Debates of May 15th, 2008

Film Industry

[Tina Keeper, Liberal, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are proud of the contributions of their artists nationally and internationally. Yesterday, at the heritage committee, David Cronenberg, one of Canada's world renowned film directors and recipient of the Cannes Film Festival's lifetime achievement award, said that the amendments proposed in Bill C-10 would be a serious blow to Canadian productions and drive filmmakers out of the country.

Why is the minister still refusing to stand up for Canadian artists and remove the amendments from Bill C-10?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, that is truly a hypocritical question given that this is what was proposed by the Liberal Party when it was in power. This is what was announced in 2002 and again in 2003.

I would like to table a discussion paper that the former government, namely the Department of Finance and the Department of Canadian Heritage, forwarded to 33 groups in the cultural industry. Why are they raising questions seven years later when, at the time, there was agreement?

[Tina Keeper, Liberal, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I remind her that we are talking about legislation here and if Canada has the privilege of having two films in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, it is because we on this side have always encouraged our filmmakers.

Mr. Cronenberg said it yesterday, with the new Conservative amendments his acclaimed films would have lost the assurance of tax credits that are necessary for private sector financing.

Why is the heritage minister refusing to recognize that the amendments would damage a thriving Canadian film industry?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, in fact, the member is refusing to admit that she voted for this bill when it was introduced in the House last fall. She is no longer acknowledging that. The wording is exactly the same as that proposed by the former Liberal government. Our government intends to continue supporting freedom of expression.

Mont-Tremblant International Airport

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Mont-Tremblant International Airport is on the verge of shutting down because the Minister of Public Safety refuses to do anything about the exorbitant customs charges imposed by the Canada Border Services Agency. This airport is one of the only ones that has to pay for all customs services. This situation is unfair and unacceptable. The region has had its share of problems, particularly due to the forestry crisis.

When will the government stop going after this region and reverse this bad decision?

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, the member is not correct in his assertion, but we will not disclose information about private discussions taking place between the CBSA and this airport. However, discussions are ongoing and pursuant to the conditions in the agreement signed by CBSA and that airport, CBSA hopes to find a resolution they can both agree on.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken with airport officials and he is out to lunch.

We have been asking the minister about this for months. He could have done something about the problem if he wanted to. The people there are taking matters into their own hands and focusing on tourism, because they see it as a promising alternative to offset the difficulties in the forestry industry. Instead of helping them, the minister is telling them to forget about it. Not only will he not help them, but he will also shut down their airport. That is a slap in the face.

Will the minister finally acknowledge what a mess this is and find an immediate solution for the Mont-Tremblant International Airport?

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, as I have already indicated, the matter is a private matter between CBSA and the airport. They are continuing to talk.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

When we talk about knowing what we are talking about, it is that side over there that is continually coming up with all kinds of allegations that are untrue. I know in England they were talking about UFOs yesterday. I think they landed.

Heritage Buildings

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Université de Laval and other backers are waiting on the federal government for the PEPS expansion project. In the meantime, costs have risen by $3 million to $4 million as the price of materials has gone up. All of the funding is in place except for the federal government's share.

Will the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities admit that his government's delays are having serious financial impacts on the work? What is he waiting for to make the final announcement so that work can begin?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the answer to the first question is no. The answer to the second is that we are pursuing our discussions. Discussions with Quebec are moving forward, as are the priorities the Conservative government announced. As everyone knows, when this government makes a promise, it delivers.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this file is way behind schedule. Given the federal government's dithering on the armoury file, we have to wonder if anyone is in charge. When it comes to building reconstruction and use, the various departments involved keep bouncing this around and contradicting each other. The Minister of National Defence even went so far as to blame his contradictions on translation.

Will the Minister of Canadian Heritage, who is responsible for the Quebec City region and was given some 10 projects, finally make some decisions so that everything can be completed in time for Quebec's 400th anniversary celebration?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, may I remind the member for Quebec that we are working with National Defence and Parks Canada.

The member has been making a scene about this since the beginning, but she knows that she cannot deliver the goods when it comes to the armoury. Our government committed to examining all of the options for reconstruction, and that is what we are going to do. In the meantime, we will let the experts do the talking.

Canadian Coast Guard

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans got tangled up in his own net of deceit yesterday with his false claim that the former Liberal government planned to close the Coast Guard College in Sydney.

When CBC asked the college's executive director if the minister's comments were true, she said it was definitely not the plan. That minister needs to correct the record before his nose grows any longer, and he should explain why he has moved three Coast Guard ships out of Nova Scotia in the past year.

[Loyola Hearn, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, first, let me remind the House that when we took over government, the Coast Guard infrastructure was rusting out. Boats that they had were tied up to the wharves with no money for fuel to do surveillance.

The Coast Guard College did not even have an entry class because it did not think that it would exist because of attrition. I inherited a major mess and I inherited it from that member.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Dick Harris, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the government is following through on the residential schools settlement agreement. We are compensating former students and in just two weeks, the truth and reconciliation commission will be established. However, we still have no date for an apology from the government, the one to which it committed in the throne speech.

I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs to tell the House when that apology will happen?

[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, our government continues to move toward our commitment to implement the residential schools agreement. Today, I am pleased to inform the House and, most important, former students that the Prime Minister of Canada will issue a statement of apology on June 11, 2008 in the House of Commons.

This will be a new chapter for Canada that all Canadians can feel proud of. Thousands of former students, including National Chief Phil Fontaine, who also is a former student himself, have been calling for a formal apology for a number of years. Our government shares this view that the apology is a crucial step in the journey toward healing and reconciliation.

Canada Post Corporation

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government has finally announced a review of Canada Post's mandate. In the minister's words, the review will “make sure this public institution has the right tools and means to fulfill its mandate in the future”, but at the same time, the minister is continuing to ram through Bill C-14, legislation that will take those very tools and means away.

Can the minister explain why he is undermining not only Canada Post but his own review?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-14 was introduced to facilitate the growth of the outbound international mail market in Canada. The government is confident that Canada Post will be able to compete in this area and still meet its universal service obligations. Bill C-14 is still before the House. The legislative process will follow its course during the Canada Post Corporation strategic review.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is Bill C-14 is going to result in either higher postage rates or decreased rural mail delivery and neither is acceptable to Canadians.

The minister is also slashing rural mail services as we stand here today without even consulting communities or CUPW. In the words of Ottawa Citizen columnist Randall Denley, “The stupidity of the program is exceeded only by the cost”. That is because the Conservatives are spending $.5 billion to reduce services.

Will the minister immediately impose a moratorium on cancelling rural mail delivery until the workers delivering the mail and the citizens that receive it are properly consulted?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, firmly and with determination, the House agreed to maintain and restore rural mail delivery and that is exactly what the government is going to undertake in the coming weeks and months.

Canadian Coast Guard

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

Mr. Speaker, Nova Scotians deserve to hear the truth from the fisheries minister. Instead of falsely accusing the past government, he should take responsibility for his own actions.

Why is he moving Coast Guard ship after Coast Guard ship out of our province and why is he downgrading the Canadian Coast Guard College in Sydney? Will he at least listen to the Conservative premier of Nova Scotia, reverse this partisan and political decision, and send the Cap Percé back to Sydney where it belongs?

[Loyola Hearn, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member's concern, but let me say to him he has absolutely no reason to worry. He can check that out, not with politicians but with the people directly involved, the people who work in the Coast Guard. There was no political involvement here whatsoever.

The Canadian Coast Guard College has over 30 boats that it uses, two similar to the ones that have left and almost the same size. This boat was a spare that was used to do some training. We have many boats. The training is not affected by any stretch of the imagination. That boat is going where it is badly needed, where it can save lives, with no affect at all on the--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member for Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean.