Debates of May 29th, 2009

Medical Isotopes

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, one would think that a country that supplies 50% of the world's medical isotopes would show some leadership. Yet the Liberal and Conservative governments have been burying their heads in the sand and have shirked their responsibilities when it comes to medical isotopes.

If we wanted any more proof that the federal government is incompetent when it comes to health care, this is it.

Will the Minister of Health admit that she has failed in her duties, especially after what happened in December 2007, by not ensuring that the world would never see another medical isotope shortage because of Canada's negligence?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, since 2007, government and health care providers have developed contingency measures to minimize the impact on patients. This includes alternative isotopes, such as thallium 201 for cardiac scanning.

The Minister of Natural Resources is working very hard with the international community to deal with the supply issue. Health Canada has been in contact with the provinces and territories and has discussed the implementation of the contingency measures to provide medical isotopes alternatives.

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited

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

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt, steps taken by the federal government have been very ineffective, to say the least. Now people who are sick are suffering.

The government's haste to privatize Atomic Energy of Canada Limited is suspicious, especially knowing that Jean-François Béland—a former senior advisor in the Prime Minister's Office and staffer in the office of the member for Beauce, who was the industry minister at the time—is now working for the French firm Areva, which specializes in nuclear energy.

Are we to understand that the government's haste to complete this privatization is directly related to this man's involvement in the matter and that the government has given its friends preferential treatment—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. Minister of Health.

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Natural Resources is working closely with her international partners on the issue of supply.

The current isotope shortage is concerning, however, Canadians can have confidence that the government is taking short-term measures and looking at long-term solutions. I have engaged with my provincial and territorial counterparts and the U.S. secretary of health, as well as the medical community and experts in the field.

My colleague, the Minister of Natural Resources, again, is working closely with international partners to come up with a global response to this issue.

The Economy

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Mr. Speaker, during the last election the Conservatives talked about tightening their belts. It turns out that the only belts being tightened were Canadians.

When the recession began, the Prime Minister's first reaction was: (a) to expand his cabinet by 20%; (b) appoint 18 new Conservative senators; and (c) order a new fleet of limos.

Will the government simply admit that it is too blinded by partisan self-interest and largess to get Canada's fiscal house in order?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the real challenge is making some order of the Liberal positions on the economy.

First the Liberals attack the deficit for which they voted. Then they want to increase it with a multi-billion dollar 45-day work year. The Liberal leader says that the coalition, which he signed on to, would break up Canada. When he is in British Columbia, he is against support for the auto sector. When he is in Ontario, he says that it should be bigger and faster. It is hard to keep track of the shifting flip-flops that we see on the other side of the aisle.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the first year the government sole-sourced 40% of its $17 billion in military procurements. It is estimated that sole-sourcing increases costs by 30%. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg.

We have a finance minister who has a talent for pricing illegal contracts to his friends, but shows no aptitude for estimating deficits. We have a Prime Minister who craves appearances on U.S. television, while driving Canada's fiscal house into the ditch. Why?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have a leader, a real Canadian leader.

On that side of the House, the Liberals have the man who fathered the carbon tax, put it up for adoption to his predecessor and now wants a paternity test to prove the tar baby was never his in the first place. He attacks the deficit that he voted for, but wants billions more for a 45-day work year.

On this side of the House, we stand for lower taxes, strong economic action plan, getting the job done for Canadians. That is where we stand. That is our leader.

Medical Isotopes

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians who are facing cancer are under tremendous stress. The shutdown of Chalk River has adversely affected the necessary supply of medical isotopes that 5,000 patients a day in Canada need. The government faced a similar situation a year and a half ago. It said then, never again.

Where was the planning to head off this interruption in the supply of medical isotopes when lives are at stake? Concerning is not good enough.

Why are the Conservative so incompetent?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, since 2007, government and health care providers have developed contingency measures to minimize the impact on patients. This includes using alternative isotopes, such as thallium.

I have engaged with my provincial and territorial counterparts as well as the United States and medical experts in this area. My colleague, the Minister of Natural Resources, has been working with the international community.

Health Canada has provided advance warning and regular updates to the provinces and territories. We have worked with the isotope experts to develop medical guidance on dealing with the shortage, including using medical isotope alternatives.

[Bernard Patry, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, approximately two million cancer screening tests are conducted every year in Canada using radioactive isotopes. In addition, the Chalk River isotopes are used in some 10 million tests each year in the United States.

Does the minister realize that 80% of these tests cannot be administered while the reactor is not in service? For heart and cancer patients, these are the life and death consequences of the Conservatives' dismal management. What is the minister doing? What is her plan? Will there be funds to purchase new PET scanners needed to diagnose cancer?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, again, this is an international issue that requires international co-operation and global response.

Health Canada has provided advance warnings and regular updates to the provinces and the territories. I am working with the medical isotopes experts to develop medical guidance on dealing with the shortage, including examining other possible isotopes. We are also using levers, such as the special access programs and clinical trials, to provide alternatives to Canadians.

Health Canada is taking every possible steps to ensure access to alternative isotopes where possible.

Taxation

[LaVar Payne, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, last May, CTV's Craig Oliver asked the Liberal leader, “Now you were the first leader as a candidate leader to talk about a carbon tax, and you took a little bit of heat for that. Do you still believe in a carbon tax? Of course you do?” The Liberal leader replied, “I do, Craig. I learned that there's no punishment more severe in politics than being the first guy with a good idea”.

Is that what the Liberal leader meant when he said last month, “We will have to raise taxes?”

Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister please inform the House?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal leader should give himself more credit. He fathered the carbon tax idea. Then he generously put it up for adoption to his predecessor. Now he wants a paternity test to prove that this tar baby is not his.

He says that the coalition, on which he signed in support of, would break up the country. He attacks the deficit that he voted for and wants billions more of spending, even on a 45-day EI work year. When he is in Britain, he is British. When he is in America, he is American. When he is in B.C., he is against the auto bailout. When he is in Ontario, he wants it to be bigger. The Liberal leader does not seem to know who he is.

Infrastructure

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government is incapable of transferring the money promised for infrastructure to communities that need it. Only 6% of infrastructure funds have been reached the communities.

Why is the government delaying the transfer payments for community infrastructure?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I am somewhat surprised that this honourable member is asking such a question because in downtown Ottawa, in his own riding, the work underway on the Ottawa Congress Centre is being funded by the Government of Canada.

The coalition criticizes our policies and our deficit but, at the same time, it is telling us to spend more and faster. The coalition should decide if the deficit is too large or too small. We are managing our economy properly.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the whole country is shovel in hand, waiting for the government to get its act together.

Look at Perth, Ontario, not Ottawa Centre. It has received zero dollars. It does not even know the status of its application. The money is delayed so communities cannot finish the infrastructure projects within the 24 month deadline. The mayor of Perth worries that Perth will have to return any money it might eventually get back to the federal government.

Will the government at least remove this unrealistic deadline and will it be reasonable with communities both large and small?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we have doubled the gas tax and have moved it forward so municipalities can get it quicker. We are announcing support for projects right across the country.

However, the leader of the opposition coalition, of which the member was a supporter, said, “It does not make sense to say we passed a budget in April and it's the first of May. We have to deal with it for a little bit of time to see if the measures we supported have in fact worked”.

It is going to take time. However, the Liberal-NDP coalition cannot simultaneously say that the deficit is too big and then say that we need to spend more and faster.

Mirabel Airport

[Mario Laframboise, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the control tower at Mirabel Airport was closed on the pretext that there was not enough air traffic. Representatives of Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney, Bell Helicopter, L3 Communications, Helibellule and Federal Express wrote to the Minister of Transport on April 23, urging him to correct this situation. The minister did not deign to reply and give special status to the airport, which has become part of the aerospace industry infrastructure over the years.

Will the minister see to it that Mirabel Airport gets its control tower back, so that the aerospace industry can keep growing?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.

The safety of Canada's air transportation system is important to this government. The Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities is aware of the situation at Mirabel and has asked officials to look at it.

Officials will meet with key stakeholders this morning. In 2007, NAV CANADA began analyzing services at Mirabel. This analysis is still under way, and I invite the member to work with us to resolve this issue.

[Mario Laframboise, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since the control tower was closed, two incidents have occurred at Mirabel, fortunately without serious consequences. NAV CANADA's decision is hurting development and investment in Montreal's aerospace industry.

Will the minister listen to reason and give Mirabel International Airport back its control tower?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that my hon. colleague will acknowledge that in 2007, NAV CANADA began analyzing services provided at Mirabel and that Transport Canada determined that the changes subsequently proposed would not have a negative impact on safety.

That said, if a group of users is worried about the changes to services, we will be pleased to meet with them to discuss this further.

Canadian International Development Agency

[Glen Pearson, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week we witnessed something unprecedented in this building. Nineteen African ambassadors assembled in front of the foreign affairs committee, at their request, to act as a voice of solidarity with those eight African nations that have had large portions of their development funds cut by CIDA. They pleaded with committee members to consider the implications to our own reputation as a caring nation if we pursued these cuts.

Would the Minister of International Cooperation reconsider these cuts in light of this development?

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, the member is correct. There were 18 representatives of African nations who attended that meeting. Regrettably, their report to the committee was erroneous because it was based on erroneous information that had been propagated by the Liberals, the Bloc and the NDP.

In fact, we have doubled our aid to Africa in the last three years. The figure is now $2.1 billion. We are very proud of the reputation that our government has in supporting African issues.