Debates of Dec. 8th, 2009

Afghanistan

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, we have been clear and we have been consistent.

We did not wait. We acted on the advice of senior military and senior diplomats. We acted on the advice of people like David Mulroney, Colleen Swords, Scott Proudfoot, Linda Garwood-Filbert, Generals Hillier, Fraser, Gauthier and now Natynczyk who all testified today. All corroborated the position of government and all rejected and refuted one lone witness.

Why would members opposite not accept the evidence given by those credible individuals closest to the ground, closest to the mission, all giving advice to the government upon which we acted to improve the situation in Afghanistan?

It is a straightforward situation. Those members refuse to accept it.

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, not only is the government trying to muzzle the people who are sounding the alarm about the allegations of torture in Afghanistan, but documents show that in 2006, the Conservatives put much more energy into developing their propaganda on this issue than protecting Afghan detainees' human rights.

Will the government finally admit that it prepared propaganda messages because it knew there were allegations of torture as early as 2006?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, we have complied. We have released documents. We continue to do so with information that will not endanger troops, that will not endanger our relations with allies or international organizations and that will not identify confidential sources.

Those redactions are done by non-partisan, independent officials at the Department of Justice. They are applying provisions that the previous government implemented in the wake of the September 11 attacks. We have continued to provide legally available information for tabling for the purposes of the MPCC and for the purposes of the parliamentary committee.

I am not sure what the hon. member is suggesting. We have been straightforward, clear and consistent.

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in 2006, the International Red Cross repeatedly called on Canada to shoulder its responsibilities with regard to detainees transferred to the Afghan authorities. Canadian officers have admitted under oath that they were informed of at least one case of torture in June 2006. Richard Colvin also informed the government of these allegations at the time.

Does the government realize that by refusing to act, despite everything it knew, it violated the Geneva convention in 2006 and continued to do so until May 2007?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, those are more ridiculous, unfounded allegations that cannot be substantiated.

When our military and when our diplomats provide information to the government, we act on that advice. When we have credible sustained information or evidence, we take appropriate action.

With respect to the Red Cross, this was a case with notifications to the Red Cross about prisoner transfers. While lengthy delays in the notification to the Red Cross occurred under the previous government, we made changes to improve that, just as we did with the transfer arrangement, just as we did with investing in our military, just as we did with improving the mission and picking up where the previous government dropped the ball.

The Environment

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in 2007 Canada blocked a Commonwealth resolution to support binding targets for industrialized countries. In 2008 Canada received the fossil of the year award for being the most disruptive at climate change talks.

Last week, Britain's former development secretary said that countries that failed to reduce global warming should be suspended from Commonwealth membership. She was referring to Canada.

When will the Prime Minister understand that Conservative denial and obstruction will not wash?

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are always shocked when a Liberal asks questions about the environment. We know the Liberals did absolutely nothing for 13 years when they had the responsibility. That is why their leader said that they committed a mess. I would ask the leader of the Liberal Party to stand up right now and tell the House why they did not get it done.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, eight out of ten provinces have a climate change plan with targets that are three to seven times more aggressive than what this Conservative government is offering.

On average, the provinces are aiming to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 15% below 1990 levels by 2020.

How can this government, which has no plan of its own, go to Copenhagen and take credit for what the provinces have done?

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, that is a good question. As the member well knows, this government consulted with all the provinces, territories, our international partners, even the Obama administration, that we would go to Copenhagen with a harmonized approach, an absolute reduction of 20% by 2020.

I am so proud of this government which is taking action. We take action on lowering taxes. Communities are safer. We are taking action on the environment.

Government Contracts

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

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Works and Government Services has not given us many details about the investigation that is currently underway within his department. Let us hope that there will soon be some transparency.

Can the Minister of Public Works and Government Services assure us that all of the rules for awarding contracts were followed for the work done on the north tower of the West Block of Parliament?

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

Mr. Speaker, the rules were followed. The process used was fair, open and transparent.

I remind my colleague that since the beginning of last week, the Liberal Party has been making up all kinds of stories and allegations. I almost expect these members to start asking if we are searching for Elvis in the department.

We cannot comment on ongoing investigations. However, once they are complete, we will proactively post the results on the website. That is the law.

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

Mr. Speaker, I hate to disappoint the minister, but Elvis is dead.

The work being done on the north tower of the West Block of Parliament is very close to home for all Canadians. It would indeed be an outrage if anything pertaining to the Parliamentary precinct were tainted by any impropriety.

Could the minister confirm that there was no political interference of any kind in the tendering process for this contract?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have been perfectly clear. Once again, we see the Liberal Party is creating fictional stories and playing cheap politics instead of working with our government to deliver for Canadians.

I have been perfectly clear. This government does not comment on internal department staffing matters. On the other hand, I can assure the House that all the processes that are being done on the bidding process are fair, open and transparent.

Infrastructure

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, when the global economic situation began to threaten Canadian livelihoods, our government acted immediately with an economic action plan that included significant investments in infrastructure all across our great country. From coast to coast to coast, our plan is fighting the recession by stimulating the economy and putting Canadians back to work.

Could Canada's Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities tell the House how our economic action plan is affecting local economies, like the ones in my riding of Selkirk—Interlake, and helping Canada's recovery?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hard-working member for Selkirk—Interlake. If the Liberals do not believe what I say, they should believe what was in the Globe and Mail. This is what I read in the Globe and Mail this morning, “Ottawa's infrastructure money is lighting a fire under parts of Canada's construction industry.The value of non-residential building permits jumped 42 per cent in October”. It said that institutional spending, some of the good work being done by the Minister of Industry on his knowledge infrastructure program, jumped 51% in October. But—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I am afraid that the minister can make a statement by ministers, when he wishes, if he wishes to go on with this.

The hon. member for St. John's East.

Afghanistan

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence's response to the testimony of Richard Colvin was a slanderous low blow. Today, 23 former ambassadors have attacked the government's response to Mr. Colvin's testimony and its approach to Afghan detainees.

The minister on nine separate occasions has told the House that there is not a scintilla of evidence of mistreatment, even as the entire country was shown evidence that torture did take place. Canadians no longer have confidence in this minister. Will he apologize for his slander of Mr. Colvin and will he resign?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, I have been clear and I have been consistent. We have disputed the credibility of the evidence, not the credibility of the individual. I want to be clear about that. We have acted upon credible evidence. We have heard now from a number of senior bureaucrats, senior military upon whose advice we acted.

The hon. member cannot accept the evidence of those who have testified before the committee who have rejected the one lone witness and then suggest the government should have done anything differently. We acted upon the advice of those individuals. We cannot act on allegations that are put forward that are not substantiated.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian soldiers rescued one guy they witnessed being beaten and saved another from execution. The soldiers did the right thing. What is needed now is some accountability by the minister.

The Minister of National Defence has blamed military leaders and senior diplomats for filtering information. He said that he was only acting on their advice. If the minister really believed in accountability, he would have already accepted our call for a public inquiry. Now he must do the right thing, and that is stop blaming others, accept responsibility and offer his resignation.

Will the minister resign and will there be a public inquiry so we can finally get to the bottom of this matter?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, we acted upon the advice of senior officials both in the Department of Foreign Affairs and on the part of the military. We acted responsibly, we acted decisively. I have been clear, I have been consistent, as has General Natynczyk.

If the hon. member does not want to take my word on this incident, let us look at what he said, “Based upon the soldier's assessment they had no interest in the individual...We didn't take this person under custody...what we did on the ground was just basic routine questioning. We have taken the individual away from the Afghan police”.

They did do the right thing. That is one thing we can agree on. The soldiers in Afghanistan are doing a magnificent job and we back them 100% on this side of the House.

Aerospace Industry

[Robert Bouchard, Bloc, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the aerospace industry, which is concentrated in Montreal, is concerned that it will pay the price for the fight against the deficit. Moreover, unlike the auto sector, it did not receive any one-time assistance to make it through the economic crisis.

Quebec's aerospace sector faces stiff competition from foreign competitors that get a lot of support from their governments.

Can the government provide some reassurance to companies and workers by announcing plans to implement a real aerospace industry support policy?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, we have already invested over $350 million in Bombardier Aerospace to help it acquire the CSeries program. SADI has invested over $400 million in Canada's aerospace industry. That was our government's decision, and we have already invested over $300 million in an innovative CAE flight simulator program. That is our position, and we are supporting the industry with—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member for Shefford.

Textile Industry

[Robert Vincent, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Quebec textile industry needs some assistance in order to enhance its competitiveness and develop new markets. The CANtex program helped meet those needs. However, the CANtex budget envelope for 2009 is empty.

Does the government plan to inject new funds into the CANtex program, or into another program, in order to meet the specific needs of the textile industry?

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Minister of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)]

Mr. Speaker, throughout 2009, we put money into the CANtex program to continue our support of the Quebec textile industry. The reason there is no more money is because it has all been allocated, because we gave money all year long.

Of course we will continue to support the economic diversification of Quebec regions, including the textile industry. We plan to review the programs in the coming weeks.