Debates of June 11th, 2007

The Environment

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the environment is not a laughing matter. We have $30 million for the Great Bear Rainforest in the riding of the NDP member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley. This is one of the few coastal temperate rainforests that the government is taking solid action to preserve.

There is $225 million for the nature conservancy of Canada to help protect ecologically sensitive lands. The opposition should stand up, support a great budget, and support a budget that will support the environment and not let these important investments slide.

Justice

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, just weeks after the senseless killing of Jordan Manners and hours after a rally in his honour, another Toronto neighbourhood this weekend was rocked with gun violence.

The Conservative strategy is not working because the government does not keep its word. It broke its promise to fund 2,500 police officers, to invest $50 million for youth at risk programming, and all the while the illegal guns continue to flood across our border from the U.S.

When is the government going to get serious about stopping the flow of guns across the border and when is it going to fulfill its promise on youth crime prevention?

[Stockwell Day, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, first, our hearts go out to those who have been impacted with the loss recently as a result of gun crime in Toronto.

Along with that, it is important to congratulate the city of Toronto and its police forces there because they have taken the strategy of having more police officers on the street, being more aggressive about gun crime, and using the approach on gun smuggling to which we have increased resources.

We want to see gun crime reduced. That is why we are getting aggressive on it and in Toronto, notwithstanding these tragic incidents, gun crimes have been reduced because of the aggressive action of the Toronto police.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, with no thanks to the government, the numbers are still far too high. Our children are being shot and are dying on Toronto streets.

We need action now by investing in youth programming, child care and housing. These are all part of Toronto's community safety plan. The city has invested $35 million. The Conservatives have invested virtually nothing. There are broken promises on youth programming and child care spaces, and there is no money for housing.

Is it that Toronto families just cannot trust the government to keep its word because it never intended to keep its promises or is it that it just does not care?

[Stockwell Day, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, most people realize we have significantly increased resources when it comes to reducing crime. We have followed through with our commitment to see 1,000 more RCMP officers from coast to coast.

I am in discussions and getting good feedback from attorneys general and ministers of justice relating to our commitment on the 2,500 police officers.

We have a $64 million drug strategy. We have put millions more into the whole issue of youth gangs and youth at risk. I was able to announce that in a significant way again on Friday in Halifax. It was well received by the local communities and the groups that are working hard with us to reduce--

[The Speaker, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member for Sydney—Victoria.

Africa

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's trip to the G-8 meeting last week was a major failure. Foreign aid advocates, whom he refused to meet, have singled out the government and the Prime Minister for failing Africa.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, order here.

[The Speaker, Peter Milliken]

I thank the hon. member for his assistance. I have said it several times.

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has reduced Canada's pledge, refused any progress and shifted his focus away from Africa.

With our country being one of the richest, why are we showing the poorest results? When is the Prime Minister going to stop this embarrassment and keep Canada's promise to the poorest of the poor?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, that is indeed what the Prime Minister did last week. He ensured that Canada was on the right path to meeting its commitments to Africa for development. The Prime Minister also joined his G-8 colleagues in making an announcement concerning the future of Africa.

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister was questioned in Germany about his failing record in Africa, he said that “in the case of Canada, we have a different neighbourhood than Europe”.

What an embarrassment. The Prime Minister is implying that because Africa is not in our neighbourhood we should neglect its plight. This is a disgrace.

Canada was once a leader in aid to Africa. Why is the government letting the Africans down?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, it is quite the contrary. The Prime Minister said that Canada would be committed to Africa. He also said that developing countries in our neighbourhood need help too and that Canada was prepared to help them as well.

Crime Prevention

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the community safety and crime prevention program focuses on the root causes of gang violence in communities. The Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre was devastated after passing three levels for approval in its project and then last Friday finding out that no money was coming. This is a program that works in my community.

Because of the indifference of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, its good work of integrating and empowering new Canadians is now at risk, but the minister thinks everything is just great. How many crime prevention groups does the minister plan to victimize this year?

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

Mr. Speaker, we as a government are working toward improving communities and making them safer. We have just heard from the Minister of Public Safety about all the initiatives we have undertaken in the 16 months that we have been in office.

We are looking at it multilaterally, with multi-aspects of all the responsibilities of all the ministers. We will continue to do so because Canadians want their communities to be safer and stronger.

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, these are agencies with proven track records and partnerships in a Community Safety and Crime Prevention Council that has been working in Waterloo region for years.

Unfortunately, nobody can believe what the Minister of Canadian Heritage is saying, so now, when the Minister of Public Safety announces his so-called focused approach to crime prevention funding, alarm bells go off.

If that is true, when can Kitchener Waterloo Counselling Services, the Kitchener Downtown Community Health Centre and the multicultural program in my riding expect to hear about their funding? Are these crime prevention groups being “refocused” right into the Conservative garbage can?

[Stockwell Day, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, in the last few months my colleagues and I have been involved in announcing crime prevention programs right across the country. We do not think it is the part of the federal government to impose a certain type of program. We want to know what works. We want to see groups with proven records. They are coming forward in a very positive way.

I will tell the House what we are wondering about. We are wondering why the Liberals will not support us in other areas also, in terms of legislation, for instance, legislation that would require mandatory jail time for those who commit crimes with firearms. Why will the Liberals not support us on that?

Older Workers

[Yves Lessard, Bloc, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Labour is once again using smoke and mirrors. His announcement yesterday completely ignores workers who spend their lives with a company and lose their jobs at 55. Since it is difficult for them to retrain, they are left with nothing.

What is the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development waiting for to introduce a real income support program for older workers who have been the victims of mass layoffs, to make it possible for them to live a decent life until retirement?

[Monte Solberg, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, I think it is very important that the member has asked this question. As the member may know, Canada has established an agreement with the government of Quebec regarding a targeted initiative for older workers. A number of discussions are under way right now with various companies and sectors around the province of Quebec regarding this issue. I will be happy to say a little more about this in the days ahead.

Bankruptcy Act

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Labour whether, as we have been informed, he plans on tabling a notice of ways and means to amend the Bankruptcy Act, with the changes requested by the National Assembly.

I would also like to seek the unanimous consent of this House to fast-track the adoption of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, there comes a point when we must settle an impasse, and that time has come. We must think of the workers who risk losing their income if a company goes bankrupt.

Yes, we will table a new notice of ways and means which will take into account the desired changes and which will also ask the Senate to look at the old content and the new wording.

Canadian Heritage

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, smaller museums that contribute to a community's vitality are being completely neglected. The government throws out big numbers, but those are for national museums. What about local museums? They are being starved by meanspirited Conservative cuts.

Funding for the museums assistance program is at its lowest level ever. Will the Minister of Canadian Heritage commit to reinstate and then increase funding for the museums assistance program?

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

Mr. Speaker, we have been very consistent. We do support our museums. We recognize our responsibility not only to our national museums but to museums right across the country. As I have indicated, there are 2,500 of those museums and we are providing the help where it is most needed.

In fact, under the previous government, less than 30% of the requests for summer student help were met. This is why we increased that amount by $10 million over the next two years. That is going to help the museums where they need it.

The Budget

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Mr. Speaker, budget 2007 was a great budget for the people of Ontario. In fact, countless prominent Ontario provincial Liberals have praised it. Premier Dalton McGuinty said it “represents real progress for Ontarians”. The finance minister said there were “real positives for Ontario”. The intergovernmental affairs minister said it delivered “real results for the people of Ontario”.

The federal Liberals do not agree and are delaying the budget implementation bill. Can the Minister of Finance reveal to Ontarians what these silly Liberal political games will cost our province of Ontario?