House of Commons Hansard #20 of the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.
Jacques Gourde ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and to the Minister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, the Canada Revenue Agency's priority is to protect taxpayers' privacy and keep their information confidential. Under the terms of the Privacy Act, we cannot release any personal information about employees of the Canada Revenue Agency, including information about disciplinary action.
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, it was the culture of secrecy that allowed corruption to flourish under 13 years of Liberal government, but the Conservative government is even worse. It is obsessed with secrecy. In 2006, in the federal election campaign, the Conservatives explicitly promised they would implement all of John Reid's open government act. Nothing has happened.
I have now introduced a private member's bill that is chapter and verse the same as John Reid's bill. I urge the Conservatives to steal it, no charge. I have done all the heavy lifting. They can have it.
Will they or will they not fulfill their campaign promise and implement all of the John Reid's, former information commissioner, open government act, yes or no?
Vic Toews ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, that is another prime example of the member of the NDP speaking out of both sides of his mouth. The member consistently fought against access to information for crown corporations. Consistently he voted against it. Now he says to open it up.
I am surprised that he has not seen what our legislation has done. In fact, it brought 69 new institutions under the access to information regime.
It is about time he woke up, read the act and co-operated with the government on economic measures that will assist his constituents.
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, a strategic review of Canada Post was delivered to the minister last year, but now, more than two months later, it still has not been made public. What is the big fear? The report or the public reaction?
This report deals with the future of our profit making Canada Post and Canadians deserve to see it. Why has the minister not tabled this report and will he do so today?
Rob Merrifield ConservativeMinister of State (Transport)
Mr. Speaker, the review has taken place. It was on my desk earlier, just before Christmas. I will be allowing it to go public as soon as we have the appropriate response. We are reviewing and analyzing it. We will make the appropriate response at the appropriate time and allow it to go public very soon.
Rodney Weston Conservative Saint John, NB
Mr. Speaker, it is a fact that over 90% of companies in Canada are small and medium-sized enterprises. That represents 2.3 million companies. The Government of Canada does a lot of business with small and medium-sized enterprises, however, many companies have complained of the barriers to government procurement.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services explain what this government is doing to help small businesses?
Jacques Gourde ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and to the Minister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his question and for the work he has done in New Brunswick for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Over the past three years, our government has worked to provide better services and better access to Canadian government contracts for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Through our efforts, more than 40,000 small and medium-sized companies have received assistance from the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises, and the value of contracts awarded by the department to Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises increased by 43% in 2005-06, 46% in 2006-07 and 49% this year.
In addition, procurement rules have been simplified so as not to pose barriers to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Shawn Murphy Liberal Charlottetown, PE
Mr. Speaker, on December 5, 2006, every member of the House, including the Prime Minister, supported Motion No. 172. The motion directed the minister of health to convene a meeting of the provincial health ministers with the objective of developing a national strategy on the treatment and support of Canadians with autism. Unfortunately, the previous minister of health and the present Minister of Health have totally ignored this motion.
My question is for the present Minister of Health. This is a very important question and Canadians are looking for an answer. How long does the government intend to ignore Canadian families dealing with autism?
Leona Aglukkaq ConservativeMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I recognize that autism is an important health and social issue that represents challenges to many Canadian families. I can assure the House that the government is showing leadership by focusing attention on building the autism evidence base that future actions by our partners will be well informed.
We are delivering results. In 2007 we announced the funding for a chair of autism research and innovation at Simon Fraser University and, over the last seven years, more than $27 million have been spent on related research by CIHR.
Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Mr. Speaker, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the United States decision to send a delegation to take part in the preliminary negotiations to finalize the draft outcome document of the Durban Review Conference scheduled for April 20 to 24, in Geneva.
Will Canada finally abandon its empty chair policy and, like the U.S., participate in that conference?
Peter Kent ConservativeMinister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas)
Mr. Speaker, the answer is no.
Alex Atamanenko NDP British Columbia Southern Interior, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Americans are spending millions of dollars on a feasibility study to build a hydroelectric dam at Shanker's Bend on the Similkameen River. An 80 metre dam, if built, would flood 7,200 hectares in Canada.
The Okanagan Alliance of First Nations and the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen have stated their opposition as has the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.
Will the minister notify the U.S. government that Canada is opposed to this project and will he insist that the government of British Columbia do the same?
Mark Warawa ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, this government is committed to a cleaner environment. We have invested $1 billion in green infrastructure, $300 million for eco-energy retrofits, and $1 billion for clean energy projects and carbon capture and storage.
Wherever we look this government is taking action on the environment. I encourage the member to support the budget.
Rick Norlock Conservative Northumberland—Quinte West, ON
Mr. Speaker, today we learned that Russian aircraft attempted to fly over Canadian airspace on the eve of President Obama's visit.
Can the parliamentary secretary tell the House what Canada is doing to ensure our sovereignty is protected?
Laurie Hawn ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, as a former CF-18 pilot, I am well aware of Russian tactics.
Canada will continue to defend its sovereignty on land, on the sea and in the air. The Russians never entered Canadian airspace. Our fighter pilots met them and turned them around.
As a proud partner in Norad, we have stood up to Russians and others in the defence of North America with our allies, the United States, for over 50 years. The House and Canadians can be assured that we will continue to defend our sovereignty.
As I might have said personally to the Russians a number of years ago:
[Member spoke in Russian]
Paul Szabo Liberal Mississauga South, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Information Commissioner reported that our access to information system is seriously flawed, thereby creating a major information management crisis throughout the government. Six out of ten departments received failing grades, and four are red alert.
The 25-year-old act is hopelessly out of date in this digital age.
Will the Minister of Justice advise if he agrees with the commissioner? Will he commit to bringing in a bill to fix the act and the culture of secrecy in which it operates?
Vic Toews ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, as the House is well aware, this government is committed to openness and transparency with respect to government operations.
We brought in the FAA, which contains the most extensive amendments to the Access to Information Act since its introduction in 1983.
We are the ones who fought for the rights of Canadians to know how their government operates, opening up numerous institutions to the access to information system, and we will continue to ensure that ours is the best system in the world.
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, Canadian citizen Bashir Makhtal continues to face harsh prison conditions in Ethiopia, unclear charges, and lack of access to legal representation.
The government's record on this file is one of inaction. It has not treated the file seriously. The best the government has come up with is to ask Ethiopia not to impose a death penalty on Mr. Makhtal. This is unacceptable.
The Minister of Transport and the Minister of Immigration declared that Mr. Makhtal is guilty of no wrongdoing.
It is time for Canada to request Ethiopia to drop all charges and to bring Mr. Makhtal home now.
Deepak Obhrai ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Makhtal's trial has already started and he has received access to legal counsel. We have received assurances that Mr. Makhtal will be granted due process under Ethiopian law.
Canada has repeatedly made its concerns regarding Mr. Makhtal's case clear to the Government of Ethiopia. The Minister of Foreign Affairs has made strong representations to the Ethiopian authorities. Furthermore, I myself have made two visits to Ethiopia to make representation on this file.
Jean Dorion Bloc Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is using the economic crisis—whose existence he was still denying a mere three months ago in his economic update—to justify establishing a Canada-wide securities commission.The minister's excuse does not hold water. Budget 2006 already contained plans for a common securities regulator.
Will the Minister of Finance admit that he is using the current crisis as an excuse to invade Quebec's jurisdictions?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, first I should point out that participation in the commission would be completely voluntary. No province will be required to participate if it does not want to.
The Bloc is just trying to distract from its ideology. We heard earlier today a member of the Bloc demand that we attend the Durban hatefest, the anti-Israel conference. That is the same member who sent around emails with Hamas propaganda in them.
This kind of ideology is totally out of touch with the values of Quebeckers and all Canadians.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
That will conclude our question period for today. The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry is rising on a point of order.
Comments of Member for BourassaPoints of OrderOral Questions
Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont Alberta
Conservative
Mike Lake ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the member for Bourassa sank to a new low with his question regarding the Minister of Industry's chief of staff.
If we wanted to go down the same road, we could point to the fact that there is a staffer in the office of the Leader of the Opposition who is currently on secondment from Hill and Knowlton.
The accusations from the member for Bourassa are unfounded and not based on any facts, but we have come to expect that from the member, who continues to throw mud against the wall hoping that something will eventually stick.
This has no place in the House. He must take responsibility for his actions. We would like to see him retract his statements and immediately send an apology to the minister's office addressed to his chief of staff.
Deepak Obhrai ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, under section 32(2) of the Standing Orders of the House of Commons, I have the pleasure to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “An Agreement Between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Republic of Poland Concerning the Promotion of Mobility of Young Citizens”.
An explanatory memorandum is included with this paper.
Rob Merrifield ConservativeMinister of State (Transport)
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) I am pleased to table, in both official languages, corporate plan summaries for Canada Post, years 2007 to 2011 and 2008 to 2012.