Debates of Nov. 24th, 2008

Poverty

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, 16,000 children in my home province of Nova Scotia alone are living in poverty. The Conservatives are ignoring the problem of child and family poverty, just like they ignored the whole financial crisis. It is bad management and the most vulnerable Canadians are the victims.

Why do the Conservatives not have a poverty reduction strategy to ensure that Canadian families in need are not left behind by this ideologically-driven and neo-conservative government that Tom Flanagan is so proud of?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development]

Mr. Speaker, we very much want to ensure that Canadians are living as well as possible, which is why, apart from the universal child care, we lowered the GST, which disproportionately helps the lower income people.

We also introduced the working income tax benefit to help lower income people get over that welfare wall and provide them with incentives to get back to work.

We also increased the guaranteed income supplement for our seniors. We significantly expanded the amount of money they could earn before having the claw back.

We are working hard to ensure people can be as well off as possible.

Electoral System

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, too many people were not able to vote in the last election because they encountered various problems. These are problems we cannot forget now that we have been elected. In my riding, not everyone was able to vote. Some people do not have driver's licences. There are no roads. Some homes do not have addresses, and therefore are not on the voters list. The system is letting people down. What is the government doing to fix these problems and to enable people in remote regions to vote?

[Steven Fletcher, Conservative, Minister of State (Democratic Reform)]

Mr. Speaker, the government has taken many measures to ensure that all Canadians can vote. The identification measures are designed to ensure that all eligible Canadians can vote while strengthening the integrity of the electoral process, preventing fraud and ensuring that the voting process continues to command the confidence of Canadians.

We have conducted many measures to ensure that this is under way. I look forward to working with any member of the House of Commons or any citizen to ensure that everyone exercises his or her franchise.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, my fellow MPs told me not to expect an adequate answer but I expected at least an attempt.

Canada's north has the youngest population in Canada. Young people often do not have ID when they turn 18. Under the current rules, aboriginal people, young people and our seniors were turned away at the polls at some of the highest rates. It is a myth that we do not want to vote. We are simply being barred for not having the right kind of ID.

Could the minister explain what steps he will take to fix this problem?

[Steven Fletcher, Conservative, Minister of State (Democratic Reform)]

Mr. Speaker, I want to welcome the member to the House of Commons. I can see that she may need to get used to some of the to and fro in this chamber.

The fact is that the government has taken many measures to ensure the integrity of the voting system. There are numerous ways in which people can ensure they get on the voters' lists. People who are on the voters' list can vouch for other people who may not be. These are good reforms. I hope the NDP will work with us.

Product Safety

[Merv Tweed, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, every day across Canada we are seeing signs that winter is quickly approaching and with winter comes the holiday season. When parents watch their children open presents on Christmas day they need to know that the gifts from Santa are safe.

Could the Minister of Health please tell the House what action the government is taking to ensure product safety?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, in the last election, Canadians made it clear that product safety was a priority. The Prime Minister listened, and I am happy and proud to say that the government will uphold the promise on the food and consumer safety action plan.

Health Canada has also improved its complaint procedures to ensure fast and effective action is taken when it learns of a serious issue.

Justice

[Irwin Cotler, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week the government said that it was premature to seek Omar Khadr's return from Guantanamo Bay and that it supported Mr. Khadr's legal process.

Why is the government acquiescing in a prosecution that both the U.S. and Canadian Supreme Courts have deplored, that the U.S. president is committed to ending, that the Canadian Bar Association, in concert with others, has condemned, and where all other western nations have repatriated and protected their nationals?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as we know, Mr. Khadr faces very serious charges. The Government of Canada has sought and received assurances that Mr. Khadr is being treated humanely. Departmental officials, as a matter of fact, have carried out several welfare visits with Mr. Khadr and will continue to do so.

However, any questions regarding whether Canada plans to ask for the release of Mr. Khadr from Guantanamo are premature and speculative in nature as the legal process and appeals are ongoing.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the fact remains that Omar Khadr is the only citizen of a western country who is still at Guantanamo.

The president-elect of the United States himself, Barack Obama, has confirmed that he plans to close this detention centre. The Conservatives persist in refusing to repatriate young Omar Khadr.

Does the Minister of Foreign Affairs plan on taking the first step to re-establish Canada's international reputation by calling for the immediate repatriation of Omar Khadr? This is something the new minister must do, absolutely.

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as I said—and I will say it again—Mr. Khadr faces very serious charges. It should be noted that I did not say “Coderre”, I said “Khadr”. There should be no misunderstanding there.

Any questions regarding whether Canada plans to ask for the release of Mr. Khadr from Guantanamo are premature and speculative in nature as the legal process and appeals are ongoing.

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

Mr. Speaker, the incoming U.S. administration has been very clear about its intentions to get rid of the prison at Guantanamo. The president-elect has called it a “sad chapter in U.S. history”.

One citizen of one western country, only one, is still locked up there, a Canadian, Omar Khadr.

Would the Prime Minister rather Omar Khadr be extradited to the U.S. to be locked up in Leavenworth maximum security? Why would the Prime Minister not rather bring the tortured, young, broken boy back home to face the Canadian justice system?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the individual is charged with very serious accusations.

The hon. colleague refers to other countries. We need to indicate in this case that the individual has been charged, he is in a process and there is a judicial system that is ongoing. The Government of Canada does not want to interfere in the judicial sovereignty of another nation.

Arctic Sovereignty

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has been defined for decades as the “true north strong and free”.

Our government has made some significant strides to protect and preserve Canadian interests in the Arctic.

Could the hon. Minister of Transport please inform this chamber of the efforts we have taken and will take to preserve our Arctic sovereignty?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I was asked just 20 minutes ago “Where was all the anger? Where was all the indignation?” as Minister of Transport.

I want to tell the House that we will be putting all our anger against foreign shippers who pollute our Arctic waters. The Prime Minister announced this past August that we will extend our jurisdiction of enforcing Canada's top environmental enforcement laws to a full 200 nautical miles off our coast.

We will get tough with Arctic polluters and we will ensure that our Arctic waters are kept clean.

Justice

[Irwin Cotler, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have listened to the responses of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Is the government not concerned, as its own officials in foreign affairs appear to be, with the message being sent to the international community that however unjustly a Canadian citizen is being treated abroad, however illegal the process and however much it violates the rule of law, Canada will acquiesce so long as Mr. Khadr is still awaiting trial, however indefinitely, even though American officials have even said that they may hold him even if he is acquitted?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I would remind you, as well as my hon. colleagues, that my colleague was in government when Mr. Khadr was sent to Guantanamo. He must fully understand that there is a judicial system and a process in place which the government intends to respect to its fullest extent.

A message from Her Excellency the Governor General transmitting supplementary estimates (B) for the financial year ending March 31, 2009, was presented by the President of the Treasury Board and read by the Speaker to the House.

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2008-09

[Vic Toews, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, I have a copy of the supplementary estimates (B) and a copy of the vote allocation by the standing committee for the House.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Given the short duration of this sitting of the House before the usual adjournment in December and the conclusion of the current supply period and given the fact that the standing committees of the House are not yet up and running to be able to receive the estimates and examine them in the ordinary course, I wonder if the government House leader could indicate whether he will make every effort, in collaboration with all other parties in the House, to establish the standing committees as rapidly as possible, not taking the full ten days allowed under the Standing Orders, so the committees may be seized of these estimates at the earliest possible time and have at least a chance to have a meeting or two before the end of the supply period in December.

[Jay Hill, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in response to that point of order, the government is very willing to try to negotiate with the other parties to have our membership lists in for all standing committees as quickly as possible, in particular for those that would be seized with the economic situation facing our country today.

Access to Information and Privacy

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I have the honour to table the 2007-08 annual report of the Auditor General of Canada on the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

This document is deemed to have been permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights as soon as it is struck.

Income Tax Act

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-227, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (travel and accommodation deduction for tradespersons).

Mr. Speaker, it is my great privilege today to re-introduce as my very first bill this Parliament a bill for which the Canadian building and construction trades have been lobbying for over 30 years. The bill would, at long last, allow tradespersons and indentured apprentices to deduct travel and accommodation expenses from their taxable income so they could secure and maintain employment at a construction site that would be more than 80 kilometres from their home.

It has never made sense for tradespersons to be out of work in one area of the country while another region suffers from temporary skilled labour shortages simply because the cost of travelling is too high. In these difficult economic times, it is especially incumbent upon us as legislators to do everything we can to help Canadians secure work.

I have spoken to the Minister of Finance about this bill and he has assured me that it would be considered as part of the budgetary process. I hope it will be reflected in the economic update that the minister is delivering on Thursday. For the government, the revenues generated through EI savings and additional income tax collected will far outweigh the cost of this tax benefit.

The bill would be a win-win-win. It would be a win for the government’s coffers, a win for the Canadian economy and a win for workers in the building trades. I am hopeful that in seeking ways to address the current economic crisis, all members of the House will put partisanship aside and work with me to ensure that the bill receives the speedy passage it deserves.

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

Darfur

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to present some petitions that have been organized by Canadians for Action in Darfur.

The petitioners call upon the government to engage with the international community in whatever way is necessary to stop the humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur.