House of Commons Hansard #113 of the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was quebec.

Topics

Election FinancingOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Nepean—Carleton Ontario

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board

Mr. Speaker, Conservative candidates spent Conservative funds on Conservative advertising. They got financial assistance to do so from the national party. Elections Canada found out about this because we told it. Why would we not? After all, it is legal and all parties do it.

Elections Canada singled us out, so we took it to took to court. Elections Canada interrupted those proceedings one day before being questioned, by barging into our office, followed quickly behind by Liberal cameras. We find this very unusual, so we will continue to press our case.

Not for Profit IndustryOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON

Mr. Speaker, not for profit organizations play an important role in building a stronger Canada. They are significant contributors to our economy.

On Friday, the government tabled a bill, the Canada not-for-profit corporations act.

Could the Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism) explain why the legislation is important and how it will contribute to reduce paper burden on business?

Not for Profit IndustryOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Calgary Nose Hill Alberta

Conservative

Diane Ablonczy ConservativeSecretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)

Mr. Speaker, the new act would modernize the not for profit sector. The old act is from 1917. New measures would promote accountability, better protect the rights of members and clarify responsibilities of directors. This would enhance public trust in a sector, which includes national business associations and charities, like the United Way and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. The new act would help reduce the regulatory and paper burden.

The new act would mean that not for profits would spend less time and money on red tape and more time on what they do best, which is help deliver important services to Canadians.

HealthOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North, MB

Mr. Speaker, lead and lead compounds are prohibited ingredients in cosmetics in Canada for good reason. Lead is a neurotoxin that can cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. Yet the government will not disclose which brands of lipstick actually contain lead.

Why is the government hiding the truth from Canadians?

HealthOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia Manitoba

Conservative

Steven Fletcher ConservativeParliamentary Secretary for Health

Mr. Speaker, Health Canada monitors the levels of lead or any other toxins in any material. I can tell the member that the levels are within safe criteria.

My question, though, is this. Why does the Liberal leader want to increase the cost of cosmetics due to his carbon tax?

HealthOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North, MB

Mr. Speaker, this is a serious health issue. Evidence shows that there are brands of lipstick that contain beyond any acceptable level of lead or a lead compound. Therefore, we are simply asking the government this. Why will it not even reveal the names of the lipstick brands that have levels of lead that are toxic. Why does it not give Canadians the information they need so at least they can protect their own health?

HealthOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia Manitoba

Conservative

Steven Fletcher ConservativeParliamentary Secretary for Health

Mr. Speaker, Health Canada is continuously monitoring the safety of products, but what Health Canada will not do is put a carbon tax on cosmetics or any other health products.

It is important that Canadians get the health products they deserve at a reasonable price. That is why we, as a government, will ensure that Canadians have the maximum amount of money in their pockets so they can take care of themselves.

Government AppointmentsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS

Mr. Speaker, this will be the last week the Treasury Board president sits as a member of Parliament, since this summer he will be appointed a judge in Manitoba. This move will open up a Conservative riding and solve a messy political problem for the Prime Minister, while also giving the Treasury Board president a soft landing and a golden parachute.

However, why are the taxpayers of Manitoba being sent the bill for removing the Prime Minister's political embarrassment?

Government AppointmentsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Niagara Falls Ontario

Conservative

Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his advice on judicial appointments. Again, we never discussed that subject.

However, I can tell members that I am very proud of the 165 outstanding individuals who have been appointed by this government. I can assure him that we will continue to make appointments of the calibre and the quality that we have made in the past.

Government AppointmentsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS

Mr. Speaker, the Treasury Board President selected the panel that would recommend the appointment. He is the regional minister who will approve the appointment. He is a member of the cabinet that will make the appointment.

Does his lordship not see a conflict?

Government AppointmentsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we all—

Government AppointmentsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Government AppointmentsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

Order, please. The right hon. Prime Minister has the floor. We will have some order so the member for Halifax West can hear the response.

Government AppointmentsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Conservative

Stephen Harper Conservative Calgary Southwest, AB

Mr. Speaker, first, we all know the former minister of justice is doing an excellent job as President of the Treasury Board.

Second, literally everything in that question is complete nonsense. It just shows to what degree the Liberal Party will go to avoid any discussion about the economy and its plans to impose a new tax on everything.

Canada-U.S. RelationsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Navdeep Bains Liberal Mississauga—Brampton South, ON

Mr. Speaker, as John McCain prepares to come to Ottawa, we are reminded how the Conservative government refuses to answer questions surrounding an investigation of the NAFTA-gate leaks.

Frank Sensenbrenner, a Republican operative embedded inside the Canadian embassy, has been fingered as the potential source of the leaked memo, which has damaged both Barack Obama's campaign and Canada's international reputation.

Could the government tell us why Frank Sensenbrenner was never interviewed?

Canada-U.S. RelationsOral Questions

2:50 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 is a remarkable lineup that the Liberals have put up in question period. I do not know how many questions we have had and not a single question that touches on public policy.

We had a question that I thought for a moment might be about NAFTA and the importance of NAFTA to the Canadian economy. We know those members do not want to talk about a strong Canadian economy and they do not want to talk about their carbon tax. However, they should at least take the time to look at the report of the Clerk of the Privy Council on this, in which he has found there is no evidence that any classified information was disclosed by the Prime Minister's Office and that none of the concerns he raises repeatedly in the House on this matter have any basis. Not once has he apologized for his false allegations.

Canada-U.S. RelationsOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Liberal

Navdeep Bains Liberal Mississauga—Brampton South, ON

Mr. Speaker, let me read from the report that the House leader is hiding behind. It says:

During the course of the investigation, the names of a few U.S. citizens who were not employed by the Government of Canada were raised as having been possibly in contact with Canadian officials with access to the report....interviewing these U.S. citizens was beyond the scope of this investigation...

How can we trust the results of an investigation that did not even interview the key suspects?

Canada-U.S. RelationsOral Questions

2:50 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 difficulty and the problem was the document was circulated by an official at foreign affairs to over 200 email addresses, many of which were outside the foreign affairs department.

What the report did was make very significant suggestions on how the processes could be improved, on how documents should have the appropriate classification and how circulation should be a little more tight.

None of that has anything to do with the false allegations he has continued to make. I call upon him to apologize to the Prime Minister's chief of staff for repeatedly making those false accusations. He has never once even acknowledged they were false.

Film Festivals in QuebecOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Bloc

Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Speaker, Telefilm Canada's new criteria ignore Quebec film industry's reality by requiring more Canadian content as a condition for film festivals to get funding. Because Quebec's feature films are released throughout the year, Quebec's film festivals will not be able to meet the required standards.

Does the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages realize that Telefilm Canada's criteria are threatening the survival of film festivals in Quebec?

Film Festivals in QuebecOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Louis-Saint-Laurent Québec

Conservative

Josée Verner ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, after being here in Ottawa for 17 years, what has the Bloc been able to bring to the Quebec film industry? What has the Bloc been able to bring to Quebec's festivals? Nothing.

Our government is committed to film festivals and to our film industry, and will continue to be.

Film Festivals in QuebecOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Bloc

Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Speaker, after 141 years in this Parliament, the Conservatives have yet to do something for Quebec, and this continues to be the case today.

The whole Quebec's cultural community is condemning the Conservatives' abysmal ignorance of the Quebec film industry. The Conservative ideology is simply not in accord with Quebec's culture. In fact, as is the case with the issue of community organizations' economics, the Conservatives are totally disconnected from the Quebec reality and the Quebec nation.

Will the minister ensure that Telefilm Canada's funding criteria will not unduly penalize Quebec's film festivals?

Film Festivals in QuebecOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Louis-Saint-Laurent Québec

Conservative

Josée Verner ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, once again, we are talking about 17 years of unfulfilled projects for the Bloc. This is the Bloc's anniversary, and empty hands is all that it has to show for it.

Last week, I was in Quebec City to inaugurate the airport. The Conservatives members of the Quebec City region had made a commitment in that regard, and they made good on their promise.

FirefightersOral Questions

2:50 p.m.

Liberal

Marcel Proulx Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC

Mr. Speaker, on October 26, 2005, this honourable House passed a motion recommending that the government erect a monument displaying the names of all firefighters killed in the line of duty. The contribution firefighters make to our communities should be honoured. These women and men face danger each time they fight a fire in order to save our possessions and often our life.

Will the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages agree to honour the firefighters who have died while serving our communities? Will she agree to erect a monument honouring firefighters killed in the line of duty?

FirefightersOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Ottawa West—Nepean Ontario

Conservative

John Baird ConservativeMinister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, we cannot do enough to honour the great contribution of firefighters and emergency personnel from right across the country. They do a great job in our communities and this government is committed in doing anything we can to help honour the great work they do for Canadians each and every day.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

June 16th, 2008 / 2:55 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON

Mr. Speaker, our government is serious about cleaning up the air we breathe and improving the health of Canadians.

We brought forward tough new emission standards to reduce air pollution from cars, launched a national vehicle scrappage program to get smog producing cars off the road and put limits on smog producing chemicals in every day products.

Could the Minister of the Environment tell the House what other clean air initiatives the government has taken?