House of Commons Hansard #91 of the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was recovery.
Devinder Shory Conservative Calgary Northeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, the devastation in Indonesia and Samoa has claimed over 660 lives so far. The initial outbreak that struck Indonesia triggered landslides and wiped out at least four villages across the western coast. Estimates put the total number of homes destroyed at over 10,000. In Samoa some 20 villages have been wiped out, leaving over 3,000 homeless.
Could the Minister of International Cooperation tell the House what Canada is doing to help these poor victims?
Bev Oda ConservativeMinister of International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, the government wishes to extend its sympathies to those affected by the typhoons, earthquake and tsunami that have hit the South Pacific region recently.
In response to preliminary appeals today, I am announcing support for the victims of the recent earthquake, with $300,000 for those in Samoa and $500,000 for those in Indonesia. These funds will help organizations such as the Red Cross, the World Food Programme and UNICEF provide the needed humanitarian services and goods.
This $800,000 announcement is in addition to the $5 million announced last week to help those affected by typhoons.
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Mr. Speaker, from gagging witnesses to delay tactics and even to the forced exit of the respected chair of the commission hearings, the government continues to undermine the investigation on Afghan prisoner abuse. This behaviour is not about national security concerns. This is about government embarrassment.
There are allegations that the Kandahar governor at the time, Asadullah Khalid, was himself involved in the torture of detainees and that Canada knew. Is this why the government is embarrassed? Is this why the minister is interfering in the hearings?
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member can rant and roar and put all kinds of misinformation on the floor of the House of Commons.
The reality is the commissioner's chair, Peter Tinsley, has come to the natural end of his four-year term. He will not be re-appointed. I am sure we will receive a deep and wide applicant pool to choose from in a fair, open and transparent process to replace the chair. Clearly we have able people now serving on that commission who will continue the important work.
I wish the hon. member, who is a serving member of the bar, would respect this process, let this commission proceed with its work and not splash acid on the people who are trying to get to the bottom of this investigation.
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Mr. Speaker, Canadian soldiers are highly trained professionals who are respected around the world and Canadians are right to be proud of them. Yet by delaying these hearings and undermining the investigation into serious allegations of prisoner abuse, the government is doing our soldiers and their sacrifice a great disservice.
We need to know what happened to clear the air of these allegations. Anything less will only continue to undermine the morale of our troops. Canadians deserve answers and our soldiers deserve answers.
When will the minister stop throwing up roadblocks and let this inquiry complete its work?
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway
Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we are doing. The commission is proceeding with its important work. We have provided thousands of documents and we have co-operated with witnesses within the mandate of the commission, which was recently affirmed by the Federal Court.
The hon. member can continue to do exactly what he is accusing the government of doing, and that is undermining this commission by putting spurious allegations without a scintilla of evidence before the House. He will continue to undermine the very commission that he pretends to protect.
Paule Brunelle Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
Mr. Speaker, while the government refuses to do anything to help the Quebec forestry industry, it does not hesitate to subsidize an ethanol plant in Ontario that belongs to Suncor Energy, the Alberta oil company that rakes in billions of dollars in profits every year.
Can the minister explain to us how she managed to find $110 million for a single oil company, and yet has nothing to offer Quebec forestry workers?
Lisa Raitt ConservativeMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that this government has been working on the forestry issue in Canada for a very long period of time, starting in 2007 with the community development trust which was $1 billion, following up with marketing and innovation that is helping forestry companies all across Canada deal with the natural economic downturn that has happened since the collapse of the U.S. housing market.
This government has stood by the forestry industry, is there for workers, is there for communities, and will continue to do so.
Paule Brunelle Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
Mr. Speaker, does the minister realize that by subsidizing big oil, she is asking Quebeckers to reward those companies that pollute, and hitting us in the wallet every time we fill up at the pump?
Lisa Raitt ConservativeMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, one thing in Canada is true. We are blessed with many natural resources. As part of the portfolio, we have different sectors with which to deal. As has been pointed out, we have paid attention to forestry very carefully because of the economic downturn.
As well, it is important to look to oil and gas as it is an economic fundamental in our country, which has many jobs associated with it, from the east coast of Canada to the west coast of Canada and into the north as well.
Finally, we look to renewable energy as an incredibly important part of our future, putting $3.7 billion into that resource since 2007.
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, members opposite either do not understand the issue or they choose to ignore it. Sisters, mothers, daughters, aunties and nieces are all going missing.
Yesterday, at the Amnesty International symposium, participants heard that one aboriginal woman goes missing each week in our country. This is a national crisis.
Why is the government not hearing their calls for action? Why will it not respond by immediately launching a proper public investigation?
Helena Guergis ConservativeMinister of State (Status of Women)
Mr. Speaker, Sisters in Spirit is a multi-research project. It is a five year project of which the member is very well aware. It is a project that is aimed at identifying and quantifying the actual number of murdered and missing aboriginal women. It is also a public awareness campaign. It is in its fifth year and is not completed as of yet, but it is because of the incredible work of NWAC and the families and the victims and their courage that we have been able to identify the root causes of racialized and sexualized violence.
We continue to work with NWAC to find better solutions to deal with this overwhelming problem.
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, in Manitoba the government has shown leadership on missing and murdered aboriginal women. Like us, it recognizes that Sisters in Spirit is an important initiative, but also knows it is not enough. Manitoba recognizes the need for a real comprehensive national strategy to address this matter.
Will the Minister of Justice tell the House why his government does not recognize that a full public national investigation is needed immediately?
Helena Guergis ConservativeMinister of State (Status of Women)
Mr. Speaker, Sisters in Spirit is also aimed at identifying the measures to increase the safety of aboriginal women and girls. In addition to identifying the number of missing and murdered aboriginal women, it is also working to raise public awareness. I am sure the member would agree that this project has been extremely successful in raising awareness to the issue of violence against aboriginal women and girls.
It is a research project that is guided by four very important questions, which were highlighted today by the president of NWAC. Questions that the member raises often in the House are already being addressed through the great research project.
Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, I do not think the Minister of Health really appreciates just how concerned Canadians are in the face of such confusing, conflicting advice and information. The best thing the Minister of Health could do today is to tell us how she responds to those scientists who have said, very clearly, that the vaccine to be safely tested and available for all Canadians will take until at least late in November to the beginning of December. That is totally in contradiction to what the minister is saying.
Could she clarify how a safe vaccine will be available in—
Leona Aglukkaq ConservativeMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, the stories are false. The vaccine will be safe. The Chief Public Health Officer has stated that the vaccine will be widely available the first week of November. We are on schedule.
We will continue to rely on the medical experts' advice and work with the provinces and territories to implement the rollout of the vaccine.
Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the minister would suggest experts like Dr. Joanne Langley of Dalhousie University and Dr. Neil Rau, an infectious disease expert, are wrong and that she is right. What Canadians would hope is that she would stop this mantra of “trust us, don't worry, be happy”, start to clear up the confusion that is out there and come clean with Canadians.
The best thing she could do is tell Canadians that she is calling for a meeting in her office today of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, the Canadian Nurses Association, the Canadian Medical Association and the College of Family Physicians of Canada. She could do that today and clear up—
Leona Aglukkaq ConservativeMinister of Health
Again, Mr. Speaker, the stories are false. We rely on the Chief Public Health Officer of our country and the medical experts for their advice in the development of the vaccine.
I can assure all Canadians that the vaccine we produce for them will be safe and effective.
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Mr. Speaker, since 1982, Euromoney magazine, an international business publication, considered a leading voice on global financial markets, annually names just one finance minister in the world as the Finance Minister of the Year. Past winners include a treasury secretary of the U.S. and the current OECD Secretary-General. No Canadian has ever won this prestigious global award.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance please inform the House who was just named Finance Minister of the Year?
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Order, please. The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance has the floor. We will have some order.
Ted Menzies Conservative Macleod, AB
Mr. Speaker, I know everyone is excited. However, we do need to remind Canadians that it is under the leadership of this Prime Minister and the leadership of this finance minister in implementing the Canadian economic action plan that the world has come to notice us. Canadians know that. They envy us. And now the rest of the world has noticed.
In fact, Euromoney magazine heralded our finance ministerfor enhancing our reputation for sound fiscal policy that takes full account of social justice in keeping the financial sector out of--