Debates of May 16th, 2007

Canadian Heritage--Main Estimates, 2007-08

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

Mr. Chair, those responsible for the Olympic Games will respect both official languages from the beginning to the end of the 2010 games. Our government has made that commitment. We had even made that decision when the Liberals were still in government.

The host first nations have been incredibly cooperative and proud and, in fact, very anxious to get the planning of the games and the building of the infrastructure underway.

It is a great moment in Canada, not only for the lasting legacies of the games but when we have such diverse political entities in this country working together on the games, the federal government, municipal governments, host first nations and, as I said, even separatists, to ensure the games will be a success, this is a moment Canada cannot miss and, with this Conservative government, we will not miss that moment.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Chair, I want to tell my dear kind friend that fine words like “pride in country” are not enough.

For the 2010 Olympics, this group says that it is committed to linguistic duality but the francophones in British Columbia are still waiting for the money promised them to run the francophone component of the games.

We also have the fact that we bid on the Olympic Games and won the bid based on a huge multicultural program and that program is still awaiting money. We only have three more years until the games and all of that should be in place but here is no money for it right now. How do we commit with no money?

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

Mr. Chair, I do not agree. I have had countless meetings with Colin Hansen, the provincial minister responsible for the games, and with Premier Campbell and Carole Taylor, the provincial finance minister, and they have levelled no complaints. We have a great working relationship with John Furlong, who is the chair of the Olympic Games, the chair of VANOC. They are all very proud of the process that we have underway.

These games will be a success. They will be a success for the host first nations. Cultural communities have been engaged and they are involved. Youth have been engaged and they are involved. We are doing everything we can to ensure the games are a success.

The previous Liberal government had not put enough funding forward and Premier Campbell stepped forward and asked the federal government for an additional $55 million on the advice of John Furlong. This government, on top of the money that we had already committed, said that we would give them an additional $55 million above and beyond what was promised

These games will be a success and the member for Vancouver Centre will be proud.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Chair, those are fine words but, as of today, the money has not been forthcoming.

I just want to add that I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Brampton West and the hon. member for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour.

However, let us talk about the games and excellence in the games.

The Liberals put their money where their mouth is. When we were in government we put $110 million into the “Own the Podium” and won the highest number of medals ever at the Turin Olympics.

The Conservative government promised $30 million for “Road to Excellence” to support high performance athletes but that money is not there and they cannot get ready for Beijing without that money. Where is the money?

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

Mr. Chair, the money has been delivered but it is being delivered over a phase of time. John Furlong has not raised any of those concerns. These concerns perhaps are within the context of my colleague from Vancouver Centre.

All the plans that have been put in place by the government and, indeed, the ones that were originally put in place by the Liberals have been well received by VANOC, John Furlong, the premier, Sam Sullivan and all those involved in the games.

I do not know what concerns the member is raising. We know that everyone wants more money but the money we are delivering is more than enough to ensure these games will be a success. Frankly, this will be one of the most expensive games in the history--

[The Chair, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

The hon. member for Vancouver Centre.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Chair, words are fine but a commitment to high performance athletes means that the government needs to put the money where its mouth is and that money is not there at this moment.

I have a question for the hon. minister for sports. Diabetes and obesity has put Canada in the shameful position of being one of the OECD countries with the highest level of childhood obesity and the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

The Liberal government put $140 million into community programs to increase the amount of physical activity for kids. However, the provinces have said that cannot work unless they have money for sports infrastructure so they have a place to play and a place to do sports.

This government had committed money to that. The provinces are now asking where the money is. In the 2006 and 2007 budgets there was no money for sports infrastructure.

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

Mr. Chair, the hon. member needs to know that I am not the Minister of Health so I cannot answer specific questions on the diabetes file. I also cannot answer questions on infrastructure because that is the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.

However, with respect to infrastructure I know we made an announcement in the recent budget where we have increased infrastructure dollars to $33 billion, which is historic for the Government of Canada, and we have opened up the opportunity for smaller municipalities to look for infrastructure dollars for recreation centres.

The government has spent $140 million a year on sport, participation in sports and excellence in sports. Not only that, we have contributed $5 million more on the relaunch of an old program that the previous Liberal government trashed and destroyed, ParticipACTION, which is better than it has ever been.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Chair, I have one other question. In the budget and in the estimates there is a sunsetting of permanent programs that have been there for a long time. I would like to note that the athletes assistance program, which is a permanent program, will be sunsetting in 2011 and the aboriginal peoples program will be sunsetting in 2010. Does this mean that the government no longer has a commitment to those programs? Will it reinstate those programs in 2011 and 2010?

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Mr. Chair, it is 2007 and, looking at our government's track record, I think the member is getting ahead of herself. We have made tremendous commitments to sport, including encouraging our youth to become more active in sport.

Let us talk about the announcement we just had the other day where we have a national soccer--

[The Chair, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

Order, please. The hon. member for Brampton West.

[Colleen Beaumier, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Mr. Chair, I want to know how much new funding the government has allocated for multiculturalism programs intended to promote intercultural understanding in 2006 to 2009.

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

Mr. Chair, let me assure the member that our commitment to multiculturalism and its programs will continue. They will be evaluated with due process, just as the sports programs will be evaluated to ensure we are getting--

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Chair, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

Order, please. I am asking hon. members that when people on this side are answering the question, would you please listen to the answer. We do not want things to deteriorate any further than they already have. Things were going fine, let us keep them that way.

The hon. member for Brampton West.

[Colleen Beaumier, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Mr. Chair, just for the minister's information, her department's own financial summary indicates zero. Where is the departmental steering committee on multiculturalism, who is on it and what is its mandate?

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

Mr. Chair, every ministry within the government, I understand, has a multiculturalism champion who is a senior official appointed to ensure that the department is acting in a manner consistent with both the spirit and the letter of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act.

In terms of the Department of Canadian Heritage, I and my secretary do not deal with the entire department. I simply deal with multiculturalism programs but I can tell the member that in every department we have such person who I think does a very adequate job.

[Colleen Beaumier, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Mr. Chair, please let me ask the minister for an answer one more time. The department's 2007-08 plans and priorities say that its mandate is to “mainstream multiculturalism into the day-to-day operations of the Department”.

I will try this question. Canadian Heritage is planning to “mainstream multiculturalism”. Once that happens, will the multiculturalism program exist as an independent program and receive funding directly, yes or no?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Chair, first of all, I am advised that Mr. Jacques Paquette is the multiculturalism champion in the Department of Canadian Heritage. He is an assistant deputy minister.

As the member knows or should know, the various programs which are administered with respect to multiculturalism have those moneys voted by Parliament. They are administered within the Department of Canadian Heritage. That will continue to be the case, as it always has been.

[Colleen Beaumier, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Mr. Chair, once again I did not get my question answered, and I do know who these people are.

I have to say that “mainstream” sounds to me like a euphemism for “eliminate”. Does this minister not believe that Canada's multiculturalism program should receive federal funding on its own, yes or no?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Chair, we are not as obsessed about the structure of government. We are obsessed with making sure that these communities and the policies are making Canada a strong country, an inclusive country recognizing its diversity. This diversity will benefit Canada. That is why we will ensure that whatever the programs are in multiculturalism, they are going to serve those communities and serve all Canadians very well going on into the future.

[Colleen Beaumier, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Mr. Chair, I would say that answer means no, so I see that the Reform and the Alliance policies live on.

Many NGOs that approached me in fear that they would not receive funding for anti-racism programs finally received their funding on March 28, two days before the end of the fiscal year. That is not much time in which to spend the money. Was that a deliberate attempt to cut back this programming?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

No, Mr. Chair, I do not accept the premise of the question.

With respect to eliminating multiculturalism, I would perhaps ask my colleague to speak to her colleague, the member for Halton, who was quoted in the Toronto Star on February 9 as saying he also called for the elimination of the multiculturalism ministry.

As it relates to the anti-racism programming, we are continuing with the--

[Colleen Beaumier, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Mr. Chair, I rise on a point of order. I am asking the minister his positions. I am asking what he is about to do.

[The Chair, NDP, Bill Blaikie]

That is not a point of order and the time has expired.

I would now turn to the hon. member for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour.