Debates of Nov. 2nd, 2007

Manufacturing Sector

[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, Australia, France, Quebec and Canada approved the Rio Tinto transaction. Rio Tinto has promised to uphold the same commitments as Alcan.

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

Mr. Speaker, what the Minister of Labour must realize is that over the next three years, more than 600 workers will retire, not counting the 300 who will leave this year.

Since the level of employment is very important to the Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean region, can the minister guarantee today to the employees of Rio Tinto Alcan that it will be maintained for the next three years?

[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, today, the Bloc is in favour of having the federal government help the manufacturing and forestry industries in Quebec. But the leader of the Bloc voted against the economic statement and the Speech from the Throne; the Bloc voted against the workers of Quebec.

Foreign Affairs

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, on the issue of the death penalty carried out in other countries, the government has attempted to respond to those questions by suggesting that the questions imply that the accused person in another country would be brought back to Canada. That is not the question. No one is suggesting that the accused be brought back to Canada. The issue is the commutation of the sentence in the other country.

Will the government reinstate the long-standing policy of the Department of Foreign Affairs to seek commutation in the other country?

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

Mr. Speaker, 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 processes when there has been a fair trial.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, a variety of issues have arisen in respect of Canadians in Mexico and the judicial system of Mexico in the last couple of years. Will the government say, in terms of its privileged list of countries around the world, and apparently the United States in on that list, if Mexico is also on that list?

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

Mr. Speaker, obviously there is a need to evaluate things on a case by case basis. I know the individual, for whom the Liberal Party is standing up these days, is an individual who 25 years ago was convicted of a double murder, two cold-blooded shots in the back of the head, to which he has openly admitted. I cannot imagine why the Liberals want him back in Canada.

Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages

[Marcel Proulx, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages is responsible for the Quebec region and Quebec City's 400th anniversary celebrations. Consequently she must promote the celebrations and manage the federal contribution. She has disclosed that she is the co-owner, together with her spouse, of LXB Communication Marketing, which just rolled out some despicable advertising against the 400th anniversary celebrations. The phrase “The 400th anniversary, it's sick” is placed next to a vomiting emoticon.

Will the minister cut all ties with LXB Communication Marketing?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages, had the opportunity to answer all these questions in this House yesterday. It is very clear that beyond the steps taken by the preceding government, this government assumes its responsibilities with regard to promoting the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City.

We have invested more than $110 million in this program and we are certain that Quebec City, as the founding city of Canada, will have a spectacular celebration recognized not only throughout the country but worldwide.

[Marcel Proulx, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, LXB Communication Marketing is not satisfied with spewing its venom at Quebec City alone. In another ad from the same advertising campaign, the minister's agency gives Montreal the finger.

Does the minister use as much judgment in managing the Department of Canadian Heritage as she does with her communications agency?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows very well that the minister does not have any ties to this company. In addition, our colleague also knows very well that it is not the communications company that pays for this advertising but the radio station. This station has paid for advertising with questionable humour. However, we do live in a society where this is permitted.

This does not prevent my colleague and all the members from believing—

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

The member for Lethbridge.

The Economy

[Rick Casson, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the recent news of layoffs in the auto manufacturing sector has Canadians concerned. Layoffs like these create real challenges for the workers and their families involved.

While not understating the challenges facing the manufacturing sector, the overall Canadian economy remains strong. Today's employment figures reinforce that.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance update the House on Canada's employment picture?

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

Mr. Speaker, while we are very concerned and taking action to support the manufacturing sector, today's employment figures confirm Canada's economy remains strong. Sixty-three thousand jobs were created in October. Employment is at a record high. Unemployment is at its lowest level since 1974.

Since we took office, over 655,000 new jobs have been created right across Canada, and full time jobs account for nearly 80% of these gains.

As a CIBC report said this week, “not only is job creation—

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

Order, please. The hon. member for Parkdale—High Park.

Manufacturing Industry

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the mini budget's corporate tax cuts take Canada in absolutely the wrong direction. The headlines make it plain and clear, “Chrysler eliminates jobs in Ontario, more job loss expected”.

The mini budget will make things worse for manufacturing. The oil and gas sector is driving the dollar higher. The higher the dollar goes, the harder it is for manufacturers.

Why did the minister choose to ignore our manufacturers and instead make things worse by helping his friends in the banks and the oil and gas sector?

[Diane Ablonczy, Conservative, Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)]

Mr. Speaker, it is clear that it is not easy for any Canadian who loses a job. This government shares the concerns of these individuals.

There is a range of government programs available to help people make a transition to another job. As other members have stated, the good news is there is a very hot job market for these individuals.

In addition to that, we brought in a number of measures to assist the industry. I can provide a list, though I am sure the Speaker will call me to account before I do that. We are very much involved in this, engaged in this, and we will continue to assist the industry.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government is sleepwalking through a crisis.

The Prime Minister has admitted that the manufacturing sector is “in crisis”, but he will not do anything about it. Canadian auto executives have already told me that these corporate tax cuts will not help them because they are not in a profitable situation right now.

There are 1,100 good Chrysler jobs in the Brampton area gone. These are young people with families to support and mortgages to pay. For every one of their jobs, another three jobs in the auto parts sector will be lost.

Now that the government has finally acknowledged the crisis, how long will it take it to address it?

[Diane Ablonczy, Conservative, Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP is a little over the top on this. In fact, the government has taken substantial measures to prepare the industry through this and continues to do that.

We have made enormous investments in skills and training. We have made a historic $33 billion investment in critical infrastructure and border crossings. We have given a substantial economic lift to all companies through substantial tax reductions. In fact, billions in new investments are being attracted to Canada by other auto companies.

There is opportunity to move from—

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

The hon. member for Halton.

Income Trusts

[Garth Turner, Liberal, Halton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, luxury car dealers in my area would like to thank the Minister of Finance because each buyer of a new Mercedes will now save about $1,000 in GST. However, Dave Marshall, who is a retired truck driver, and his wife Lorraine will not be buying a Mercedes any time soon. They lost $190,000 when the same Minister of Finance decimated their savings.

Will the minister explain to the Marshalls how long it will take, at $13 a month in GST savings, to get that nest egg back?

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

Mr. Speaker, I never thought I would see the day that the member for Halton would stand in the House of Commons and attack the concept of tax cuts, but his conversion apparently is complete.

Perhaps that is why he will not keep his own promise when he said, “I think anyone who crosses the floor should go back to the people for ratification”. It has not happened yet. In fact, he is so afraid, it seems to have passed on to the whole caucus that is willing to sit on its hands to never face the voters again.

[Garth Turner, Liberal, Halton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I think the Marshalls will be very unhappy with that response, as all Canadians should.

When the Minister of Finance in his mini budget attacked income trusts, he said that he would lower taxes for pensioners on pension splitting, but 70% of Canadian pensioners do not have a pension to split.

I am going to ask the minister this. How long is it going to take to restore $190,000 in lost income trust savings because the government brought the income tax rate back down half a point to where it was two years ago? Let us have an answer this time.

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

Mr. Speaker, when the member finally goes back to the voters, as he promised, he can explain why he voted for that pension income splitting and why he voted for the income trust measures that we put in place.

I hear he is among those Liberals who are unhappy with their leadership's approach these days and I hear they going to do something about it. They are going to the Liberal leader's office to register their dissatisfaction in a way only the Liberal leader will understand. They are going to stage a sit-in.

Agriculture

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the good fiscal management of previous Liberal governments, the new government is swimming in cash. Yet, while the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food describes the potential of the Atlantic beef plant, the only federally inspected plant in Atlantic Canada, he fails to deliver any financial support.

Atlantic ministers and livestock producers are calling for support now, today. When will the minister deliver his financial support to seize the opportunity that exists for the Atlantic beef industry?