizen back to a state in the United States that practises the death penalty. Why would we now refuse to intervene to protect a Canadian citizen sentenced to death in an American state, thereby effectively reinstating capital punishment for Canadians?
Are we going to, in fact, change our extradition law as well as change our policy on capital punishment?
Stockwell Day ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, there is no capital punishment in Canada. Nor is there any attempt at all to change that sort of a policy.
We will not actively pursue bringing back to Canada murderers who have been tried in a democratic country that supports the rule of law.
Jean-Yves Roy Bloc Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative economic statement does not include any measures to help the regions. This government has no plans for the manufacturing sector or the agricultural sector or the forestry sector or for employment insurance. Absolutely none. Zero.
How does the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec dare tell those living in the regions to wait six more months when they are in the midst of a serious economic crisis and nothing is being done to help the regions?
Jean-Pierre Blackburn ConservativeMinister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
Mr. Speaker, allow me to read this quote from the association of manufacturers and exporters of Quebec—and I did say Quebec: “—we congratulate the Minister of Finance for recognizing the challenges faced by manufacturers with regard to competition.” What more can I add.
The throne speech mentions that we will intervene in the forestry sector. That commitment was made by our Prime Minister and, as a general rule, when our leader, our Prime Minister, says he is going to do something, he does it.
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Mr. Speaker, the agricultural sector was also left hanging. Yesterday, Laurent Pellerin, president of the Union des producteurs agricoles, said, “Producers in the agricultural and forestry sectors are very frustrated that the Minister of Finance completely ignored agriculture and private forestry in his economic statement even though people in those sectors are grappling with some of the worst crises their industries have ever experienced.”
How can the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food say that he is helping farmers when there is nothing in the economic statement for them? Are he and his finance colleague ganging up on farmers?
Christian Paradis ConservativeSecretary of State (Agriculture)
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague that since the combined 2006-07 budget, the agricultural sector has received an additional $4.5 billion. That is real help. We moved on article 28. Supply management was right there in black and white in the Speech from the Throne. My colleague voted against it. It looks like they are the ones who are against producers.
Caroline St-Hilaire Bloc Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC
Mr. Speaker, today the Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale came here to meet with the parties to raise awareness of the importance of international aid. The Minister of International Cooperation refused to meet with them.
During the meeting, we learned that the minister had contacted a number of groups to find out what portion of public funds they spent on lobbying and advocacy to protect basic rights.
Can the minister assure us that she is not putting together a list of organizations whose funding she is planning to cut?
Bev Oda ConservativeMinister of International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, yes, I can give that assurance.
Caroline St-Hilaire Bloc Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC
Mr. Speaker, forgive me if I seem skeptical. The minister's history is sure to repeat itself. We have good reason to be concerned, because we all remember that this is the minister who cut funding to groups that promote women's rights.
Is she doing the same thing to international cooperation groups that she did to women?
Bev Oda ConservativeMinister of International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, as this government has demonstrated, it is responsible. It takes each responsibility and makes the right decision for the right reasons.
I can assure members there is no intent, and we will ensure that our international aid money is effective, is focused and delivering results.
Ken Dryden Liberal York Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, when I travel across the country, I hear the same thing, from those with disabilities, from those who cannot read, from students, from aboriginals. I ask them what the government is doing and they say nothing or next to nothing: from seniors, from parents needing to work who have children needing to learn, nothing; from the poor, nothing; from people who live the experience, not just formulate life from their own minds, anything big, tough, anything that has to be taken on together, nothing.
When will the government take this special opportunity and really do something?
Monte Solberg ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Social Development
Mr. Speaker, it was the last government that did precisely nothing on these issues.
This government is spending more on child care and more on training than any government in history. We have reversed the big cuts the Liberals made to the Canada social transfer and have increased spending for education by 40% in a single year.
The question for the member is this. Why did he do nothing?
Ken Dryden Liberal York Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, the public knows. It is hard to really do something about climate change. To take a real bite out of poverty, takes a long time and takes real commitment. That is the difference here.
With the Prime Minister, when he realized the public cared about climate change, his was no call on the road to Damascus conversion. His was a scheme on the road to an election conversion. To take on climate change and child poverty, one has to believe. Here is a believer. There is no believer.
When is the government actually going to do something?
Monte Solberg ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Social Development
Mr. Speaker, I have not seen overacting like that since Shatner on Star Trek.
This government is doing something for people on climate change and on poverty. We are putting more resources into housing than any government in the history of the country.
When we have the opportunity, we stand up for Canadians. We do not just sit there like the Liberals did.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Order, please. I would remind hon. members today is Thursday, not Wednesday. Perhaps we could calm down a little.
The hon. member for Madawaska—Restigouche.
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Mr. Speaker, as we all know, the Conservative government does not care about workers, especially seasonal workers, when it comes time to provide them with help in the form of employment insurance.
The pilot project to bridge the gap is what ensures survival for a number of families during the difficult months, which are often the winter months.
Since we have heard nothing from the government regarding the pilot project, which expires in December, can the minister show a bit of compassion and announce that he will make this a permanent measure, or will he do what he always does for workers, which is nothing at all?
Monte Solberg ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Social Development
Mr. Speaker, the good news is that in great swaths of the country the economy is creating a tremendous number of jobs, 500,000 in the last two years, 87,000 in Quebec this year alone. That is good news.
We do recognize that there are parts of the country where people are struggling to find full time employment and we are very sympathetic to people in that situation. The future of that pilot project will be judged accordingly.
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Mr. Speaker, I hope the minister will not forget that there are also seasonal workers in the Atlantic regions.
On December 15, 1995, when the minister was in opposition, he had the audacity to say: “we are going to have to cut a lot deeper into our social programs”.
Clearly, the minister does not understand the reality facing our workers in the regions. If the minister truly had any compassion for these people, he would announce here today a permanent extension of all employment insurance pilot projects.
Will the minister make the announcements here today that our workers need to hear?
Monte Solberg ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Social Development
Mr. Speaker, as I said before, we are doing a tremendous amount to help workers. We are investing more in training than any government in history. We have great faith in the potential for people to continue to contribute when they have been laid off.
We do understand that there are people in regions of this country where full time employment is not easily available. As I said before, we will judge the future of that EI pilot project accordingly.
Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Mr. Speaker, this morning, my colleague, the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, highlighted the good work our government is doing for Canadian women.
It is disappointing to hear opposition parties repeatedly misleading this House by suggesting that our government made cuts to Status of Women. Nothing could be further from the truth. We moved money from administration and directed it toward Canadian women in the form of projects that actually change lives.
Could the minister update the House on this support?
Josée Verner ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, this government is proud of our support for Canadian women. Unlike the opposition parties, we have taken practical steps to address life's most difficult challenges: economic insecurity, lack of training, and violence against women.
A mentoring program for aboriginal women, another to prevent and combat violence against young women and young girls, and finally, a project to protect women with a developmental disability are just some of the initiatives recently announced by this government.
I am pleased to inform this House that a new call for project proposals under the program—
Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC
Mr. Speaker, our Minister of Finance, who describes himself as an elf, cannot decide whether it is Halloween or Christmas.
Our national elf went to his workshop to make a little present for his friends—including the banks—which will get at least $12 billion more.
The Conservatives made a solemn promise to the municipalities to transfer 5¢ per litre of the gas tax to them.
Instead of paying the banks, will the Minister of Finance honour his formal commitment to the municipalities and—