Debates of May 16th, 2007

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, as I reiterated in the House, we had been getting many requests from members from all parties for festival funding. As I indicated, there was a fund that supported festivals and unfortunately, that became the sponsorship fund. That is why that fund was cancelled. This government will support local festivals and activities, but we will do it with accountability, transparency and--

[The Chair, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

The hon. member for Timmins--James Bay.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Chair, why did the minister not tell the House that week that she had sent him a buzz off letter saying she had no idea about any festival funding and that he should go to a charity. She did not tell the House that. Then we find out that that very week she was at the Lake Scugog council where she told it to get its ideas together because the fund was coming. That week she was telling her own riding that it had a chance at this program, but she did not tell that to the member for Windsor West.

In fact, when she was asked about that, she said there were lots of festivals and that MPs know about all kinds of festivals. She mentioned midnight madness and yet her own newspaper said that midnight madness festival does not exist, it is not a festival. Under what criteria would she think a midnight madness sidewalk sale is a credible festival?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, obviously, with no criteria that festival or activity would not qualify. That is why I wanted to make sure that everybody understood that we wanted to set up proper criteria.

In fact, I have told members of his party as well that there is no program framework and there is no criteria. If he would like to work on behalf of his constituents, he could input meaningful criteria to support his festivals.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Chair, she says that it is our role as MPs to partake in this, when the summer jobs program has just announced that MPs are not going to be involved anymore. That is being taken away from MPs.

The fact is that the minister does not understand her office. It is not her job to send personal emails to MPs asking for pet projects when there is no criteria and no application. It is not her job to usurp the role of the ministry.

When she was caught giving the Conservatives a head start, she tried to implicate the rest of us members of Parliament to partake in this by bringing our little goodie bags as well. I think she should explain that to the House. Does she not think that is a misuse of her office, when the role of the minister is to set policy and let her bureaucrats establish the criteria and accept the funding projects?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, I know what my responsibilities are, as does every member of this government.

Our responsibility is to use taxpayers' dollars respectfully and meaningfully, not to create a works program that only supports Wal-Mart, and not to just give money and jobs to riding associations. It is not our responsibility to create a program that ends up in sponsorship with $40 million going to a political party.

We were elected because Canadians wanted a change. They wanted us to clean it up and make sure their dollars are going to be used in the most meaningful manner.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister had to bring her gang with her to back her up because she did not want to come in here on her own.

A week ago I was approached by someone in the festivals program who wanted me to tell them that the Minister of Canadian Heritage was not pretending in the House of Commons that a sidewalk sale was a festival.

I would like to ask her again. Under what criteria would she think in any God's universe a sidewalk sale in her riding would fit in? She said it was a legitimate festival, yet her own newspaper contradicted her. Where does she think that would fit in? What kind of criteria?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, I just said that would not be eligible because it is neither a cultural nor an arts or heritage festival.

Mr. Chair, do you know why these people and my colleagues are here? It is because they believe this is an important issue. This is important to Canadians. It is important to Canadian life and it is important to us as a country.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Chair, the volunteer initiative was cancelled when the government said it was going after wasteful, inefficient--

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

How do you cancel a volunteer initiative? It is just volunteer.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Chair, would the member be quiet while I ask the minister a question?

I want to know why the minister allowed a program to be cancelled, when the finance minister stood up and told Canadians that he was going after programs that were wasteful, inefficient, and out of touch with Canadians.

Yet, we find that the summative evaluation of the community participation program that was done under her ministry was buried. The Conservatives did not release it publicly because it contradicted everything that party said.

It said there was a program in place that implemented in a manner designed to increase the likelihood that Canadians would get full value for tax dollars spent. It said that the volunteer sector was under increasing and considerable stress. Yet, the only thing it could find in the summative evaluation for why this was cut was because it did not fit the government's priorities.

Why did the minister stand back and basically allow a fabrication to be put out that the volunteer sector organizations were wasteful and inefficient when her own reports contradicted that?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, that is not accurate. The summative evaluation was publicly released and stated that the volunteer program did not meet either the Government of Canada's or the departmental priorities.

This government is recognizing the contribution of our volunteers. They are the backbone of our communities and we are doing this across government. We support volunteer organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters through Human Resources and Social Development Canada, Canadian Parents for French through official languages, the Victorian Order of Nurses through Health Canada, and the Red Cross through DFAIT. In fact, our priority is to support individuals, communities, and people who volunteer in their communities and neighbourhoods.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Chair, the heritage buildings tax incentive that was in place helped to rebuild Barrington Street and was used in Victoria at the Gooderham and Worts. It was a program that everyone across Canada said was an excellent program. Yet, it was cut.

What is the minister's explanation for cutting a program that was so valuable? Heritage communities across this country said it worked. It was a private sector initiative, and yet was another one that was wasteful and inefficient and out of touch?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, the member says that I should know my responsibilities, and I certainly do, but he should also know the responsibilities of the different ministers in this government.

That particular program comes under Parks Canada. At heritage there is the cultural spaces program which assists artistic and cultural organizations renovate, upgrade and improve their facilities.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Chair, I would like to ask her about cultural spaces. We had seen that it was at 14% nearing the end of the fiscal year. I talked to people in cultural space organizations across Canada who were saying that they have had program grants approved and nothing has flowed out of heritage. They waited and waited.

I would like to ask the minister, does she still review every single grant and send all the Quebec grants out for translation so she can decide personally to replace the role? Is that what is holding up the incredible gap between when these grants go in and when people actually get the money?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, unless the member has a camera in my office, he would not know.

The member is putting out false accusations, false allegations and misrepresentations. I read applications, I read the analysis, and I do it in French as well. How else would a minister recognize the improvements that can be made in every program to ensure there is reasonable distribution and that taxpayers' dollars are going to be used in a way that is going to help the organizations and the communities that are intended to be helped?

[The Chair, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

Order, please. That 15 minute period is up and we will now move to a government round with, first, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to come to the committee of the whole to discuss the Government of Canada's participation in the organization of the Vancouver-Whistler 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

As any athlete could confirm, the Olympics are the most important sports competition in the world and provide an opportunity for all participants to show their country and the rest of the world what they are made of.

For Canada, hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic Games is an excellent opportunity to celebrate and to show the whole world what distinguishes us as Canadians, namely, our diversity and our excellence in sports, athletics and culture.

This week the Vancouver organizing committee for the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games, VANOC, publicly released in French and in English their business plan for the games operations.

I am pleased to report that we have reviewed it and congratulate VANOC for presenting a balanced budget. Having the plan available to the public enhances transparency and understanding of the challenges and opportunities presented by hosting the winter games.

VANOC commits that these games will be on time and on budget. VANOC's business oriented, no-nonsense approach to the Olympic Games planning is only the first of many Canadian legacies of the 2010 games.

The 2010 winter games will leave lasting economic, sport and social legacies for Canadians, not only in British Columbia, but also right across Canada.

The Government of Canada is working in close collaboration with our partners to ensure this happens. Through a comprehensive multi-party agreement signed in 2002 among key stakeholders of the 2010 winter games, the government has pledged essential support that we are convinced will make these the most successful winter games ever.

I recognize that this is a bold and ambitious goal, but look what we did in 1988. The Olympic experience in Calgary was a resounding success, especially notable for having left lasting legacies.

Today Calgarians and visitors to Calgary enjoy the Canada Olympic Park built by Calgary Olympic Development Association following the Olympics from a portion of its surplus. The association has also provided ongoing funding for Canadian Olympic athletes, which has made a lasting impact on Canadian sport.

The 1988 winter games left a significant social legacy as well. The games relied on an unprecedented number of volunteers and experience that they took back to share with their communities once the games were over.

To stage an equally successful Olympic and Paralympic effort in Vancouver and Whistler requires a high level of organization and a substantial financial commitment from the Government of Canada.

The multi-party agreement I spoke of a moment ago sets out the responsibilities of each of the stakeholders in a manner to meet their objectives of staging an inclusive 2010 winter games delivered on time and on budget that will showcase Canada's accomplishments and innovations to the world and create lasting legacies for Canadians.

Key Government of Canada priorities for the 2010 winter games are enshrined in the agreement. Three priorities in particular are: the promotion of Canada's two official languages, respect for the environmental sustainability, and active participation throughout the Olympic and Paralympic experience of Canada's aboriginal communities.

Mr. Chair, I will take a few minutes to address each of these objectives.

The Senate Committee on Official Languages examined the best ways of promoting Canada's linguistic duality in the context of the 2010 Winter Games.

In fact, the committee believes that the games provide an excellent opportunity to promote our linguistic duality. In its report, the committee made 10 recommendations. It suggested, among other things, providing funding to ensure participation of British Columbia's francophone organizations in the games and to allow equitable access to games programming for all Canadians.

The committee said it was encouraged by the commitment of the games' major partners toward the official languages. The Government of Canada shares this optimism. However, we cannot ignore the fact that we will face some challenges. We want to ensure that both of Canada's official languages are proudly represented at all stages of the 2010 Winter Games, from planning to full operations.

For its part, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games said it intended to go beyond its linguistic obligations as provided in the multiparty agreement and the Official Languages Act.

The Government of Canada is also committed to ensuring environmental sustainable practices throughout the 2010 winter games are used.

[The Chair, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

Order, please. The Chair has had some indication that there was an intention to split the time, but there has been no indication on the part of the member, so before he reaches his five minutes, does he intend to share his time with anybody?

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

No, Mr. Speaker. I will be using all of my time.

[The Chair, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

Okay. I am sorry for interrupting the hon. member.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

As I was saying to the member for Vancouver Centre, the Olympics will also be using the most important environmentally sustainable practices throughout the games. To date, environmental assessments have been completed for all the major outdoor venues for the Games. This practice will continue as we move closer to 2010. Our goal is to work diligently with the Vancouver Organizing Committee to deliver a truly sustainable games experience.

With respect to aboriginal participation, the Government of Canada is committed to working collaboratively with first nations communities on the 2010 Winter Games, especially those who will be most affected by the events. For example, some of the Olympic events will be held on the shared lands of the Lil’wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.

We want to make sure that those communities are consulted at all steps, from the planning to the staging of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. To that end, we gave funds to the Four Host First Nations Society to support its efforts with its partners in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

The mission of the society is to ensure that first nations culture and traditions are recognized, respected and promoted during the planning, the preparation and the staging of the games.

The Government of Canada has committed $552 million toward staging the best Winter Games ever. This includes $290 million in capital funding for sport and event venues and $130 million for essential services, such as security planning, emergency preparedness, immigration and customs services and meteorological services.

I want to call attention to an innovation that I find particularly interesting, which is our plan to build live sites in Vancouver and in Whistler. The government intends to invest $20 million in this enterprise. These sites are public spaces where those who do not have tickets to the events can gather to participate at no charge in the energy of the 2010 Winter Games. The sites will feature television coverage of competition, stage, entertainment, exhibits and display and pavilion spaces so that many more ticket holders themselves can be part of the festivities and feel the pride of being Canadian.

As for direct legacy benefits to Canadians, when the 2010 Winter Games are over, Vancouver and Whistler will have gained world-class facilities and a well trained army of volunteers. The athletes' villages in both cities are being designated to address the needs of the communities well into the future. The Vancouver athletes' village, for example, will be built on former industrial land and, following the 2010 Games, will be turned into a model sustainable community. Meanwhile, volunteers from across the country will return home after the 2010 Games with new skills and valuable experiences.

Some other advantages of hosting the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games are more difficult to measure but will nonetheless leave a lasting legacy. Energy and enthusiasm are an integral part of Olympic Games. The games will be an inspiration for many Canadians and will convince them to increase their sporting activities and improve their fitness.

Canadian artists will receive unprecedented exposure during the cultural Olympiad, leading up to the 2010 Winter Games, adding to Canada's already vibrant artistic landscape. The cultural inclusiveness associated with the games has already created new opportunities for first nations communities, youth, ethnic communities and the disabled.

Perhaps most important, the 2010 Winter Games will provide a rallying point for community and national pride, pride in one's country from an efficiently run Olympic effort, pride in the strength in the international reputation that will result from this cost effective experience, pride felt by artists and businesses for whom the Olympics will bring increased success. These will be the lasting legacies of the 2010 Winter Games and this government is a proud and committed supporter of this critical enterprise and great opportunity for Canada.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the hon. member for his thoughtful words on the upcoming Vancouver Olympics to be held in 2010. The Olympics is such an important event, it is an opportunity and what we choose to do with this opportunity speaks to the kind of nation that we are.

To host something of this magnitude requires foresight and vision in order to predict how best to deal with an opportunity like this. The environment can often be forgotten when planning an event of this proportion and it gives me great comfort to learn that the government is continuing to be a true leader on this front by incorporating environmental policy in the design of this event.

Could the hon. member take this moment to give us his thoughts on how important it is to ensure that the 2010 Olympics are an event that we can all be proud of?

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Chair, I could go on to reiterate my speech but perhaps the member for Vancouver Centre has some questions about the games as well so I will not take up all the time.

This is really an opportunity for Canada and I am pleased that all political parties, even the Bloc Québecois are in support. We know this is a great moment for Canada, for Quebec and for the host first nations when we have separatists telling members of Parliament from British Columbia how great a moment this will be for Canada and asking them how they can get in.

To give credit where credit is due, I know that when the Liberals were in government they did the things that were necessary to ensure the original steps, after the bid was successful, sent the right signals. They put together the right framework and infrastructure to ensure the games would be a success. We hope we have their continued support in doing everything that we need to do to ensure the games will be a success.

We have the Conservative government proudly on side. We have the Liberals, hopefully, completely on side. We even have the separatists , on side. Hopefully we can now get the New Democrats to come on side and recognize an opportunity when they see it.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Chair, I am very excited about the upcoming Olympics because it will provide us with an opportunity to show ourselves to the rest of the world. This is a chance to put the personality of Canada in the forefront and celebrate what truly makes us Canadian.

This Olympics is a chance to show the world our linguistic duality and display and celebrate the culture of our first nations. We are unique in this world in that we have two official languages that flourish and act to define part of our personality as a nation. We are also very fortunate to be privileged by the culture of our first nations, a culture rich in tradition that we continually learn and benefit from.

Could the hon. member please take this moment to describe how Canada will express its personality to the world through its first nations and its official languages?