House of Commons Hansard #91 of the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was ndp.

Topics

National SecurityOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

National SecurityOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

Order.

National SecurityOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Liberal

Ralph Goodale Liberal Wascana, SK

Mr. Speaker, this is a fundamental issue of democracy. If the government is not prepared to let the people of Canada have their say and ask decent, legitimate questions, then this government stands exposed as a government that is denying fundamental democracy in this country.

Mr. Speaker, I insist on the right to ask a legitimate question.

National SecurityOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

National SecurityOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

We can always extend question period by another 20 or 30 minutes, no problem, if we are going to have this kind of noise. We will have some order. These questions, in my view, are in order. We may want to have an argument about it later. Questions about national security are legitimate questions. Members may not like the references. I am not saying I do either. That is not my business. The question is whether the question deals with a government matter.

These questions, the way they are being phrased so far, are dealing with a matter of the government, so the member for Wascana will be able to put his question, with some quiet, please.

National SecurityOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Liberal

Ralph Goodale Liberal Wascana, SK

Mr. Speaker, this is not, indeed, about Ms. Couillard. This is about national security and that is the business of this House.

Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs simply assure the House that his former friend did not travel with him to sensitive foreign locations, in the Middle East, for example, or to Camp Mirage near Dubai?

National SecurityOral Questions

2:35 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, these questions do not constitute what he described to this House a moment ago as decent questions. This entire line of questioning is indecent.

I know, Mr. Speaker, that you said he had the floor. In my opinion, he has the subleased basement.

400th Anniversary of Quebec CityOral Questions

May 8th, 2008 / 2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister said, “The Governor General is today's successor to Samuel de Champlain, the first Governor of Canada.” Everyone knows full well that Champlain was never the Governor of Canada; he was the Governor of New France. To interchange New France and Canada the way the Governor General and the Prime Minister do is to rewrite history.

Is this not further proof that the federal government wants to use the festivities of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City for Canadian nation building?

400th Anniversary of Quebec CityOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Pontiac Québec

Conservative

Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, there is one thing I know and that is that Quebec City was not founded by sovereignists, and that is clear. Quebec City was founded by courageous people, people with a far-reaching, wide-ranging vision. Champlain himself travelled through and mapped Acadia, he saw New England, he saw the St. Lawrence valley and Georgian Bay.

It is not hard to understand: Champlain was the founder of Quebec City and a forerunner of Canada.

400th Anniversary of Quebec CityOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Speaker, Quebec City may not have been founded by sovereignists, but it certainly was not founded by federalists either.

The Prime Minister and the Governor General would have us believe that the 400th anniversary of Quebec City celebrates the birth of Canada—we just heard that again from the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. In other words, the conquest, the Durham report, the patriots rebellion in 1837, never happened.

Instead of celebrating the encounter between British people and the French-speaking world, as the federal Web site claims, should the Prime Minister not be sticking to the truth? In 2008, we are celebrating the founding of Quebec City, the cradle of the Quebec nation. Period.

400th Anniversary of Quebec CityOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Pontiac Québec

Conservative

Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Bloc Québécois wants to rewrite history again. He would like to turn his back on a glorious history and a unique destiny.

It is well known that the Leader of the Bloc Québécois is one of the most senior MPs in this House. However, he cannot claim to have taught Champlain about sovereignty.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC

Mr. Speaker, this government's lack of action on environmental issues could end up shutting Canada out of international carbon trading if the UN inquiry finds that Canada has not fulfilled its Kyoto obligations.

Is the Minister of the Environment aware that the his government's laxity could severely penalize Quebec and Canadian businesses?

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Ottawa West—Nepean Ontario

Conservative

John Baird ConservativeMinister of the Environment

No, Mr. Speaker.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC

Mr. Speaker, does the Minister of the Environment realize that Canada's inaction not only prevents companies from participating in carbon exchanges, but could also cause them to be subject to an export tax for not respecting Kyoto, particularly in European countries?

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Ottawa West—Nepean Ontario

Conservative

John Baird ConservativeMinister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, the French Prime Minister has been asked publicly if he thought this applied to Canada, and he said no.

BurmaOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Liberal

Keith Martin Liberal Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC

Mr. Speaker, the tragedy in Burma has reached proportions the world has not seen since the tsunami of December 2004. In that disaster the then Liberal government put forth a matching program that would match the extraordinary contributions made by Canadians.

My question is simple for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Will he authorize a similar matching contribution that will massively increase the resources for the beleaguered people of Burma?

BurmaOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Durham Ontario

Conservative

Bev Oda ConservativeMinister of International Cooperation

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite that this is a very serious disaster we are facing. Of course, the first thing to do is to ensure that the international aid NGOs can get in there to assess the need and we will respond with the need.

We are looking at every course of action and I know that we as a government are urging the Burmese government to allow the workers to get in there so that we can address this issue. This issue is getting more serious day by day. We need action now. We hope the Burmese government will take the interests of the Burmese people first.

BurmaOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Keith Martin Liberal Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC

Mr. Speaker, the minister is correct. We do not need more words. We do need action. These people will die in the events taking place after this disaster unless we act quickly. There is another option at hand. Canadians are very proud of our Disaster Assistance Response Team. That team can be deployed and can be used to save lives in this very situation.

My question is simply this. Will the government authorize and offer the deployment of the Disaster Assistance Response Team to the people of Burma?

BurmaOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Beauce Québec

Conservative

Maxime Bernier ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that I had a telephone conversation this morning with the UN Secretary-General. I offered Canada's assistance, and more specifically, the assistance of DART, the Disaster Assistance Response Team. As we know, it is currently impossible to enter the country. The military junta is rejecting all offers of international aid. I hope that with the help of the UN, we will be able to convince this despicable military junta to let us enter and help those in need.

Vancouver Olympic GamesOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Raymond Simard Liberal Saint Boniface, MB

Mr. Speaker, the CEO of the Vancouver Olympic Games said that he is very worried about the possibility of French-language coverage of the games not being available all across Canada. The French-language broadcasting contract was awarded to private networks TQS and RDS, which are available only on cable to most francophones living outside Quebec. What is more, TQS is now under bankruptcy protection.

When will the minister responsible for the 2010 Olympic Games show some leadership and ensure that all francophones in Canada have access to coverage of the Vancouver games in their own language?

Vancouver Olympic GamesOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Vancouver Kingsway B.C.

Conservative

David Emerson ConservativeMinister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics

Mr. Speaker, I have had a number of discussions with Vanoc and Vanoc is working closely with the successful bidder for the television rights. CTV is engaged in discussions and we are pursuing this in a collaborative and constructive way. I can assure the hon. member and I can assure the House that the Olympic coverage will be available to Canadians in the official language of their choice across this country in record numbers.

Vancouver Olympic GamesOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Raymond Simard Liberal Saint Boniface, MB

Mr. Speaker, francophone and Acadian communities do not want words from the government on this file. They want action.

Apparently, CBC Radio-Canada turned down an offer from the CTV network to broadcast French coverage of the games outside of Quebec for free to ensure that all francophones across the country would have access to it.

Can the minister responsible for CBC Radio-Canada explain to all francophones living outside of Quebec what she plans to do to protect their interests? Should we expect the same disastrous results we got with the court challenges program and the action plan for official languages?

Vancouver Olympic GamesOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Vancouver Kingsway B.C.

Conservative

David Emerson ConservativeMinister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member can expect that we will find a collaborative solution that will be in the best interests of all Canadians. The coverage will be there in the official language of choice and it will be done in a constructive, collaborative way, not by government dictate.

BurmaOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West—Glanbrook, ON

Mr. Speaker, the people of Burma have been devastated by the recent cyclone that hit their country. Estimates of the number of people who lost their lives are now running as high as 100,000. Yet, the Burmese military regime seems unable to respond and unwilling to let foreign aid workers in.

Can the Minister of Foreign Affairs inform the House what Canada is doing to help the Burmese in this very difficult situation?

BurmaOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Beauce Québec

Conservative

Maxime Bernier ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, as I said before in French, I just had a conversation with the UN Secretary-General to offer the services of our disaster assistance response team, DART, to help with relief efforts. We urge the military junta to let international aid and Canadian aid enter the country.