Debates of Nov. 27th, 2007

Zahra Kazemi

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Secretary of State (Foreign Affairs and International Trade) (Sport)]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has long called for a new and credible investigation into the death of Ms. Kazemi.

Iran has an obligation to the Kazemi family to ensure that the perpetrators of this terrible crime are brought to justice and the rights of the family are upheld.

Today the media reports suggest that the Iranian supreme court has made a decision to reopen the case. Our government would welcome any decision to reopen this case and hope that it offers justice to Ms. Kazemi's family and to her memory.

Government Contracts

[Denise Savoie, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, shipyard workers in Victoria and Halifax are facing an uncertain future today because of the Conservatives' botched submarine maintenance contract. Canada's submarines cannot do their jobs patrolling our coastal waters.

The contract in question is in front of the courts, so why the government's interference? Is it because the name of Mulroney's confidant, Fred Doucet, is on the lobby register?

Will the minister confirm that this is the real reason the contract will be re-tendered?

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

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of different allegations here. The reality is that the Government of Canada is very anxious to see the submarines fully operational. We want to see that happen.

There are different aspects to the contract itself with respect to the Victoria-class submarines, including the in-service support, but also with respect to periscopes and torpedos.

With respect to the other allegation, it is my understanding that the individual she mentioned is not in the employ of Irving. It has nothing to do with the contract.

The reality is there is a matter before the courts. It would be improper for this government to interfere in that process.

[Denise Savoie, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am not talking about the court case. I am talking about a well placed Conservative lobbyist interfering in a non-political procurement process reversing a decision that was won fair and square and deciding which region of the country gets federal contracts.

In the interests of coming clean, will the minister table in the House the dates, times, locations and subject of any meetings that national defence officials have had with Mr. Doucet?

Shipyard workers and their families deserve an answer.

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

Mr. Speaker, plain and simple, there is no interference.

If the hon. member has any allegations whatsoever, perhaps she could make them public. She could perhaps explain what it is she is accusing the government or that individual of.

We very much want to see the submarines fully operational. They are an important strategic asset when it comes to the protection of both our coasts as well as the Arctic waters. There is nothing this government and the defence department would like to see more than to have those submarines fully operational.

I have no idea what she is talking about.

Canada Border Services Agency

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this past Saturday, hundreds of people were demonstrating in Vancouver about the use of tasers. Canadians want answers about the death of Mr. Dziekanski.

Yesterday the CBSA released its report which only raised more questions without any explanation. The report shows that Mr. Dziekanski came into contact with several border service officers.

How is it possible that he was left alone for at least 10 hours with no one to help him?

[Stockwell Day, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, immediately following this very tragic incident I asked for reviews in a number of areas. One was that the CBSA do a full review of what had happened. In fact, I believe it is the first to come out with an analysis of what took place in that very tragic incident.

I also have directed that the recommendations the CBSA is suggesting it will implement be put in place as soon as possible. The CBSA is also working very closely with the Vancouver Airport Authority to make sure that the recommendations the Vancouver authority is putting in place will also happen.

We do not want to see something like this happen again. We are on the way to making sure that is the case.

Natural Areas Conservation

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this past Sunday the Minister of the Environment came to Essex and announced the protection of sensitive lands on Pelee Island, proving again that this government is taking action to protect Canada's natural treasures.

For years, constituents in my riding asked for these lands to be protected and for years their calls fell on the deaf ears of Liberals who sat on their hands and did nothing. I know the Liberals are environmentally green with envy at this government's action.

Could the Minister of the Environment tell the House how this great announcement will benefit Pelee Island and Canadians?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I am surprised at the member. I am surprised he did not mention that we are protecting 5% of Pelee Island in addition to the great conservation work that is already taking place there. I am surprised he did not talk about the species at risk that we are helping to protect. I am surprised he did not talk about all of the great work that is going on around the country.

We are protecting some sensitive ecosystems in southern Canada. Pelee Island is only one example. This government is acting. We are getting the job done.

Poverty

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in 1989 the House of Commons unanimously supported Ed Broadbent's motion to eradicate child poverty by the year 2000.

Eighteen years later, far from eradicating poverty, we have not even made progress. In Hamilton, one in four children is living in poverty. That is enough to fill Copps Coliseum one and a half times over.

Yesterday's Campaign 2000 report indicates that the poverty rate is essentially unchanged. UNICEF Canada concluded last week that Canada is failing to meet its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

We had a budget surplus of over $14 billion. When is the government going to--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. Minister of Human Resources and Social Development.

[Monte Solberg, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, this is a serious issue, and obviously all parliamentarians are concerned about it.

I would point out that Statistics Canada shows that as jobs have increased in this country, the poverty levels have gone down for all sorts of groups. That is tremendous news. We need to take advantage of it by making sure that we provide people with the necessary training so they can get skills that will ultimately lead to a good job. That is the best social program in the world. We are making progress on that, and that is tremendous news.

Manufacturing Industry

[Garth Turner, Liberal, Halton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, many Canadian workers are wondering when the Minister of Finance will clearly understand how it feels when scores of people in a community see their jobs disappear through no fault of their own.

Right now, hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs are gone and scores of them are in the minister's own riding.

What does the minister have to say to those workers and his constituents who are working at PDQ Yachts and have just seen their jobs sink? Will he help them and all the other workers looking for his help?

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Unlike the member opposite, Mr. Speaker, we are taking action. We are not just using a bunch of words.

In the March budget we brought in the accelerated capital cost allowance. That is $1.3 billion of aid for Canadian manufacturers. We eliminated the capital tax federally. I wish the provinces of Quebec and Ontario would eliminate their capital tax. This is a tax on corporations, whether or not they have a profit. We have reduced corporate taxes and business taxes across the board down to 15% by 2012. Those are actions for Canadian manufacturers.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Order. I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of His Excellency Wolfgang Erlitz, MP, President of the Federal Council of the Republic of Austria.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have in my hands the first report of the ethics committee that asks the Speaker to issue any necessary warrants for the appearance of Karlheinz Schreiber before the committee as soon as possible and to be available until discharged by the committee.

Accordingly, I seek the unanimous consent of the House to revert to presenting reports from committees.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Does the hon. member for Mississauga South have the unanimous consent of the House to revert to presenting reports from committees?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we are prepared to consent to reverting to presenting reports from committees for the purpose of this limited statement, as indicated by the Chair.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present the first report of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics. It states, very briefly:

The Committee met on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 and agreed to the following recommendation:

That the Speaker issue any necessary warrants for the appearance of Karlheinz Schreiber before the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, as soon as possible and that he be available until discharged by the Committee.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask that the House of Commons be allowed to consider the first report of the ethics committee without otherwise due notice.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I am not sure what the hon. member for Winnipeg Centre means by “consider”. Is he seeking unanimous consent to move a motion for concurrence? Is that the suggestion? I am at a loss to understand what he means by “consider” in the absence of some kind of motion. We have to have a motion.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, thank you for your guidance in this matter. I would like to move the necessary motions that we may in fact move concurrence in the first report at this time without having served notice as per the normal routine.