Debates of Feb. 25th, 2009

Infrastructure

[John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, throughout the last month this government has made significant investments in infrastructure in all corners of our great country. Communities small and large will benefit from our unprecedented commitments.

Can Canada's Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities please remind the House of the great work that our government has been doing to improve infrastructure nationwide?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, not only is this government working tremendously well in the province of Ontario with my premier, but we are also reaching across the aisle and working with Liberals right across the country. We have been working very hard with the Liberal government in British Columbia, where just last week we announced $175 million of new funds.

These funds will do two things: they will build a lot of great infrastructure on the west coast and they will create a lot of jobs, hope and opportunity.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Order, please. I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Kevin Falcon, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure for British Columbia.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

We have a number of points of order we are going to deal with now. I will start with the hon. member for St. Paul's.

Comments of Minister of Veterans Affairs

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have read with some dismay the Hansard of yesterday and the comments from the Minister of Veterans Affairs. I have no idea what he is talking about in terms of mimicking and mocking the minister.

Today a number of people have asked what on earth happened. I have to tell them that from reading this, one would think there had been truly unparliamentary behaviour, such as the obscene gestures done from that side on many occasions, as well as the ad hominem heckling. I expect the Minister of Veterans Affairs to apologize to me for what is in this Hansard.

[Greg Thompson, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I stand by my words. My colleagues saw the actions as well, and I invite them to get on their feet. I would expect more from the member, because many of her members came forward. They saw what she did. We all know what she did. She should be ashamed. She should stand in her place to apologize. I laid it out yesterday. There is no need for me to repeat it, but I invite members and colleagues to stand in their places and describe exactly what she did.

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I too had the unfortunate opportunity yesterday to witness the gestures of the member for St. Paul's. They were gestures designed to mimic what one would consider the stereotype of a dumb blonde woman, tossing her head from side to side, laughing at the gestures, sharing the laughter with others around her as others mimicked a high-pitched voice, all designed to create the implication that somehow women cannot be taken seriously in this place.

It was, I believe, a very sad day. To have that gesture coming from a woman member of Parliament particularly saddened me. I believe she would do herself the service of apologizing to this House for her gesture. I am sure that on reflection she will feel that way.

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, because Hansard is in black and white, I just wanted to point out that my colleague from St. Paul's is a blonde woman.

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, on the same point of order I, like the Minister of Veterans Affairs, saw the actions of the member for St. Paul's. I respect the member for St. Paul's. It was quite evident from many members on the government side of the House exactly what she did, exactly what her intent was and exactly what the laughter of her Liberal colleagues was. I know the member to be a member of great honour. The member should stand and apologize for what she has done to this House.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I have heard enough on this point. We are going to move on to some other points of order. I will come back to that one, if need be, later.

The hon. member for New Westminster--Coquitlam.

Oral Questions

[Dawn Black, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in question period today, both the member of Parliament for Vancouver South and the member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre made factual errors in their questions about the gang activity that has unfortunately been taking place in the Vancouver region.

It is horrible enough without gross exaggeration. To set the record straight, in the last four weeks there have been 18 shootings and 8 deaths, not 18 deaths.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member knows that is not a point of order.

The hon. member for Windsor--Tecumseh has a point of order, I believe.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in response to a question from the leader of the NDP, the Prime Minister indicated that prorogation had taken place only after three years. He seems to have forgotten the prorogation his government called in September 2007 that resulted in a lengthy delay in crime bills being passed through this House, along with all sorts of other delays they have done.

I wonder if he would stand and acknowledge that he made that error.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Again, I think the hon. member is engaging in debate, not a point of order. It does not appear to be a procedural matter.

Does the hon. member for Vancouver East have a point of order also?

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, during question period the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development made a very offensive and insulting personal attack on the member for Timmins—James Bay, who was very straightforwardly asking a question based on access to information and factual information that is now in the public realm.

I would ask the minister to withdraw his very offensive and insulting remarks to our member, who was simply carrying out his duty on behalf of his constituents and raising a legitimate question in the House. To be insulted in that manner by a minister is something we should not allow to happen. It should not be tolerated, and I would ask the minister to apologize to the member for Timmins—James Bay.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I have pointed out to the House that comments of a personal nature are unnecessary in both questions and answers. I hope that message is clear to all hon. members. The member has made her point. I do not believe the words were out of order and I said so at the time. I think that they were unnecessary and I urge hon. members to refrain from unnecessarily personal comments in the course of their comments in the House.

I think that is as far as the Chair is able to go on this matter. The hon. member for Vancouver East.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate your comments, but the fact of the matter is that I would like to give the minister the opportunity to apologize for what he said. His remarks were offensive--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The member has given the minister the opportunity. He did not get up. I see he is getting up now. The hon. Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

[Chuck Strahl, Conservative, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure exactly what she would have me do. That question has accused me of lying and of putting children's interests at risk by causing them health and safety dangers through putting communities on a list based on which ridings they live in. The accusations against me are legion.

All I am saying is that what he does is not based on fact. It is simply based on what he could do to get into the media. That is the difference between what he has been doing, which I think is reprehensible, and the fact that if I am asked a factual question, I am happy to answer with a factual answer.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

That is the end of that. The hon. member for Mississauga—Streetsville on a point of order.

[Bonnie Crombie, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I too would like to rise on a point of order. I am very concerned about how the language in the House is degrading. There is a lack of decorum. Attacks are becoming highly personal and highly unparliamentary.

Today we saw the Minister for the Status of Women talk about her little big stick. I find this highly offensive and inappropriate. The Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development used the word “claptrap”. Does he understand the implication of that statement? I find it highly reprehensible. I am offended. I would like an apology and I would like both remarks withdrawn.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member for Mississauga—Streetsville has certainly raised a point about the use of language in the House. I am delighted, in one sense, that the issue has been raised. I urge all hon. members to show restraint in their questions and answers, but I do not think the remarks that were made, offensive as they may be to some members, were out of order. I have said that in the course of virtually all the remarks made in the House, and I do not understand all the references in all those comments.

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay. I hope this is not the continuation of a debate that I have already indicated is not a point of order.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is an important clarification. I willingly accept that my hon. colleague is going to say what he is going to, but when he was asked to apologize, he said he would answer a factual question. I raised a question based on documents I received from his office. That is a factual question. It is a fair question, and the minister has to respond or withdraw the kind of--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The minister did give a response. Obviously, it created controversy. I have indicated several times now that I do not think the words used were out of order, but I have urged hon. members to show greater restraint in their questions and answers. I continue to urge that. We will now proceed with something else.