House of Commons Hansard #12 of the 40th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was leader.
Ken Dryden Liberal York Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, when we have the biggest economic crisis in decades as a country and as a world, as parliamentarians it was time to come together but the Prime Minister just could not resist. He cannot stop himself. He has this pathological inability to put aside politics. Too bad for him and for all of us.
How does one repair the irreparable? I will help the Prime Minister with his answer. Sorry, but it is over. We cannot trust him any more. We need a new Prime Minister.
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the choice for the hon. member and for his party is very simple. If they really believe governing the country in a deal with the separatists is good for the country, then they should take that to the Canadian people and get a mandate for it or they should walk away from it and say it was a mistake.
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Mr. Speaker, the members on the other side of the House just gave new meaning to the word “pathetic”.
The Conservatives tricked the Canadian people: no measures, no answers, no economic plan to deal with the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of 1929. Canadians want us to set aside our partisan differences and find ways to help them. They want us to save their jobs, not the Prime Minister's.
We have a legitimate, stable, economical alternative for Canada. Does the Prime Minister realize that he no longer has the confidence of Parliament?
Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, here is what a separatist coalition economic plan looks like: higher taxes, weakened stock markets, eroding our savings and killing Canadian jobs, all paid for with Monopoly money. Where can people read that? They can read that on the website of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Mr. Speaker, he should look at the stock market, because we can see how it has been affected by the Conservatives' do-nothing approach.
Canadians have understood from the start that the reason for this crisis is that the Prime Minister cares more about protecting his limousine and his official residence than he does about protecting Canadians' economic interests. The Prime Minister preferred to gamble on democracy, and he lost. He tried to pull a fast one and he got caught. The Prime Minister has an obligation to respect Parliament, the cradle of our democracy.
Is he willing to answer for his actions, face up to his responsibilities for the future of our economy and not ask that Parliament be suspended?
Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I twice worked hand in hand with the member for Bourassa to fight two referendums on Quebec's separation from the rest of Canada. I did so with the full confidence of my colleague, but today the choice is clear. His leader has made a pact with the leader of the Bloc Québécois. I would like to know one thing. What is legitimate, what should happen, is that the leaders should renounce this agreement or go to the people of Canada.
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
Mr. Speaker, the crisis initiated by the separatist coalition has Canadians very upset. In my home province of British Columbia, the radio open line shows are being swamped with angry Canadians. People are furious at this power grab by the defeated opposition parties.
Even Premier Gordon Campbell is defending our democratically-elected government.
Could the minister give us his response to the remarks of the premier?
Stockwell Day ConservativeMinister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member for Abbotsford. My own constituency office has never been flooded with so many calls in such a short period of time from people being upset about this.
Premier Campbell has reflected on the fact that he would like the separatist coalition to stand down at least until it has a chance to see the budget. He also politely made reference to the fact that the federal Liberal leader does not “resonate with British Columbians”. Not resonate. In the last election, the Liberals barely achieved above fringe party status and the socialists, the NDP, got 17%. They now want to take that separatist coalition to British Columbians and ask for their support.
British Columbians vote a lot of ways but they will not support separatism.
Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC
Mr. Speaker, since the arrival of the Conservatives, hundreds of thousands of jobs, particularly in the manufacturing and forestry sectors, have been lost because they sat on their hands.
Why is it that they are only prepared to spring into action when their own jobs are in jeopardy?
Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, as the member of the separatist coalition knows, there is a plan that we are acting on for jobs in the manufacturing sector, through credit and so on, with more than $3 billion. What is the attitude? The attitude is negative. The attitude, in fact, of the separatist coalition is to spend $30 billion and put this country back into permanent debt. It is not even sure where the number came from.
Yesterday, the member for Toronto Centre, a member of the separatist coalition, said that the number was made up but that he did not know who made it up. He said that it came out of thin air.
Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC
Mr. Speaker, over the past few days we have watched the Prime Minister go from denial--'This cannot be happening to me'--to anger--'It's not fair; no, no”--to bargaining--'Can't you stretch it out just a few more years?'--to depression. When is the Prime Minister finally going to accept that the demise of his government is due to the failure of him and his team to deal with the economy in the interests of Canadians?
John Baird ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, there is one thing this Prime Minister, this team, and this government will never do, and that is accept a separatist government on this side of the House in this country.
We are committed to providing sound, good government to ensure that we respond to the economic crisis. We will not join on board the Jacques Parizeau train, as the member opposite is doing. He should back away from this deal.
It is wrong for Canada, and this party and this government will always stand up for what is right for this great country.
Carole Freeman Bloc Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC
Mr. Speaker, the media are reporting that, contrary to his testimony before the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, Fred Doucet, former chief of staff to Brian Mulroney, was very aware of the backroom deals going on in the Airbus affair. These revelations explain why the Prime Minister delayed setting up a public inquiry commission at the time. He was plainly trying to cover up the whole affair.
Does the Prime Minister now realize that his lack of transparency has lost him the confidence of the House?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, there was a public inquiry. We expect to receive the results of the inquiry in June, but that has nothing to do with our government.
Carole Freeman Bloc Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is the last person in whom we can have confidence. The Conservative Party has been facing one embarrassment after another. In light of the Schreiber-Mulroney affair, in light of the Cadman affair, in light of his dispute with Elections Canada about the in and out affair, how can the Prime Minister believe that anyone at all would have confidence in him?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, judging from the overwhelmingly negative reaction they have all received to the separatist coalition, they are now trying to change the channel. It is not surprising.
We know from Mr. Parizeau's own words what he wants to achieve: “A weaker government in Ottawa is eminently satisfying. The image must be one of a weak, disoriented government, which will become weaker and more disoriented in the future. This is perfect”.
Distractions aside, this government will stand four-square against the separatist coalition. We will stand up for Canada.
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives attacked women's equality rights in the economic update because they thought they could get away with it. Their plan to bargain away equal pay for work of equal value was not mentioned during the election, nor was it mentioned in the throne speech.
Given this poor track record, how can Canadian women have any confidence that their equal rights will not be attacked again by the Conservatives?
Vic Toews ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, what we find unacceptable is that women would have to wait for 15 years to resolve complaints. In fact, the legislation we are bringing forward is something the David Peterson government brought in.
Mr. Speaker, do you know who supported that? The NDP supported that. Who was it led by? It was led by the member for Toronto Centre. It was he who brought in that legislation in Ontario.
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, the minister is spinning, and Canadian women deserve better. Instead of introducing measures to help Canadian women who have lost their jobs, the Conservatives choose to attack women's rights.
When women are already at a disadvantage in the workplace, the Conservatives choose to attack instead of protect. Now the minister's main concern is the protection of his own job.
Why do Conservatives care more about saving their own jobs than the jobs of Canadian women?
Vic Toews ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, for 13 years the Liberals did nothing with respect to pay equity for women. Women waited and waited and received no satisfaction from the Liberals because of the mechanism that they had in place.
What we are doing is putting in place a proactive mechanism that will address the issues of women in a timely fashion. It is something the Ontario government brought in under the member for Toronto Centre, something the Quebec government brought in, and something my own home province of Manitoba brought in back in 1986.
Dawn Black NDP New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, 8,000 jobs were lost in British Columbia, and that is for October alone. It is more than any other province. Instead of providing desperately needed stimulus packages for the economy, the government chose partisanship games. We needed real action on community infrastructure, forestry, pension protection and help for small business. This is about jobs.
Why do Conservatives care more about saving their own jobs than providing jobs for western Canadians?
John Baird ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, it is this government that is building Canada, and it is that party opposite that wants to join in a coalition government with the separatists. That is simply unconscionable.
I have to say this: does she realize what Jacques Parizeau has said? Former premier Jacques Parizeau applauded without reservation the Bloc Québécois' recent impressive victory in forming a coalition government in Ottawa. If the member opposite is concerned about building, she should join us and build a stronger Canada.
Dawn Black NDP New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, western Canadians have a long tradition of standing up and standing against anti-democratic figures, even when such figures are from western Canada themselves. Instead of worrying about his job, he should be taking action to create jobs for everyday Canadians.
As a proud Canadian from British Columbia, as a lifelong fighter for democracy, as a duly elected member of this House, I call on the Prime Minister to stop preventing me from exercising my duties in this House of Commons. I demand that the Prime Minister allow me to vote--
