Debates of May 8th, 2009

The Economy

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, while Liberals were hoping for more bad economic news, something happened today. We have been saying that Canada has the strongest economy in the G7 and that our economic action plan is the right plan to help create and save jobs. The Liberals laughed and talked down Canada's economy and our plan.

Well, what happened today? Statistics Canada reported 36,000 new jobs were created in April. Our plan is working. Canadians are staying at work and they are finding new jobs.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance please comment on the April job numbers?

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Kitchener—Conestoga for his work in helping us roll out the economic action plan that is a part of this increase of 36,000 new jobs in April. We are encouraged by that increase.

I know hon. colleagues on the other side would like to talk it down. It is unbelievable how they can turn a good news story into a bad news story. They would do even worse if they had their way. The leader of the Liberal opposition would actually tax back some of that money from those 36,000 new jobs.

AbitibiBowater

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the AbitibiBowater mill in Grand Falls—Windsor, Newfoundland is now shut. Over 1,000 people have been affected. The Quebec courts ruled yesterday the company was allowed to suspend top-up payments to its pension program and laid-off workers are still without their severance payments.

In all of this, the Conservative government has been completely utterly absent from the issue. There has been barely a word or even a gesture of compassion, and this is what it calls standing up for Canadians.

Have the Conservatives ever talked to the Grand Falls--Windsor town about this specific issue?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, we conducted extensive consultations prior to the economic action plan being released in January of this year.

In fact, our approach has been very clear and has been very effective. We are supporting the industry through making access to credit more available to them. We are supporting the industry through marketing and through innovation.

Unfortunately, when we do have incidents as in Grand Falls where a mill closes, the government is there to ensure that both the community and the workers are supported through a $1 billion community adjustment fund and through EI reforms for the workers.

Official Languages

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

Mr. Speaker, a Montreal company wants to bid on a tender issued by the Government of Canada through the MERX system, Canada's online tendering service and a leader in its field. The company asked for documents relating to the invitation to tender in French. The only response from MERX was that the documents have not yet been translated and that it depends on the situation.

Can the Minister of Public Works and Government Services explain to businesses in Quebec what is meant by “it depends on the situation”, and why they are not entitled to the same rights as English-language businesses?

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, obviously this government has held firm to our commitment to both official languages in this country.

We support each and every Canadian regardless of which official language he or she chooses to work in, and we will continue to do so.

Foreign Affairs

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this past Monday the foreign affairs committee unanimously passed a motion inviting Abousfian Abdelrazik to appear before committee. The clerk of the committee has sent an invitation to Mr. Abdelrazik to appear, and by all counts he will accept.

As members know, yesterday the foreign affairs minister appeared to be unaware of the UN rules that allow for the return of citizens. It is crystal clear; those citizens are allowed to come back to their country.

Will the government allow Mr. Abdelrazik to come home, to come before committee, or is it going to break the rules? Will the government heed the words of Mr. Diefenbaker, who said, “Freedom is the right to be wrong, not the right to do wrong”. Is the government going to do right or do wrong?

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Abdelrazik's case is a complex matter. It began under the watch of the previous Liberal government, as I have said. He is on the United Nations Security Council's 1267 list, associated with people like Osama Bin Laden from al-Qaeda. There is a process that will enable Mr. Abdelrazik and his lawyer to seek a delisting from that list.

Mr. Abdelrazik is at the embassy in Sudan. He is getting consular service. He is being well taken care of in the embassy.

The matter is currently under litigation, before the courts this week, and we cannot comment further.

Infrastructure

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our government is delivering an economic action plan that stimulates the economy, that creates jobs, and that supports Canadian families across the country.

We are working with our provincial and municipal partners to improve our nation's infrastructure and to make our transportation systems more efficient.

Could the Minister of Transport tell the House how the government's significant investment in the national capital bridge system will benefit the people of Ottawa and the Outaouais?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague from Ottawa—Orléans has been building bridges between communities on both sides of the Ottawa River.

We were very pleased to join the Minister of Foreign Affairs when we announced funding for the rehabilitation of the Alexandria Bridge and the restoration of the Chaudière crossing. Some 15,000 people depend on these bridges daily. People have wanted to see investments made in Hull-Aylmer for so long, and finally they have a government that is delivering.

Sealing Industry

[Scott Andrews, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Mr. Speaker, nearly 6,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians depend on the seal hunt for their livelihood.

The Conservative government is failing Canadian sealers by not forcing the EU on this issue. Why can the government not tell the EU that all its trade with Canada depends on discussing the seal hunt during these free trade talks? The EU just cannot have its way.

My question is for the Minister of International Trade. The Government of Newfoundland is not endorsing free trade discussions between Canada and the EU. Does this mean anything to the Conservatives, or are they just turning their backs on Newfoundland and Labrador again?

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, as a Nova Scotian and as someone from Atlantic Canada, I can tell the member that this government and the Prime Minister have stood up for sealers both on the high seas and abroad, without question.

It is entirely wrong-headed not to be in negotiations with the European Union on the free trade agreement. The very reason we are at the table is so we can continue to discuss and to advocate on behalf of the sealing industry and Atlantic Canada.

Product Safety

[Jim Maloway, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, as spring will soon turn to summer, Canadians will be enjoying the great outdoors, the fresh air and of course the sunshine. However, many commonly used sunscreen products contain harsh chemicals, such as oxybenzone and benzophenone-3, which dermatologists and researchers say can cause severe skin reactions in adults and children, which has actually happened to two of my constituents.

Could the Minister of Health assure Canadians that their sunscreen will protect them from the sun and that their sunscreen is even safe to use?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of the action we are taking to promote the health and safety of Canadians through the chemicals management plan.

Canadians expect action. We monitor these chemicals on a regular basis. We do act appropriately when complaints occur.

North American Free Trade Agreement

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, under Standing Order 32(2), I have the pleasure to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “Exchange of Letters constituting an Agreement between the Government of Canada, the Government of the United Mexican States and the Government of the United States of America rectifying Annex 300-B, Annex 308.1, Annex 401, Annex 403.1 and the Uniform Regulations for Chapter Four of the North American Free Trade Agreement, done at Washington, Mexico City and Ottawa on 9 April, 13 April and 24 April 2009.” An explanatory memorandum is included with the treaty.

Government Response to Petitions

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to four petitions.

Environment and Sustainable Development

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

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development in relation to Bill C-16, An Act to amend certain Acts that relate to the environment and to enact provisions respecting the enforcement of certain Acts that relate to the environment.

Government Operations and Estimates

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates. In accordance with its order of reference of Friday, April 3, your committee has considered Bill C-18, An Act to amend the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act, to validate certain calculations and to amend other Acts, and agreed on Thursday, May 7 to report it without amendment.

Transport, Infrastructure and Communities

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

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities on Bill C-7, An Act to amend the Marine Liability Act and the Federal Courts Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts.

Sri Lanka

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

Mr. Speaker, I have three more petitions from constituents and residents of the Greater Toronto Area who are very concerned about the deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka, where the lives of many Sri Lankans are at risk.

The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to demand that the government of Sri Lanka immediately initiate a ceasefire, to call upon the United Nations to negotiate a permanent ceasefire of hostilities, to call upon the United Nations to provide immediate humanitarian relief and to demand that the government of Sri Lanka provide immediate, full and free access to the conflict zone for non-governmental organizations and international media.

Firearms Registry

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present a petition from my constituents in beautiful Langley, British Columbia. The petitioners note that the long gun registry was originally budgeted to cost Canadians $2 million, but the price tag has spiralled out of control to an estimated $2 billion a decade later. They also note that the registry has not saved one single life since it was introduced and that they would rather see their tax dollars getting guns out of the hands of criminals instead of trying to control law-abiding citizens.

They call upon the House of Commons to support legislation to cancel the Canadian long gun registry.

Employment Insurance

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have another petition from my constituents in Langley. The petitioners say that there are a number of severe, potentially life-threatening conditions that do not qualify for disability programs because they are not necessarily permanent.

They call upon the House of Commons to enact legislation to provide additional medical EI benefits to at least equal maternity EI benefits.

Human Rights

[James Rajotte, Conservative, Edmonton—Leduc, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to present petitions on behalf of the United for Peace petition. Thirteen hundred Canadians have signed this. I believe all four political parties have presented petitions on this in the House.

The petition deals with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, resolving the Israeli-Palestinian and Philippine conflicts and addressing the root causes of conflict in Colombia.

Asbestos

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table before the House two sets of petitions, both on asbestos.

Citizens from British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario call upon the government to ban asbestos in all its forms, to institute a just transition program for asbestos workers in the communities they live in, to end all government subsidies to asbestos in Canada and abroad and to stop blocking international health and safety conventions designed to protect workers from asbestos, such as the Rotterdam Convention.

The second set of petitions is from residents of Quebec. The residents of Quebec also call upon the government to ban asbestos in all its forms, to institute a just transition program for asbestos workers, to end all government subsidies and to stop blocking international health and safety conventions.

It is most noteworthy to the House that this petition comes from the residents of Quebec.

Sri Lanka

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I present a petition on behalf of my constituents. The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to use every diplomatic means at its disposal to seek an immediate ceasefire, to work with the international community to pressure the government of Sri Lanka and its military to respect the human rights of the civilian Tamil population and the embargo on food, medicine and other essential items to the combat zone and to restore the unequivocal freedom of the press and freedom of movement for the UN and the international aid organizations throughout the whole of Sri Lanka.