House of Commons Hansard #21 of the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was passport.
Tilly O'Neill-Gordon Conservative Miramichi, NB
Mr. Speaker, a member of the Liberal Party in the other place intends to introduce legislation that will see the ban of the Canadian seal hunt, while a senior adviser to the Liberal leader, Warren Kinsella, calls the seal hunt appalling.
Will the government comment on the Liberal Party's betrayal of Canadian seal hunters?
Gail Shea ConservativeMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, our government has spent much time and resources defending the Canadian seal hunt which has come under attack in Europe.
Now we find out that the seal hunt is coming under attack by the Liberal Party right here at home. The Liberal senator from Ottawa Centre intends to legislate an end to the Canadian seal hunt while the Liberal leader's very close adviser, Warren Kinsella, is quoted as saying, “--the seal hunt is also appalling, and has become way more trouble than it is worth”.
The Liberal Party is telling thousands of families who depend on this hunt, “Too bad. Go find a new way of life”. This is appalling.
Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Mr. Speaker, pay equity has been long since established in this country as a human right, not only federally but by the provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. Rather than moving forward on women's rights and showing leadership to the world as we have done in the past, the government is regressive.
I ask the minister this question. How can the government take a recognized human right, such as pay equity, and make it an item that is now up for negotiation, contrary to what the provinces are doing?
Vic Toews ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, in fact, the member is wrong.
What happens in provinces like Manitoba is that there is an ongoing duty to ensure that pay equity is recognized in the collective agreement. The first pay equity legislation was brought in, in Manitoba, in 1986. I would suggest that it is high time that the federal jurisdiction follow it as well. Women should not have to wait 15 or 20 years in order to have complaints resolved.
Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC
Mr. Speaker, not only is the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development being insensitive to the plight of unemployed workers by refusing to eliminate the two week waiting period, but it is further drawing out that waiting period by not having enough staff to deal with the increasing number of claims.
Will the minister immediately hire the additional staff needed to effectively deal with the increasing number of claims by thousands of people laid off because of the crisis?
Diane Finley ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Skills Development
Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we have done. We want to help people receive their EI benefits. We have already rehired retirees who worked in the EI office. We have called back people who had moved to other departments. We have improved the automation of the system. We want people to get their benefits as quickly as possible.
Glenn Thibeault NDP Sudbury, ON
Mr. Speaker, at a time when Canadians are struggling to make ends meet, banks and credit card companies are driving up fees while they report healthy profits. The minister's only action on this was to outline a proposal to strengthen disclosure requirements. More information about how we are being ripped off is one thing, but what Canadians really need is better legislation to protect them and small businesses.
Will the minister commit to protecting Canadians against this gouging or is he going to rub salt in our wounds and only explain to us how it happens?
Ted Menzies ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, the only salt that is being rubbed in any wound is the fact that the NDP decided to vote against the budget that would actually provide money to Canadians. The Bloc is supporting that position as well.
We are seeing a great frustration in the House today. Liberals have said that they want to speed this up, get money out to Canadians, get the $6 billion tied up in the bill out and get the five week extension to EI out the door. That is salt in the wound of any Canadian who has lost his or her job.
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker, CF Base Petawawa is one of the busiest and most active military bases in Canada, yet it lacks access to some of the basic services necessary for the health and welfare of our troops. Canadian Forces members and military families have called for a better system to ensure that ill and injured soldiers are able to receive the care as well as the support they need to prepare for the next phase of their lives.
What is the minister doing to fix this problem?
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke for her excellent question and her hard work on behalf of the men and women in uniform in her riding.
This morning, we announced the DND Veterans Affairs joint personnel support unit with eight centres across the country, including CFB Petawawa in her riding, to ensure a one-stop shop for consistent care and support during all phases of recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration for injured and ill CF members and their families. Whether they are returning to military life or exploring new civilian career opportunities, they will receive the assistance they need.
Our CF members perform excellent work. It is a difficult task we ask of them. The JPSU ensures a way to support them.
Derek Lee Liberal Scarborough—Rouge River, ON
Mr. Speaker, as the deadly conflict is unfolding in Sri Lanka, thousands of civilians are trapped and threatened in the conflict zone from which all NGO aid groups are expelled. Canada has pledged aid, but there are no NGOs to deliver it.
I ask the government, will it rise from its mute and weary disinterest on this and tell Sri Lanka now, directly and at the UN, that it has a duty to protect and that Sri Lanka will be judged not by how many fighters have died but by how it treats and protects its own civilians?
Bev Oda ConservativeMinister of International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, as I told the House previously, our primary concerns are the civilians who are being victimized by this conflict. Our government has asked for a ceasefire and open access for all humanitarian aid, so that the wounded can be evacuated and the refugees and civilians can be assisted. We want to have peace and order for these people who have been suffering for so many years and we will do our part responsibly.
Tony Martin NDP Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Speaker, what responsibility does the federal government have for the implementation and enforcement of the Canada Health Act? In my constituency, health care is in crisis. The hospital is running a $13 million deficit and it is running its operations on a $32 million line of credit. One of the outcomes may be the closing of a very important district hospital.
What responsibility does the federal government have to ensure, under the Canada Health Act, that every Canadian has access to health care when they need it?
Leona Aglukkaq ConservativeMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to the principles of the Canada Health Act. In fact, our government has committed to funding provinces. This year, up to $22.6 billion is being transferred to the provinces, with a 6% escalator for the next few years. The responsibility of health care delivery rests with the provinces and territories. This government is committed to funding the provinces.
Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC
Mr. Speaker, Citizenship and Immigration Canada plans to relocate its Quebec City office to the Lebourgneuf area this spring. This area is far from the city centre and not well served by public transportation. The Quebec City office will become inaccessible, thus compromising the service to which citizens and newcomers are entitled to expect.
Will the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism promise to review this decision in order to ensure that the population can access the services?
Christian Paradis ConservativeMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, it is the responsibility of this government to ensure that citizens receive appropriate service and that is what we are doing. The citizens of Quebec City will have the same service as that available throughout Canada, and that is first-rate service.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Pursuant to Section 535.2 of the Canada Elections Act, I have the honour to lay upon the table two reports of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada regarding returning officers.
These reports are deemed to have been referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Mr. Speaker, during question period the President of the Treasury Board claimed, constantly, that the model that the government is using is based on the Ontario model. I know that it is not.
The information the minister is giving in the House is incorrect because the pieces that appear in the Ontario model are not at all in the government one, in terms of the commission, the tribunal, as well as all of the appeals and the lack of punishment for the unions, which the government has.
I would like to table the Ontario legislation so that the minister might read it and be able to reacquaint himself with the real facts of the legislation as opposed to what he is presenting in the House which is patently false and totally off-base.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
Does the hon. member for Beaches—East York have the unanimous consent of the House to table this document?
Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian parliamentary delegation for the Canadian section of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas respecting its participation in the regional workshop of Central and South American parliamentarians, “Liberalizing Trade: The WTO, the Doha Round and Development Challenges”, held in San José, Costa Rica, on November 7 and 8, 2008.
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Joint Committee on Scrutiny of Regulations in relation to the review of statutory instruments. If the House gives consent, I intend to move concurrence in this report later today.
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-330, An Act to change the name of the electoral district of Chatham-Kent--Essex.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to move this private member's bill for a name change to my riding. As you know Chatham-Kent—Essex is the current name. The people of Leamington, who occupy that section of Essex, have brought it to my attention that they would like to see this name change. This private member's bill has already taken place in the provincial legislature and I would also like to table this in this House, as well.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Daryl Kramp Conservative Prince Edward—Hastings, ON
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-331, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (arrest without a warrant).
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to introduce my private member's bill today, an act to amend the Criminal Code. The purpose of this bill is to give a peace officer the power to arrest without a warrant a person who is in breach of a probation order binding the person or a condition of the person's parole. I believe all members of all parties in the House of Commons would agree to support and see a speedy passage of this bill.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)