Debates of Jan. 28th, 2009

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

It being Wednesday, we will now have the singing of the national anthem led by the hon. member for Simcoe North.

[Members sang the national anthem]

Laurier Outstanding Business Leader Award

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week Wilfrid Laurier University presented its annual Outstanding Business Leader Award. This year's recipient is Mr. Jim Balsillie, a prominent community leader in my riding of Kitchener--Waterloo.

Mr. Balsillie is perhaps best known as the co-chief executive officer of Research in Motion, the company that produces the famous Blackberry.

In addition to his well-known business achievements, Mr. Balsillie has founded both the Centre for International Governance Innovation and the new Balsillie School of International Affairs.

His significant investment in these institutions establishes Waterloo as a centre of innovative thinking in the study of international relations, promotes our understanding of global issues and helps Canadians define our important role in the world.

I trust that all members of the House will join me in congratulating Mr. Balsillie on this prestigious award.

Elmer MacDonald

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to honour and pay tribute to the late Elmer MacDonald. Elmer was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend and leaves behind a legacy of agriculture ingenuity and community service.

At age 18, he bought his own farm and turned his one cow, one employee operation into a multi-million dollar business. Products such as Elmer's Ice Cream and Elmer's Yogurt have become household names throughout the Maritimes.

In 1994 Elmer's leadership and dedication was recognized by his induction into the Agriculture Hall of Fame. He humbly attributed his success to dedicated employees and family commitment.

Elmer shared his creative and generous spirit with the community through the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce, UPEI, his church and the 4-H.

Elmer's memory will live on through the soccer complex made possible by his generous donation.

Our regards to his family.

Madeleine Gérin

[France Bonsant, Bloc, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay a final tribute today to a great lady from my riding, who died on January 18 at the age of 92.

Madeleine Gérin was one of the founding forces behind the Coaticook Hospital and fought valiantly to ensure that her community had access to quality health services. In the 1950s, she devoted her efforts to recruiting nuns, as this was a requirement at that time in order to obtain a hospital. She headed the hospital board of governors and contributed in a variety of other ways to its development and expansion.

There is no doubt that her community involvement encouraged her eight children to follow her example, her son François in particular. He was one of the founders of the Bloc Québécois, and sat in this House from 1984 to 1993.

Pioneer and visionary that she was, Madeleine Gérin was a pillar of the Coaticook community and of her entire region. The tributes paid to her today are richly deserved.

The Budget

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative budget has failed Canadians. There is not a single mention of women in the entire document and no funding for issues that directly affect them.

The budget maintains the attack on women's ability to pursue pay equity complaints. New Democrats have repeatedly called for a pay equity commissioner to ensure complaints are dealt with effectively and efficiently.

The budget contains no mention of new child care spaces. Without a national child care program, there is a chill for women who wish to contribute to the economy.

Two-thirds of women still do not qualify for EI. The call for crucial changes to the system was ignored, leaving many women without any benefits despite having paid into the fund.

The tax cuts in the budget will be of little or no benefit to the poorest 68% of women. In tough economic times it is crucial that the government invest in protecting the most vulnerable.

The budget has failed women and their families. It has failed them miserably.

Helen Maksagak

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, residents of Nunavut Territory celebrate their tenth anniversary this month, but they are also saddened that Helen Maksagak, the first Commissioner of Nunavut, passed away last Friday at the age of 77.

This remarkable Inuk woman served the public by working for the RCMP, a transient centre, as Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, the N.W.T. Roundtable on the Environment., director of the regional drug and alcohol board and the Canada Committee of the International Year of the Family.

Legislation and policy during her commissioner tenure focused on the creation of Nunavut, the fulfillment of the requirements of the Nunavut land claims agreement, self-reliance at the individual and territorial level and the adoption of a single time zone.

In recognition of her public service, in 2003 she was named to the Order of Canada. Governor General Adrienne Clarkson remarked that Helen Maksagak had given an enormous amount and had indeed made an imprint on the history of the country.

We offer our sympathy to the Maksagak family and thank them for sharing their mother with the north in such important work and accomplishments.

Margaret Bridgman

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember Margaret Lilian Bridgman, the member of Parliament for Surrey North from 1993 to 1997, who passed away at home in Surrey, British Columbia on January 4.

Margaret was a registered and psychiatric nurse by profession who dedicated her life to caring for others. She had an adventurous spirit and was an avid outdoorswoman and canoe enthusiast. Before and after each parliamentary sitting, Margaret would drive her Ford Bronco across much of Canada, to and from Ottawa, to see the country she loved and served.

As a member of Parliament, she served as the Reform Party's critic for health and later as the critic for Indian affairs.

After serving in the 35th Parliament, Margaret returned to nursing in Surrey until her retirement. She was an animal lover, enjoyed a good debate over rye and ginger and greatly valued her independence and her friends. I am told she was philosophical and matter-of-fact about her illness and was determined not to allow it to get in the way of her living.

Margaret Bridgman looked back fondly on her service to the people of Surrey North and Canada in this place. May she rest in peace.

Black History Month

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in February we will again celebrate Black History Month throughout Canada, and this has significant importance to my riding of Chatham-Kent—Essex.

Prior to abolition in 1865, as many as 40,000 men, women and children made the perilous trip north from enslavement in the United States to freedom in Canada. In that era Kent County became the safe haven for more refugees than any other county in Canada.

Bryan Prince, a constituent of mine in Chatham-Kent—Essex, himself a descendant of slaves, has written and published a book entitled A Shadow on the Household: One Enslaved Family's Incredible Struggle for Freedom, which tells the true story of the Weems family and their struggle to liberate themselves from slavery. An unforgettable story of love and persistence, the Weems family saga must be read to be believed.

Congratulations to Bryan Prince, his wife Shannon and the family in yet another contribution to black history preservation in Chatham-Kent—Essex.

Émile Bouchard

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of rising in the House today to pay tribute to a former captain of the Montreal Canadiens and member of three all-star teams, who was admitted to the Hockey Hall of Fame back in the 1960s, played on four Stanley Cup winning teams, was the president of the Montreal Royals, as well as a businessman: Émile “Butch” Bouchard.

This upright man and proud Quebecker was a great source of moral support to his teammates at a time when team owners held all the rights and all the power.

The Bloc Québécois supports the efforts of his family and joins with them in calling upon the management of the Montreal Canadiens to retire his number and hoist his jersey to its place of honour in the rafters of the Bell Centre alongside those of all the other hockey greats who helped build the dynasty that is the Canadiens, for he is definitely one of them.

Let us hope that the Montreal Canadiens will not repeat the mistake the club made with Bernard Boum Boum Geoffrion, and that the jersey of Émile “Butch” Bouchard will be retired while he is still with us.

Conservative Party of Canada

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, on Friday last week, we celebrated a very important anniversary. Three years ago, on January 23, 124 Conservative members of Parliament were sent to Ottawa with a mandate to clean up government, provide tax relief for Canadians and restore Canada's position on the world stage.

It was also the first time I was ever elected to the House of Commons, and I remember the excitement among my campaign volunteers that night when the first Conservative government in nearly two decades was elected.

Since January 23, 2006, our government has accomplished a great deal, and can you not just feel the love, Mr. Speaker? From passing the Federal Accountability Act, to investing in the Canadian Forces, to the responsible economic action plan for tough economic times we tabled yesterday, we can all be proud of our Conservative government's record.

To my caucus colleagues and all the Conservative Party members, volunteers, donors and voters in my riding and across the country, let us celebrate our first three years in government and many more to come.

Stan Hagen

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the people of British Columbia lost one of our most honourable and loyal public servants last year, Stan Hagen.

The sudden passing of Stan, a 12 year member of the legislative assembly in B.C. and cabinet minister, is a great loss to his friends, his family, his colleagues and his constituents in the Comox Valley and the many British Columbians he served over the years.

I sat right beside Stan in the B.C. legislature for four years and we worked closely on many shared objectives. I rarely saw him lose his cool or his sense of humour.

One legacy he was particularly proud of, the central coast land-use agreement, will enrich the lives of aboriginal and non-aboriginal British Columbians alike for generations with its one million hectares of new parks and protected areas.

Stan was a wonderfully warm and caring human being. I would like to offer condolences to Judy, Stan's wife, and to the rest of his family and friends. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

The Budget

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a number of stakeholders in Quebec have praised the economic plan our government introduced yesterday. These include the Conférence des recteurs et des principaux des universités du Québec, the Coalition pour le renouvellement des infrastructures du Québec, the Conseil du patronat du Québec, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Fédération Québécoise des Municipalités, the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, and the Canadian Television Fund. The list is a long one.

With this budget, we will improve the employment insurance system, invest heavily in infrastructure, help struggling industries and communities, offer a tax credit for home renovations, and reduce taxes for middle-class taxpayers.

I invite the members of the Bloc Québécois to demonstrate solidarity and cooperation by supporting this budget, which will stimulate Quebec's economy.

Employment Insurance

[Malcolm Allen, NDP, Welland, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government had a monumental moment in history to move Canada forward, an opportunity to provide Canadian families with a real sense of hope and stability.

As we witnessed in the budget delivered yesterday and in the announcement by the Liberal Leader of the Opposition to join in supporting the Conservatives, this monumental moment has been lost.

Thousands of Canadians have already lost their jobs this year and changes to employment insurance proposed by the government failed to provide the change needed to support and protect Canadian workers.

Not one worker in my riding of Welland nor in the rest of this country will qualify for EI benefits because of the budget. After all, if workers cannot access the program, an extra five weeks of nothing is still nothing.

The government, with the support of the Liberals, has chosen not to expand eligibility. It has chosen not to eliminate the waiting period. Together the Liberals and Conservatives have failed to provide stability and hope to the people of Canada.

The Conservatives and Liberals have chosen to balance the books of employment insurance on the backs of Canadian workers. This is unacceptable and will not be supported by New Democrats.

Infrastructure

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind the House of our government's commitment to stimulating economic growth and investing in Canada's core infrastructure.

By expanding and accelerating our infrastructure investments, we will provide almost $12 billion additional stimulus for our economy, above and beyond our $33 billion building Canada plan.

Through Canada's economic action plan, we will take immediate action to repair vital bridges, like the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie and the Champlain Bridge in Montreal, and work with our provincial colleagues to twin parts of the Trans-Canada Highway.

These actions will provide long term safety benefits and reduce traffic congestion. More important, though, our actions are putting Canadians to work, helping our communities and positioning Canada's economy for a stronger future.

The government continues to work with all levels of government to get these projects moving and strengthen our economy.

The Budget

[Robert Carrier, Bloc, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, with this budget, the Conservative government has clearly decided to turn its back on Quebec by breaking its promises. In this budget, the government is once again proposing a single securities commission, and it is making the fiscal imbalance even worse by taking away $1 billion in equalization payments from the people of Quebec.

Moreover, the Conservatives have done nothing to help the thousands of unemployed people who will still not have access to employment insurance. The government has also ignored older workers, and it has failed to improve the guaranteed income supplement for seniors.

These tax cuts will not have a significant impact on economic stimulation or on the middle class. Furthermore, the Conservatives have stubbornly chosen not to reverse cuts to funding for culture and economic development organizations.

Once again, the Conservatives have dropped Quebec in favour of Ontario and the big oil companies that will continue to benefit from generous tax measures. That is why the Bloc Québécois will strongly oppose this unfair, ideological budget.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, our party is putting the Conservative government on probation.

Only months ago it failed Canadians by playing partisan political games with its economic statement.

We will hold the government to account for its broken promises to Canadians.

The budget contains a few positive measures that the Conservatives adopted under pressure from the Liberals. We are concerned about certain aspects, however, and we will hold the government accountable on those issues. We are putting this government on probation.

The budget contains no new child care spaces, no substantive environmental initiatives and it lacks any credible plan for getting us out of the Conservative $85 billion deficit.

Canadians want a government that listens, that shows them it has learned from its mistakes and that it is capable of reaching across party lines. The stakes for Canadians are just too high for the government to act otherwise.

[Joe Preston, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, further to the biggest pre-budget consultation in Canadian history, the Minister of Finance tabled Canada's economic action plan.

Through our economic action plan, we will protect vulnerable Canadians and assist workers by providing an extra five weeks of EI benefits to those who need it most. We will help 50,000 more people who do not normally qualify for EI to access the training they need to enter the workforce. We will assist 10,000 long-tenured workers with additional financial support and training to enable them to get the new skills they need. We will help older workers with an additional $60 million to provide training and assistance to find new jobs. We will create over 85,000 new jobs by strengthening the stock of social housing and building communities.

Canada's economic action plan will protect the jobs of today while creating the jobs for tomorrow.

[Michael Ignatieff, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to be sure that the funding announced in the budget will indeed make it to their communities and not be obstructed by administrative formalities or ideological resistance.

Does the Prime Minister recognize that the framework for accountability needs to be improved in order to ensure that the measures set out in his budget are implemented?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I agree that the measures set out in the budget are very important for the economy. Clearly, I want to see these measures implemented as soon as possible.

[Michael Ignatieff, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, only one $20 million cheque has ever flowed from the government's existing $1.5 billion building Canada fund. How will Canadians have the assurance they need that the infrastructure funds announced in this budget actually reach the communities in need?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I think we should correct the record on that question. I have a list here of the government's spending record on infrastructure. After this government took office in 2006, the amount of federal infrastructure spending doubled to $2.6 billion. The year after, in 2006-07, it went to $2.8 billion. In 2007-08 it went to $3.1 billion. In 2008-09 we estimate $4.4 billion. And, of course, with the co-operation of this Parliament, we can pass the measures to make that spending even more effective and more quick in the future.

[Michael Ignatieff, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the question was about the building Canada fund.

I have another question. Equalization is another area in which the Prime Minister is proposing changes without any consultation. That is not the way to lead this federation.

Since the Prime Minister is not keeping his own promises, would he at least agree to have a discussion with the provincial leaders—Mr. Charest and Mr. Williams, for example—and abandon this confrontation, which is not working?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, in spite of opposition from the Liberal Party, this government corrected the fiscal imbalance by increasing equalization.

Equalization has increased dramatically under this government. In fact, equalization payments to Quebec alone have increased 70%. Under this budget, equalization payments and other federal transfers will continue to grow at a very healthy rate well into the future.

Securities

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this Conservative government is on probation. The Liberal Party will act responsibly and ensure that the goods are delivered. Partisan politics must not be played at the expense of citizens who are suffering and who are worried right now. The Conservatives have already unilaterally changed the equalization rules for Quebec and other provinces.

Will the Prime Minister make amends today and put aside his national securities commission project, which interferes in provincial jurisdictions and does nothing to fix the situation during this economic crisis?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows full well that the national securities commission is on a voluntary basis. It is as simple as that.