House of Commons Hansard #96 of the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was nations.
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Mr. Speaker, under security rules announced in November 2006, people working in ports under federal jurisdiction who have access to designated strategic areas must provide the date and place of birth of their spouse and any former spouses within the previous five years for verification.
Can the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities confirm that these rules exist?
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Mr. Speaker, if such rules are needed for these workers, then certainly they should apply all the more to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who has access to information that is much more strategic, especially when his new flame has a shady past and insists on attending confidential meetings.
Under the circumstances, how can the government claim that there was no investigation of Ms. Couillard? It certainly seems as though the government has something to hide.
Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, since the leader and the members of the Bloc Québécois have been sitting in Ottawa, we have been able to understand why René Lévesque was opposed to a federal separatist party. Without an agenda and no longer even able to talk about referendums or separation, the eternal leader of the Bloc Québécois has been reduced to common gossip.
The Bloc Québécois leader is certainly not doing anything to enhance the reputation of parliamentarians from Quebec or the members of his party.
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities was much more intelligent when he was a member of the Quebec National Assembly.
The Rivière-Rouge—Mont-Tremblant International Airport has nearly had to shut down because of this government's intransigence. And yet, in a letter sent on March 17, 2008, Minister Bachand asked this government for special status for the airport. Representatives from the region's economic community came to meet with the ministers in question, and my hon. colleague from Laurentides—Labelle spoke to them in March.
Will the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities grant the Rivière-Rouge—Mont-Tremblant International Airport the special status it is requesting?
Dave MacKenzie ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, CBSA provided service at Rivière-Rouge (Mont-Tremblant International) airport based on an agreement with the airport. CBSA is willing to work closely with the airport authority on this important issue and it hopes to find a resolution.
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have abandoned the regions of Quebec. A case in point, in recent months, representations have been made to the government concerning the exorbitant customs fees charged to the Rivière-Rouge—Mont-Tremblant International Airport and so far, nothing has been done. It continues to be the only Canadian airport receiving commercial flights that is forced to pay fees to Ottawa to provide customs services.
What is he waiting for to settle this matter once and for all? He should do his job as Minister of Transport.
Dave MacKenzie ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, while we cannot disclose information about private discussions taking place between CBSA and the airport, discussions are ongoing and pursuant to the conditions in the agreement signed by CBSA with the airport and CBSA does hope to find a resolution to the current issue.
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Speaker, first it was the Auditor General who was told that her words would have to be cleared by the PMO. Now we learn that the RCMP may have been given similar instructions.
My question is for the Minister of Public Safety. I ask the public safety minister, who instructed the RCMP commissioner to implement the Conservative policy of manipulate and muzzle?
Dave MacKenzie ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, the commissioner of the RCMP made an announcement to create a strategic communication position within the RCMP and that is an internal and an operational matter. This government does not interfere in operational matters of the RCMP.
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Speaker, perhaps it is a sheer coincidence that those orders were given in the wake of the RCMP raid on the Conservative headquarters. I agree the RCMP needs to be reformed, but those kinds of reforms are certainly not the ones that Canadians want to see.
Does the government want more control so that it can silence the RCMP's investigation of the Conservatives' scandals?
Dave MacKenzie ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, the allegation is just crazy. The RCMP operates purely on its own. The RCMP has its own internal operations. This government does not interfere in operational matters of the RCMP.
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
Mr. Speaker, in the Cadman affair, if members of cabinet or the government are being interviewed by the RCMP, Canadians have a right to know.
The parliamentary secretary said this week that he is not “personally aware of any interview”. I am sure not being personally aware of things is a key criteria in his being allowed to speak.
Canadians deserve answers. Will someone who actually knows what is going on, maybe even a minister, stand up and tell us if the RCMP questioned any member of that government?
James Moore ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics
Mr. Speaker, no Liberal question period farce is ever fully complete without a cameo appearance by the member for Ajax—Pickering. I am always curious about these lines of attack from the Liberals.
I note that the member for Ajax—Pickering states on his website, “A new policy isn't half as good as a scandal,or the whiff of one. I am worried that politics is being boiled down to irrelevance, to splashy headlines”.
I share his concern, but clearly not his insincerity.
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
Mr. Speaker, what we come to expect is trivial answers, personal attacks. The reality is that they use vexatious lawsuits--
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Order. We all know the member has a question to ask and somebody is going to have to answer, and to answer you have to be able to hear the question.
The hon. member for Ajax—Pickering has the floor.
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
Mr. Speaker, they use vexatious lawsuits to silence MPs, intimidation to turn national institutions into servants of Conservative power, a black book of dirty tricks to disrupt parliamentary committees.
The Cadman affair is just an example of a party and a Prime Minister that have no respect for democracy or for democratic institutions.
To a straightforward question, I ask for a straightforward answer. Has anyone in that government been questioned by the RCMP on this matter, yes or no?
James Moore ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear on this issue from the very beginning. With regard to Chuck Cadman and that confidence vote in May 2005, the only offer we made to Chuck Cadman was for him to rejoin the Conservative caucus, present himself as a candidate and get re-elected as a Conservative.
When it comes to what taxpayers deserve, as the member for Ajax—Pickering claims to represent, taxpayers do not deserve members of Parliament like him shooting off their mouths, getting themselves into lawsuits and asking taxpayers to pay their legal bills.
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
Mr. Speaker, the people of China and Burma are suffering terribly in the aftermath of two tragic natural disasters. Canada responded immediately with an initial $2 million to help the people of Burma when the cyclone hit. The unparalleled devastation in Burma has brought donor countries together to aid the victims of this tragedy.
Could the Minister of International Cooperation update the House on our government's commitment to the victims in Burma and China?.
Bev Oda ConservativeMinister of International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, Canada is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life and devastation resulting from the disasters in Burma and China. We share the concerns of all Canadians for the victims and their families.
Today I am announcing that our government will match the contributions of Canadians to humanitarian organizations working in Burma and China.
Let me assure all Canadians our government will do our share of the international effort and ensure that our help does get to the victims and their families.
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, thanks to Marjorie LeBreton, the Conservative Senate leader, we finally have an insight into Conservative thinking on digital innovation. She says not only does she not understand technologies like Facebook, she thinks they are dangerous.
Are millions of Canadian Internet users a threat? Because that seems to be the latest thinking behind the copyright trial balloon that would impose a three strikes and you are out policy for home Internet users.
Such zero tolerance for innovation might go down like gangbusters with the DMCA lobby, but does the minister think it is really going to fly with educators, innovators and consumers?
Jim Prentice ConservativeMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, as I have said previously, the copyright bill will be introduced when my colleague and I are prepared to introduce it to the House.
I sense a personal concern on the part of the hon. member. I would like to assure him today that his exaggeration, hyperbole and overacting that he has copyrighted will not be prohibited under any legislation the government introduces.
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, let us work through the digital lock he just put on that.
The minister is going to throw out some crumbs to the public, like telling them they are not going to be arrested if they time-shift their TV shows. However, if their kids download a Hannah Montana ditty or they change the locks on their iPhones, they are going to get busted. That is the DMCA.
We need to start separating issues of fair use from counterfeit. We need to bring the WIPO treaty into the House for debate. We need to say that the United States ambassador is not the only one who has a right to decide what Canadian copyright legislation we have.
Why has the minister not brought the WIPO treaty into the House for debate before bringing forward new copyright legislation?
Jim Prentice ConservativeMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, I would suggest that my hon. friend await the copyright bill and then at that time he can debate DMCA, WIPO, and all the other acronyms that he wishes to bring to the floor of the House of Commons. But the bill will be introduced in due course and will be introduced once the appropriate balance has been struck between consumers and industrial consumers as well.