House of Commons Hansard #99 of the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was food.

Topics

Sealing IndustryStatements by Members

2:05 p.m.

NDP

The Deputy Speaker NDP Bill Blaikie

The hon. member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles.

Historic SitesStatements by Members

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Daniel Petit Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, May 23, I had the honour of inaugurating the first visit to the Saint-Louis Forts and Châteaux National Historic Site of Canada in the heart of Quebec City. This site is of national historical importance because it was the seat of executive power for over 200 years.

The site is an important part of our country's history, and it is now open to the public for the first time since 1838. Visitors from all over will be able to walk around in what remains of the Saint-Louis forts and châteaux below the Dufferin terrace.

This year is the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City, a historic date for all of Canada and for North America. I invite everyone to come to Quebec to celebrate with us and walk where Champlain established the heart of political, cultural and social life. That was when we really began to become who we are today, regardless of what the separatist Bloc leader says or thinks.

Transcontinental Newspaper and Journalism AwardsStatements by Members

2:05 p.m.

Bloc

France Bonsant Bloc Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Speaker, on May 9, Transcontinental held its 10th annual Folios evening during which awards are given to newspapers and journalists that have excelled over the past year.

Of the more than 70 Transcontinental newspapers in Quebec and Ontario, Le Reflet du Lac from Memphrémagog won the award for weekly of the year.

This newspaper, based in Magog, was awarded second place by the jury for the quality of its website. Le Reflet du Lac also won second place for its contribution to the region's success.

These awards highlight the exemplary work of journalists Dany Jacques, Vincent Cliche and Patrick Trudeau in their coverage of local and regional events. I and my Eastern Township colleagues would like to congratulate Monique Côté, editor, and the rest of the Le Reflet du Lac team.

The EnvironmentStatements by Members

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Carol Skelton Conservative Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK

Mr. Speaker, who is reducing greenhouse gases and reducing pollution equal to one million fewer cars? With its balanced biofuel initiatives, the Conservative government is.

We are investing in cutting edge research that is leading the world in the development of next generation biofuel technologies, turning waste into cleaner-burning renewable fuels and retaining food for consumption.

Even with a U.S. record high corn ethanol production last year, corn exports actually increased. At the end of the year, there was a 10% corn surplus.

As for cost, corn accounts for less than 5% of the price of a box of cornflakes. Farmers can sell to a local biofuel market that creates jobs and gives them fair prices.

Canada is on the right track. While the NDP members have flip-flopped and turned their backs on farmers, the Conservatives' balanced biofuel policies are a triple win for Canada: good for our environment, good for farm families, and good for our economy.

Sterling Hall SchoolStatements by Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Sterling Hall School, situated in my riding of Eglinton—Lawrence.

On Friday, May 30, the school will be holding a Summer Olympics Day in conjunction with an event on Parliament Hill organized by the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, CAHPERD.

CAHPERD is a not for profit national organization dedicated to the promotion of a healthy and active lifestyle among children and youth. This year it is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Schools across Canada have been challenged to participate in events supporting physical education.

As a former teacher and coach, I can reaffirm the critical importance of engaging youth in physical activity that will create healthy adults.

I join all my colleagues in the House, I am sure, in wishing Sterling Hall School an enjoyable and successful physical education day.

I express congratulations to Sterling Hall on its leadership in the community.

Budget Implementation Act, 2008Statements by Members

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Rahim Jaffer Conservative Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are surprised to learn the NDP is ready to play political games to prevent the passage of Bill C-50, the budget implementation bill, before the summer recess in June.

In doing so, the NDP is knowingly putting $1.5 billion in important federal funding at risk for Albertans. This includes $53 million over two years through the public transit capital trust and $43 million to Alberta to hire new front line police officers over the next five years. Additionally, it is threatening to delay the landmark tax-free savings account that would allow Canadians to save up to $5,000 every year tax free for life. These tactics prove that the NDP is out of touch with the priorities of Canadians.

I respectfully ask the NDP to let Parliament work, stop playing games and listen to Canadians. I ask the NDP to help pass Bill C-50 before the summer recess so Albertans and Canadians everywhere can benefit from better public transit, safer streets and lower taxes.

OceansStatements by Members

2:10 p.m.

NDP

Catherine Bell NDP Vancouver Island North, BC

Mr. Speaker, Canada has been celebrating Oceans Day on June 8 for 16 years, but the UN has yet to officially recognize it. This is ironic because it was originally proposed at the UN's 1992 Earth Summit in Rio.

Today I introduced a motion calling on the Government of Canada to take the lead at the United Nations to formally recognize World Oceans Day. I would like to thank the members of the House for giving unanimous consent to my motion.

The world's oceans belong to all of us. By having the UN formally recognize June 8 as World Oceans Day, I believe we will help raise awareness about the vital role played by our oceans and the pressures placed on them. Oceans cover over two-thirds of the planet, with billions of people living on their shores. We rely on oceans for food and income. Close to $500 billion a year goes to the global economy, but 70% of commercially viable fisheries have collapsed or are at risk of collapse.

We must pay more attention to our oceans. World Oceans Day would provide a launch to do that.

Bill Reid Artwork TheftStatements by Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC

Mr. Speaker, Canadians in Vancouver Quadra and across the country are aghast at the theft from the Museum of Anthropology at UBC of gold artwork by the late Haida artist Bill Reid. The late Bill Reid, a native artist rooted in the Pacific northwest, is one of Canada's most important artists of the 20th century.

The 12 works by Reid displayed in the showcases included bracelets, brooches and cufflinks. It is their cultural value more than their monetary value that makes the disappearance of these works of art such a great loss.

Though the RCMP is conducting an investigation, it is still a very real possibility that this artwork could be lost forever. On behalf of my constituents and the people of Canada, I call on the government to match the $50,000 reward offered by the University of British Columbia for information leading to the intact recovery of these cultural treasures.

Bill C-505Statements by Members

2:10 p.m.

Bloc

Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Speaker, I introduced Bill C-505 to exempt Quebec from the Canadian Multiculturalism Act and to specify that Quebeckers form a nation.

The report of the Bouchard-Taylor commission says, “The Canadian multiculturalism model does not appear to be well suited to conditions in Québec.”

The federal government has adopted multiculturalism, which fragments Canadian society and denies the national character of Quebec. Quebec, on the other hand, has adopted a model that promotes interaction to enrich its culture and enhance the use of French, its only official language. The Bouchard-Taylor commission also recommends that French be the language of work in all sectors of activity in Quebec.

The Bloc Québécois introduced Bill C-505, which does not require the Constitution to be reopened and is in accordance with one of the recommendations of the Bouchard-Taylor commission. That is why I am calling on this Conservative government to put its words into action in recognizing the nation of Quebec and to support Bill C-505.

Manufacturing IndustryStatements by Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Alan Tonks Liberal York South—Weston, ON

Mr. Speaker, during an exchange in this House between the Minister of Finance and my hon. colleague from Mississauga—Erindale, it was regrettable to hear the minister imply that a member from Toronto could not possibly understand issues related to the impending economic slowdown and matters related to industrial transformation. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Ontario, driven by its southern and southwestern regions, has the second largest manufacturing workforce on the continent.

Canadians expect much more reflection and action from Parliament. They expect investments to be made in the future of manufacturing, and a good place to begin would be the creation of green collar employment on what is still a solid labour and capital foundation.

I would like to suggest that the House, beginning with the Minister of Finance, should be reaching out for solutions to issues and resist the instinct to level insults against members from greater Toronto or parliamentarians from any region of our great country.

Leadership Campaign FinancingStatements by Members

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Daryl Kramp Conservative Prince Edward—Hastings, ON

Mr. Speaker, during the most recent Liberal leadership race, in order to help pay for the campaigns, the Liberal leader and other Liberal candidates were given millions of dollars in loans from wealthy and powerful individuals.

Under the Canada Elections Act, candidates can receive loans during a leadership race. However, these loans must be paid back within 18 months or they become illegal donations. The 18 month deadline is June 3.

Therefore, the former Liberal leadership candidates have exactly one week to pay back the millions of dollars in loans they took out from their elite backers for their leadership race.

This also means that Elections Canada has one week to decide if it will give the Liberal Party special treatment by extending the payback deadline.

Will the Liberal leadership contestants miss their loan repayment deadline, thereby ignoring contribution limits and breaking the law, or will Elections Canada give special treatment to the Liberal Party by extending the payback deadline?

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:15 p.m.

Saint-Laurent—Cartierville Québec

Liberal

Stéphane Dion LiberalLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, five hours before the foreign affairs minister resigned, the Prime Minister said, “I don't take this subject seriously”. It is true that he did not take this subject seriously. This speaks volumes about the appalling lack of judgment of the Prime Minister.

Why was the Prime Minister more interested in protecting his protege than protecting the interests of Canadians?

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:15 p.m.

York—Simcoe Ontario

Conservative

Peter Van Loan ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, the matter the Prime Minister was referring to was of course the issue of the private life of the member for Beauce, and the Prime Minister continues to be of the view, as does everyone in this government, that the member's private life is his own private life.

With regard to the breach of the rules, however, as soon as the Prime Minister was aware that a cabinet rule had been breached, the Prime Minister took action.

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:15 p.m.

Saint-Laurent—Cartierville Québec

Liberal

Stéphane Dion LiberalLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, if the Prime Minister had not shown such an appalling lack of judgment, if the government had taken seriously the questions the opposition has been asking for weeks, the government would have found out long before yesterday that public documents were missing and where they were.

Will they now take this matter seriously and conduct the necessary investigations to see if other breaches of national security took place?

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:15 p.m.

York—Simcoe Ontario

Conservative

Peter Van Loan ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, this was an error on the part of the hon. member for Beauce, who realized he had committed a very serious mistake, and his resignation has been accepted.

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:15 p.m.

Saint-Laurent—Cartierville Québec

Liberal

Stéphane Dion LiberalLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have witnessed an appalling lack of judgment on the part of the Prime Minister, as have our allies, regarding a matter of security. And this lack of judgment continues. The Prime Minister ordered the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons not to answer questions today, as they have done in recent weeks. This obsession with secrecy continues, but Canadians want to see some light shed on this matter.

Does the government realize that it no longer has any choice but to ask for a full, independent investigation of this matter?

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:15 p.m.

York—Simcoe Ontario

Conservative

Peter Van Loan ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party leader is incorrect. We have asked the Department of Foreign Affairs to look into the situation. It can ask for assistance from appropriate agencies.

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

Michael Ignatieff Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON

Mr. Speaker, will the government confirm that the documents that lay around Julie Couillard's room for five weeks were classified briefing notes relating to the Bucharest summit and our mission in Afghanistan? Will the government then explain why it took five weeks for it to realize the documents were missing?

Finally, will the government explain how the Prime Minister, who is now in Paris, is going to explain to President Sarkozy of France that Canada can still be trusted with confidential information?

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

York—Simcoe Ontario

Conservative

Peter Van Loan ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, there were a number of questions included there that 35 seconds do not give me time to answer. However, I will say that in terms of the documents--

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

Garth Turner Liberal Halton, ON

Just pick one, Peter. Just try one.

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Conservative

Peter Van Loan Conservative York—Simcoe, ON

Well, Mr. Speaker, if they want to hear the answer, they can listen to it. If they do not want to hear the answer, they can keep talking.

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

Michael Ignatieff Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON

Mr. Speaker, this is the conduct that has left the reputation of the government in tatters.

Will the government confirm the nature and the contents of the documents left at the home of Julie Couillard? Will it explain to us why it took five weeks to notice they were missing? What will we tell Mr. Sarkozy, the French president—

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

The hon. Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

York—Simcoe Ontario

Conservative

Peter Van Loan ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, if I am given an opportunity to respond I will. As to the content of the documents, I think we are all aware now that those were a mix of publicly available documents, as well as some classified documents. They were all in preparation for the NATO summit in Bucharest.

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!