Debates of June 5th, 2007

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to have the opportunity to address Bill C-57, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which allows immigration officers to refuse to authorize foreign nationals to work in Canada.

I have to say at the outset that I believe this is an unusual proposal from the government. It is a strange piece of legislation. As proposed, the bill gives the minister discretionary authority to issue instructions allowing immigration officers to refuse foreign nationals work visas if they are seen to be at risk of being subjected to humiliating or degrading treatment, including sexual exploitation.

That is the basic premise of the legislation. It is discretionary to give the minister the opportunity to issue instructions, which would then be taken into consideration by a visa officer overseas when issuing a work visa.

The stated purpose of the act is as follows:

The instructions shall prescribe public policy considerations that aim to protect foreign nationals who are at risk of being subjected to humiliating or degrading treatment, including sexual exploitation.

The bill does not provide instructions directly. It merely makes it possible for the minister to issue such instructions.

My question is about how this protects women in particular, women who might be subject to trafficking, since that was one of the stated goals of the legislation when it was presented by the government.

I would contend that we should never get to the point of having someone apply for a work visa if there is any evidence whatsoever that the workplace that wants to hire them is connected to trafficking, if the employer has any connection to trafficking, or if the work being done is degrading or humiliating. There is absolutely no reason to issue a work visa to someone if any of those conditions exist, yet the legislation does not address any of those conditions directly.

It seems to me that the appropriate place to stop this concern is at the point of the labour market opinion prepared by the Department of Human Resources and Social Development. A labour market opinion is required every time a foreign worker is sought to work here in Canada as a temporary foreign worker. How does a job vacancy that the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration might find exploitative, degrading or humiliating get approved in that process? Surely the process of doing a survey of the workplace and the specific job is the appropriate place to make that determination.

Mr. Speaker, I will resume after question period.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Burnaby—Douglas will have about 17 minutes after question period to finish his remarks.

Relay for Life

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I was honoured this past weekend to take part in the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life in my hometown of Peterborough. I was joined by hundreds, if not thousands, of determined constituents who raised more than $115,000 toward cancer research.

While we have made great progress in the fight against cancer, we have not yet won the war. Having lost my father, two uncles and an aunt to cancer, all well before their time, my commitment to the cure could not be stronger.

I salute all those who have survived cancer and carry on the fight for others. I salute those who have lost loved ones and continue to fight for the cure in their memory. I salute the Canadian Cancer Society for its tremendous contributions to research and care.

I commit, in memory of all who have lost their battle with cancer, to be an undaunted force in the fight for a cure. I will be at next year's Relay for Life, I hope, to compete for top fundraising team, as well as best campsite.

I congratulate Peterborough on the Relay for Life and for the great job it did.

The Turkish Community

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on April 28, 2007, I had the pleasure of attending the children's festival organized by the Turkish community in my riding, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel. Also, last month, community leaders from Montreal's Turkish community centre organized an outdoor event for children and families. Both gatherings were hugely successful.

I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the Turkish community's exceptional degree of involvement in greater Montreal, in Quebec and in Canada, and their contribution to society.

This group and other associations also play a leading role in Canada-Turkey relations. They are an important cultural, academic, economic and political bridge between our two countries.

I would like to thank them for their contribution to Montreal and to the entire country.

The 1995 Referendum

[France Bonsant, Bloc, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the wake of the Grenier report on Option Canada, federalists have once again scorned Quebec's laws and democracy.

Prince Edward Island recently elected a premier who, in a show of Canadian patriotism, committed fraud on the day of the 1995 referendum. In Lennoxville, not far from where I live, hundreds of students from all over Canada illegally placed their names on the list of voters so that they could vote “no”. The new premier, Robert Ghiz, was one of them.

Now that I see what becomes of cheaters, I am prouder today than ever before to be a sovereignist. I am proud that as sovereignists, we are playing by the rules of democracy to get ourselves a country.

Enough is enough. That is why we are demanding a public inquiry into Option Canada.

Tiananmen Square

[Wayne Marston, NDP, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, people around the world paused to remember the 18th anniversary of the massacre at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China.

From April to June in 1989, pro-democracy and labour activists, intellectuals and students gathered in a series of protests in the Beijing square. Eighteen years ago yesterday, on June 4 the military cracked down on protesters and several hundred to several thousand were killed.

Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Beijing. For 10 minutes I stood in Tiananmen Square and paid homage to those who were killed, injured or imprisoned for something that we Canadians sometimes take for granted: freedom of speech.

It would be ideal if one could stand here today and say that there have been great improvements in respect for and promotion of human rights in China. Even as China prepares to open its doors to the world for the Beijing Olympics in the summer of 2008, its record is abysmal.

Falun Gong practitioners continue to be targeted and claims of organ harvesting are being investigated and corroborated by international investigators. Ethnic minorities, like the Uyghurs, continue to be persecuted. Canadian citizens, like Huseyin Celil, are kept in detention and denied their consular rights.

Before, during and after the Beijing games, the world will turn its attention on China in a way as never before. I would encourage the government to take every opportunity to engage in respectful dialogue with--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member for Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington.

Craft Brewers

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, much of the world's best beer is brewed in Canada and some of Canada's best craft beers come from eastern Ontario, including my hometown of Carleton Place.

Canada's craft brewers are leading the revolution in value added production that has, in recent years, given our country: a host of artisanal cheeses, a growing range of organic and heirloom fruits and vegetables, world domination in ice wine and the invention of entirely new products, like cidre de glace.

It is in these value added products, rather than in the ever more efficient production of indistinguishable commodities, that our entrepreneurial future lies, whether it is the future of the family farm, of wine trails or of revived industrial neighbourhoods along the lines of Toronto's distillery district.

It is for this reason that last year's budget delivered long overdue tax relief to Canada's craft brewers. It is for this reason that I invite members from all parties to join me in my office today to sample some of eastern Ontario's best craft beers and to show their support for Canadian innovation, entrepreneurship and quality of the highest order.

Autism

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Speaker, it is regrettable that we have seen little action by the government toward implementing a national autism strategy.

It has been more than a year since I introduced Motion No. 172. My private member's motion called for evidence based standards, innovative funding arrangements for diagnosis, treatment and research, and a national surveillance program.

The motion was adopted in good faith and supported by the government. However, it was very disappointing to see no reference to a national autism strategy in the recent budget or any discussion this spring.

Recently, I joined my colleagues from Charlottetown and Sackville—Eastern Shore and Senator Munson at a rally in Halifax that reinforced that there are families with autistic children across Canada who need the government's help.

The Conservatives should move off their default position of jurisdictional excuses, show creativity and compassion and start helping these Canadians.

Fernand Boudreau

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Fernand Boudreau, a distinguished FTQ unionist and long time sovereignist, president of the Montreal FTQ, commissioner representing workers at the Employment Insurance Commission in Ottawa, attentive husband, father and grandfather, considerate neighbour, involved citizen, and remarkable man, passed away on May 23. Everyone misses him and wants to express their admiration for him.

Following a stint as a baker, he became a dockworker at the port of Montreal in 1960. This is an interest he would come back to after taking on a number of different responsibilities.

He was active in the unions and the community and just as concerned about social housing and poverty as he was about the environment. He was a devoted sovereignty electioneer and was pleased to perform any task he was assigned. He was a sincere, devoted, generous, simple and great man. He survived leukemia thanks to a bone graft at the Maisonneuve-Rosemont hospital, but then succumbed to pneumonia.

Thank you, Fernand, for the example you set for us all.

Tourism Week

[Bruce Stanton, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this week we are celebrating Tourism Week in Canada. We all know tourism is important to all regions of the country, employing over 634,000 people, nearly 4% of the total workforce. There are 160,000 businesses in Canada's tourism sector and most are small and medium size enterprises.

However, tourism's impact goes far beyond creating jobs and providing foreign exchange and revenue. It gives Canadians the chance to explore their heritage and celebrate their culture as they travel across the country. It strengthens Canada's brand and international profile.

Canada's new government recognizes the importance of tourism and supports it through a variety of programs and services. Last year we spent over $400 million on projects, programs and activities that have a direct and positive impact on the tourism sector.

We are dedicated to ensuring Canada's tourism industry remains vibrant and competitive and that is to the benefit of all Canadians.

Criminal Code

[Nina Grewal, Conservative, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Mr. Speaker, residents of Surrey are dismayed by the arrival of Paul Callow, the balcony rapist, in our community. Citizens are left with no choice but to accept into their midst a serial rapist deemed too dangerous for Ontario.

Last night, more than 1,000 people rallied at a local gym to express their outrage and seek answers from elected officials. People are scared. Even though the National Parole Board deemed Callow a high risk of reoffending, Canada's present laws left the government powerless to keep Callow behind bars.

Canada's new government is committed to making our streets safer by getting tough on criminals. That is why we introduced Bill C-27, which seeks to fix the dangerous offender process. Our amendments would place greater constraints on repeat offenders like Callow and help to ensure dangerous offenders who are not rehabilitated are kept behind bars indefinitely.

We must put aside our partisan differences and pass Bill C-27.

La Francophonie and Official Languages

[Raymond Simard, Liberal, Saint Boniface, MB]

Mr. Speaker, francophone and Acadian communities are pleased today, but not because of this Conservative government's commitment. The Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages announced on Friday evening before 700 francophones that she wanted to consult yet again—no commitment, no highly anticipated word of encouragement for these communities.

Journalist Adrien Cantin summed it up well in Le Droit this morning, “What does a government do when it does not know what to do or has no intention of doing anything right away? It consults”.

The community also received the leader of the Liberal Party, who did not disappoint. He made it clear that official languages would be promoted as a valuable resource and an opportunity for growth. He announced that a Liberal government would renew the action plan for official languages, invest in francophone community infrastructure, reinstate the court challenges program, double its annual budget and include linguistic clauses in federal-provincial agreements.

The choice became quite clear for the participants of this wonderful summit. The Liberal Party will always be there for them.

Festivals and Special Events

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

Mr. Speaker, the media are talking about funding for the festival industry from the Government of Canada.

In spite of opposition from the Liberals and New Democrats to Budget 2007, we have announced an additional $30 million, and we are now transparently establishing the framework and criteria for this new program, which will target small and medium events, and not just large festivals. It will be in place at the end of the summer.

In the meantime, our government is showing that its priority is to help communities celebrate arts and heritage, and not to fill Liberal coffers. For example, this year, the Festival international de jazz de Montréal will receive more than $850,000, the Just for Laughs Festival will receive $900,000, and the FrancoFolies de Montréal will receive more than $375,000.

A number of festivals have been suffering for some years, because of the incompetence of the former Liberal government. One thing is sure, the Bloc will never be able to help them, but we want to and can take action.

Toronto Waterfront

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Trinity—Spadina in downtown Toronto is abuzz with great events and I am particularly proud of our waterfront community.

This Friday, the HTO Park, Toronto's first urban beach, will have a grand opening. This park is the first step in our waterfront transformation.

Ireland Park will open on June 21 and the president of Ireland will be in Toronto for the celebration. The sculptures and the park honour the 38,000 Irish immigrants who overcame unimaginable hardship and suffering and speak to the kindness and generosity of Canadians.

The Luminato, with Pulse Front and L'Art Boat, is at the Harbourfront Centre, a huge, creative arts festival that allows us to see the world in a new light. There is the great waterfront yard sale that raises funds for the residents association to enhance the neighbourhood.

I send a big thanks to the dedicated volunteers who made greatness happen. Jane Jacobs would be proud.

However, a dark cloud hangs over the waterfront. The Toronto Island Airport continues to create more pollution in what should be a beautiful neighbourhood and a cultural hot spot. When will the Conservatives take action and close the Island Airport so that all Canadians can enjoy Toronto's magnificent waterfront?

Do Not Call Registry

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, on November 25, 2005, royal assent was given to a bill that passed in the House and the other place. That law mandated the government to create a do not call registry, a registry that would finally permit Canadians to protect their names and numbers from telemarketers.

The minister of industry, who is now the Minister of International Trade, said at that time that it was a fair and cost effective way to deliver on something that the majority of Canadians wanted. Even the Canadian Marketing Association supported that bill.

It was a Liberal government listening to Canadians and acting. Sadly, under the Conservative government, nothing has been done to implement the registry, no political will has been shown and no money has been provided. The Conservatives have let this legislation wither causing countless Canadians to continue to suffer through unwanted and intrusive phone calls. Canadians deserve better.

On behalf of all Canadians, I ask the government to take action, follow the law, respect this House and get a do not call registry implemented now.

Guy Laliberté

[Vivian Barbot, Bloc, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Guy Laliberté was named World Entrepreneur of the Year last Saturday in Monaco. He is the first Quebecker to receive such an honour and, by sheer coincidence, his fifth child was also born that same evening.

Once an accordionist, stilt-walker and fire-eater, Mr. Laliberté envisioned and staged a new conception of circus art that combines various cultures, and artistic and acrobatic disciplines. Since its inception in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has continued to grow and innovate, and to amaze spectators around the globe.

This award comes in addition to the Ordre national du Québec, the Order of Canada and the title of Grand Montréalais.

On behalf of my Bloc Québécois colleagues, I am very proud to offer my congratulations to Guy Laliberté. This entrepreneur of the year award symbolizes Quebec's influence around the globe. His success is ours.

World Environment Day

[Tina Keeper, Liberal, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to recognize the United Nations World Environment Day 2007. This is a day when Canadians join people around the world to mark their concern for the environment.

Appropriately, this year's theme is “Melting Ice-a Hot Topic”, a problem exacerbated by global warming, which the Conservative government continues to ignore.

Sadly, this World Environment Day, Canada is being represented at the G-8 meetings in Germany by a climate change denier. Even yesterday, the World Wildlife Fund singled out the Conservative government as having “taken up a policy stand, which puts it sharply at odds with its Kyoto obligations”.

It is important for all of us as citizens and as parliamentarians to continue to raise awareness of the challenges facing our environment and to seek solutions to those challenges.

I encourage all Canadians to be active agents of sustainability and good environmental stewardship.

Environment Week

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, June 3 to 8 is Canadian Environment Week and today is Environment Day worldwide. There are great opportunities to reflect on how the environment affects us all. As Canadians participate in various activities across our great land, I urge them to continue to protect our precious resources and natural wonders.

What better way to recognize Environment Week than to be on the global stage at the G-8 demonstrating to the world how seriously Canada takes the climate change challenge. After years of waiting, Canada finally has a concrete plan to significantly reduce smog and greenhouse gases.

Yesterday the Prime Minister and the German chancellor, as president of the European Union, signed an important agreement on a variety of issues, including climate change. We agree with the European Union to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by at least half by 2050.

The government is clearly taking responsible and effective action, both here at home and on the world stage to fight climate change. The Conservative Party has always been dedicated to clean air, clean land and clean water. We continue to demonstrate that commitment by taking action and getting the job done.

The Environment

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, while out of the country, the Prime Minister is inventing things that do not exist. In Canada, we were not aware that we had a plan to reduce our absolute emissions by 50%, 60% or—why not— 70% by 2050. The only plan we have claims that emissions will be reduced by a much lower rate and does not have provisions beyond 2014. According to all assessments, this plan will not achieve its very weak objectives.

What was the Prime Minister thinking when he proposed such a pale plan to the world?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising that the Leader of the Opposition thinks that a plan to reduce greenhouse gases is strange.

We do not think it is strange. We think it is important and it is what we should be doing. That is why we have a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in this country by 20% by the year 2020 and to have a long term commitment, which was reflected in our agreement with the joint declaration with the European Union yesterday, by 2050 of 50%, 60%, 70%, the kind of long term commitment to which all these countries have agreed.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

The sad thing, Mr. Speaker, is that this so-called plan is criticized from all sides. It is criticized from the Suzuki Foundation to the CEO of the Montreal Stock Exchange. It is criticized from the adviser to the governor of California to Al Gore.

The Pembina Institute said that this failed plan would deliver six to seven times less greenhouse gas reductions than the Liberals' project green, which the Prime Minister killed.

What was the Prime Minister thinking when he proposed such a pale plan to the world?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, let us start with the Liberal plan. The Liberal plan produced a very simple increase in greenhouse gas emissions of one-third over the targets. I do not know how the member gets six to seven times that. I hate to think what that is.

However, we have received positive reviews for our position. I will quote José Barroso, president of the European Commission, who has said that Canada and Europe agree on the need to act swiftly on climate change and step up the scale of our commitment to cut back greenhouse gas emissions:

—the EU and Canada underline the need for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by at least half by 2050....To achieve these objectives, we are committed to work actively and constructively together...

We are taking action on this side for a change.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister figures that Germany has a plan. Canada had a plan in 2005, but the Conservatives killed it, and they have no plan now. The Deutsche Bank has denounced their plan. It has said that with Canada's plan, greenhouse gas emissions will go up not only until 2012, but beyond 2020, that the good plan they are proposing will not create an incentive for businesses to invest in new low carbon technology and that their plan drastically overstates the costs of complying with Kyoto.

Again, what did the Prime Minister have in mind?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, l am not sure what the question was, but I did hear the hon. member say that the Liberals had a plan and we saw their plan in action. Their plan was to let greenhouse gases go through the roof to 33% above our targets, while they wined and dined, travelled the world, talked the talk, loved to grandstand, but never delivered results.

Canadians do not want that kind of leadership. They want leadership that takes action and delivers real results on the reduction of greenhouse gases. That is what we are doing. That is what we are doing together with other countries. That is what we are trying to do at the G8+5 where we are going to try to engage other major emitters, which are not right now committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, to do just that.