House of Commons Hansard #170 of the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was amendments.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Order, please. The hon. member for Saint-Jean has the floor. He does not need help posing his question.
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, thank you for your confidence.
In light of the report, released this week, condemning the fact that 40% of contracts awarded by National Defence were awarded without tender, we have to wonder whether a truly competitive process is being used for the major contracts that are currently being negotiated, including the contract with Lockheed Martin. This is far from the transparency the Prime Minister promised during the last election campaign.
To ensure that officials are not simply engaging in industrial profiling to benefit certain suppliers over others, will the government hold a real tendering process and allow Airbus to submit a proposal?
James Moore ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics
Mr. Speaker, my colleague used the figure of 41%, which he also used a few days ago, but it is not at all correct. The fact is that our government is making good on its commitment to rebuild the Canadian Forces. In the past year, this government has met the military's needs for new equipment and has made the most significant investment in the Canadian Forces in a decade. The figures my friend is using are not at all correct. We are giving our Canadian Forces all the equipment they need.
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, I ask the government whether it is going to repeat what it did last year. In response to a question I asked the Minister of National Defence a few days before the end of the session, the government said that nothing had been decided. The following week, the government announced contracts worth $20 billion.
Is the government waiting until the House of Commons rises to announce the signing of lucrative contracts, presenting the members of the House with a done deal? This would be unacceptable.
James Moore ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics
Mr. Speaker, I will say again what I said yesterday. Our government is keeping all its promises to our armed forces. We are going to provide them with all the equipment they need. We are going to follow all the Treasury Board processes and respect taxpayers. Our armed forces need new equipment, and we are going to give it to them in a way that respects taxpayers.
Vivian Barbot Bloc Papineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, in light of the findings of the auditors general regarding Lise Thibault, the Government of Quebec has asked Quebec provincial police to conduct, as quickly as possible, an investigation they consider appropriate under the circumstances, given that the government is both judge and judged.
Since the federal government is in the same boat, and moreover, since the $700,000 in question comes from Canadian Heritage, will it follow the lead of the Government of Quebec and ask the RCMP to investigate and get to the bottom of this?
Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, yesterday in this House I had the opportunity to state that abuse is not only unacceptable, but it is also inexcusable. The government is committed to getting to the bottom of this and to being transparent.
This is why, in January, we asked the Auditor General to investigate. We will ask the RCMP to conduct an appropriate investigation, given the Auditor General's findings.
Vivian Barbot Bloc Papineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, finally a real answer.
According to Ms. Thibault, it is common practice for lieutenant-governors to not submit receipts for some expenses, given that she considered this supplementary pay.
In light of this statement, does the government plan on modifying the auditing procedure to enable the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage to require all lieutenant-governors and the Governor General to justify their spending?
Bev Oda ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women
Mr. Speaker, as we have indicated, we take this very seriously. We have reviewed the Auditor General's report and the recommendations she has made. We will be implementing all the recommendations regarding the management of the expenditure process. We have spoken to Minister Pelletier. We will be working closely with the Quebec government.
We will take action. This is not acceptable. This is misuse of taxpayers' dollars and we will get to the bottom of it.
Ruby Dhalla Liberal Brampton—Springdale, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government has a track record of broken promises, of deception, of cancellation and ripped up contracts. The Atlantic accord, Kyoto, Kelowna were all ripped up. Summer jobs programs were cancelled. Early learning and child care agreements were destroyed, and the result is the children of Canada have been left without quality, universal, accessible and affordable child care.
Will the children of Canada be forced to take the Prime Minister to court to get him to honour his word and deliver child care spaces for Canada's kids?
Monte Solberg ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Social Development
Mr. Speaker, I noticed that the Conference Board of Canada report singled out the former government for its poor record on providing child care spaces. The fact is this government acted and acted quickly. Upon coming to power we put in place the universal child care benefit, something that gave parents choice in child care, which is what parents are asking for.
The sad fact is the leader of the Liberal Party in October said he would take that away. He has no faith in parents and he should be ashamed.
Ruby Dhalla Liberal Brampton—Springdale, ON
Mr. Speaker, the truth is the Conservatives have delivered nothing for Canada's kids. The truth is they have established a pattern of breaking contracts. One promise after the next has been broken. The truth is 125,000 child care spaces were promised and not one single space was delivered. Today the Conference Board said that our country is mired in mediocrity.
Why does the government not realize that by failing to invest in Canada's kids, it is risking our nation's economic productivity and prosperity?
Monte Solberg ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Social Development
Mr. Speaker, the truth is that with the universal child care benefit, the new child tax credit and the $250 million a year for new spaces, we are now giving to parents, child care providers and the provinces three times what the Liberals were giving. We are getting the job done where the Liberals absolutely failed.
Ken Dryden Liberal York Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, we saw it again last week: the science of climate change and the great majority of the G-8 saying one thing, the Prime Minister another, his pride always getting it done; his problem, Canada's problem, always the wrong “it”.
On the environment, Africa, our role in the world, our relations with the provinces, his strategy is to set the bar low, really really low, and then hit it decisively and call that success, but success for whom? For him politically? Maybe, but for Canadians, for the world, no.
When will the Prime Minister understand that?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I think all Canadians should be very proud of the unanimous G-8 statement that committed the world to move toward obligatory reduction targets for all major emitting countries. Specifically Canada, the European Union and Japan believe that it should be half by 2050.
The previous government under the Liberals let the world down and now the world has left them behind.
Ken Dryden Liberal York Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, getting it done wrong, decisively wrong; set the bar low and you get low.
How will history write about the 16 months of the Conservative government? About just how little was attempted, about just how little was done. For the government it has all been a campaign, a lot of politics and manoeuvring, signifying almost nothing.
With an election no longer imminent, the Conservatives have no direction and no idea what to do. When will they learn? A prime minister, a real leader, campaigns to govern, he does not govern to campaign.
John Baird ConservativeMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, let us not look at what the Prime Minister said. Let us look at what UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said at last week's G-8 meeting. He said that he welcomes that G-8 leaders have agreed on a strong and early action to combat climate change. He said that he is greatly encouraged by their commitment . He also said that the acceptance by the leaders is to be commended.
The member opposite used to go around Canada asking, “What stopped us? Why didn't we do better?” Maybe he could answer those questions.
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, for 60 years first nations have been asking Ottawa to change the way it resolves land claims. For 13 years the Liberals ignored those cries and did nothing. In fact, under the neglectful Liberal watch the number of aboriginal land claims rose from 250 to 800.
Yesterday the Prime Minister, along with the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, announced our Conservative government's plan to address the issue. Could the minister explain what this new plan will mean for aboriginal Canadians?
Jim Prentice ConservativeMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians
Mr. Speaker, yesterday was indeed a historic day. The right hon. Prime Minister together with National Chief Phil Fontaine announced a historic plan that will revolutionize the land claims process. It will bring fundamental reforms, reduce the backlog, accelerate claims. There will be a fully independent tribunal with impartial judges. There is $250 million per year set aside for 10 years.
The most accurate comment being offered by National Chief Phil Fontaine was:
It's a good day for all of us. The...government, the first nations community, the country. We now have a real opportunity, Canada has, to finally resolve these claims.
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Mr. Speaker, the softwood sellout orchestrated by the Liberal turned Conservative international trade minister has had catastrophic results for ordinary Canadians. Thousands of jobs have been lost in the billion dollar giveaway. Now we learn that he is committing the same crime, giving away our shipbuilding industry to the European Free Trade Association.
Clearly, countries such as Liechtenstein have smart and savvy negotiators and they simply outclass the desperate minister. Why is the government acting like Liberals and selling out Canadian shipbuilding with a deeply flawed agreement? Why does everything he touches turn into a disaster?
David Emerson ConservativeMinister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member knows that this is the first free trade agreement Canada has signed in the last six years.
As far as the shipbuilding industry is concerned, this trade agreement has the most generous provision for shipbuilding of any sector in any free trade agreement in the history of Canada.
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
The reality is, Mr. Speaker, we are talking again about thousands of lost jobs that will result from this giveaway. Not satisfied with selling out our shipbuilding industry, the minister is pushing now to sell out our automobile industry in his farewell tour. He wants a signature, the illusion of accomplishment, at the end of a short and sordid political career.
Will the Prime Minister finally stand up for Canada and stop the minister from harming our auto industry and our shipbuilding industry, like he destroyed the softwood industry?
When will these agreements come here for a vote so that Parliament can save the industries that the minister has sold out?
David Emerson ConservativeMinister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics
Mr. Speaker, I did not finish on what we are doing for the shipbuilding industry.
We have a 15 year phase-out and no tariff reductions for the first three years. We have a shipbuilding policy that will ensure the construction of ships in Canada for the next 15 to 20 years, spread continuously to ensure the full utilization of shipyards.
We have also, through the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Industry, replenished the funding and added to the funding of the structured financing facility for the shipbuilding industry.
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Mr. Speaker, on November 22, 2005 the current Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food supported a motion which stated that the government should instruct its negotiators at the WTO to work to “ensure that the supply management sectors are subject to no reduction in over-quota tariffs and no increase in tariff quotas”. The minister supported that motion.
Why then does the government not allow our trade negotiators to fully participate in WTO discussions with a mandate to support our supply management producers?
Chuck Strahl ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, not only did all members in the House of Commons support that motion, certainly we campaigned on that motion during the last federal election. Both the Minister of International Trade and I have been in Geneva and Davos and other international forums defending supply management.
The instructions to our negotiator are exactly what the House of Commons passed. There are no ifs, ands or buts; there is not a piece of paper between. Our official position and the position of the House of Commons is that we support supply management. We have taken steps to do that time and again. Whereas the Liberal government used to talk about it, we have actually done it. We support supply management.