Debates of Nov. 2nd, 2007

Justice

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this case calls to mind that of Stan Faulder, a Canadian executed in Texas in 1999. At the time, seeking to counter Canada's efforts, a Reform member even went to Texas to support the death penalty. The governor who rejected Canada's request for clemency was none other than George W. Bush.

Can the minister tell us if his real reason for not seeking clemency for Ronald Allen Smith, having his sentence commuted to life in prison, is because he does not want to bother his good friend Bush?

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

Mr. Speaker, Canada's policy is to get tough on crime. Murderers who have been convicted in a democratic country will not be brought back to Canada.

400th Anniversary of Quebec City

[Mario Laframboise, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, while Quebec City is preparing to celebrate its 400th anniversary and going all out to welcome visitors from throughout Quebec and around the world, a radio station is waging an advertising campaign that is aimed at dividing the people and is sullying the 400th anniversary celebrations.

How can the Minister of Canadian Heritage, who is responsible for the 400th anniversary, convince us that she is doing everything she can to make the festivities a success when the family business run by her spouse is running ads that denigrate the celebrations?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I noticed that in his question, my hon. colleague did not mention the ethics declaration or the fact that the minister has complied with all the guidelines, does not hold shares in the company and so on. That said, I believe he will agree with me. He did not raise that issue.

However, he wants to know what the Government of Canada is doing to support the 400th anniversary celebrations. In fact, we are investing over $100 million in these events. We are well aware that Quebec City is the place where Canada was literally born. Canada was born in French, and we celebrate that, my dear colleague.

[Mario Laframboise, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister should perhaps read the Journal de Montréal, the newspaper most Quebeckers read. On August 17, the minister stated that “a way to connect with the people had to be found quickly” to get all of them on board and involved in the 400th anniversary celebrations.

Does the Minister of Canadian Heritage recognize that the smear campaign of advertising produced by her family business is not the ideal way to connect with the people?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and all the members who were elected in greater Quebec City and clearly support our government's policies, are not only here to represent their constituents' and taxpayers' interests, they are also voices within our caucus and our government that celebrate the 400th anniversary of Quebec City.

We are proud of the 400th anniversary of Quebec City and its region.

Economic Statement

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we lost 3,500 manufacturing jobs in October and over 63,000 in the past year. The government is overseeing the gutting of Canada's manufacturing sector and it will only get worse because the Liberals have rolled over and endorsed the corporate tax giveaway.

Why is it that the government has billions for corporate tax cuts but nothing for those families who have lost their jobs? Why did the minister forget Canadian workers and their families in his mini-budget? Why were they left behind?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to actually tell this House about the good news we have for Canadians who have lost their jobs, it is called “jobs”. Since this government took office, 655,000 new jobs have been created. More Canadians are working now than ever in Canadian history.

In fact, when the Liberals were in government in 2005, the unemployment rate was 6.8% and today it stands at 5.8%. That is progress for giving Canadians the jobs they need.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I noticed that the minister conveniently ignored that we have lost over 300,000 manufacturing jobs in this country. Why does he not address that?

The minister knows full well that tax cuts do not build affordable housing. Corporate tax cuts do not create child care spaces. Corporate tax cuts do not create jobs. They create wealth for CEOs and rich investors.

Could the minister tell us just how many jobs will be created by giving $7 billion in corporate tax breaks to the banks and to big oil? Where are those jobs going to come from? They will not come from his corporate tax breaks, that is for sure.

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

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, it looks like cutting the GST does create jobs. We cut it 1% and we got 655,000 new jobs. If the member wants to know how many more, we cut the GST 1% again so I guess that means another 655,000 new jobs. Why? It is because Canadians have more dollars in their pockets to buy cars so that auto workers have jobs, to buy furniture so that furniture manufacturers have jobs and to buy food so that farmers have jobs.

Guess what? Everybody does better when they have more money in their pockets. That is why we are cutting taxes for everyone.

Foreign Affairs

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, could the Minister of Justice tell Canadians whether the government opposes the death penalty?

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

Mr. Speaker, the law is clear on that in Canada.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I asked the minister's opinion but we already know what it is. The Minister of Justice declared in this House, “Capital punishment is necessary to restore public respect for the criminal justice system”.

We know the Minister of Public Safety supports the death penalty, even for young offenders. Why are these ministers trying to make their personal views government policy when it comes to foreign executions?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in my first answer, the law is clear on this in Canada.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence said this about the death penalty, “I believe personally the option should be there”.

Now we learn that Canada will not protest the use of the death penalty on Canadian citizens by foreign governments, this despite the fact that even democratic countries like Canada have had wrongful convictions, notably the Marshall, Milgaard, Morin and Truscott cases.

Is the former foreign affairs minister responsible for imposing his personal view when it comes to the execution of Canadians by foreign governments?

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, we will not actively seek to bring murderers back to Canada after they have been convicted in a democratic country and sentenced under the rule of law. There is no death penalty in Canada, however, people should be held responsible for their crimes in other democratic jurisdictions. We will not interfere with their process when there has been a fair trial.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Deputy Speaker, Bill Blaikie]

Order, please. The issue before the House is a serious one and there are questions and there are answers and there is no need for all the yelling.

The hon. member for Halifax West.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, that is not what I asked.

If Canada's position is not consistent with respect to all countries, Canada will lose all credibility with those where the death penalty is applied systematically, like China.

On the same day when the government is turning its back on the execution of our citizens in foreign countries, the Canadian government is supporting an international motion at the United Nations for a moratorium on the death penalty.

Why is the government doing one thing and saying another?

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, as I have already indicated, we will not actively seek to bring murderers back to Canada after they have been convicted in a democratic country and sentenced under the rule of law.

Manufacturing Sector

[Paule Brunelle, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Premiers Charest and McGuinty, together with the Bloc Québécois and the unions, are denouncing the government's lack of resolve and are calling for effective aid for the manufacturing industry. I would like to remind the House that the Conservatives have had in their hands since February 2007, the unanimous report of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, which proposes 22 recommendations to help the manufacturing sector.

What is the minister waiting for to take action and support the manufacturing sector instead of the banks and the oil industry?

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to remind the House that the president of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters has commended the economic update saying that it will create an interesting fiscal environment that will attract and retain investment in Canada.

[Paule Brunelle, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we are not going to find solutions by burying our heads in the sand.

A few months ago, the Kruger company in my riding announced that 1,000 jobs would be temporarily cut. Yesterday, 180 jobs were added to the list. The Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec can claim all he wants that, as a general rule, the Prime Minister keeps his election promises, but to every rule there are exceptions and now the manufacturing sector is suffering because of the Prime Minister's inaction.

Does the minister realize that the manufacturing sector and its workers have been dying because of the Conservatives' broken promises since the last election?

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, I understand the concern of the people in the Bloc Québécois member's riding, after 17 years of his political party's inability to resolve a single problem in his region.

It is clear to us that only strong leadership could help these people in difficulty. We have that within our government.

[Robert Bouchard, Bloc, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week, on the airwaves in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean, the Minister of Labour declared that the employment level that existed at Alcan would be maintained for the next three years, despite the sale to Rio Tinto. However, a senior management spokesperson from Rio Tinto Alcan would not confirm the minister's claims to workers' unions.

If the management of Rio Tinto refuses to confirm what the Minister of Labour said, can he tell us where he got the information?