House of Commons Hansard #108 of the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was hours.
Gerald Keddy ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and to the Minister of International Trade
Mr. Speaker, human rights are protected in the trade agreement. The free trade agreement with Colombia has been a long time coming. There have been a lot of ongoing negotiations between Canada and Colombia. It will benefit Colombia. It will benefit Canada. We expect human rights to improve in Colombia because of it.
Navdeep Bains Liberal Mississauga—Brampton South, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives just do not get it. The Prime Minister and President Bush have been quoting each other for months to try to rush through these agreements with Colombia, ignoring serious concerns over human rights and the environment. The government's cozy ties and admiration for the Republican Party are well documented.
Could the minister explain why the Republicans continue to dictate our trade policy?
Jean-Pierre Blackburn ConservativeMinister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
Mr. Speaker, we have recently signed an accord with Peru and Colombia. It is the strongest accord that Canada has ever signed in terms of help for workers' rights in these countries.
These people are committed to respecting the fundamental conventions of the International Labour Organization; to engaging in social dialogue with employers, unions and the government, and to enforcing labour standards. This accord is very serious. If people do not respect it, they will have to pay a penalty for not protecting workers' rights.
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, since the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean closed, the region has lost at least $300 million based on budgeted operating expenses, not to mention indirect spin-offs. It is not enough for the minister to provide a $10 million budget suitable for a college level institution when the budget for this same facility was in excess of $25 million in 1995.
When does the minister intend to meet our demands by granting university status to the institution and restoring the budget to former levels?
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to be involved in reopening this special institution so necessary to our military sector.
I wish to thank the former defence minister for his efforts in this matter. Our nation is very proud of this institution. I hope that we will be able to develop this military facility in future.
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, I urge the minister to not be too proud because the former minister was also very proud and he is no longer the minister.
On another topic, the new chief of the defence staff, General Natynczyk, has drawn a worrisome parallel between the situation in Afghanistan and the one in Iraq. He declared that the guerrilla tactics and techniques were exactly the same as those used in Afghanistan and that the risks were also the same.
Are we to understand that with this appointment, the government is orchestrating the radicalization of operations in Afghanistan along the lines of those in Iraq?
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Mr. Speaker, the answer to this question is a resounding no.
As for the first question, when the former Liberal government decided to close this institution, what did the member do? He did nothing. Our government reopened this institution as it promised in the election campaign. National Defence and our government are very proud of this accomplishment.
Brent St. Denis Liberal Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON
Mr. Speaker, today we mourn the very recent loss of two more Canadian soldiers.
We know that all members support our troops and that the loss of life and health of our military men and women is felt by all Canadians. Yet the government continues to fail our troops as they return from Afghanistan and other operations. Let us consider the fact that post-traumatic stress disorder, a crippling mental injury, still ranks among the most common of afflictions.
While clinics are fine and they are needed, when will the government provide real support for all the health care needs of Canada's newest generation of veterans? When will it take real action?
Greg Thompson ConservativeMinister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the difference between the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party, of course, is that when the Liberals were in office they neglected our men and women in uniform, including veterans, and spent most of those 13 years taking benefits away from veterans, including the VIP services.
Since in office, as the House well knows, we have doubled the number of stress injury clinics across the country. The member is quite aware of that. We will continue to do that and provide the very best services to our men and women in uniform and veterans.
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Wheat Board released its annual survey results last week and now the Liberals are retreating with their tails between their legs. The board now has provided us with the detail that three-quarters of western farmers want marketing freedom for their own barley.
I know that farmers in my own riding have consistently demanded the ability to market their own barley. Can the Minister of Agriculture tell the House what else we were able to find out in those survey results and how it affects the Canadian Wheat Board?
Gerry Ritz ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, even David Herle, and everyone will recognize that name, the former campaign chair for the Liberal Party who conducted the survey, unequivocally states that “dual marketing is the preference among farmers for barley marketing” and “if they cannot have a dual market, most would prefer an open market to a single desk”.
That is very revealing. The results cannot be any clearer than that. The Liberal caucus must know that it is on the wrong side of this debate. What those members would like to know is when the member for Wascana will allow his colleagues to support western farmers' freedom.
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Mr. Speaker, we learned Friday that the Liberal-turned-Conservative ethically challenged minister for the 2010 Olympic Games has yet again compromised the Canadian public. When Washington State went looking for a piece of the Olympic pie, it hired none other than Gordon Campbell insiders Patrick Kinsella and Mark Jiles to lobby the federal minister.
There is only one problem. They are not registered to lobby, which means it is illegal for them to lobby. Why is the floor-crossing Olympic minister meeting with unregistered illegal lobbyists on the 2010 Olympic Games?
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, as my colleague knows, there are of course laws in British Columbia with regard to lobbyists. Anybody who is doing any kind of lobbying in British Columbia has to obey those laws.
With regard to the minister for the 2010 Olympics, he is doing everything he can and our government is doing everything it can to ensure that the 2010 Olympics will be a huge success for Vancouver-Whistler, British Columbia and all Canadians.
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Mr. Speaker, it stinks. It is yet another Conservative scandal as the Conservatives act just like the previous government. This latest breach in the rules governing conduct by ministers raises serious questions.
When did the minister meet with Kinsella and Jiles? What was the topic of discussion? His constituents have not been able to meet with him for two years, but does the minister check lobbyist status prior to booking all his lobby sessions?
Will the government investigate why the minister for the Olympics met with unregistered, illegal lobbyists?
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, my colleague from Burnaby—New Westminster has to realize that the louder he says it the truer it does not get.
The minister for the 2010 Olympics has not broken any rules. He has fulfilled all his obligations to ensure that the rules of course have been followed by our government and that the 2010 Olympics will be a success for all Canadians.
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Mr. Speaker, on May 9 I had occasion to visit a hospital in Zimbabwe and spoke with patients whose arms had been broken while trying to deflect blows to their heads. They were attacked because they support Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition MDC and presidential candidate for the June 27 runoff.
Dozens of MDC supporters have been killed, hundreds beaten and thousands displaced. and now they apparently have to surrender their voting cards to get food. This is not a free and fair election.
What action is the government contemplating? Have we even offered to send a significant number of observers?
Deepak Obhrai ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and to the Minister of International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for asking this question because we share these same concerns. We are seriously concerned about whether this is going to be a fair and transparent election under the regime of Mr. Mugabe. Canada has repeatedly called for international election observers to be sent to oversee the election.
Clearly we are disturbed by the reports that are coming out of Zimbabwe. We will keep on pushing for international observers to go there and make sure this is a fair and transparent election, which is what all Canadians would like to happen.
Mike Allen Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
Mr. Speaker, last week the Minister of the Environment visited Atlantic Canada and demonstrated further proof that this government was committed to protecting and preserving our environment in Atlantic Canada by announcing the creation of a national wildlife area and improving weather forecasting on Sable Island.
The minister also met with his provincial counterparts to discuss action on the environment.
Could the minister update the House on the details of those meetings?
John Baird ConservativeMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I did visit Atlantic Canada last week. We were able to sign a memorandum of understanding for environmental cooperation. We are working well with all four Atlantic Canada governments on water issues, climate change and fighting smog and pollution.
I was also very proud to announce $5 million over five years to help preserve and protect Sable Island, something the Minister of National Defence has fought for long and hard.
Louise Thibault Independent Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Government of Quebec announced a new program to help companies move toward marine and rail transportation with investments in infrastructure and in those companies that will reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through such a move. The federal government ought to follow Quebec's lead by taking similar positive action instead of funding oil companies.
Will the Conservative government follow Quebec's inspiring model, thus focussing on both the environment and the economy at the same time?
Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her question.
This gives me an opportunity to remind the House that the Government of Canada, this government, contributed $350 million to Quebec's plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat the adverse effects of pollution. When worthwhile projects are put forward, we look at them and, if there are coordinated efforts, we implement the projects in such a way as to ensure that everyone stands to gain.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of Mr. Luis Téllez Kuenzler, Secretary of Communications and Transportation of Mexico and Ms. Mary E. Peters, Secretary of Transportation of the United States of America.
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The minister only told half the story. The other half of the quote is:
“Involved” farmers are evenly split between a single desk and an open market for barley.
The minister--