Debates of May 9th, 2007

Ottawa West—Nepean Ontario

Conservative

John Baird ConservativeMinister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, this government is acting to reduce smog, to reduce pollution in every industrial sector, including in the oil sands. If we left it to the Liberal business as usual approach, these emissions would rise by 300%. That is unacceptable.

Maybe the member from British Columbia could tell us why he voted against mandatory national air quality standards in Bill C-30. Why did he vote against mandatory public reporting on air quality? Why would he allow a politician behind closed doors to exempt certain parts of Canada from clean air? Shame on him.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Mr. Speaker, today we have learned of a disturbing new tactic in the Conservatives' arsenal in fighting against a clean environment. Today the government arrested a whistleblower at Environment Canada who had the audacity to tell the Canadian people the truth about the policy that is disastrous for our country.

Why will the government not spend a little less time arresting whistleblowers and a little more time cleaning up the environment? Why will the minister not introduce into the House the clean air and climate change act, which we re-introduced and rewrote, for a clean and fair democratic vote in Parliament?

The EnvironmentOral Questions

Ottawa West—Nepean Ontario

Conservative

John Baird ConservativeMinister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from British Columbia will be happy to know what we are doing. We are finally going to force these big corporate polluters to clean up their act. Do members know who the biggest corporate polluter in Canada is? It is Dalton McGuinty and the Ontario Liberal government. We are going to force them to clean up their dirty coal fired plants so people in southern Ontario can have clean air and less pollution and less smog.

Presence in GalleryOral Questions

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of Canada's most decorated nurse, Dr. Helen Mussallem. She is the recipient of the highest award of the International Red Cross, the Florence Nightingale Medal, and a Companion of the Order of Canada.

Dr. Mussallem served as a surgical nurse in the second world war. She is accompanied today by a group of nurses, several of whom are with the Canadian Forces and have recently returned from Afghanistan.

Presence in GalleryOral Questions

Some hon. members

Hear, hear!

Oral QuestionsPoints of Order

Liberal

Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order concerning a question of privilege. During oral question period, I asked a question of the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, even though he may not want to hear the truth.

Nevertheless, when he answered my question, he clearly tried to impugn my integrity when he attempted to suggest that businesses, non-profit organizations and all the cities and towns in my riding had received money under the summer career placement program because they are friends of mine. It is unacceptable for a minister to make such comments. He should think more before he speaks.

I ask the minister to act like a gentleman and retract what he said. He may not like to hear the truth, but it is unacceptable to try to attack the integrity of a member in this House. We were elected by the people in our ridings to do the work we have to do.

It is unacceptable to suggest that I handed out money to my friends under the summer career placement program. I believe that he should also apologize to all the cities and towns, businesses and community and non-profit organizations that have received money from the summer career placement program.

Oral QuestionsPoints of Order

Medicine Hat Alberta

Conservative

Monte Solberg ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Social Development

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate what the member is saying. However, I have to point out, coming in the wake of the worst scandal in Canadian political history, we have an obligation as a government to take every possible measure to ensure that the safeguards are in place to protect the Canadian public and protect taxpayers. That means taking away the ability of members of Parliament who are in a political conflict of interest and, at some time, perhaps in a personal conflict of interest to ensure taxpayers are protected.

Oral QuestionsPoints of Order

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

I think we are getting into a debate on this subject.

In my opinion, we now have submissions about a point of order or a question of privilege.

I will look at the members' remarks during question period and the statements that followed and, if necessary, I will report to the House.

However, I will not have a continuation of the debate on the words that were used. They are in print now. We can read them. If there was something said that was improper, we will deal with it.

Correction to Committee ReportPoints of Order

Conservative

Colin Mayes Conservative Okanagan—Shuswap, BC

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order to clarify an administrative issue related to the tabling, on March 29, of the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

In accordance with Standing Order 109 the committee agreed to a motion to request a government response to the report within 120 days. The motion appears in the minutes of the proceedings, but the request did not appear in the text of the report itself. This was an administrative oversight.

The committee agreed to the motion. It was reported in the minutes. The minutes were cited in the report and I requested a government response when I presented the report to the House.

I rise today to confirm that the committee does, indeed, wish to receive a government response within 120 days. I have signed a new copy of the report to that effect.

Correction to Committee ReportPoints of Order

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

I thank the hon. member for his intervention, and I am directing the Clerk of the House to take the appropriate administrative measures to address the situation he has described.

Government Response to PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

May 9th, 2007 / 3:10 p.m.

Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan

Conservative

Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to several petitions.

Canada Elections ActRoutine Proceedings

York—Simcoe Ontario

Conservative

Peter Van Loan ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-55, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (expanded voting opportunities) and to make a consequential amendment to the Referendum Act.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Interparliamentary DelegationsRoutine Proceedings

NDP

Bill Blaikie NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34 I have the honour to present to the House a report from the Canada-United Kingdom Interparliamentary Association concerning the bilateral visit to the United Kingdom held in London from January 14 to January 20, 2007.

Interparliamentary DelegationsRoutine Proceedings

Conservative

Bob Mills Conservative Red Deer, AB

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing 34 I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian delegation of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the parliamentary conference on the northern dimension held in Brussels, Belgium, from February 28 to March 1, 2007.

Environment and Sustainable DevelopmentCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

Conservative

Bob Mills Conservative Red Deer, AB

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development entitled “Bill C-307, An Act to prohibit the use of BBP, DBP and DEHP in certain products and to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999”.

In accordance with its order of reference of Tuesday, October 31, 2006 your committee has considered and held hearings on the subject matter of Bill C-307, An Act to prohibit the use of benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) in certain products and to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, and agreed on Thursday, May 3, 2007 to report it with amendments.

Procedure and House AffairsCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

Conservative

Gary Goodyear Conservative Cambridge, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour today to present three reports of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.

The first report is the 48th report of the procedure and House affairs committee regarding changes to the Standing Orders. This change to Standing Order 115 is as follows:

Notwithstanding Standing Orders 108(1)(a) and 113(5), the Chair of a standing, special, legislative or joint committee shall suspend the meeting when the bells are sounded to call in the Members to a recorded division, unless there is unanimous consent of the members of the committee to continue to sit.

I intend to move concurrence in this report with the agreement of the House later this day.

As well, I have the honour to present the 49th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. This report deals with the selection criteria for private members' business as well as proposed changes to the Standing Orders regarding similar items of private members' business.

If the House gives its consent, I shall move concurrence to the 49th report later this day.

Finally, I have the great privilege and honour to present, in both official languages, the 50th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. Pursuant to Standing Order 92(3) the committee recommends that Motion No. 322, standing in the name of the hon. member for Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, be designated a non-votable item.

Official LanguagesCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

Conservative

Guy Lauzon Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to submit, in both official languages, the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Official Languages entitled “Communities Speak Out: Hear our Voice. The vitality of Official Language Minority Communities”.

Canadian HeritageCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

Conservative

Gary Schellenberger Conservative Perth—Wellington, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 19th report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage related to the assistance program for exhibits and festivals.

International TradeCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings