Debates of Feb. 5th, 2007

Health

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Minister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to put into the record, yet again, CIHI's most recent information on the studied year, which indicates there are 42,000 more surgeries in five key surgery areas. That is an increase in accessibility of 7%. It also indicates an increase of over 2% in surgeries performed outside these five key areas.

These are the facts. We are meeting our wait times targets. We are acting with leadership on behalf of all Canadians. That is the record of this government and we are darn proud of it.

The Environment

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are confused when they hear Conservatives profess their new found love for the environment. What they really need, however, are a few basic commitments.

The president of France is creating a panel of watchdogs to force governments like the Conservative government to keep its international commitments. That is because the minister, like the Liberal leader before him, failed to get the job done.

Will the minister commit today that Canada will be part of this international panel proposed by President Chirac so the government gets the adult supervision it so desperately needs?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, France is currently pursuing a proposal to increase the status of the United Nations environmental program to full status. I was the only minister to attend the request. Forty-five other countries attended, but had already previously committed. We are very much engaged in the process. We look forward to learning more about this initiative and about what we can do in Canada to ensure that we deliver on the environment.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, apparently the environment minister's road to Damascus led him all the way to Paris where he woke up with the astounding revelation that humans were, in fact, causing global warming. Now that he has finally passed through climate change 100, perhaps the minister is ready to lean over and teach the Prime Minister a few things about this.

The time for action is now. Now that we are all in agreement that we are in the middle of an environmental crisis, Canadians want to see action. Will the Prime Minister agree to keep our Kyoto commitments, yes or no?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, Kyoto is all about a global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions around the world and right here in Canada. Those of us on this side of the House support reducing greenhouse gas emissions and we are prepared to take real and meaningful action to do so.

Let us look at a recent story I read in the newspaper. A former Liberal cabinet colleague said that the Liberal leader was not so hot on warming. He said of the Liberal leader, “Dion not always hot about global warming”. It goes on to say:

Indeed, David Anderson says that when the previous Liberal government initially signed on to the Kyoto [protocol]...Dion was more focused on keeping the peace with the provinces—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I would remind the hon. Minister of the Environment to be careful when reading something and not to use members' names and to stick with their titles. I am aware it is in print, but you cannot do indirectly what you cannot do directly.

The hon. member for Churchill.

Broadcasting Industry

[Tina Keeper, Liberal, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has failed the test of leadership when it comes to the Canadian television fund. Exempting Vidéotron and Shaw from their contractual obligations to support the CTF has made television producers and other stakeholders across Canada furious and fearful about the future of the Canadian television industry.

Why will the minister not stand up for the CTF and enforce the licensing requirements of Canada's big cable companies?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. This government has always been in favour of and supports the system for Canadian producers and Canadian productions because we need a strong broadcasting system. That is why I am proud that we announced $200 million over the next two years for Canadian production. As members know, I have been holding meetings and we are working toward resolution of the matter.

[Tina Keeper, Liberal, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the script changes almost daily on this issue, but these cable companies have to pay their dues. It is a condition of the licence that allows them to operate. We know the minister was against the CTF when she was with the CRTC, but now she is a minister with a duty to uphold the law.

Will the minister now admit her inaction is putting the domestic television industry and even our Canadian identity at risk?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would ask the hon. opposition member to be correct in her information. This is a regulation. We have an independent body, the CRTC, that we have given the responsibility to enforce the regulations and ensure that everybody contributes to the system.

Canadian Heritage

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, clearly the Minister of Canadian Heritage wanted to arrive in style at last year's Juno awards in Halifax. Rather than just borrow a fancy car for her red carpet entrance, access to information shows that the minister was chauffeured around Halifax for three days in a stretch limousine.

When people started asking questions, the minister's conscience apparently got the better of her and she cut a cheque for $2,200, but when will the minister cough up another $3,200 to cover the rest of the cost of her Juno joyride?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, in carrying out my ministerial duties, I followed all the guidelines appropriately. The member is quite right. I did cover the additional costs that were not related to ministerial duties.

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I do not begrudge the minister a little transportation, but one vehicle a day should be sufficient. Why did the censored ATIP documents also show that the minister sent back a minivan she had already rented on March 31 and ordered two different limos to chauffeur her to meetings when the Junos did not happen until two days later? Did she need time to practise her red carpet walk?

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

Mr. Speaker, this government is a great supporter of arts and culture and the Juno awards are an important part of that.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Order, order. I am sure the government House leader appreciates all the assistance he is receiving in giving his answer, but he has the floor and members will want to hear the answer. The member for Dartmouth--Cole Harbour is waiting and we will have some order.

The hon. government House leader has the floor.

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

Mr. Speaker, we are proud to stand up and support Canadian arts and culture in every way we can and the minister has done an excellent job of doing that, at the same time following all the rules in place by Treasury Board in doing so.

Industry

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last weekend, over 4,000 people demonstrated in support of Goodyear workers. The company is planning to cut 800 jobs over the next few weeks. The Save Goodyear Committee is preparing to go to the company's headquarters in Akron, Ohio, to persuade Goodyear to review its decision.

The Minister of Industry must be aware of what is going on. How does he plan to help the Save Goodyear Committee?

[Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Conservative, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, the House returned a week ago, and it has taken the member a whole week to ask a question about Goodyear, a company in her riding.

That said, as Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, I went to the authorities; I met with the mayor and union representatives, and we are working together to support the community.

We at Canada Economic Development have offered our best tools to support entrepreneurs who want to start businesses in the region.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister refused to do anything about the Boeing file because he said he did not want to engage in political interference. Is the minister planning to adopt the same attitude toward Goodyear workers, that is, use that as a pretext for refusing to intervene and abandoning them to their fate? The minister must know that it is his duty as minister to intervene.

[Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Conservative, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, we have already offered Goodyear a $6 million contribution toward acquiring a new mixer. That offer is still on the table and we are working with our counterparts in the Quebec government to put forward even better proposals that will enable Goodyear to stay in business in the city of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.

Airports

[Brian Murphy, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the Greater Moncton International Airport serves over half a million customers.

Today, many Atlantic airports are refusing international carriers as the Canada Border Services Agency refuses to extend the hours of customs operations.

The only culture of defeat, to use the Prime Minister's own words about our region is the one that is coming from the Conservative cabinet table.

Why does the Minister of Public Safety refuse to recognize the importance of maritime and Atlantic Canadian airports to the economy and when will he fix this problem?

[Stockwell Day, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, it is good to see Liberals finally awakening to the issue that because of increased demand and a vibrant economy there are pressures at these airports. That is just one of the reasons I was in Newfoundland and Labrador three weeks ago looking at the situation at the airport at Deer Lake and also the one at Stephenville and only today again looking at the situation in Moncton.

It is going to require some increased capacity from CBSA and also some discussions on cost recovery. I think that working together we can get something done, whereas the Liberals just could not get it done.

Organized Crime

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Mr. Speaker, over the winter recess my constituents raised many issues of concern with me. One of the issues troubling them the most was the growing influence of gangs and organized crime in our country, including the drugs and violence that threaten the lives of our young people.

Could the Minister of Justice tell the House what the government is doing to address the very serious problem of gangs, guns and organized crime?

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his question and also for his very hard work on the justice committee.

Gangs and criminal organizations have been growing in size, strength and wealth in this country over the past decade. This government has a very clear legislative package to address this problem. For example, Bill C-10 presently before the justice committee has targeted measures to disrupt criminal enterprises by establishing mandatory minimum sentences for gangsters and organized criminals who use guns, particularly prohibited weapons, to commit violent crimes.