Debates of Oct. 23rd, 2009

The Environment

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of the Environment cites Canada's diversity, area, various economic characteristics and industrial structure to justify the establishment of lower greenhouse gas reduction targets for the oil companies. In short, there is a strong whiff of lame excuses emanating from his recent statements.

Are the minister's remarks not evidence that he wants to establish two types of reduction target—less demanding intensity targets for the oil companies and absolute targets for the others?

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

Mr. Speaker, the government is working continentally to achieve the North American target of 20% by 2020.

Our plan will include hard caps for all major emitters and our policies will ensure harmonization with the U.S. The government will continue to move forward, working toward a balance between environmental protection and economic prosperity.

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister's credibility as defender of the environment is close to absolute zero. What he is defending are first and foremost the oil companies. The proof of this is in the fact that the CEO of the Canadian Oil Sand Trust calls for privileges and favours for his industry in the papers on a Saturday and the following week the minister delivers what the oil companies want.

Does this not amount to being in the pay and at the service of the oil companies?

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

Mr. Speaker, we are making progress on tailpipe emission standards, aviation standards, carbon capture and storage, and a North American integrated approach to cap and trade. By contrast, the Bloc would have us move away from the North American target, isolate Canada continentally, ruin our economic recovery and do nothing for the environment.

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the only time we ever hear the government talk about climate change is when it is announcing that there is no hope. We are hearing again today that the environment minister is predicting the world community will fail in Copenhagen. This is no surprise. His government failed to meet Canada's Kyoto commitment and thinks that the oil sands should be the model for our national emissions standards.

On the issue of climate change, Canada should be a world leader. Why is the government so happy to drag along behind?

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

Mr. Speaker, we have taken the lead in so many different areas related to the environment.

The NDP members continue to fall into the trap of their previous coalition partners by repeating this absolute falsehood that we had something to do with the Kyoto agreement. It was the Liberals who signed the agreement and then did nothing in 13 years. As a matter of fact, emissions continued to go up and we are the government that has put in place, at a minimum, a 20% reduction by the year 2020.

The minister is also reflecting on the fact that a number of countries, before going to Copenhagen, have already said that they will not accept guidelines. We want to see guidelines in place.

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians deserve more than rhetoric and weak excuses. Our children and grandchildren deserve better.

According to John Stone, Nobel Prize winner and former working group chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Canada has the opportunity to help immeasurably in the international process in Copenhagen.

The Conservatives have convinced the Liberals to shelve the climate change accountability act and now they are hoping to trash Copenhagen too.

Why is the government refusing to work with the world community to clean up our environment?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we continue to be a leader in environmental areas but we will point out the fact that there will be difficulties. If we have large countries, especially those with developing economies, that are taking a stand not to do anything in terms of emission reductions, that is a challenge, but it is a challenge that we are willing to take on. It is also a challenge that the Minister of the Environment is taking on and he is demonstrating that things can be put in place.

This may be difficult for industry, and some of it will be difficult for industry, but we are insisting that guidelines be made and we will work with other countries to show how they can implement them.

Tax Harmonization

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the people in British Columbia are opposed to the government's HST. I know the Prime Minister understands the tax hike for what it is because in 1996 he said:

This harmonization of the GST, this tax collusion between provincial and federal Liberal governments, is not the way to reverse the economic decline of this country.

Why, after years of criticizing the Liberals for inventing and expanding the HST, is the government now hoisting this tax scheme onto the backs of families in British Columbia and Ontario?

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

Mr. Speaker, we are very clear on this. When a province makes a decision to move to a harmonized sales tax, the federal government will respect that. There is a process, which has been in place for years, a process, as a matter of fact, that was put in place by the previous government, that will assist the provinces in doing that.

What the NDP failed to point out is that the GST, the federal portion of that HST, we have made a commitment to reduce that. The Liberals said that they would reduce it but they never did. We have reduced it from 7% to 5%. We are taking taxes down. The NDP only wants to see them go up.

Infrastructure

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, listening to the Conservatives, we tell ourselves the world is really small and full of coincidences. Leo Housakos, for example, worked for BPR and was then appointed senator. Through all that, he organized little fundraisers. Then, one evening, at one of his little cocktail parties, who should be there? Why, his colleagues from BPR and the directors of the Federal Bridge Corporation. Strangely enough, shortly thereafter, who gets the bridge corporation contract? Why, BPR.

Does the minister agree that this is quite a coincidence?

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

Mr. Speaker, the Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated federal agency is an independent crown corporation. Therefore, the minister's office can in no way meddle with the administration of the contracts of the crown corporation, which has autonomous status as set out in the Financial Administration Act.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives promised a public appointments commission but it is not happening. They said that they would at least follow existing rules and guidelines but that is not happening either.

Because they are in such trouble and because I am a nice guy, I will give them a chance today to answer this very simple question truthfully. Why were board members of the bridge corporation invited to Senator Housakos' fundraiser? Why would they be there?

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

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada expects crown corporations to act with integrity and diligence in awarding contracts. If my colleague has statements to make to the contrary or other, he should make them outside this House.

Natural Resources

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's own ethical guidelines for ministers states:

In no circumstance should any political activities be performed at a government place of work; nor should any government equipment or material be used for such purposes.

The admitted promotion of the September 24 political fundraiser for the Minister of Natural Resources is a clear violation.

Why is the Prime Minister waiting for the ethics commissioner to report when the president and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority has already confirmed this blatant misuse of their place of work?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member knows that our government takes matters of accountability very seriously. The minister in question is committed to working with the ethics commissioner on this matter and will be cooperating fully with the commissioner as we move forward.

However, because the matter is before the ethics commissioner, it would be inappropriate for me to comment.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport is responsible for the federal Toronto Port Authority and has admitted that the use of its facilities to promote a political fundraiser for the Minister of Natural Resources was totally wrong and totally unacceptable.

Coincidentally, the Port Authority also provided goods and services to the minister during the last election, contrary to federal laws.

Since the Minister of Transport appointed many of the members of the board of directors, has he asked them to report on these blatant misuses of the Port Authority's offices and, if not, why not?

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

Mr. Speaker, the matter is before the ethics commissioner and, as a result, it would be inappropriate for me to comment at this at this time.

However, I will say that this government introduced the Federal Accountability Act, the most sweeping piece of legislation to uphold the principles of integrity and transparency in the entire history of Canada.

The reason the Canadian people re-elected us is that they believe we are an accountable government and they support the good work we are doing on that.

Infrastructure

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the president of the Fédération québécoise des municipalités called on the federal government to stop interfering between the Government of Quebec and municipalities, declaring, “We deal with the Government of Quebec. The federal government should sign its agreements with the Government of Quebec as soon as possible so that we can deal with one party and get to work on our projects.”

When will this government stop using the economic crisis to push its partisan agenda?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.

Our government has implemented a bold economic action plan. We are working with the Government of Quebec and municipalities to put this very bold plan in place. The Government of Quebec is the one that assigns priorities to all of the projects implemented.

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the president of the Fédération québécoise des municipalités summed up the feelings of municipalities in Quebec when he said, “give us back what is ours.” Municipalities in Quebec want the infrastructure money to be transferred directly to Quebec, which would ease the administrative burden, and would make it possible to develop criteria that are more adapted to the realities of Quebec municipalities.

Does the minister realize that he is preventing infrastructure work from getting started?

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

Mr. Speaker, not at all. Our government respects Quebec's jurisdictions, which is the opposite of what my colleague just said. Quebec prioritizes all the infrastructure projects in our economic action plan, and we are happy to work with the Government of Quebec.

Forestry Industry

[Josée Beaudin, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the AbitibiBowater plant in Beaupré shut down indefinitely yesterday. Nearly 360 workers lost their jobs. Bill C-50on employment insurance is designed to help Ontario's auto workers. It does nothing to meet the needs of Quebec's forestry workers. A complete overhaul of the EI system is needed to enhance accessibility and improve benefits.

What is the minister waiting for to help forestry workers?

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

Mr. Speaker, we have done a great deal to help workers in the forestry sector and, in fact, in all sectors. A bill is currently being studied in the Senate and here in the House of Commons. This bill aims to help workers by providing them with an additional 5 to 20 weeks of employment insurance benefits.

The member should have supported that bill.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in addition to not helping workers in the forestry sector, the Conservative government is offering nothing to help private woodlot owners, who, in some cases, have seen their revenues drop by 75%. The Fédération des producteurs de bois du Québec applauded the Bloc Québécois this week for proposing targeted measures for this sector, which has been hit hard by the crisis.

Will the government respect the will of the majority of parliamentarians who this week called for tax measures that are better suited to the needs of private woodlot owners?