Debates of Nov. 1st, 2007

Economic Statement

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the tax reductions that were announced earlier this week in the financial statement give 75% to individuals and families in Canada, which is $45 billion this year and the next five years as well, and $15 billion to businesses in Canada.

Most of the businesses in Canada are small and medium size businesses. They are the great employers in this country. They are the growth in this country. We support small business in Canada.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance pretends to be something he is definitely not, and that is a friend to ordinary Canadians.

He did not get the job done on abusive ATM fees. He did not get the job done on retail prices. Harry Potter still costs more in Canada. Now we know who his real friends are: the banks, the oil companies and the Liberals who are letting him do it.

Now that he has decided that his priority is to give billions more to the banks, does he think he finally has the leverage he needs to get his buddies to lower ATM fees, or is he too afraid that they will send him packing again and humiliate him?

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, this is rich coming from a member of the NDP who voted against reducing the GST for all Canadians yesterday in this House and who voted against personal income tax reductions for all Canadians, which, by the way, they can claim in January because they are retroactive to January this year. Therefore, it is important for Canadians to get their tax returns in quickly in the new year.

This is what he voted against: $45 billion in tax reductions for ordinary Canadian men and women and he says that he cares about them.

National Defence

[Lucienne Robillard, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has now taken steps to stop the Chief of the Defence Staff from providing Canadians with honest answers about our combat mission in Afghanistan. If the Prime Minister were more willing to be truthful about the mission, this would not be an issue, but Canadians need the true opinion of the Chief of the Defence Staff now more than ever.

Did the Prime Minister or anyone from his office communicate with General Hillier and give him any direction regarding his public comments?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

No, Mr. Speaker.

[Lucienne Robillard, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the current government has mislead Canadians about the failure of our mission in Afghanistan for a long time. Now, officials with the Prime Minister's Office are gagging General Hillier and preventing him from telling Canadians the truth, because the government does not have a realistic plan for ending our combat mission in February 2009.

Why is the Prime Minister not letting General Hillier tell us and the people of this country what he really thinks about our mission in Afghanistan?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, that is not true. Mr. Hillier had the opportunity to speak to the media and the troops on the ground in Afghanistan. That is clear.

Our government is also clear about the end of the mission. There is a vote in the House of Commons and a plan to consult the House of Commons. This is not the same approach as the one taken by the former government or the opposition members.

Veterans Affairs

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in November 2005, I chaired a special meeting to address the issue of agent orange and compensation for our veterans. The current Minister of Veterans Affairs was also invited as he represents that area. He and his Conservative Party stated that we should use the studies from the Americans and that they were all completed and that it was sufficient enough.

The Conservatives also said that if they were government they would compensate immediately. It has been two long years. They have just announced a partial proposal for compensation. Why did it take them so long? Why are they not treating our veterans fairly?

[Greg Thompson, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as everyone well knows, we are treating our veterans fairly and that man, that individual, that member came from a government that had 13 years to do it and did not.

What we have done is fair and generous and the veterans know that and the people in those communities know that. Why? Because I have met with them and he has not.

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as the son of a World War II veteran, that man is being intellectually dishonest with that response. The government's record speaks for itself: broken promises on agent orange; broken promises to injured soldiers who are in court today to get their compensation; and broken promises to veterans' widows in the letter from the Prime Minister promising Mrs. Joyce Carter that he “would immediately extend the Veterans Independence Program services to the widows of all Second World War and Korean War veterans”.

Can the Prime Minister keep his word? Can he and the minister be honest?

[Greg Thompson, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I consider what he used as unparliamentary language. What a hypocrite.

This what he and his Liberal colleagues did when they were in power. I will go through the list. They do not like this list because this is what they cut and eliminated. They cut VIP services to allied veterans. They cut burial programs for veterans. They cut travel rates and treatment benefits to veterans. In successive budgets they eliminated over $100 billion in benefits to veterans. That is their sorry record.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Yvon Lévesque, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Le peuple invisible was shown on opening night of the Festival du cinéma international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue. This documentary reveals the terrible living conditions of the Algonquin, who are without running water, electricity or adequate housing. Unfortunately, there were no federal government officials in attendance, even though this was an important event.

With all due respect for the will and the autonomy of the Algonquin community of Kitcisakik, what does the government plan to do to improve the living conditions of its inhabitants?

[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, our government is keenly aware of the issues that have been raised in this documentary. In fact, we are putting roughly $64 million into the Algonquin of Quebec. I hope that this will continue to advance these people.

However, that member and his party do not support extending the Canadian Human Rights Act to first nations people, which is an essential step and one that we must take for Canadian first nations.

Forestry Industry

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is no secret to anyone that the forestry industry is facing a catastrophic situation. Forestry companies are having to get creative, just to survive. This is what ARC Resins, a subsidiary of Tembec, did by proposing an original and unique project to construct beams made of composite materials. We still do not know the fate awaiting this important file, which was presented to the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec.

Can the minister tell us where he is in examining that file and when he plans to give this project the authorization needed to move forward?

[Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Conservative, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, the ARC Resins file is indeed very interesting. It is a wonderful project, especially since it involves re-manufacturing. The company wants to manufacture railway ties.

Initially, the file was not one of the regional office's priorities. However, it was brought to my attention and I asked to see the file. I can inform the hon. member that the file is currently being examined. We hope to reach an agreement with the sponsor and the partners to get this new project off the ground. If we are successful, that would be great.

Atlantic Accord

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the Atlantic accord fiasco continues. The minister in the Senate says that there will not be legislation on the Nova Scotia side deal and the defence minister says that there will.

Nothing is in writing and there is no information provided. As a matter of fact, the government has not made one mention in detail how this will affect Newfoundland and Labrador.

Is there another piece of legislation? Is there another side deal? Perhaps there is nothing at all. It seems that Premier Danny Williams scared them the most this Halloween.

Will the Conservatives finally shed some light on this phantom side deal in Atlantic Canada?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, let me shed some light on the hon. member's effort to put darkness over what is a very good deal for Atlantic Canada, a deal that is available to his province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

It is a fair and flexible approach to federalism that gives an option to participate in the national equalization program. In fact, it expands upon it for the province of Nova Scotia. It is on the Nova Scotia website. There is an exchange of letters between the Minister of Finance for Canada and the minister of finance for Nova Scotia.

The equalization formula is there for all to see. If the member would take a little time and study those details he might just get it.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, PQ supporters are calling on the Bloc Québécois to fold since they cannot support two separatist parties. Out of a possible 308 seats, the Bloc runs just 75 candidates. The Bloc confines Quebec to a role outside leadership circles, on the sidelines. In 17 years in Ottawa, the Bloc has made no decisions and has accomplished nothing.

Can the Secretary of State for Agriculture tell us what the Conservative government is doing to advance the interests of Quebec's producers?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean asked an excellent question. I agree with him that the Bloc is not in a position to advance the interests of Quebec. In matters of agriculture, the Bloc cannot and will never be able to do anything for our producers. After 13 years of inaction, it is the Conservative government that is defending supply management, supporting our hog producers, investing in biofuel and encouraging the next generation.

All of that is in the Speech from the Throne. It presented clear commitments, but, again, the Bloc voted against it. With the Bloc, Quebec is idling. With the Conservatives, the nation of Quebec can finally move forward and flourish.

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

Mr. Speaker, last week French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced that France, as a precautionary measure, will indefinitely suspend cultivation of GMO corn and cited concerns about its safety, usefulness and uncontrolled dissemination. The conservative French government has banned a product which has been authorized for use in Canada since 1997.

Independent scientific evidence suggests significant threat to human health from this product. Will the government commit today to follow the responsible path that France has taken? Will it act in order to protect Canadian families?

[Gerry Ritz, Conservative, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite said, we have grown that particular corn in this country for years. Our science is sound. We are moving ahead.

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

Mr. Speaker, the health and safety of Canadians must never be compromised. And yet we learn that there have been budgetary cuts to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that will limit the ability of the agency to protect Canadians. Allowing industry employees to conduct inspections is not a solution. That is the wrong direction.

Can the minister tell us how he can improve the inspection of our food by making draconian cuts to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's budget?

[Gerry Ritz, Conservative, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, as usual, the NDP is wrong. There are no budget cuts at the CFIA at this time.

Canada Elections Act

[Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

Mr. Speaker, recent changes to the Canada Elections Act have resulted in the vote being stripped from one million rural Canadians. These changes will affect at least 80% of voters in my riding, including myself. This is not acceptable. These problems must be solved immediately by new legislation, not some administrative band-aid.

The government is consulting, but that is not enough. When will the votes of rural Canadians be fully restored by law?

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

Mr. Speaker, I guess the hon. member has not yet had an opportunity to inspect the notice paper for today, but the bill was put on notice yesterday. It will be introduced tomorrow. I look forward to the support of all parties on this important bill.