Debates of Dec. 7th, 2007

Airbus

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we heard that the $300,000 Mr. Mulroney received ultimately came from a $4 million payout Mr. Schreiber got after an agreement was signed between three Mulroney cabinet ministers and Mr. Schreiber. The paper trail proves this.

Will the Prime Minister guarantee that the inquiry will look into all contracts signed between the Mulroney government and companies representing Mr. Mulroney's lobbyist friends? Will he let us find out who got what cash?

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, this is a little ironic, because those junior Matlocks on the other side are calling for a public inquiry and the Prime Minister has set the parameters and has said that there would be a public inquiry. Professor Johnston is going to be making recommendations as to the appropriate mandate for that public inquiry.

Let us do that and let Professor Johnston do the work that he has been mandated to do.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the question is simple. I am asking whether or not this information will be included in an inquiry. Mr. Mulroney was paid $300,000 in cash that was a direct result of an agreement his cabinet approved and signed with Mr. Schreiber. On top of this, Mr. Mulroney received $100,000 of this cash while sitting as an MP, an act expressly prohibited by law.

The question is simple. Will the Prime Minister ensure the integrity of his office? Will he direct the inquiry to thoroughly review the contracts Mr. Mulroney's government signed with companies like Thyssen, MBB and Airbus, to determine what commissions were paid out--

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice.

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, our government has announced that there would be a public inquiry into this. Professor Johnston is going to be making recommendations as to the appropriate mandate. Hon. members should let Professor Johnston do the work that we have asked him to do.

Taxation

[Dick Harris, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, a number of former JDS Uniphase employees paid taxes on stock options that they never actually received.

The Liberals, specifically the member for Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca and the member for LaSalle—Émard, repeatedly said that they were going to address the issue. In fact, those were more promises made and more promises broken.

Could the Minister of National Revenue tell us if our government has resolved this situation?

[Gordon O'Connor, Conservative, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, in accordance with the Income Tax Act, of course, I am unable to talk about the specifics of the case. However, I would like to point out that the member for LaSalle—Émard, when he was prime minister, and the member for Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca on a number of occasions promised to resolve this issue, but they just did not get it done.

We are getting it done. I can tell the House that a remission order to address this case was passed on November 14 and the CRA is working to process this order in a timely fashion. Moving forward, we will be examining the tax rolls to determine whether measures should be taken to help prevent a similar situation from occurring in the future.

Manufacturing Industry

[Wayne Marston, NDP, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the provincial government in Ontario established a council to advise MPPs on manufacturing issues. It is undoubtedly a weak response. What the sector needs is a plan, not more advisement.

However, it is at least a step forward. Since taking power two years ago, the Conservative government has not moved with the times of increasing dollar values and continued cuts in the manufacturing sector.

When is the government going to take seriously the plight of workers and the communities that depend on those jobs and establish a plan for these manufacturing industry workers and their communities?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know where this NDP member has been, but last year the industry committee did an unprecedented report which came up with 22 recommendations that his critic actually supported. The interesting thing with the NDP is that in our budget we addressed 21 out of 22 of these recommendations and the member voted against it.

We lowered corporate income tax rates. He voted against it. We increased the capital cost allowance writeoff. He voted against it. We cut the paper burden on businesses. He voted against it.

There was $800 million per year for education, $1.3 billion for research--

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

The hon. member for Hamilton East--Stoney Creek on a supplementary.

[Wayne Marston, NDP, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, those scripted answers from the minister will be of little consolation to the families and workers who have lost their jobs.

Statistics Canada today says that 16,000 people lost their jobs in November. Study after study has shown the negative impacts of job loss and plant closures on workers and their families.

If the Conservatives will not help save the manufacturing sector with a comprehensive jobs strategy, will they commit to immediate and serious investments to help unemployed workers and their families?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, all the NDP has are strategies. I hear they even strategize on whether or not to shave off their leader's moustache.

The manufacturing sector does not need strategies. It needs action. That is exactly what we have given it. We have lowered taxes by $1.3 billion. We have increased the capital cost allowance. We have responded positively to 21 out of 22 recommendations in the INDU report. We are taking action, which is something the NDP will never do.

Art and Art Exhibits

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, exchanges of art exhibits and works of art are an excellent way for Canadians to become better acquainted with one another and their country. Exhibit Transportation Services facilitates these exchanges, which, otherwise, could be too costly.

Without considering the consequences of its actions, the Conservative government decided to eliminate this important program, thereby abandoning our institutions. Canada's galleries and museums are very disappointed and are calling on the Conservatives to reverse this regrettable decision.

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary for Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, the government took the action that it took as a result of some conflict with respect to labour issues. The government is continuing to work on this issue.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, during the last election the Conservatives promised, in writing, more money for museums. Instead, they cut the museums assistance program. Then they promised a museum policy for Christmas. That was Christmas of last year. They did not deliver then and they will not deliver for this Christmas either.

Now they have cut one of the very few programs that help our museums in Canada. What have Canada's small museums done to the Conservatives to deserve such miserable treatment?

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary for Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, the member refuses to acknowledge the fact that our government has invested a total of over $267 million in museums. We firmly believe that museums have an essential role to play.

I do not understand what his problem is. He knows full well that the members of our committee and I work very diligently and closely with the Museums Association.

Canada Pension Plan

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Canada pension plan is the cornerstone of income security for the vast majority of Canadian seniors, but not all eligible seniors are receiving their benefits.

In fact, more than 55,000 eligible seniors are not receiving their benefits. They paid into the plan. They need their money now.

Why does this mean-spirited government continue to ignore these vulnerable seniors?

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

Mr. Speaker, I do not know where the member gets her statistics from, but we are investing heavily in seniors' issues.

We have created a Secretary of State for Seniors. We have the advisory National Seniors Council. We have added $10 million per year for the new horizons program. We continue to invest $10 million for combating serious issues of elder abuse.

Seniors can be reassured that the government is listening to them and we are delivering results.

Guaranteed Income Supplement

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Sadly, Mr. Speaker, it gets worse. Statistics Canada says that 130,000 low income seniors eligible for the GIS are not receiving it. Eighty per cent of these Canadians are elderly women.

When will the government get it together, simply phone these vulnerable citizens and get them on the list?

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

Mr. Speaker, we continue to invest in our seniors. As I said, we have the Secretary of State for Seniors and the National Seniors Council.

Our last budget spoke directly to the issues of seniors' concerns. We also invested $39 billion for social programs that the opposition parties continue to vote against.

Firearms Registry

[Serge Ménard, Bloc, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government paid a $10 million settlement to kill a contract with CGI, which was working on a replacement for the Canadian firearms information system. Some $81 million had already been spent on this project.

Why was there no public announcement about this decision? What did the government have to hide?

[James Moore, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics]

Mr. Speaker, the government has nothing to hide. The $10 million was not a settlement with CGI. It was a payment for work already performed.

[Serge Ménard, Bloc, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that does not really answer my question about why there was no public announcement.

If the government has agreed to pay a $10 million settlement, it is hard to believe that CGI was doing a poor job. Through repeated amnesties that allow people not to register their long guns, the government is making the registry less and less reliable and easier to discredit later.

Is this latest move not part of the very plan to go over the head of Parliament in order to abolish the registry, as indicated in their electoral platform?

[James Moore, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics]

Mr. Speaker, I do not agree with the way my colleague presents the information as fact, when it is not.

Our government is determined to have efficient measures for gun control and it is comfortable with the decision to cancel this contract. This is a good management decision that will save taxpayers money.

International Trade

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Mississauga—Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, first we had the softwood sellout that compromised our sovereignty. Now it seems that President Bush is using our Prime Minister to rush through his own trade deal with Colombia, this despite the numerous human rights issues and allegations of corruption that touch the current Colombian regime.

Experts have stated that there used to be facets of the Canadian policy in Latin America that distinguished it from Washington's, but unfortunately that is no longer the case. Does the Prime Minister still believe in an independent trade policy or should all future questions on this file be directed to the White House?