Debates of June 16th, 2008

The Environment

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, last year the government announced a national air quality health index pilot project. This year we are taking it right across the country. We believe we have an important responsibility to inform Canadians and to help ensure that the air they breathe is of much better quality than it is now.

The response of stakeholders has been great. The Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Lung Association and the Heart and Stroke Foundation have said that our announcement is good news for Canadians.

Court Challenges Program

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, ever since the court challenges program was eliminated, communities have been fighting this government to get it fully restored. The NDP will fight to the finish. We will not accept some second-class program patched together to keep the official language minority communities quiet.

Did the government negotiate some agreement on the cheap semi-restoring the court challenges program? When will it be made public?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, our government is very proud of the agreement concluded with the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada. When the terms and conditions of the agreement can be announced, we will be pleased to do so.

That being said, the two parties have agreed to keep the terms and conditions confidential.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives got the communities on the ropes, bowled them over and beat them. They tried to force a cheap agreement down the throats of minorities.

Did the government negotiate an agreement restoring the court challenges program for the official language minority communities but intentionally excluding other minorities such as the disabled, women, and gay men and lesbians? Why do the Conservatives want to create second-class citizens?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, in addition to growing red from shouting, the hon. member for Acadie—Bathurst should blush from shame because the agreement between the FCFA and our government was mutually agreed to by the parties.

In addition, our government announced another $30 million for the communities—that is $30 million for the communities and their particular projects.

Canadian Heritage

[Marcel Proulx, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation has submitted a funding application to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and is willing to contribute 25% of the total funding needed. Furthermore, a site has been identified for this memorial at LeBreton Flats. The foundation will be holding its fifth memorial ceremony on September 14.

Will the heritage minister, who has been sitting on the application for over a year, work with the foundation to announce the planned monument before the 2008 memorial ceremony?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, it is impossible to say enough about our firefighters all across Canada. They do very important work for our communities and our country. I know that my colleague, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages has received an application. She will await the fine work that our public servants do to provide their views and work together with them on this matter.

Human Resources

[James Rajotte, Conservative, Edmonton—Leduc, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we know the nature of the job market is changing in Canada and our demographics are changing dramatically as well. We see certain sectors of our economy struggling while other sectors are booming, with labour shortages in almost every region of the country.

Clearly we need to prepare our young people to become the highly skilled and flexible workforce that will be critical to Canada's economic success in the coming years.

Last week the OECD released a report on jobs and youth. Could the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development tell us how Canada compares to other countries with respect to training and education for youth and what our government is doing to further advance these critical issues?

[Monte Solberg, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, the OECD lauded Canada for its efforts to help young people enter the workforce. Today they are employed at record levels. The incidences of long term unemployment are at record lows.

The good news is that, because of the new Canada student grant, no student in the future will ever be denied the chance to go to college, tech school or university. This government is getting the job done for Canada's young people.

Not for Profit Industry

[Louise Thibault, Independent, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, many Quebec stakeholders, the UMQ, Minister Bachand and the two federal ministers responsible for the western and Atlantic economic development agencies believe that NPOs have a role to play in the development of the regions and should be funded by Economic Development Canada. The Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec believes that his government should stop funding NPOs and even believes—he has said it loud and clear—that they just get in the way.

Will the Prime Minister make his minister listen to reason and ensure that he stops digging in his heels?

[Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Conservative, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, once again, I would like to remind this House that we will be maintaining funding for economic development organizations for their one-off projects. The funding we will be providing will remain in the region concerned and will allow us to contribute to the development and diversification of the economic activity in those regions.

I would like to remind my colleagues that, after the budget, the Government of Quebec had an additional $1.6 billion, which generated $242 million for the Quebec minister of economic development. He is in a position to make the appropriate decisions in this regard.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Mr. Speaker, one of the painful facts flowing from the sad legacy of residential schools is that some of the victims have never been included in any settlement or apology.

The schools at Île-à-la Crosse and Timber Bay in Saskatchewan are clear examples. There are many others across the country like those in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Despite which government may have originally created them, federal or provincial, the Prime Minister specifically promised compensation. He did so explicitly and repeatedly and then denied it.

When, specifically, will the government deliver specifically what the Prime Minister promised to do for Île-à-la Crosse and others?

[Chuck Strahl, Conservative, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians]

Mr. Speaker, we were delighted last week with the apology on June 11. This will go down as a very historic day in Canada. It was the first time ever that a full, sincere and meaningful apology was given by the Prime Minister of this country on behalf of the nation for this sad legacy of residential schools.

The residential schools agreement that preceded this, which is something this government signed but which was never signed by any previous government, enforced a court ordered procedure about which schools were in and which schools were out. It also has an appeals process so other residents could add schools or appeal the process as they wish.

Afghanistan

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

There have been discussions among representatives of all parties in the House.

I invite the hon. members to stand to observe a moment of silence in memory of the Canadian soldier who lost his life recently in Afghanistan.

[A moment of silence observed]

Government Response to Petitions

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's responses to six petitions.

Finance

[Rob Merrifield, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the ninth report of the Standing Committee on Finance in relation to Bill C-219, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (deduction for volunteer emergency service), with amendments.

Public Accounts

[Shawn Murphy, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the following report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts: the 18th report, chapter 4, Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada of the May 2007 report of the Auditor General of Canada.

Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities

[Dean Allison, Conservative, Niagara West—Glanbrook, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities entitled “Strengthening the Employment Insurance Premium Rate-Setting Process”.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.

Government Operations and Estimates

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, a report of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates entitled “Passport Canada: A Model to be Reviewed”.

This is a report on the issuance of passports for Canadians across the country, in particular Canadians in regions who have no access to emergency passport services.

Bills of Exchange Act

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-564, An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act (rights of bill holders).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to introduce my private member's bill entitled, “An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act”.

The bill would prevent the cashing of cheques by a cheque-cashing business when a cheque has been cancelled by the person who wrote it. This would put the onus on the cheque-cashing business to ensure any cheques it is cashing have not had a stop-payment put on them.

As currently worded, the Bills of Exchange Act allows businesses, such as Money Mart, to successfully sue the issuer of a cheque cashed by a third party, even when a stop-payment order has been issued. There are dozens of cases on record and the problem is rooted in the Bills of Exchange Act that dates back to the 1890s.

My bill today is a much needed amendment to this flawed and outdated piece of legislation. I hope all members of the House will support this bill so we can put an end to this injustice and protect the rights of consumers.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Corporate Social Responsibility of Mining Corporations Outside Canada Act

[Alexa McDonough, NDP, Halifax, NS]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-565, An Act respecting Corporate Social Responsibility for the Activities of Canadian Mining Corporations in Developing Countries.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to table a private member's bill to ensure that Canadian companies involved in mining operations abroad conduct themselves in compliance with the International Bill of Rights and international law.

The bill would require Canadian companies to report on their mining activities to an impartial, independent ombudsperson responsible to develop guidelines on best practices. The ombudsperson would submit an annual report to the House of Parliament on the provisions and operations of this act.

This is to try to move forward the corporate social responsibility file that was the subject of extensive work by the international human rights committee and the foreign affairs committee before a series of national round tables came out with a consensus report urging the government to take action.

Fifteen months have passed and we have had no response from the government on this report. I challenge the Prime Minister, before he goes to the G-8 and admits that nothing has been done on this file, to support this bill.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Tobacco Act

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-566, An Act to amend the Tobacco Act (cigarillos, cigars and pipe tobacco).

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to present this bill to the House of Commons and recommend its serious consideration.

The bill would amend the Tobacco Act by closing the loophole that allows big tobacco to take advantage of young people by marketing products that are attractive, such as flavoured cigarillos that are sold individually on a cost effective basis and come without sufficient warning labels. We need changes to the Tobacco Act to close this loophole and ensure Canadians are protected to the maximum from this addictive product.

The bill would actually shut the door on flavoured tobacco products, would require cigarillos to be sold in packages of 20 instead of individually and it sets out warning label requirements as is now the case when it comes to cigarette products and packages.

I urge members to support this measure. I urge the government to take up this bill because these measures would discourage Canada's youth, the targets of these new products, from becoming smokers.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-567, An Act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 (protection of the assets).

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to introduce this bill on behalf of many members of pension plans. This bill would ensure members have guaranteed representation on boards of trustees so that members and beneficiaries are represented on trustee boards, pension committees and pension councils.

It would also provide, and this is what we call the Enron clause, that not more than 10% of the total value of assets in a pension plan may be held in securities issued by the company where the employees work or by a corporation associated with the company.

It also would prevent pension plan administrators and beneficiaries from being restricted in the sale of the employer's securities unless the directors and officers of the employer are similarly limited and, in any event, for not more than year.

Finally, to ensure that pension benefits are adequately cared for, it would require that information that affects or is likely to affect the value of the security be provided to pension plan administrators at the same time as it is provided to anyone other than the directors, officers, managers, et cetera, to prevent insider trading problems.

This is very important legislation to ensure that what happened to Enron employees in the United States does not happen to employees working for Canadian firms in this country.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Animal Cruelty Legislation

[Marcel Proulx, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition to strengthen the regulations for transporting animals. The petitioners are calling on the government to bring the Health of Animals Act in line with the findings of the European Union's Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Welfare.

In particular, they are calling for a reduction in the transport time for certain types of animals, and for assurance that these regulations will be enforced. They are also asking that these amendments be made as quickly as possible.

Justice

[Bob Mills, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two separate petitions signed by the people of my riding of Red Deer.

The first petition is from citizens who are outraged with the violent beating of a 61-year-old apartment caretaker by repeat offender Leo Teskey.