Debates of April 18th, 2008

Minister of Foreign Affairs

[Brian Murphy, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

Mr. Speaker, last week the minister embarrassed Canada, just like that last response did, and put the government of Afghanistan in an impossible position. If it removes the governor of Kandahar, it looks like it is caving into NATO pressure. If he stays, its ability to combat corruption has been seriously compromised.

How many mistakes of this magnitude will it take before the incompetent Minister of Foreign Affairs is finally fired for his incompetence? How long will it take?

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and to the Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, I want to make it very clear that Afghanistan is a sovereign state that makes its own decisions about government appointments. Why does the hon. member not ask his leader why he wanted to invade Pakistan, which is a sovereign country? Why would he want to invade it? He should go ahead and ask his leader that question.

Foreign Affairs

[Albina Guarnieri, Liberal, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, a government member, who was once labelled a foreign political saboteur by CNN, has undermined Canada's ability to have constructive dialogue with China on human rights.

The member for Calgary West has compared the Beijing Olympics to Adolf Hitler's 1936 Berlin Games. He has even mused about an insurrection.

With his foreign affairs minister calling for the overthrow of the governor in Kandahar and a backbencher calling for riots in Beijing, when will the Prime Minister put some diplomacy in his foreign affairs policy?

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and to the Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, the comments made by the member for Calgary West are his own views and do not reflect the views of the Government of Canada.

Canada has no plans to boycott the Beijing Olympics. However, Canada has serious concerns about human rights and we will continue the dialogue with China on that issue.

However, let me say very clearly, the comments of the member for Calgary West were his own views and do not reflect the views of the Government of Canada.

[Albina Guarnieri, Liberal, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, maybe it is time to build a firewall around the government caucus members. This is not the first time the member for Calgary West has helped to put this Conservative government on the world stage.

He is also infamous for calling Nobel peace prize winner Nelson Mandela a communist and a terrorist. Just recently, the foreign affairs minister has trashed the governor of Kandahar with allegations of corruption.

When will the Prime Minister rein in his foreign relations wrecking crew--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and to the Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, the foreign policy of this government is very clear. The Prime Minister has stated it on many occasions. We will stand for human rights. We will stand for the rule of law. We will stand for democracy. Those are the driving forces for the foreign policy of this country. That is what this government will run on. That is the record of this government.

Justice

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canada's Supreme Court rendered its decision in two cases dealing with the “two beer defence”. This defence has been used for years as a way for drunk drivers to escape responsibility for their actions.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice tell the House how this decision interacts with Bill C-2, our Tackling Violent Crime Act, to safeguard Canadians against those who commit serious and violent crimes?

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his interest in justice issues and in making Canada a safer place for all Canadians.

Obviously our government welcomes this decision. I am pleased to say that the portion of the Tackling Violent Crime Act dealing with impaired driving will come into force on July 2, 2008. The new law will strengthen investigation, enforcement and prosecution in cases of alcohol or drug impaired driving.

We are taking a practical approach to criminal justice, one that is tough but fair. We are eliminating inappropriate technicalities and finally giving victims a voice.

Gasoline Prices

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we all know that hard-working families are paying too much at the pump. It is not complex: the big oil and gas companies are gouging. The Competition Bureau claims it cannot figure it out even after countless investigations, yet gas prices spike just before a weekend and when the weather gets nicer.

There is a fairer way: appoint an ombudsman and hand that office the power to regulate and make sure the law has teeth. When will this government stop standing up for the oil companies and start standing up for consumers?

[Gordon O'Connor, Conservative, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, this government has been standing up for Canadians ever since we got elected.

We have had three very successful budgets with over $200 billion in tax cuts. The GST has gone down from 7% to 5%, corporate income tax is down, and personal income tax is down. We are doing a lot for Canadians.

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is bad enough that Canadians are getting hosed at the pump, but now they are getting hosed by this government. Consumers are not looking for rhetoric. They are looking for help.

Last weekend I spoke to a hard-working Hamilton dad who was forced to pull his son from soccer because, even for one of the most affordable of sports, the out of town tournaments come with a hefty gas bill. That is not a choice any working family should have to make.

Why will this government not show real leadership and legislate an oil and gas ombudsman?

[Gordon O'Connor, Conservative, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, we have shown real leadership. We have a sports credit for parents who have their children playing sports.

Let me say that it is the height of hypocrisy for the NDP to be talking about the price of gasoline. The NDP stands for carbon taxes. It has advocated putting carbon taxes on top of our current price. If the NDP policy and the policy of the official opposition were implemented, gas would go up another 25¢.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the government's record of broken promises led to yesterday's launch of a second day of action by Canada's aboriginal people.

There are promises such as the one the Prime Minister made to former students of Île-à-la-Crosse, not once but twice, that they would be included in the residential schools agreement. There are promises such as the campaign commitment that the government would put the wheels back on the Kelowna Accord.

Why will the minister not live up to the promises his government has made? Or is it that the Conservatives just say anything to get a vote?

[Rod Bruinooge, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question from the member for Labrador. In fact, I have to commend him for his recent trip to take part in the sealing industry's hunt off the east coast. I must admit it is appreciated that there are some members over there who support that industry.

In relation to comments recently made in relation to the upcoming day of protest, I note that when the national chief was before committee this week he had a lot of good things to say about our government. I look forward to addressing that in my next question.

National Defence

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Mr. Speaker, there are more empty promises. Let us look at the promises to Labrador, which were broken not once but twice. Where are the military commitments to 5 Wing Goose Bay? Where are the 650 troops? Where is the UAV squadron?

Is the Conservative government going to meet even one of its commitments or, again, will it just say anything to get a vote?

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, this government has made more commitments to the Canadian Forces in the rebuilding of Canada's place in the world than any government in recent history, in decades.

We have set a lot of priorities. They include 5 Wing Goose Bay, as they include all parts of the Canadian Forces. In fact, our priorities are logical. They are being funded. It is going to take a long time to get over the decade of darkness, but we are doing it.

We have priorities to set, unlike the party opposite. It had more priorities than Disney had dalmatians.

Ethics

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government believes that everyone is out to get it: Elections Canada, the Nuclear Safety Commission and the Canadian Wheat Board. There is even an audiotape of a senior Conservative admitting the party tried to bribe Chuck Cadman, so I guess the Prime Minister is out to get it too.

What did the Prime Minister mean when he said they offered to replace “financial considerations” that Chuck Cadman might lose due to an election?

[James Moore, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics]

Mr. Speaker, the member gets zero points for originality and 100 points for consistency. I have answered that question a number of times.

The only offer that was made to Chuck Cadman was that of rejoining the Conservative Party, presenting himself as a candidate and getting re-elected as a Conservative member of Parliament. That was the only offer made to Chuck Cadman.

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, just to correct the parliamentary secretary, he has been asked this question over 150 times and not once has he provided an answer.

This Chuck Cadman affair has ruined the reputation of Doug Finley and ruined the reputation of Ian Brodie, and I am concerned about my friend the parliamentary secretary and how it is sacrificing his credibility in the House.

The Prime Minister is on tape. Dona Cadman is on record. Has the parliamentary secretary asked the Prime Minister directly to explain the tape?

[James Moore, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question and the concern from my friend from Cape Breton. He forgets that of course Dona Cadman has said she believes the Prime Minister and has said that he is telling the truth.

We have been clear about the only offer that was made to Chuck Cadman, which was the one that I just described. That is the simple fact of this case.

Of course I sleep well at night knowing that I am not sacrificing myself to anything but simply the truth.

International Aid

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the World Bank is calling on all governments for emergency action to prevent the food crisis from plunging 100 million people in poor countries further into poverty. The president, Robert Zoellick, is calling on the international community to give the UN world food program the $500 million in emergency aid it needs by the end of the month.

Will the government follow the example of France, which has just doubled its emergency aid to poor countries, and respond to this call to support these countries in great need?

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and to the Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, this government is very much concerned about the crisis in food aid and the rising cost of food. In fact, the Minister of International Cooperation has just had a meeting with her counterpart in Japan about how to address this issue. However, I would like to remind the member that Canada is the second largest contributor to the World Food Bank. Our country is doing that.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, speaking of the food crisis taking hold in many countries, we were told in this House that the government planned to discuss it during major conferences to be held in the coming months.

Will the minister responsible for the Sommet de la Francophonie take the initiative and suggest putting this very important matter on the agenda for the Sommet de la Francophonie?

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and to the Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the member that this is a very important issue. It is already on the international agenda of this government. The Minister of International Cooperation talked about it in Japan with the G-8 development ministers. We will continue to work with our counterparts around the world on this crisis in food aid.