Debates of Nov. 5th, 2009

Veterans' Week

[James Lunney, Conservative, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this week Canadians across the country are marking Veterans' Week.

As we remember our Canadian veterans, we also pay tribute to the members of the Canadian Forces who serve our country today.

Let us join Canadians from coast to coast to proudly support our men and women of the Canadian Forces. We honour those who courageously put their lives on the line to bring peace and security to troubled areas around the world. These valiant men and women selflessly face danger and uncertainty to protect the rights and freedoms of others in need.

On November 11 we remember the culmination of two world wars. We celebrate the armistice that silenced the guns and ended the conflict. We remember the millions who mobilized and the 100,000 who made the ultimate sacrifice. We remember those who fought in the Korean war and in many regional conflicts.

This year, as we honour our fallen and wounded warriors, may we also remember those who are serving on the front lines in Afghanistan today along with all those who sacrificed to secure our freedoms and way of life.

Lest we forget.

Daniel Paillé

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, who am I?

I want to be elected at all costs in a riding that I know nothing about.

I was the director general of the program for privatizing public corporations and recommended the privatization of the SAQ.

I locked out 365 Journal de Montréal employees.

My “Paillé plan” resulted in a $116 million loss to Quebec.

I vehemently opposed a day care on my street because it threatened my quality of life.

I was involved in the Société générale de financement du Québec debacle.

I was an advisor to the Conservatives and pocketed a great deal of money.

I have always lived outside Hochelaga.

Who am I?

I am Daniel Paillé, the parachute candidate.

Check it out at blocageintermittent.ca.

Bloc Québécois

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I must say that I am dismayed. Dismayed by the actions of the members from the Bloc Québécois. Dismayed also by their choice of motto: “Debout!”, or “Stand up!”

When Quebeckers find themselves jobless and seek support from their members of Parliament to find solutions, the Bloc members remain seated.

It is our Conservative government that takes action, suggests solutions and stands up for the real interests of Quebeckers and Canadians.

We have added five weeks of employment insurance benefits. The Bloc voted against that. We have increased the number of weeks under the work sharing program. The Bloc voted against that too.

This week, the Bloc members remained seated, so to speak, by voting against extending EI benefits by 5 to 20 weeks for the self-employed.

Our Conservative government is taking action to help workers and does not remain—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member for Louis-Hébert.

GlaxoSmithKline

[Pascal-Pierre Paillé, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government is to blame for the chaos surrounding the H1N1 vaccination campaign, but it is desperately trying to pass the buck. It has accused GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) of being slow in delivering the vaccines, even though this company is working at full capacity to produce the 50.4 million doses ordered.

The reality is that the federal government waited until the last minute to order the adjuvanted and unadjuvanted vaccines, and these last-minute decisions have delayed the regular production of vaccines. In other words, the government is using GSK as a scapegoat to shirk its own responsibilities.

In light of recent events, my thoughts are with the employees of GSK in my riding, in Sainte-Foy, who are working very hard to meet the demand for quality vaccines, but who must unfortunately contend with the difficult situation created by this government.

Jacques Saada

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the hon. Jacques Saada for being made a Commandeur de l'Ordre de la Pléiade, which promotes the Francophonie and cultural dialogue. None could be more deserving of this honour awarded by the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie.

I had the privilege of working with Jacques Saada when he was the member for Brossard—La Prairie and minister for, among other things, the Francophonie. I know that all the work he did while heading up that department demonstrated to a lot of people just how important promoting and strengthening the entire francophone community was to him.

During his mandate as the federal minister responsible for the Francophonie, the hon. Jacques Saada actively promoted cooperation and a sense of community among the francophone peoples of the world. He did a lot to foster true multilateral diplomacy in the context of the Francophonie.

I would especially like to highlight his efforts to make Israel and the Palestinian authority full members.

Bravo, Jacques.

Employment Insurance

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government has taken action to make sure Canadians hardest hit by the global recession have the support they need while finding a new job.

I am proud to inform the House that this morning Bill C-50 passed Senate committee without amendments. I hope it receives royal assent very soon.

This bill will provide unemployed long-tenured workers who have worked hard and paid premiums for years with five to 20 weeks of additional EI while they transition into a new job.

The Liberal leader fought against this bill and these Canadians the whole way through, but fortunately he did not succeed and long-tenured workers will receive the much needed help they deserve.

This bill is just one example of the actions taken by our Conservative government. Whether it is extending benefits, protecting jobs through work sharing or unprecedented investments in skills training, Canadians and their families know that it is our Conservative government that is helping weather the global economic storm.

Health

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we now know that more than half of the vaccines that have been produced are in fact in storage and not in the arms of people. Experts have also told us that the peak of the epidemic is expected to be at the end of November and not at Christmas.

Therefore, I would like to ask the Prime Minister, what exactly will change to ensure that Canadians in fact are inoculated before the end of November?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again, as I said yesterday, the provision of the vaccine has been, at this point, quicker than the ability of the provinces to actually distribute it. I know they are focused on those challenges.

There is a list of recommended high priority groups. Those are the people who should be getting the vaccine first. Governments at all levels are working together to ensure that this happens.

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it simply is not possible to say that the same old is working or that the plan in fact is beautiful and nothing needs to change. The evidence is very clear that it will require the inoculation of a million Canadians a day in order to get Canadians inoculated before the peak really hits at the end of November.

I ask the Prime Minister again, what exactly will change in order to produce a plan that will in fact work for Canadians?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again, this is by far the largest and quickest vaccination program the provinces have ever attempted in the country. They are rolling it out. They are adjusting as they experience various difficulties and challenges.

We obviously urge people to be patient and to listen to the health authorities. Canada's plan and the availability of vaccine is far higher in Canada than anywhere else. We continue to urge people to follow the instructions of their health authorities.

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is saying things that are not quite accurate. The reality is that half of the vaccines have been put in storage instead of being administered. The reality is that the pandemic will peak in November, not at Christmas, as the government first thought. We must face the challenge now.

What will the government do to change its attitude and its plan in order to respond to a situation that is very serious right now?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, provision of the vaccine is now much quicker than the ability of the provinces to administer it, but the provinces are making the necessary changes.

Canada's plan is very advanced compared to other countries. We encourage all Canadians to listen to the advice of public health authorities across the country. There are priority groups. There are many doses of the vaccine, enough for these priority groups.

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

Wrong, Mr. Speaker, Australia has the highest per capita in the world, not Canada.

Canadians are counting on the federal government for a national response to H1N1. Instead of helping the provinces manage this crisis, the government prefers to blame the provinces and wash its hands of the problem.

The Prime Minister must explain why he is turning his back on our provincial partners during this national crisis, when he and his government are the ones with the financial and other resources. This House gave him a clear mandate yesterday to help the provinces.

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is well positioned to respond to this pandemic. We have been working with the provinces and territories for the last eight months, and we rolled out our vaccine sooner than expected. The provinces and territories started to roll out their vaccines last week. In fact, some jurisdictions will be done vaccinating their population next week. Most of the vaccine is being rolled out. There are some items in storage because that is where they are kept before they are actually delivered.

This is an ongoing process. We will continue to deliver it and we will work with the provinces and territories.

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

Wrong, Mr. Speaker, China is rolling it out faster than Canada.

The Prime Minister is failing to provide leadership or to allocate the dollars and resources needed to manage this crisis. The provinces need help to pick up the pace in vaccinating Canadians, more personnel, more vaccination sites, longer hours.

Why does the Prime Minister not step up to the plate, show some leadership and compassion for Canadians and help our provincial partners? He has the money, the resources and he got a clear mandate from the House yesterday to do it.

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, again, six million vaccines have been distributed to the provinces and territories. Approximately two million more will be distributed next week. Unadjuvanted vaccine was also distributed in Canada. Currently Canada has more H1N1 vaccine per capita. That is a fact.

Vaccine is being distributed as quickly as possible to the provinces and territories. Every Canadian who wants to receive the vaccine will be able to do so.

Political Party Financing

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, TVA is reporting that Senator Claude Carignan received political donations totalling nearly $90,000 in seven days when he was the Conservative candidate in Rivière-des-Mille-Îles in 2008. Among the contributors were members of the Mathers family, who own several businesses in Saint-Eustache.

Is the Prime Minister not concerned that this could be a strategy to circumvent the political party financing legislation?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, all these donations are legal. They were publicly reported. They fall within the strict limits set by law.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, 17 members of the Mathers family each gave Claude Carignan $1,000, 14 of them on the same day, September 19, 2008.

Did the Prime Minister check this disturbing information before appointing Claude Carignan to the Senate?

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

Mr. Speaker, these donations were made in accordance with the Canada Elections Act.

I hope that we can expect the same thing. The Zambito family has also donated money: $4,470 to the PQ since 2001, $2,000 to the Bloc in 2008 and $8,500 to the Liberal Party since 2004. Since 2001, the Mathers family has donated $29,600 to the PQ, the Bloc's head office, and $5,092 to the Liberal Party of Canada. We hope we can expect that these people complied with the law in donating to the other parties as well.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister cannot afford to ignore the troubling facts emerging about Senator Carignan's election funding. A number of donors are mixed up in notorious political scandals. For example, Lino Zambito tried to derail the municipal elections in Boisbriand, and Conservative Senator Léo Housakos' clan seems to be involved in partisan appointments and the awarding of federal government contracts.

How can the Prime Minister turn a blind eye?

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

Mr. Speaker, since taking office, we have passed the toughest legislation on election financing. The law is extremely strict and tough.

We can confront the Bloc with the facts: it accepted $2,000 in 2008 from the Zambito family. What is good for the Bloc is good for the government if everyone obeys the law.

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

Mr. Speaker, another fact should be of interest to the Prime Minister: Giulio Maturi, a Conservative Party bagman and member of Vision Montréal, made a donation to Claude Carignan. We should note that Mr. Maturi and Mr. Housakos took control of funding for Vision Montréal after the well-known businessman Tony Accurso intervened with Benoît Labonté.

In light of these troubling facts, will the Prime Minister call for an inquiry into Conservative Senator Carignan's intriguing financing?

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

Mr. Speaker, we had a mess to clean up when we arrived in 2006 and clean it up we did. We passed the most stringent law on election financing and all these people obeyed the law.

If that is not the case, as the Bloc alleges, it should make its accusations outside the House rather than saying all manner of things inside the House. We shall see what the appropriate authorities make of it.

I would remind them that I hope we can expect the same treatment: the Zambito family gave the Bloc $2,000 in 2008. Did TVA not mention this?