Debates of Feb. 11th, 2009

The Environment

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Order. The hon. member for Québec has the floor.

[An hon. member]

What is their responsibility?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Yes, there will be more.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

I am not finished, Mr. Speaker. The government has accepted its responsibility.

[Pierre Paquette]

We just saw that.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Does the minister responsible for the Quebec City region not believe that they should now settle the matter of compensation with the Shannon citizens' committee to avoid a court challenge by individuals who are victims of this tragic event?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague. Yesterday, our government announced some great news for the population of Shannon. We have had the pleasure of working with several colleagues on this matter.

However, the member for Québec knows very well that a class action is before the courts and no one is allowed to comment on it.

National Battlefields Commission

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

Mr. Speaker, more than 80 leaders of Quebec society, including lawyers, former elected members, artists and academics have signed a letter to the chairman of the National Battlefields Commission, André Juneau, asking him to drop what has been quite rightly called an ill-advised plan to commemorate the battle of the Plains of Abraham.

To quote from their letter:

When a project has been announced that is so unacceptable and untenable, there is no way any kind of argument, even if contained in the most attractive publicity kit imaginable, could manage to rehabilitate it in the eyes of public opinion—

The minister responsible for the Quebec City region cannot just tell them to stay home, if they are not happy with it. As Quebeckers, they are already at home.

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as I have had occasion to repeat several times, responsibility for the historic event that will be commemorated belongs to the chairman of the National Battlefields Commission.

I would be very pleased if the hon. Bloc member were as scathing and vocal toward those who have threatened the people of Quebec, those who have made hurtful and threatening comments. It is the duty of the Bloc Québécois to denounce those comments.

Arts and Culture

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

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has cut $45 million in funding for arts and culture while creating the Canadian prizes for the arts based on false information.

I have a document that outlines the program and mentions 40 national and international partners, such as Cirque du Soleil and the National Ballet of Canada, but these organizations were not consulted before being listed as partners.

Why are the Conservatives attacking our cultural industries again?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, the document he is speaking of is not ours. It is a document created by two gentlemen in Toronto who have an idea that is not ours.

We are looking at creating a prize similar to the Gairdner prize in medical science. What we want to do with arts and culture, which is what we have done with medical science, is to shine the light and focus attention on the great artists and creators in this country.

We want to do that, and the Liberals have quite some nerve coming before the House and talking about spending on arts and culture. This Conservative government is spending more money on arts and culture than any government in Canadian history, and we are proud of it.

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

Mr. Speaker, those bodies were not consulted yet they find themselves mentioned in the document and are furious about it. For example, general manager of les Ballets Jazz de Montréal Pascale Corréïa uses the words scandalous and shameful to describe the use of her organization's name in this document without consent.

Does the minister plan to issue a public apology to all of these organizations, which once again feel that the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages not only does not respect them, but worse than that, holds them in disdain?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, as I have just said in response to a question from the Bloc, this proposal which is the subject of debate is not ours. It comes from some fellows in Toronto. As for our policy, my colleague has not yet seen the details of our proposal. When he has seen it in detail, he will be surprised to conclude that it is a good idea for the unification of Canada around its arts and culture. When he sees the details, he will perhaps be able to submit facts to the House for a somewhat more constructive debate.

Fisheries and Oceans

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

Mr. Speaker, the B.C. Supreme Court ruled this week that the federal government, not the province, has exclusive jurisdiction over the management of salmon farms.

Fish farms now make up a huge part of the B.C. fishery industry and there are serious environmental concerns, especially now that wild stocks of fish are collapsing. Fishery workers, fishers and conservationists along the B.C. coast need to know what the government plans to do.

We have known for months that this was coming. What is the plan of the government?

[Gail Shea, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, we could not have known for months that this was coming because it is my understanding that the court decision just came down a few days ago. The litigation has been ruled on regarding whether provincial or federal jurisdiction applies in B.C.

We do have a one year window to work with the province of B.C. and we will be doing that. In the meantime, however, we will continue to jointly manage the aquaculture industry through the application of both federal and provincial laws.

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

Mr. Speaker, that is just a load of halibut. We have known about this possibility for months. B.C. just does not seem to be important to the government.

For years, Ottawa has abdicated its role in the proper management of the fishery. During that time, problems around escaped fish, farm pollution and sea lice have all increased, putting a serious strain on local fish stocks.

We need transition funding for closed containment. We need a plan. What are the Conservatives waiting for? Why are there no plans in place? Why is the government not moving to regulate fish farms and protect B.C.'s wild salmon?

[Gail Shea, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that the Province of B.C. asked for jurisdiction over salmon farming and that an agreement was reached with the Government of Canada.

However, I can tell the House that the Government of Canada has set aside $1 billion for communities in need. If there is a need in the salmon industry in B.C., some funds are available to address the issues that are brought forward.

Citizenship and Immigration

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Christians and members of other minority faith groups are often subject to severe persecution in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East. Our government is standing up for these victims of persecution.

Would the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism update the House on his recent announcement to assist Iraqi refugees?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are deeply concerned about the plight of Iraqi refugees facing persecution in their homeland, which is why last year our government committed to increase by more than 50% the number of resettled refugees from the Middle East. It is also why yesterday I announced further increases.

In 2009, Canada will accept approximately 3,900 refugees through our Damascus mission, representing an increase of several times since our government took office.

I am pleased to say that the Canadian representative, the UN High Commissioner of Refugees, has said that Canada should be commended in continuing to uphold its humanitarian commitment to finding permanent solutions for refugees from one of the most pressing refugee situations in the world.

The Economy

[Jean-Claude D'Amours, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Speaker, because the Conservative government did not take this crisis seriously, our citizens are now suffering. Serge, a citizen of Madawaska—Restigouche, asked me for help recently. After losing his job, like thousands of other people, he filed his claim for employment insurance benefits, but had to wait 55 days before he received his first cheque. In the meantime, he lost his apartment and is now wondering what will become of him.

Why does this government treat unemployed workers and their families like second class citizens, and why is it condemning them to a life of poverty? Why does it not want to help them avoid poverty?

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

Mr. Speaker, the truth is exactly the opposite. In fact, in our economic action plan we have taken significant steps to help people who have been long-time workers but who are at an age where they do not have many transferrable skills. We are providing the opportunity for them to get acquire new skills and get training for the jobs of tomorrow.

We are also making that training available to people who are not even eligible for employment insurance because we believe those people also need the opportunity to get those skills for tomorrow.

International Trade

[Serge Cardin, Bloc, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government signed a free trade agreement with Colombia even though the Standing Committee on International Trade called for negotiations to be suspended because of human rights problems. A recent UN press release condemned the murder of 17 indigenous Awa people by an irregular armed group.

What is the government waiting for to suspend ratification of the free trade treaty with Colombia until it shows greater willingness to protect basic human rights?

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

Mr. Speaker, Colombia has made progress on human rights, especially thanks to an agreement on labour. That is why we recognized that progress. We want an agreement with that country in order to continue improving the standard of living in Colombia and reinforcing human rights and the rights of workers and organized labour.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government made changes to the citizenship law that would discriminate against the children of adopted Canadians. It would strip their children's right to Canadian citizenship and also penalize those who work overseas.

Starting on April 17, the minister is legislating a system of second-class citizens, and that is wrong.

Would the minister tell us how he can justify withholding Canadian citizenship from children born to Canadian parents?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, first, I congratulate the member on her appointment as immigration critic for the NDP.

Second, I completely reject the premise of her question. The bill to which she refers was adopted by all parties in both chambers of the House, including the NDP.

It was a remarkable effort by my predecessor to fix a long-standing problem that had left thousands of Canadians without citizenship, the so-called “lost Canadians”. We have restored citizenship to them through these amendments. We have also ensured the value of Canadian citizenship so that permanent non-residents with little or no connection to this country will not be able to pass on Canadian citizenship ad infinitum. As it relates to adoption, we are looking at that issue.