House of Commons Hansard #43 of the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was benefits.

Topics

2 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken

It being Wednesday, we will now have the singing of the national anthem led by the hon. member for Winnipeg North.

[Members sang the national anthem]

MalariaStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Conservative

Patrick Brown Conservative Barrie, ON

Mr. Speaker, April 25 marks World Malaria Day. I rise today in the House to encourage my colleagues to focus their attention on eradicating this disease.

Members should consider these statistics: Every 30 seconds a child dies of malaria in Africa. Malaria kills more than one million and infects between 350 million and 500 million lives a year. Adding to this human devastation and loss caused by malaria, the economic cost of this disease to Africa is estimated at a staggering $12 billion. This is totally unacceptable. Malaria is entirely preventable and treatable so action must be taken.

Sleeping under a simple bed net is the most efficient way to fight the spread of this disease. One bed net can protect up to five sleeping children for up to five years. In countries such as Ethiopia, long-lasting nets are credited with reducing deaths and infections from malaria by 50%.

We are rapidly approaching World Malaria Day. I would encourage every member of Parliament to think about those suffering with, and exposed to, malaria.

In Barrie we will be having a town hall on Saturday.

MalariaStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Liberal

Navdeep Bains Liberal Mississauga—Brampton South, ON

Mr. Speaker, this Saturday will be the second anniversary of World Malaria Day.

Malaria is a treatable and preventable illness that still affects half a billion of the world's population and kills nearly a million people each year.This disease is hardest felt by young children in Africa where 86% of cases occur.

Every 30 seconds a child dies of malaria, and each of those deaths is avoidable. Malaria is not expensive to treat and is even cheaper to prevent, yet the places that suffer the most at the hands of this disease cannot afford the treatment.

I believe it is our duty as citizens of the world to speak up, raise awareness and most important, provide the tools to combat this scourge of humanity.

One of the best ways of preventing malaria is through treated mosquito nets. I urge all Canadians to log on to buyanet.ca and donate to this vital cause. Already, 50,000 nets have been donated.

Together we can eradicate malaria forever.

Charles AznavourStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Bloc

Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Mr. Speaker, on Monday Charles Aznavour was awarded an honourary doctorate by the Université de Montréal for his exceptional contribution to world francophone culture.

Now 85, this prolific artist has composed 1,000 songs, including the famous Je m'voyais déjà, For me, formidable, Emmenez-moi and Je voyage, as well as appearing in about sixty films.

Born to Armenian parents on May 22, 1924, he and his family lived through the economic hardships of the thirties, but this did not stop him from learning to sing and act. In the late 1930s he wrote lyrics for Edith Piaf, the Compagnons de la Chanson and Jacques Hélian, and then branched out into a solo career. By 1954 he had had over 30 hits, with many more to follow. In 1963 he went on a world tour, starting in New York City. He is currently on tour in Quebec.

My colleagues in the Bloc Québécois and myself are proud to take this opportunity to tell the House about this honour paid to Charles Aznavour, and extend our heartiest congratulations.

MalariaStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

NDP

Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North, MB

Mr. Speaker, I too want to talk about World Malaria Day, a day to raise awareness and support for the prevention of a disease that kills one million people a year, mostly in Africa and mostly children under five. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable because of their reduced natural immunity, and through them, their newborns. We can prevent this through antenatal treatment and the use of insecticide nets.

Groups like Buy-A-Net, the Red Cross, the Canadian Nurses Association, and CFNU, with donations from Canadians, are making a difference. With CIDA's backing, hundreds of thousands of lifesaving nets are being distributed every year.

Support for the Global Fund, with its focus on malaria, TB and HIV-AIDS, is also key with 70 million nets and 74 million drug treatments to its credit.

Much more needs to be done. We need to increase our support, especially now when vital financial contributions may decline.

Today we call on the Government of Canada to recognize World Malaria Day and to increase Canada's financial support for the battle against this deadly disease and threat to women's health.

MalariaStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Gord Brown Conservative Leeds—Grenville, ON

Mr. Speaker, malaria kills up to 1.3 million people each year worldwide, including one child every 30 seconds. It can be prevented with a $6 insecticide-treated bed net.

April 25 is World Malaria Day. To help draw attention to the need for bed nets, Heather Haynes, an artist from the Gananoque area in my riding of Leeds--Grenville, will display in Kingston a travelling exhibit called “Worlds Collide”. Ms. Haynes travelled to Africa with her 11-year-old son, Whitney Montgomery, who raised $1,400 to buy nets.

The Buy-A-Net charity was started by Debra Lefebvre of Kingston, who was recently honoured as citizen of the year in that city.

A donation of $6 will purchase a long-lasting bed net. For a donation of $350, an entire village can be protected.

For more information, visit www.buyanet.ca

Local Farmers on the HillStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE

Mr. Speaker, I extend a warm welcome to members of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Union des producteurs agricoles, who will be holding their annual Local Farmers on the Hill event tomorrow, from 11 to 4, in Room 256-S.

The OFA represents over 38,000 farm members, while the UPA represents all of Quebec's 44,000 farm producers. This event is an opportunity to recognize the tireless efforts of Canadian farmers to produce safe, quality food for Canadian families.

While food safety has become a prominent issue, it is imperative that an understanding of the food system include the entire process of food production from farm to table. I encourage members to gain a first-hand perspective of the issues of the farm and of possible solutions for the future. In doing so, let us recognize the hard work of Canadian farmers and the integral role they play in sustaining our food system.

Bentley GeneralsStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Wetaskiwin, AB

Mr. Speaker, Bentley, Alberta is more than just a small town. It is home to the 2009 Allan Cup champions.

Since 1908, Canadian senior men's AAA hockey players have competed for Canada's oldest amateur hockey championship, the Allan Cup. For the third consecutive year, the Bentley Generals qualified to play in the Allan Cup tournament. They earned a berth in the national championship in a hard-fought battle over the Fort St. John Flyers in the McKenzie Cup series.

With two goals from Ryan Manitowich, the Generals trailed Manitoba's South East Prairie Thunder three to two until 8:03 of the third period, when Captain Kent Beagle scored a short-handed goal to set up the exciting finale. Both teams battled through double overtime until Diarmuid Kelly scored and secured the title for the Generals.

Along with the legions of enthusiastic fans from across central Alberta who came out in droves to cheer on the Generals, I know everyone in the House will join me in congratulating Coach Brian Sutter and the members of the 2008-09 Bentley Generals for clinching this victory and bringing the Allan Cup home to Bentley.

Earth DayStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Bloc

Christian Ouellet Bloc Brome—Missisquoi, QC

Mr. Speaker, today the world is celebrating Earth Day, and 500 million people in 184 countries will be marking it in some way.

Among the programs organized for the occasion, there is a biennial theme encouraging every municipality in Quebec to launch a sustainable development project.

According to the Yale and Columbia environmental performance index, Canada's performance worsened between 2006 and 2008. It is important to draw attention to the monumental job being done by dedicated organizations and volunteers working to inform and educate the public and save the planet.

It saddens us to see how little interest the Conservatives have in the environment, sustainable development, water pollution, the list is endless. By refusing to implement Canada's Kyoto commitment, this government is showing us how indifferent it is about the future of our Earth.

The EnvironmentStatements By Members

April 22nd, 2009 / 2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC

Mr. Speaker, today is Earth Day, a day meant to raise environmental awareness of the planet. The Government of Canada is committed to preserving and enhancing the environment for current and future generations.

Canada and the rest of the world face challenges and opportunities for the environment. Especially during this period of economic uncertainty, we need to balance the need to protect our environment while working to build and encourage a strong economy.

We recently announced that we are going to be working with President Obama and our U.S. partners to reduce air pollution from our coastal areas due to shipping activity. We also announced that we are going to introduce tough new measures to limit greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. Our government will also be investing $2.5 million over five years to support the United Nation's GEMS/Water program, an international science program aimed at understanding inland water quality issues around the world.

When it comes to the environment, we are getting the job done.

I encourage all Canadians to embrace the spirit of Earth Day and to continue to make environmentally friendly and sustainable choices.

MalariaStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON

Mr. Speaker, April 25 is World Malaria Day, a day of unified commemoration of the global effort to provide effective malaria control around the world.

Malaria kills millions of people each year. Every 30 seconds, the virus kills a child. These deaths are preventable.

Now it is Canada's turn. We must join with the international community to meet the 2010 targets of delivering effective and affordable protection and treatment to all people at risk of malaria.

The international community is on the cusp of winning the global fight against malaria. The countdown is on.

I hope hon. members will come to the reception with the Speaker this afternoon, and join me in donating a mosquito net for the Buy-A-Net, Save-a-Life campaign. It is time we did our part.

The Bloc QuébécoisStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Daniel Petit Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc has betrayed Quebec. Despite everything that party says, we have reason to wonder whether it really wants to fight gun crime in Quebec.

On Monday, the Bloc made another attempt to weaken Bill C-14, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (organized crime and protection of justice system participants), by suggesting that mandatory minimum sentences that could apply to drive-by shootings, among other things, be removed from the bill.

However, in a Bloc press release dated February 15, 2007, the member for Hochelaga said that the Criminal Code should be amended to give police forces the tools they need to fight street gangs. That is exactly what we are proposing with the mandatory minimum sentences in this bill.

While the Bloc spends its time telling Quebeckers anything it pleases, our government is putting honest citizens, justice and victims first in its governance bill.

InfrastructureStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

NDP

Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON

Mr. Speaker, a high speed rail service to Canada's largest airport in Toronto from the downtown union station is long overdue, but the provincial and federal governments must not ignore the real concerns of the city of Toronto and the residents in my riding.

The trains should be electric and not diesel, so they are clean and green. Local residents, store owners in the Liberty Village, the Niagara neighbourhood, Queen and King Street West should not see their neighbourhood wrecked by an eight metre high bridge over the rail corridor.

There is no reason to sacrifice Toronto's vibrant, creative and historic communities since the city of Toronto has a plan that would accommodate the new rail lines and blend well with the existing landscape.

We have seen what happened with the Gardiner Expressway. Let us not make the same mistake. I urge the federal Minister of Transport to direct Metrolinx to work with the community and the city of Toronto to resolve this conflict.

TaxationStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Paul Calandra Conservative Oak Ridges—Markham, ON

Mr. Speaker, are there any more new policies the Liberal Party would like to announce during this global recession?

We know that the Liberals want to increase the GST. We know that they want to impose a job-killing carbon tax and last week, the Liberal leader said, “We will have to raise taxes”.

If there was any doubt that the Liberals were out of touch with Canadians before this announcement, their new policy has surely confirmed it.

Canadians deserve to know, which taxes would the Liberals raise? By how much would they raise these taxes and who would be forced to pay these high taxes?

My constituents have made it very clear. They work very hard for their money. They appreciate the investments our government has made, which has left more money in their pockets, more money so that they can invest in their future and in the future of their families. They do not want another tax and spend Liberal lecturing them on how they should use their hard-earned money.

Cutting taxes, investing in Canadians, tackling crime, supporting farmers, and working with our provincial and municipal partners is our agenda and it is the agenda of Canadians.

MalariaStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Bloc

Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC

Mr. Speaker, more than 750,000 children die from malaria every year in Africa and more than 500 million people are infected worldwide. Considering these worrisome statistics, it is important to do everything we can to save these at risk populations. That is why April 25 is World Malaria Day.

Insecticide-treated bed nets are the most effective and economical way to prevent death from malaria. That is why I would like to acknowledge the “spread the net” campaign, led by 14 college and university UNICEF clubs in Quebec. The funds raised will allow UNICEF to purchase bed nets, distribute them free of charge to families in Rwanda and Liberia, and educate recipients on their usage.

For just a few dollars, it is possible to save lives for a family. I would like to congratulate everyone who believes in and invests in this noble cause to fight malaria.

Earth DayStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC

Mr. Speaker, April 22 marks the anniversary of the first Earth Day in 1970, a milestone in the environmental movement and born from the frustration that our basic, life-sustaining and critical needs, such as clean air and water, biodiversity of plant and animal species, the health of our oceans, and freedom from exposure to toxic substances, were being ignored.

Today's challenges are greater still as people annually consume more than the world can renew. In the near term, we are faced with the global economic crisis, but it remains urgent to make progress now on our long-term environmental challenges, especially the climate change crisis.

Therefore, let Earth Day 2009 be a clarion call for a climate-change solution that is scientifically credible, economically viable and equitable.

Let us heed the wisdom of 12-year-old Severn Suzuki at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, who was fighting for her future and who challenged us to fight for the future of all generations.

TaxationStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

Mr. Speaker, all the top economists in the world agree that raising taxes during these economic times is absolutely the worst thing to do to help our economy. Yet, that is exactly what the Liberal Party is proposing.

As revealed just last week, the Liberal leader said, and I quote, “We will have to raise taxes”. The Liberal plan is to raise taxes on Canadian families.

While the Canadian government has a strong economic action plan that will reduce taxes by a further $20 billion, the Liberals are now threatening to raise taxes. Yet, in typical Liberal fashion, they are refusing to divulge details in their tax plan.

The Liberal Party needs to come clean. It needs to be up front and honest with Canadians, and tell us what taxes it is going to hike. Liberals need to tell Canadians how much they are going to raise our taxes and they need to tell us who is going to pay these taxes.

The EconomyOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Etobicoke—Lakeshore Ontario

Liberal

Michael Ignatieff LiberalLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Governor of the Bank of Canada told Canadians that the recession would be deeper and longer than anticipated. Today the International Monetary Fund predicts the most severe recession since 1945. These predictions come as no surprise to the 300,000 Canadians who have lost their jobs since January of this year.

What additional measures, what hope, can the Prime Minister offer to the people who may be watching this on television because they do not have jobs to go to?

The EconomyOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, as the Leader of the Opposition will know, this government brought in a much larger fiscal stimulus package than the International Monetary Fund was actually calling for. Obviously, there are important measures there, particularly as they affect those who are unemployed and those who will be seeking new jobs. We are going to make sure we do whatever is necessary to help those people.

Let me just point out what the IMF said today about the record of Canada and a couple of other countries. It said:

Fortunately, conservative monetary and fiscal policy management [in these economies] now leave policymakers better placed than those in other countries to mitigate further declines in demand.

The EconomyOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Etobicoke—Lakeshore Ontario

Liberal

Michael Ignatieff LiberalLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, the Bank of Canada made it very clear that the economic crisis has worsened since January.

Does the Prime Minister understand that the assumptions of his January budget no longer hold? Will he revise his own projections in respect of revenue and deficits? Will he bring forward additional measures to help the vulnerable and working Canadians?

The EconomyOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we will constantly analyze the situation and take whatever measures are necessary. As the IMF and others have said, we are taking the appropriate course of action.

Now I know about the leader of the Liberal Party and the kinds of additional measures he wants are increases in taxes. That is not what we are going to do.

The EconomyOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Etobicoke—Lakeshore Ontario

Liberal

Michael Ignatieff LiberalLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, this is the Prime Minister who spent us into the red in good times. It is the Prime Minister who slapped a 31.5% tax on income trusts. This is the Prime Minister who is going to leave us with the biggest deficit in Canadian history, and he is giving me a lecture on economics?

I ask the Prime Minister, in fact, how can he explain this record of incompetence to the Canadian people?

The EconomyOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the fact is this, virtually every country in the world is running a deficit. The reason we are running a deficit is to take money that the private sector is not using and to make sure it is employed for the benefit of people who are losing their jobs.

That is why we have surpluses in good times, so that we can act when times are tough. And none of that, there is no excuse for an agenda to raise taxes.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Liberal

David McGuinty Liberal Ottawa South, ON

Mr. Speaker, we have seen three ministers in three years, and three plans to combat climate change have been abandoned.

We have intensity targets, but no absolute reductions. There are no regulations concerning greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions are increasing. Canada does not have a carbon exchange. There are no costs associated with carbon.

After three years of negligence, what are the Conservatives waiting for, a “made in Washington” plan? Are they waiting for a carbon tariff that penalizes Canadian exports? Or are they waiting for both of those things?

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Langley B.C.

Conservative

Mark Warawa ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and President Obama have had very good meetings on the clean energy dialogue, as has the minister. That clean energy dialogue includes expanding clean energy research and development, technology, and an efficient electricity grid based on renewable and clean energy.

We are getting it done, and I want to thank the member for supporting our plan.