Debates of June 1st, 2007

Corporate Takeovers

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, the facts do not support the member's statement. He talks about the different advice that he takes. Maybe we want to look at what he said in the past. Not so long ago he said:

I believe we need to replace failed regional economic development programs and corporate welfare with dramatic corporate-tax reductions, because the market can pick winners and losers better than bureaucrats.

He said that in the Ottawa Citizen on May 17, 2003. Is the member out of touch with his past or, like his party, is he out of touch with all Canadians?

Canada Summer Jobs

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the mismanagement and bungling of the Canada summer grants program continues.

On May 17, the Minister of Human Resources promised that he would post on his website the list of organizations that have received Canada summer grants, broken down by ridings, by the end of the month. It is now June 1 and that list is nowhere to be found on that website.

What is the minister hiding? Where is the transparency? Where is the accountability?

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's students are in a labour market that is experiencing one of the lowest unemployment rates in over 30 years. The Canada summer jobs program is providing good quality jobs. The jobs are higher paying, they are higher quality, and they are for a longer duration. We are committed to ensuring that this program helps students.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the answer had nothing to do with the question, which is about accountability and transparency.

The minister said in this House there were examples of groups that should have received funding but did not. He said he would make all of this public. He has not.

How do we know which groups were worthy and which students should get the opportunities?

Canadians deserve to know the new criteria he has adopted. Why is there still no transparency or accountability from the minister about the Canada summer grants program?

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, the summer student program is in progress. There have been some concerns about the program. The department is examining those concerns as the second round of funding is being delivered. The government is committed to students succeeding.

Wage Earner Protection Program Act

[Daniel Petit, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in 2005, Bill C-55 was unanimously passed by the House. On December 8, 2006 the Minister of Labour tabled a notice of motion in order to finally table the bill. This bill is now being delayed by the Bloc Québécois, which, as usual, would rather see legislation that would help Canadian and Quebec workers fail.

Can the Minister of Labour tell us when the wage earner protection bill will be tabled?

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

Mr. Speaker, what are we talking about here? We are talking about a bill to protect wage earners in the event of their employers' bankruptcy. This bill was unanimously passed by Parliament. It was even passed in the Senate. But the Senate had asked to see technical changes before the law came into force. As Minister of Labour , I worked with my colleagues to prepare these technical changes. This is what we must send to the Senate for consideration, but the Bloc Québécois does not want to support workers. They are letting us down. They say one thing one day, and the next day they change their mind. This bill simply has to be fast tracked to the Senate.

Northern Development

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Mr. Speaker, many times I have brought a voice to northern concerns about the industrial development of the Mackenzie Valley. Northerners are not opposed to development, but not at the expense of our pristine wilderness. Implementing the NWT's protected areas strategy, including areas as the Ramparts and the Horn Plateau, would show the people of the north that the government takes them seriously.

On January 31 the minister committed to move forward with his cabinet colleagues on protecting large areas of the NWT under the protected areas strategy. It is five months since he made this commitment. When will the people of the north see the action promised?

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the extension of the pipeline infrastructure northward up the Mackenzie Valley is, in my opinion, in the national interest.

Indeed, how it happens, when it happens, who builds it, and at what rate of return is fundamentally driven by private marketplace forces. We will continue, as a government, to work for Canadians and to work with all stakeholders in the best interests of Canadians.

National Parks

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Mr. Speaker, I think the answer was a little off topic.

Another action the minister committed to was the expansion of the Nahanni National Park Reserve. The Nahanni has been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. However, the current park reserve only covers a small part of the Nahanni watershed. By expanding the park's boundaries, more of this important area will be protected.

When will northerners see action on protecting this unique and special ecosystem?

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, we have worked with the member and a number of my colleagues in this House regarding the Nahanni. It is a beautiful part of Canada. We look forward to continuing to work on the Nahanni with the other members.

Festivals and Special Events

[Lucienne Robillard, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we have found a simple solution to help the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women resolve the issue of festivals for this summer. The Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec already has a grant program for festivals, with very specific criteria and very clear objectives.

Why does the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, in order to avoid the looming crisis, not transfer Quebec's share to her Economic Development Canada counterpart, who could immediately deliver the program to all the regions of Quebec?

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, this is a very interesting question coming from the Liberals, particularly considering this is $60 million of brand new money over two years that is covered in the budget.

It is the budget that she and her colleagues are going to be voting against. I cannot imagine the size of the hypocrisy of the Liberal Party.

[Lucienne Robillard, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government does not realize the importance of the festivals in Quebec. They are not just important cultural activities, they are also important economic and tourist activities for all the regions of Quebec. I am thinking of the Tadoussac music festival, the truck rally in Notre-Dame-du-Nord, the Rimouski jazz festival. The minister does not want to transfer money to Quebec. Three months later she still does not have any criteria.

Why does the Minister of Canadian Heritage not trust her colleague at EDC to deliver the program? Is rivalry between two ministers going to penalize the regions?

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I can only restate that I do not understand the question coming from the Liberal Party. I just do not understand when that party stands four-square against the budget, the budget that is going to be providing the funds.

How does the member not see the size of the hypocrisy of the Liberal Party on this particular question?

Aboriginal Affairs

[Raymond Chan, Liberal, Richmond, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this week the Indian Affairs minister claimed that the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs believed the government was one of the best governments it has worked with. As it turns out, it was the minister's fantasy. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has now publicly declared that the minister's statement was completely inaccurate and counterproductive.

Will the minister apologize to the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs and to this House now for shamefully misrepresenting the truth?

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the minister has contacted Chief Phillip. We remain committed to building positive working relationships with first nations, Métis and Inuit groups, but nobody is fooled by the Red Green comedy hour across the way.

The Liberals are trying to change the channel because they say they support our troops, they say they support tough on crime legislation, and they say they support aboriginals, but they keep voting against it. Support Bill C-44 and bring human rights to aboriginals.

[Raymond Chan, Liberal, Richmond, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the truth is the Conservatives have managed in 16 months to take relations with aboriginal people to a new low, from the high point it was at under the previous Liberal government.

Under pressure at committee to explain why his government has done so little, the minister resorted to misrepresentation, exaggeration and inaccuracies.

Will the minister set the record straight and apologize today?

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I do not understand why the Liberals will not support Bill C-44. Why do they not want aboriginal Canadians to have the same human rights that other Canadians enjoy? Shame on them. Get on the program and support the government's initiative to bring human rights to first nation Canadians.

Manufacturing Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Industry admitted that his half measure involving an accelerated capital cost allowance would not stop the catastrophic job losses in the manufacturing industry.

Will the minister undertake today to announce a series of support measures to help businesses in such poor shape that they cannot pay taxes as well as leading edge businesses on which he pulled the plug last month?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to say that manufacturers are very happy this week with what the government is doing. We had a great response to the industry report. This week the minister tabled the government's response to the industry committee's manufacturing report.

Stakeholders have told me specifically that it is the best budget for manufacturers. We can take the advice of Perrin Beatty, the president of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, who said:

The government's response to the recommendations...show that it is listening to Canadian manufacturers, and delivering for them at a time when manufacturers need it most.

We are very proud of that.

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

Mr. Speaker, rather than saying that all is well, the government should realize that, in Quebec alone, 31,000 jobs have been lost in the manufacturing sector in the first four months of the year. It is often the older workers who find themselves without any resources from one day to the next.

For once, could the Minister of Industry show some initiative and announce an industrial strategy that would also include an assistance program for older workers who are victims of globalization?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, the member is obviously not paying attention. We already announced initiatives for older workers. He needs to start paying attention to what is in the budget that he supported.

Canadian manufacturers have been hit hard and we recognize that. Budget 2007 sets the foundation to help manufacturers, their employees, and communities that depend on them. It includes initiatives, such as a two year writeoff for machinery and equipment that will help boost cash flow and investment, regulatory harmonization, initiatives that encourage investment in innovation, and investments in workforce capabilities, transportation and border security.

We are very proud of what we are doing for manufacturers.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is well known for its willingness to help other countries and extend a helping hand to people in need.

Northerners are well known too for their generosity. Northern Youth Abroad is a well-respected organization which, for years, has taken northern youth to other parts of Canada and Africa to volunteer their help. NYA has just been told by DFAIT that funding will be cut this year, six weeks before the students travel.

When will DFAIT reinstate funding for this important organization? What does the government have against its northern youth?

[Brian Jean, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Again, Mr. Speaker, this is an attempt to change the channel. The government, in its very first budget in 2006, contributed $3.7 billion in new investments for aboriginal Canadians. The last budget was the largest budget in Canadian history for first nations.

We recognized the problems the Liberal government left. It did not do the job. We are getting the job done for first nation Canadians.