Debates of Feb. 9th, 2007

Foreign Affairs

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity)]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate again the member's concern for this very troubling matter and I assure him that there is no higher delegation than that of the Prime Minister of Canada, who raised this matter very directly with PRC President Hu Jintao at the APEC meeting. This has been raised by every minister of this government with their interlocutors. I, myself, will be meeting with the deputy foreign minister of the PRC this afternoon and will raise this matter again.

I encourage all members to join together, collaboratively, in demanding that justice be done and that China observe its legal obligations in this case.

Government Contracts

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Secretary of State (Foreign Affairs and International Trade) told the House that there were no identifiable ITAR difficulties with regard to the government's C-17 Boeing procurement. At the same time she said:

The Prime Minister and a number of our ministers have indicated our deep concern about this American policy.

Rather than doublespeak, will the government demand that ITAR will in no way apply to this procurement contract?

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

Mr. Speaker, my answer is no different today than it was yesterday. At present there are no identifiable ITAR difficulties with respect to the C-17 procurement.

What I also said yesterday was that we recognized there were many companies that had concerns and difficulties with the ITAR policy of the United States. Our Prime Minister and many ministers have raised this concern about the American policy and we will continue to work.

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, spare me those dismissive attitudes. We also know that this law does not only discriminate against Canadians in the private sector, it also forbids civil servants from working on contracts serving their own country.

When will this end? When will the government guarantee that discriminatory U.S. ITAR rules will not affect public servants? When will the Prime Minister get something done for Canadians like me?

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

Mr. Speaker, I can honestly say that it definitely would not have been the Liberal government that was able to have a good relationship with the United States in order to get this policy done, because it did not succeed.

Our government and officials will continue to have talks with Washington with a view of resolving this issue. However, I reiterate that there are no identifiable ITAR difficulties with the C-17 procurement.

Health

[Bonnie Brown, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government has been in power for a year and has yet to deliver its wait times guarantee.

First, the government pretended it would do the job. Then it passed the buck to the provinces and territories, with no new money to help.

When will the health minister put his money where his mouth is and implement the health wait times guarantee his government promised to all Canadians in the last election?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to report that the government is acting on wait times guarantees. In fact, the minister is meeting today to make further progress with his provincial and territorial counterparts. We have announced four pilot projects for wait times guarantees for first nations people, diabetes, pre-natal care and pediatric care.

The government added money to the health care transfer, not slashed $2.5 billion from those transfers.

[Bonnie Brown, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government in the campaign did not promise pilot projects. It promised a health care guarantee for everyone.

The provinces are afraid that if they follow the Conservative formula, they will be broke in two years. If the Conservatives are serious about fixing the wait times issue, why will they not listen to the provincial health ministers and give them the money to get the job done? Why are Canadians still waiting for the wait times guarantee?

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to point out that it is not 13 years. It is less than 13 months that we have been power. We have at least gone forward with pilot projects. We are working on wait times guarantees, rather than making empty promises and not moving anything forward on behalf of Canadians and their health.

Lieutenant Governor of Quebec

[Thierry St-Cyr, Bloc, Jeanne-Le Ber, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the culture of entitlement is alive and well at the federal government, as details come in about the expense account of the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec: claims for the same meal in three different cities on the same day; claim for a fishing trip where the taxpayers even paid for the worms; $59,000 for a garden party.

How can this government, which claims to be preaching responsibility, tolerate that certain government institutions do not have to be accountable?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I learned about the expenses submitted by the Lieutenant Governor when the hon. member did. Like a number of people in this House, we are looking at these expenses with a rather critical eye. People who assume these responsibilities have to assume the responsibilities that come with their role. I would hope that the person in question could assume her role in a responsible manner.

[Thierry St-Cyr, Bloc, Jeanne-Le Ber, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since 2004, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has not even required receipts from the Lieutenant Governor and paid, year in and year out, $150,000 to the person whose every move reminds us of the uselessness of this role.

How can this government, which got elected by denouncing the improprieties of Liberal Party cronies—from David Dingwall to André Ouellet—tolerate a single minute of such laxism?

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

Mr. Speaker, under the former government, there was no accountability for any expenditure and the use of public funds.

As my colleague has indicated, we now have a reasonable and a fair allotment. We will be looking to ensure that every expense is accounted for and that we can deliver value for Canadian dollars.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Roger Valley, Liberal, Kenora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it has been over five months since the Northwestern Health Unit released a report detailing the deplorable health conditions with which the people of the Pikangikum First Nation are forced to live.

Chief Pascal and his council have worked tirelessly to bring attention to his people's suffering. When I visited the community last month, the message was very clear: to improve the health of the community, the power line must be completed.

The minister promised to rectify this situation, but the government has been stalling. When will the government recognize the suffering of the people of Pikangikum and make the completion of the power line a priority?

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

Mr. Speaker, I will be very happy to have the Minister of Indian Affairs get back to the member on that question.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Colin Mayes, Conservative, Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Sackville—Eastern Shore clearly opposes the transparency, accountability and empowerment of stakeholders that would result from the modernizing of the Fisheries Act.

Will the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans bow to the NDP's crass political games or will he deliver what is right for Canadian fishermen? Will he ensure that these public resources are managed for and in collaboration with Canadians?

[Loyola Hearn, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I am working with my willing colleagues on both sides of the House and with my provincial counterparts, industry, first nations and NGOs to ensure we do a good job on modernizing the act, protecting the fishery and fish resources, which are public, not private resources.

Most people are willing to work with us because they know the act should be modernized, except the NDP members who as usual are off track. I heard them brag earlier about winning a single seat in Ontario yesterday, while they were wiped out in three elections in Newfoundland, where the Progressive Conservatives had three landslide victories.

Agriculture

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister announced Wednesday that his government would pursue negotiations under GATT, article 28, to limit the importation of milk protein concentrates. He also announced that the CFIA would begin a regulatory process to address the compositional standards of cheese.

Will the minister confirm if he has sent notification to the WTO in regard to article 28 and if not, when he intends to do so? Could he please state when the CFIA will begin the process to address compositional standards for cheese?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Secretary of State (Agriculture)]

Mr. Speaker, the minister was very clear on Wednesday, when he said that he would take action promptly, as my friend has described. We will gladly make a point of letting the hon. member know when action has been taken.

Canadian Wheat Board

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it would be nice to have a precise date when this will happen.

Another possible disaster is on the horizon for western farmers. If the Wheat Board is weakened or disappears, the Western Grains Research facility will need a new legislated mechanism for collecting research funds from farmers or risk having new variety research move into private hands.

What consideration has the Minister of Agriculture given to how changes to the CWB Act will affect the wheat and barley research check-off mechanism currently supported by over 90% of the farmers?

[David Anderson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, that is a reasonable question. We will be continuing to fund research in grains in western Canada. However, I am interested in why the NDP is not asking issues that are directly of concern to farmers.

We have price signals in western Canada that show western Canadian farmers are receiving 85¢ to $1 a bushel less on their barley under the present system than they would on the open market. Yet the NDP continues to ask questions unrelated to that.

Why does he not ask questions that are directly related to the income of farmers and to change the system that farmers need changed so desperately.

Manitoba

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, last night, in response to my question on the Manitoba economy, the Conservative MP for Nepean—Carleton had the audacity to describe Winnipeg as a city where “streets are ruled by guns, gangs and thugs”. The people of Manitoba will be interested to know this is how their province is viewed by the Conservative government.

Is this view shared by the President of the Treasury Board? Is this view shared by his Manitoba Conservative colleagues? Indeed, is this the view of the Prime Minister? The people of Manitoba are watching and they want an apology.

[Vic Toews, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, having lived in Winnipeg for some part of my life as well, I too am very concerned about the gangs, guns and drugs. I have spoken to the mayor of Winnipeg about this issue. I have spoken to the NDP government about this issue. They are concerned.

The person who should get onside is that member who has gutted our legislation in terms of getting tough on guns, gangs and drugs. She wants to see them continue on the streets. We are opposed. We want safe streets.

Justice

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on a very similar note, week after week we see reports in the nightly news of another shooting in our major cities. Many of these gunmen are involved in organized crime, but what is most troubling is that some of them are actually out on bail awaiting trial on other gun related charges.

My question is for the justice minister. What is the government doing to stop criminals from committing gun crimes while out on bail and awaiting trial?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I commend my hon. colleague for that question.

We have been introducing legislation that will help reduce crime, increase people's confidence in the criminal justice system and make our communities safer.

That is why I am glad that next week we will be debating Bill C-35, which will provide a reverse onus for those individuals who are charged with serious gun crimes and who are seeking bail. This is the kind of legislation we need. It is supported by the premier of Ontario and the mayor of the city of Toronto. It should be supported by everyone in this House.