Debates of March 13th, 2009

Immigration

[Michelle Simson, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the recent reports that the number of Filipino caregivers approved to work in Canada has been slashed almost in half since the Conservative government came to power. Statistics show that 66% of the Filipino caregivers who applied to the Canadian visa office in Manila last year were refused.

This past weekend, at an event in my constituency with members of the Filipino community, I heard time and again the concern they have regarding this regressive and arbitrary approach to immigration.

In Manila between 2006 and 2008, the rejection rate for caregivers rose from 35% to 66%.

Clearly, the Conservative government has decided to pick favourites when it comes to whom it lets in and whom it does not.

The government must stop undervaluing caregivers and allow them to enter Canada to fill the demand for their much needed services.

Tourism

[Greg Rickford, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there is some great news for Canada's tourism industry. The World Economic Forum has just released a report that lists the most attractive countries for tourism developers. We should celebrate that Canada has moved from ninth to fifth place.

One of the determining factors for the World Economic Forum in moving Canada up is this government's policy on tourism. A spokesperson specifically stated that Canada's high ranking is aided by a perception in the business community that the Conservative government is making a significant effort to promote tourism overseas.

Let us not forget that Canada's brand, “Keep Exploring”, ranks second in the world according to the Country Brand Index report.

Tourism is a major industry in my beautiful riding of Kenora. It is clear that our new investments are already being noticed and are bringing international results.

Canada's tourism is a vital part of our economic fabric. I am delighted that we are being recognized on the world stage.

Congratulations, Canada.

Laura Archer

[Paule Brunelle, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to express my indignation, but also my incredulity at the kidnapping of Laura Archer. From Montreal, Ms. Archer is a nurse by training and a volunteer with Doctors Without Borders in the Darfur region of Sudan, where humanitarian aid is crucial, given the situation.

Originally from Prince Edward Island, where she completed her training in 2001, Ms. Archer was on her third overseas mission. In Darfur, she worked with a mobile clinic that took medical care directly to those in need of it. The clinic has served over 55,000 people.

Although the kidnapping victims do not appear to have suffered any violence, we hope Ms. Archer will soon be able to return home to her loved ones, safe and sound. It makes no sense at all that people who devote themselves to bringing comfort to the lives of those most vulnerable should be kidnapped in the name of someone else's cause. We hope the Canadian government will do everything it can to resolve this situation.

The Budget

[Tim Uppal, Conservative, Edmonton—Sherwood Park, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my research has shown me that fear of criticism is usually caused by an intense negative experience from one's past, perhaps a sponsorship program that did not go so well. A major symptom of this fear is having difficulties with decision making out of fear of being criticized. For example, let us say the Liberal leader said he would support the economic action plan. Then he said he may not. Then he said he may. Then he said he may not. Then he had his senators hold it up. Once he actually read the plan, he forced his senators to pass--

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Ottawa--Vanier.

Heavy Truck Traffic

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have always been opposed to heavy truck traffic in established communities, such as exists in the heart of our nation's capital.

Redirecting this traffic is a necessity, as constantly argued by numerous community members, such as myself and numerous petitioners who have signed petitions, which I have tabled in the House over the last few months.

It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of Mrs. Samantha Wong, a member of our community. She was killed yesterday when a cement truck collided with her vehicle on King Edward Avenue. Allow me to offer my most sincere condolences to her family.

Unfortunately, these tragic accidents happen all too frequently. Lower town residents have endured this situation long enough. Residential areas and heavy truck traffic do not mix.

We need a ring road around the national capital region, which means two bridges, one in the east and one in the west, so we can move all of the heavy truck traffic out of the core of Canada's capital city.

For the well-being of our communities and of our citizens, let us get this job done.

Liberal Party of Canada

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, hear my voice; there is no need to put on your earmuffs for this Standing Order.

Much like the common garden snake, the Liberals have too thin a skin. They seem to forget, or they want people to forget that only three short months ago they were in league with both the separatists and the socialists. In fact, they liked separatism so much that one of their senators took up the cause for Newfoundland. They ran their election on a job-killing carbon tax, even as the world economy was heading into uncertainty. Canada would be suffering now if a carbon tax were in place.

The Conservatives have cut taxes. We have provided help for those hardest hit and invested in roads, bridges and other infrastructure.

The other side of the House has no plan--

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Stick with John Tory, Dean. Stick with John Tory.

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

Thank you for hearing my voice.

Mr. Speaker, I want the Liberal leader to know that imposing a job-killing carbon tax and hiking the GST is no plan--

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order. The hon. member for Welland.

Child Care

[Malcolm Allen, NDP, Welland, ON]

Mr. Speaker, thousands of workers are finding themselves unemployed or facing unemployment and the cold response from the government to the needs of Canadian families will unfortunately be felt largely by the most vulnerable, our children.

It is time that the Conservative government stopped peddling the $100 a month child care benefit as a national universal child care program.

By driving almost half a million Ontarians into poverty, the recession demands a sense of urgency from the government, if not a moral imperative to help those who cannot support themselves and their children.

Families need child care services. People cannot work or retrain for new jobs without them. Families living on low incomes spend every extra penny they receive just to survive. This includes the $100 a month child care benefit that most often goes toward putting food on the table to feed their family.

Unlike the Conservative government, New Democrats will not turn our backs on the children of Canada. We will continue to fight to enact our early learning and child care act and establish the first truly universal child care and early learning program in Canada.

New Democrats gave us medicare. New Democrats will give us early child care.

The Conservative Government

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased to see that the light finally went on yesterday for my Liberal colleagues as they realized that they had to support the budget. Better late than never.

I was even more pleased to note that several of my Bloc Québécois colleagues are keen on our plan. They like it so much that they have gone to all the trouble of organizing a tour in Quebec to promote it.

I invite all my Quebec colleagues to go back to their ridings during constituency week and listen to their citizens tell them that enough is enough, that the nonsense has to stop, solutions are needed.

I would like to assure all our citizens that, at least on this side of the House, this government will do what it takes to defend the interests of all Quebeckers.

Anti-scab Motion

[Luc Desnoyers, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for the Bloc Québécois, the best way to acknowledge the outstanding contribution of all those who contribute to Quebec society on a daily basis is to show true respect for their rights, starting with the right to strike, by preventing the use of replacement workers during a strike or lockout.

Therefore, it is imperative that workers governed by federal labour legislation have the same rights as those governed by Quebec legislation, including a true right to strike.

The example of Quebec, which adopted legislation more than 30 years ago, speaks volumes: the number and duration of labour conflicts has diminished. A fair balance of power is advantageous for everyone.

Therefore, I hope that the motion tabled in this House by the Bloc Québécois will receive the support of all parties.

World Water Day

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, March 22 is World Water Day. This year, the theme for World Water Day is “Shared Water, Shared Opportunities”. It aims at highlighting the unique challenges of waterways that cross the political borders between countries.

The world’s 263 transboundary lake and river basins cross 145 countries and cover nearly half of the Earth’s land surface. This is to say nothing of the massive reservoirs of freshwater in underground aquifers.

In view of growing pressure on the world’s freshwater from population growth, pollution and climate change, it is important, now more than ever, that we work together both within Canada and on the international stage to protect our water resources.

World Water Day gives me the opportunity to call on the government to take the issue of water seriously and to create, in Canada, a truly national water strategy.

The Economy

[Leon Benoit, Conservative, Vegreville—Wainwright, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians face a choice.

Our Prime Minister and this government have cut taxes for all Canadians. Someone does not believe in that.

Our Prime Minister and this government have reduced the GST from 7%, to 6%, to 5%. Someone opposes that, too. In fact, someone wants to raise the GST.

Our Prime Minister and this government have consistently opposed a job killing carbon tax. Someone wants to introduce it.

Our Prime Minister and this government introduce the $1,200 a year for every child under six universal child care benefit. Someone admits that he just might take that away.

The choice is clear. Canadians can choose a strong leader who is making life more affordable for Canadians and their families or they can choose someone who has been getting in the way of that action and whose musings about raising taxes are dangerous during this time of global recession.

Who is that someone? That someone is the Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, another 83,000 Canadians lost their jobs in February. The number is staggering.

Since the election last fall, when the Prime Minister assured Canadians that a recession was unlikely, that there were good buying opportunities on the stock market and that his government would never run a deficit, the economy, on his watch, has tanked. In total, 295,000 Canadian jobs have evaporated.

He claims that he anticipated all of this. If that is true, why have his policies so badly failed thousands upon thousands of Canadian families?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, today's job numbers are sobering and we sympathize with every Canadian affected, but we are doing more than simply sympathizing with Canadians.

The benefits of our economic action plan would have taken effect sooner had the Liberals passed the budget earlier and not played their political games. The Liberal leader and the Liberal Party should apologize to all Canadians. Instead of cashing in on bad economic news and exploiting the hardships of Canadians, they should have acted constructively in dealing with this economic crisis.

We are dealing with this crisis. We are getting the job done.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives will not build hope based on falsehoods and fiction.

The job creation target that the Conservatives announced in January has disappeared. They specifically promised 190,000 jobs. Instead, 83,000 Canadians lost their jobs in February, on top of 129,000 in January. The Conservative job loss rate in Canada is now twice as bad as in the United States.

Does the government even have a job creation target anymore? Does it stand by its promise of 190,000 jobs?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal leader wants to blame everyone else. Members of the Liberal Party were consistently told that delays by them and by the senators would prevent the delivery of important employment insurance benefits. It was a surprise to the Liberal leader that there were employment insurance benefits in that package.

The Liberals should have known better. They should have acted to help Canadians but they did not. They bear the consequences.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians will find cold comfort in that answer by the minister.

Under the Conservatives, the jobless rate in Canada has skyrocketed to 7.7%. Sadly, that is in line with the painful forecasts of all the independent analysts: the IMF, the OECD, Global Insight and the Parliamentary Budget Officer. The Toronto Dominion Bank says that half a million more jobs will be lost this year. Unemployment will rise to double digits, and that is after taking all the stimulus plans into account.

What do the Conservatives have to say to thousands of people who have no chance of finding a job when the government remains in--

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. President of the Treasury Board.

[Vic Toews, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, what Canadians understand is that they would have had no chance had the Liberals been in power. There is no question about that. In fact, they would have imposed a crushing carbon tax on our industries. They would have even deprived families of the universal child benefit that they consistently indicated they would do away with.

What has our government said? We will lower taxes, stimulate the economy and get money into the hands of the people who need it, and the Liberals refused. They stood in the way and now these are the--

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, under a Liberal government, 3.2 net million jobs were created. We did not have those job losses. Canadians were not losing their jobs like they are under the Conservatives. Young Canadians aged 15 to 24 have lost 29,000 jobs just in February. That brings their total job loss to over 100,000 jobs since October.

Yes, it is very funny, is it not?

While everyone knows that the unemployment rate for visible minority youth is two to three times higher than the--

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. President of the Treasury Board.