House of Commons Hansard #33 of the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was taxes.
Helena Guergis ConservativeSecretary of State (Foreign Affairs and International Trade) (Sport)
Mr. Speaker, I am sure the hon. member will agree that trade and human rights are mutually reinforcing objectives. That is the position of the government. Economic development and strengthening the social foundations of countries can contribute to a domestic environment where individual rights and the rule of law are respected.
Joe Preston Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberals were not fooling anyone when they tried to attack our government on funding for cities and communities. For 13 years the Liberals ignored and neglected the needs of municipalities and slashed funding, while it was the Conservative Party that was pushing for action.
Our government made the largest infrastructure investment of modern times. We consulted the provinces, the territories and the municipalities across this country. We are delivering long term, flexible and predictable funding, which is exactly what they asked for.
Can the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities say what action our government is taking to help Canadian municipalities?
Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Transport
That is an excellent question, Mr. Speaker, and I am very happy to address it. Over half of the $33 billion will be flowing to communities and municipalities throughout the country.
I might add that now that we have launched the building Canada plan, British Columbia has agreed to sign on to the framework agreement. Nova Scotia is there. This afternoon, my colleague, the Minister of Veterans Affairs, will be with Premier Graham of New Brunswick to sign the framework agreement.
We are getting the job done, contrary to what the Liberals are saying.
Alex Atamanenko NDP British Columbia Southern Interior, BC
Mr. Speaker, a Washington State county is proposing to build a major dam on the Similkameen River near the Canada-U.S. border, which would inundate extensive areas of ecologically rich southern B.C. Half of the flood zone would be in B.C's dry Similkameen Valley, encroaching on close to 24 kilometres of Canadian soil south of Keremeos and west of Osoyoos.
The Minister of the Environment has personally assured me that he is watching this very closely. I thank him very much for this. Could he please advise the House of what concrete steps he has taken or will take to ensure this project never happens?
Mark Warawa ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for this question and for his meeting with the environment minister. He has also talked to me. I can assure him that we are dealing with this with our counterparts in Washington State and also in the province of B.C.
Canada takes the environment very seriously. That is why we announced the creation of a new national park on the east arm of Great Slave Lake. We announced $30 million to clean up Hamilton harbour. We announced $11 million to clean up Lake Winnipeg. We just keep getting it done.
Alex Atamanenko NDP British Columbia Southern Interior, BC
Mr. Speaker, I thank the parliamentary secretary for his concerns. We are looking at a potential flooding of 7,200 hectares, threatening 37 endangered species, first nations territory and prime agricultural land.
The Washington State Department of Ecology has granted $300,000 to Okanagan County Public Utility District No. 1 to study three dam proposals. The B.C. minister of the environment has written his Washington State counterpart outlining his concerns. I have written the B.C. minister asking to be kept informed.
Will the Minister of the Environment commit to working closely with the B.C. government and locally elected officials to put a stop to this project?
Mark Warawa ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment
Yes, Mr. Speaker, our government is working very closely with our counterparts in the province of British Columbia and also in Washington State. Our number one priority is protecting the environment for this generation and for future generations. We are getting it done.
Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON
Mr. Speaker, $5 billion in direct funding, $7 billion in GST rebates, support for public transit, and a seat at the table, that was the new deal for cities under the previous Liberal government.
Now a $123 billion shortfall in infrastructure investment, a shortfall in public transit, and no seat at the table. That is the Conservative government's no deal for the cities.
Instead of calling them grumpy whiners, when will the government show respect for Canada's cities?
Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, we have to be able to get the facts straight here. From 1993 to 2005 the previous government invested on a yearly basis $1.3 billion in infrastructure. We all know the debate the Liberals had on transferring the gas tax, but the parliamentary secretary for public works is the one who stood up for it.
When we took power, we committed over five times that amount, $5 billion for cities and communities for infrastructure. The Liberal Party is going to have to stop listening to the member for Wascana who continues to--
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Conference on Climate Change is being held in Indonesia this week and next, where nations are meeting to chart a path for negotiating a post-2012 agreement on fighting climate change. Our environment minister will be there leading the Canadian delegation and showing leadership on the world stage.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment tell this House what Canada's goals are for this conference?
Mark Warawa ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for the great question. Hopefully the Liberals are listening on how to ask questions.
Canada's principles in Indonesia are clear. We believe that any post-2012 agreement on climate change needs to include all major emitters, countries like China, India and the United States, developed or in the developing world.
The agreement must be fair and economically realistic without placing unfair burdens on any specific country. The agreement must be long term and flexible, and have a balanced approach that preserves economic growth and protects the environment. The agreement must call for real, absolute reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga, QC
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to issues such as the environment and justice, the Conservatives like to follow the example of the Americans and their friend George W. Bush. Yet this government's plan for youth justice is based on harsher sentences, an approach that is no longer supported by half of the American states, which believe, with good reason, that this is not the right approach. Like Quebec, the states of Illinois, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Washington have proven that reintegration and rehabilitation produce very positive results, both socially and economically.
Can the Minister of Justice explain why he insists on using a counter-productive approach that does not help young people and has been abandoned even by the Americans?
Rob Moore ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, our government was elected to provide safer streets and safer communities for all Canadians. That is why after 13 years of Liberal inaction, 13 years of a Liberal revolving door justice system, we have taken action with an ambitious justice agenda.
We are restoring the principles to the Youth Criminal Justice Act of deterrents and denunciation of criminal activity. Of course, our number one goal is to provide young people with the resources they need to ensure that they never enter into a life of crime.
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Mr. Speaker, a recent report done by the Alberta community of Fort Chipewyan, downstream from the oil sands, found elevated cancer causing chemicals in the water of the Athabasca River. Other reports have shown a clear link between the oil sands development and water pollution.
The federal government is responsible for trans-boundary water pollution. Rather than encouraging even more oil sands development, when will it work to protect the people of northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories?
Mark Warawa ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows very well that this government is committed to cleaning up the environment.
After 13 long years of Liberal inaction, we now have a $1.5 billion fund to work with the provinces. We are doing that. We are working with B.C. We are working with Alberta. We are working with every province to clean up the environmental messes left by those people over there.
Ken Boshcoff Liberal Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON
Mr. Speaker, 800 forestry workers in northwestern Ontario have been laid off in the past two weeks and over 300 more learned last week that their mill is now closed permanently. The government scrapped the Liberal $1.5 billion forest industry competitive plan and has presented no new plan.
How many more of my constituents will have to join the unemployment line? What is the Prime Minister's plan for these families?
Colin Carrie ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, the government is taking the crisis in the forestry sector very seriously. Since we took office, we have taken strong action to support the forestry workers and the industry, and we will continue to do so.
The Speech from the Throne highlighted the government's ongoing commitment to support Canada's traditional industries, including forestry and their workers.
We work closely with all Canadian forestry industry leaders and our record of delivering results is another example of what we can get done. We are getting the job done.
Government Response to PetitionsRoutine Proceedings
Cypress Hills—Grasslands Saskatchewan
Conservative
David Anderson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to five petitions.
Gary Schellenberger Conservative Perth—Wellington, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage related to the nomination of Hubert T. Lacroix to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, CBC/Radio-Canada.
Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West—Glanbrook, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on International Trade.
In accordance with its order of reference on Monday, November 26, 2007, the committee has considered Bill S-2, An Act to amend the Canada-United States Tax Convention Act, 1984, and agreed on Thursday, December 6 to report it without amendment.
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present this income trust broken promise petition on behalf of Mr. Jim Bell from British Columbia, who remembers the Prime Minister boasting about his apparent commitment to accountability when he said, “There is no greater fraud than a promise not kept”.
The petitioners remind the Prime Minister that he promised never to tax income trusts, but he recklessly broke that promise by imposing a 31.5% punitive tax which permanently wiped out over $25 billion of the hard-earned retirement savings of over two million Canadians, particularly seniors.
The petitioners, therefore, call upon the Conservative minority government to: first, admit that the decision to tax income trusts was based on flawed methodology and incorrect assumptions; second, to apologize to those who were unfairly harmed by this broken promise; and third, to repeal the punitive 31.5% tax on income trusts.
Patricia Davidson Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to present a petition on behalf of approximately 250 constituents in support of the World Trade Center Families for Proper Burial. On September 11, 2001, over 2,700 people were killed at the World Trade Center in New York and 25 of those victims were Canadian citizens.
The signators to this petition are asking that the Canadian government endorse the goal of the WTC Families for Proper Burial, enter into a dialogue to work toward rectifying this horrendous situation for all WTC 9/11 families, and ensure that Canadian citizens are not left behind in a New York City garbage dump.
