Debates of Oct. 23rd, 2009

Forestry Industry

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and to the Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, our government is taking the necessary steps to ensure a viable industry, in the best interest of the workers and communities of Quebec. In the past three years, Canada Economic Development alone has supported 192 projects directly linked to the forestry sector. These contributions of over $160 million have generated investments totalling $525 million, and helped create and maintain 14,000 jobs.

Afghanistan

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister responsible for Afghanistan.

Today in Le Devoir, there was an interview with General Hillier. When discussing the 2006 torture issue, he said, quite clearly, that “Everyone knew about it”. Then, in reference to the Minister of National Defence at the time, he said, “We talked about it often, during every briefing”. That contradicts what the ministers said yesterday.

[Stockwell Day, Conservative, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, I find it somewhat fascinating that a member with the number of years of experience would take, at face value, a quote from a newspaper over the quotes of General Hillier himself.

General Hillier himself said he never did inform or report about this report to not just the Minister of National Defence but to any minister.

I would suggest that the member show respect for General Hillier and go with what he said, not with what some newspaper said.

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would love to give General Hillier and other witnesses an opportunity to tell their story and to deal with what are clear contradictions in the evidence that has been given by ministers and the statements that have been made by General Hillier. The answers, by the way, I quoted directly from what General Hillier said yesterday. It would be wonderful to have an opportunity.

The Conservatives shut down the inquiries. They have refused to allow these witnesses to be called. They have taken them off the witness list.

If the minister wants to get at the truth, why is the government preventing us from having an inquiry into this issue? Why does he--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Order. The hon. the Minister of International Trade.

[Stockwell Day, Conservative, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. friend should reflect on the fact that it was a judicial ruling that narrowed a particular inquiry. We have said we will still follow whatever needs to be followed.

I will repeat again. The member opposite said there was a contradiction between what ministers are saying and what General Hillier is saying. General Hillier has said he did not inform any minister, let alone the Minister of National Defence, related to this particular report. The ministers themselves, including myself, have said that we have never received information on that report.

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, instead of being at the table and showing leadership at the United Nations, the Prime Minister decided it was time to take a doughnut break.

Negotiators from developing countries walked out in anger in Bangkok because the Conservatives were undermining the process of devising a new international agreement on greenhouse gas reduction.

To top it all off, the minister predicted, ahead of the Copenhagen conference, that there will be no agreement in Copenhagen. Is that not exactly what the Conservatives want?

[John Duncan, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, the government has demonstrated international leadership and committed to working with the international community to deal with the challenge of climate change.

Copenhagen is a very significant factor in how matters will be approached, continentally and domestically. We continue working to help achieve an international agreement in advance of this meeting.

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

Mr. Speaker, there seems to be a high turnover with this Conservative government's environment ministers. The same can be said of their multiple greenhouse gas reduction plans.

Unfortunately, the parade of ministers and all of the plans now gathering dust on the shelves have not amounted to much. Do they plan to do the same thing in Copenhagen as they did in Bali? Sabotage?

[John Duncan, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, the government is working to achieve the North American target of 20% by 2020 and our plan will include hard caps for all major emitters. Our policies will ensure harmonization with the U.S., and we are working, unlike the Liberals, toward a balance between environmental protection and economic prosperity.

The Economy

[Tilly O'Neill-Gordon, Conservative, Miramichi, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal leader has boasted that he likes to tax and spend. He has said he will have to raise taxes on hard-working Canadian families.

With the release of the pink book, the Liberal leader has made dozens of huge, uncosted and irresponsible spending proposals that will hurt the pocketbooks of Canadians and harm our economic recovery.

Could the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development tell the House what the impact of the Liberal leader's wild spending will be on Canadian families?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal leader's new platform is full of huge spending promises that Canadians simply cannot afford, including a 45 day work year and a mega-billion dollar day care system that would take away choice from parents. Just these two schemes together would cost Canadians $10 billion a year.

The Liberal leader wants deeper deficits and higher taxes on Canadians. Our Conservative government will not allow that to happen.

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, currently across Canada there are 42 for profit MRI and CT clinics, 72 for profit surgical clinics, and 16 boutique physician clinics.

In the groundbreaking study, “Eroding Public Medicare”, evidence was found to suspect 89 possible violations of the Canada Health Act in five provinces, including selling two-tier health care and billing patients extra for medically necessary services.

The number of private clinics has been growing steadily since the big cuts to health care in the 1990s. Will the government act on its promise to fix health care and enforce the Canada Health Act?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for correctly pointing out the massive health care cuts that occurred under the Liberal government in the 1990s. This was a very dark period for health care in Canada.

Luckily, we now have a Conservative government that is investing more in health care. Not only are we increasing overall health transfers to the provinces, we have resolved the fiscal imbalance that was established under the Liberals, so that the provinces have more resources than ever to ensure that Canadians get the best quality of health care possible.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure how we tell the difference between Conservatives and Liberals on this critical issue.

This year actually marks the 25th anniversary of the Canada Health Act, but it is in danger due to years of government neglect and lack of funding.

The report, “Eroding Public Medicare”, also found evidence that wait times are highest in areas with the most privatized clinics. Canada's health care system is regarded as an example of public focused patient-oriented care.

Why is the Conservative government following the Liberals' lead in continuing the erosion of medicare?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, that member has gone too far.

She has accused this Conservative government of resembling the previous Liberal government. That is beyond the pale. The previous Liberal government cut health care in this country, increased wait times, and put our health care system in crisis.

This government, however, is fixing the problem. We have resolved the fiscal imbalance, increased funds to the provinces, and respected the Canada Health Act. We are getting the job down.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Thierry St-Cyr, Bloc, Jeanne-Le Ber, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism claims not to have known that Phares Pierre was an influential member of the Aristide government before he appointed him to the immigration board. No one believes the minister, seeing as this compromising piece of information was struck out of the initial draft of the press release announcing the appointment.

Assuming the minister did not know, now that he does know, will he act and remove Phares Pierre?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, it was this government that actually brought a merit-based appointment system to the IRB. Candidates for appointments are now screened by the IRB before they are recommended to the minister. The Auditor General, Sheila Fraser, recognized these changes when she said in the spring that there were changes to the system and the process would appear to be fairly rigorous.

[Thierry St-Cyr, Bloc, Jeanne-Le Ber, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I fail to see any merit in being a part of the Aristide government.

This file is riddled with improprieties. An unsavoury character was appointed. Attempts were made to hide part of his past. Then, once it was revealed, the minister refused to revoke this shameful appointment.

When will the minister assume his responsibilities and remove this Conservative militant from the immigration board?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite has previously brought this to the attention of the minister. He has received his response to the question. He may not like the response to the question, but he received it.

I would ask the member and his party, instead of working against the changes we are trying to make to our refugee system, the changes that will make it better, the changes that need to be made because of the condition it was left in by the previous government, to work with us on those changes to make sure that we have a system that continues to be one that is the best in the world.

Health

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Mr. Speaker, this week I visited Grassy Narrows to attend the Grand Council Treaty No. 3 annual general assembly. Those present expressed grave concerns regarding the lack of preparedness for H1N1. I have heard similar fears from aboriginal communities across Canada.

The minister asserts that 90% of aboriginal communities have pandemic plans in place. The people on the ground say otherwise. Starting with the truth, what assurances could the minister provide today that the most vulnerable will be protected and that unnecessary deaths will be avoided?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the first thing the member needs to know is that the health and safety of all Canadians is the first priority of this Conservative government. We have invested over $1 billion for our preparedness and response to public health threats, such as the flu pandemic situation. This includes planning in first nations communities.

The minister has spoken to Chief Atleo regarding the issue, as well as with several other chiefs affected in communities, particularly in Saskatchewan, B.C. and Manitoba.

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are spending over $100 million promoting themselves in their partisan ad campaign and just $6 million promoting and protecting Canadians against H1N1.

Communications has been a fiasco, from body bags to confusing messages, so that now only one-third of Canadians say they will get the vaccine.

The H1N1 pandemic is here. If the government finally has a communications plan for aboriginal Canadians and 90% of those communications plans have been in place for aboriginal communities, will the minister table those plans in the House today?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for addressing the important question of communicating with Canadians about this crisis. That is exactly what our government has done.

This government has been acting on the H1N1 situation since day one. We have launched ad campaigns for television, radio and print. We have provided weekly updates to the health committee. We announced the flu preparedness kit last week. Since then we have received 60 million hits on the information website—

[An hon. member]

Sixty thousand.