Debates of Nov. 2nd, 2007

Nuclear Energy

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, the Minister of Natural Resources stated that any decision regarding nuclear energy was strictly a provincial responsibility. This is not true. Atomic Energy of Canada comes under the federal government, as do nuclear safety and management of nuclear waste.

I want to ask the Minister of Natural Resources this again: why, at all costs, promote nuclear energy, which poses serious problems with regard to waste, when he could put more effort into developing his expertise in safer, more cutting-edge forms of energy that also do not produce greenhouse gases?

[David Anderson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, as the minister said the other day, it will be up to the provinces to determine their own energy mixes. We will be there to support them.

The other day, during the debate on the nuclear liability bill, the member's own colleagues talked about the fact that nuclear power will be here and will be expanding.

So, purely from an environmental point of view, we have to consider it as a clean, emissions free technology. It strengthens Canada's energy security to have a fully diversified energy mix. This is a smart policy for Canada.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Mr. Speaker, this week's Auditor General's report on the Inuvialuit land claim, the third in a series, shows that no matter whether it is the Conservatives or Liberals, they are missing in protecting and developing the north. Right across the north, failure to implement claims has dragged down the progress of aboriginal people and the north.

The Auditor General's call for a strategic approach to building the north is important. So far, the government has taken an ad hoc militaristic approach.

How can northerners believe that anything will change with this Conservative government?

[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, I would like to inform my hon. colleague that our government has obviously looked at this report from the Auditor General quite closely. We are working toward progress with the Inuvialuit, and in this region, we are also assisted by the Government of the Northwest Territories and the regional bodies as well.

However, I would like to acknowledge that not since Prime Minister Diefenbaker has there been a prime minister that has been so interested and supportive of the north. I would like to commend our Prime Minister for all the action he has taken on behalf of northern communities.

Job Creation

[Larry Miller, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our economy in Canada is booming under the leadership of our Prime Minister and this government. In my riding I know that jobs have been created, yet in the construction industry some contractors are having a tough time actually getting enough employees to fill these jobs.

I would like the minister to tell me, first, what have we done in creating jobs and what will we continue--

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance.

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

Mr. Speaker, as I had mentioned earlier, we have actually seen an increase of 63,000 jobs in October alone. I would like to raise the point that 32,000 of these were in Ontario. It is unfortunate that some Ontarians have lost their jobs, but there were 32,000 new jobs in Ontario alone.

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

That brings question period to a close. I am quite sure hon. members will return after the break in a quieter mood.

On a point of order, the hon. member for West Nova.

Oral Questions

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, during question period, the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities provided information that should perhaps be corrected, and I invite him to consider doing so.

He referred to the 400th anniversary celebrations for Quebec City as the 400th anniversary celebrations for Canada as well. We know that the 400th anniversary of the arrival of francophones in Saint Croix, New Brunswick, and Port Royal, Nova Scotia, was celebrated in 2004 and 2005. Many of our Quebec friends celebrated with us and many Acadians will join the people of Quebec City to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of that city.

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

I am not sure that was a point of order, but it seems to have been well received.

Privacy and Access to Information Acts

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to table, in both official languages, two annual reports.

First, I would like to table the 2006-07 annual report on the administration of the Privacy and Access to Information Acts within the Department of Justice.

Courts Administration Service

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, second, I would like to table the Courts Administration Service annual report for 2006-07.

Foreign Affairs and International Development Standing Committee

[Maxime Bernier, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) of the House of Commons, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to the report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development entitled “Advancing Canada's Role In International Support For Democratic Development”.

In the Speech from the Throne delivered on October 16, the current government clearly expressed the fact that Canada's international relations are guided by our shared values of democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law. In order to overcome the current obstacles to democracies, the current government will do more to support democracy.

It is therefore my pleasure to table this report.

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-18, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (verification of residence).

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

Procedure and House Affairs

[Gary Goodyear, Conservative, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Orders 104 and 114, I have the honour to present the second report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs concerning committee memberships of the House, and I should like to move concurrence at this time.

(Motion agreed to)

Laibar Singh

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today.

The first petition has to do with the granting of permanent residence in Canada, on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, to Mr. Laibar Singh, who is an individual in British Columbia facing very serious medical conditions.

The petitioners are calling upon Parliament to allow him to stay in Canada on compassionate and humanitarian grounds.

Asbestos

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is signed by many people across the country who are very concerned that asbestos is the greatest industrial killer the world has ever known. They call upon Parliament to ban asbestos in all its forms and institute a just transition program for asbestos workers in the communities they live in.

Drugs and Pharmaceuticals

[Merv Tweed, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition on behalf of mainly residents from Brandon—Souris but also others from across Canada.

The petitioners ask that the House of Commons amend the law to authorize any pharmaceutical firm to produce generic versions of any drug patented in Canada for export to any eligible developing country listed in the law; to allow any pharmaceutical product to be eligible for compulsory licensing; to simplify the exportation of a drug to any eligible country in any quantity; to eliminate the expiry date on a compulsory licence; and to make it easier for developing countries to benefit from that program.

Laibar Singh

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to table a petition signed by thousands of my constituents.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to halt the deportation of Laibar Singh due to his fragile health and to allow him to stay in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

Mr. Singh is paralyzed by an aneurysm and has the support of many politicians of all political stripes, 13 independent doctors and over 50 organizations, including employees' unions, human rights groups and Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh religious organizations.

Visitor Visas

[Peter Goldring, Conservative, Edmonton East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Poland, a member of the European Union, has long been a close friend of Canada. and as a member NATO is actively promoting peace and security internationally.

This petition I am presenting represents many Canadians of Polish ancestry who call on Canada to establish reciprocity in our relations with Poland on visitor visa requirements.

This measure would bring greater education, cultural, business and scientific exchange and cooperation. The current policy places weeks in the way of this type of cooperation.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have been asked by members of the Ardoch Algonguin First Nation and of the Sharbot Lake First Nation in my constituency to present a petition that was presented to me on the grounds of Parliament Hill shortly before the House opened.

This petition concerns an area in my riding where a uranium mine, should it go forward, would be conducting mining activities on land where an aboriginal land settlement has not yet been achieved. All other economic development has been stopped on this land but the mining can potentially go forward.

The petitioners are understandably very concerned about this, as are a number of other private title holders in the area. They therefore have asked me to present this petition on their behalf to the House of Commons.

It is not in the prescribed form, but if there is unanimous consent, I would like to present this on their behalf.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Royal Galipeau]

Is there unanimous consent that the petition presented by the hon. member for Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington be accepted?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Questions on the Order Paper

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Royal Galipeau]

Is that agreed?