House of Commons Hansard #109 of the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was animals.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the Toronto Port Authority is an arm's-length organization. The TPA has said many times that all expenses and hospitality policies were followed.
The board has since stated that management and staff clearly followed all of these policies.
The chairman of the audit committee stated that there was nothing unusual in these expenses for a business of this size.
Gérard Asselin Bloc Manicouagan, QC
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-50 does not meet the needs of Quebec's forestry workers. It was designed to help Ontario's auto workers. Similarly, Bill C-56 will not really help Quebec's self-employed workers, since they already have access to the Quebec parental insurance plan. Furthermore, the premiums required are too high compared to the benefits offered.
Does the government not see that this piecemeal reform of the employment insurance system is not working, and that a complete overhaul is needed?
Christian Paradis ConservativeMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-50 is an excellent bill for Quebec's unemployed workers. The Bloc should have supported it. Long-tenured workers will have access to an additional 5 to 20 weeks of benefits. That is not insignificant.
As for self-employed workers, they currently have access to a private system that is very expensive. We are offering them something affordable, and once again, the Bloc is going to vote against it. They will have to explain to people who want to take advantage of those measures why they will have to make do with the private system, at outrageous prices.
Gérard Asselin Bloc Manicouagan, QC
Mr. Speaker, this week, a majority of members in the House supported the Bloc Québécois bill that proposes increasing employment insurance benefits and easing the eligibility requirements.
Will the government respect the will of the House of Commons and see that the bill gets royal recommendation, so the employment insurance system can be completely overhauled?
Christian Paradis ConservativeMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, we introduced Bill C-50. What did the Bloc members do? They voted against it. That is what they did. An additional 5 to 20 weeks of benefits for Quebec's unemployed workers is significant. There are long-tenured workers everywhere in Canada, and particularly in Quebec. The Bloc voted against that. They will vote against everything we do to help the economy and unemployed workers. That is what is shameful. They do not want to move things forward; they want to create divisions. So they continue to pick petty quarrels that make no sense.
Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON
Mr. Speaker, the New Veterans Charter was adopted unanimously in 2005. It renewed this country's commitment to Canadian Forces members, veterans, and their families.
The government has had four years to implement the charter, yet last week the Royal Canadian Legion said:
It is...becoming evident that critically...wounded veterans may not be provided adequate financial security under the New Veterans Charter.
If the problem is not the charter, when is the government going to implement it and why is it failing at it?
Greg Kerr ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, certainly as part of the veterans affairs committee, the member does get that information first-hand, and probably he is well aware that the government is working hard on reinstating so many programs that were devastated by the former Liberal government.
Certainly the charter is an important initiative that we are picking up on. However, as all members sitting over there would know, it is going to take a long time to reinstate those very important programs.
We all know we can never do enough for our veterans in Canada.
Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON
Mr. Speaker, this week, the Veterans Ombudsman said that this charter would create a great deal of confusion and discontent, particularly among those suffering from operational stress injury. More and more people are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
What is the minister doing to ensure that modern care is being provided to armed forces personnel suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder?
Greg Kerr ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, as our minister has stated very clearly several times, the traditional review and respect we have for veterans does not change.
However, the reality today is that we have many more people entering the veterans stage from the modern wars and the modern responsibilities we have right around the world.
This government knows that we can certainly never do enough for the standard veterans. We have to make sure we do just as much, and even more, for the new veterans because they are protecting Canada and freedom right around the world.
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Speaker, with the H1N1 outbreak, Canadians need a strong public health care system now more than ever, but the Conservative candidate in the British Columbia byelection, Diana Dilworth, just said on local radio that she wants more private health care in our country.
This is a candidate so out of step with British Columbia that not only does she oppose public health care, she opposes a judicial inquiry into the salmon collapse, something all British Columbians want and this government just announced.
Is Ms. Dilworth's position on private health care the position of the Conservative government, or is she out of step with her own party on this issue too?
Leona Aglukkaq ConservativeMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I will continue to work with the provinces and territories and support the Canada Health Act of this country.
Glenn Thibeault NDP Sudbury, ON
Mr. Speaker, the hard-working people at the Sudbury Regional Hospital are doing all they can to deal with H1N1, but they have reached their critical care capacity. ER volume is up 30% and they have already been forced to cancel over 40 surgeries.
In the event of a natural disaster, the federal government supports provincial and municipal efforts. That system is in place. Exactly how much worse must the situation get before the federal government steps up and provides financial support for the delivery of the vaccine?
Leona Aglukkaq ConservativeMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, our government has invested over $1 billion to support this pandemic plan and we continue to assist the provinces and territories in developing the vaccine as well.
As well, in terms of supporting provinces to deliver health care, this government, on an annual basis, now contributes $24 billion under health care transfers to support the provinces in delivering their health care, and I will continue to work with the provinces and territories as we deal with this pandemic.
Harold Albrecht Conservative Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
Mr. Speaker, unemployed long-tenured workers are among the hardest hit by the global recession. These are Canadians who have worked hard, paid premiums for years and need extra support while they search for new employment. Our Conservative government took concrete action to help them by introducing Bill C-50.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources please update this House on the status of this important bill that will provide much-needed support for these hard-working Canadians?
Ed Komarnicki ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to announce that Bill C-50 has received royal assent. This means that unemployed Canadians, long-tenured workers, can now receive between five and twenty weeks of extra EI support while they transition into a new job.
Shamefully and regrettably, the Liberal leader and members of his party voted against these hard-working Canadians at every stage in the House and in committee.
While the Liberal leader continues to disappoint those hardest hit, it is our Conservative government that will continue to stand up for hard-working Canadians and their families in their hour of need.
Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON
Mr. Speaker, in order to achieve real progress in Haiti, political stability and good governance must be restored. Last Friday's events were a step in the wrong direction.
Will the Conservative government commit to restoring political stability and good governance to Haiti?
Many Canadians are working to improve quality of life in Haiti, so where is the government's commitment?
Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question.
I can tell the House that I had an opportunity to speak with the President of Haiti last week about the government transition. The Minister of State of Foreign Affairs for the Americas was with me. I can assure the members of the House that the President assured me that he embraces and is completely open to the need for stable government.
We will continue to work with the Haitian government.
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, Canada's actions this week showed just how little the Conservatives care about the environment. Canada is still the wrench in the works at the climate conference in Barcelona. The minister would have us believe that his refusal to negotiate binding targets is some kind of sophisticated strategy. But his strategy is non-existent.
Will the minister acknowledge that his so-called strategy is actually that of oil companies seeking to derail negotiations so that as little as possible will be done about the environment?
John Duncan ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, the minister has been clear. The purpose of the Copenhagen negotiations is to achieve a new global framework to replace Kyoto. There are 192 countries at the table. We have tough negotiators to ensure an agreement makes sense for Canada's economic, geographic and industrial realities.
We will not sign a deal that is bad for Canada. That was the Liberal way at Kyoto. It is not the Conservative way at Copenhagen.
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, appointments should be based on merit and not partisanship. Look at the board of Rights and Democracy. The Tories are turning this into the board of Conservative cronyism.
Earlier the government indicated its intention to appoint Irene MacLeod to the board. According to her resume, she has no past experience in the field, but she is a loyal Conservative partisan. The latest offering is Michael Van Pelt, another individual whose resume indicates no background in the field, but he has been a donor to the provincial Conservative Party.
When will the government stop the assault on democracy and institute merit-based appointments?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the hon. member, and indeed the entire House, that all our appointments are based on merit.
Tilly O'Neill-Gordon Conservative Miramichi, NB
Mr. Speaker, important meetings are beginning today in Recife, Brazil.
Canada has long pressed the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas to adhere to scientific advice and enforce the rules of this organization. However, members fishing the stock in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, fish recklessly, leaving environmental groups and some countries to call for a trade ban.
Could the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans assure the House that Canada will stand up for conservation and its fishers?
Gail Shea ConservativeMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, Canada's bluefin tuna fishery is a responsible and sustainable fishery. It is worth as much as $10 million annually to Canadian fishers, not to mention significant economic spinoffs.
Canada is calling on all ICCAT members to take immediate, concrete and decisive action on conservation and management at ICCAT's annual meeting, which begins today. ICCAT must put an end to the overfishing by the violating countries. If it does not take immediate action, it could have serious and long-term consequences for international trade for all of bluefin tuna.
This government will continue to press and stand up for—
Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON
Mr. Speaker, Haiti is the second largest recipient of Canadian foreign aid, with many Canadians currently serving there to help bring stability to the people of Haiti. Last Friday, in a clearly disturbing development, the senate in Haiti voted to remove the country's prime minister who was just elected in 2008.
With so much Canadian investment in Haiti and with so many Canadians working in there, and I am glad the Minister of Foreign Affairs has spoken to the president, what action has the government actually taken to deal with this issue?
