Debates of Nov. 19th, 2010

Privacy and Personal Information

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday at the transport committee, in response to my question, the Privacy Commissioner said that personal information about Canadians provided under Bill C-42 to American security agencies can be used for any purpose: immigration, law enforcement, or even sent to foreign countries.

Two days earlier, the Minister of Public Safety testified this could not happen saying, “It would be unlawful is my understanding of American law to use it for any other purpose”.

Whom should we believe: the minister or the Privacy Commissioner? When will the Conservatives come clean on protecting Canadians' privacy?

[John Baird, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, this is obviously an important piece of legislation that is before committee. We have a great deal of regard for the Privacy Commissioner. We will continue to work with her on these issues.

There is a small amount of information that is being requested by the Obama administration. We will also continue to work with it.

We have to ensure that our aviation system is safe, that we can co-operate with our allies and ensure that Canadians' reasonable expectation of privacy is respected.

Taxation

[Joe Preston, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to taxes, the choice is clear.

The risky Liberal-Bloc-NDP coalition would impose higher taxes on Canadian families and job creators. Tax hikes would kill 400,000 Canadian jobs according to experts.

On the other hand, the Conservative government believes in lower taxes. We cut over 100 taxes since coming to office. Total savings for a typical family are over $3,000.

Could the parliamentary secretary please inform the House what a major international study said today about Canada?

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

Mr. Speaker, unlike the Liberals, we believe in lower taxes for Canadians and leaving more money in their pockets where it belongs.

A PricewaterhouseCoopers study released today reveals Canada has leaped to the top of the global rankings as the best place for job creators. According to that report, our tax cuts for job creators mean that Canada “is moving in the right direction...stimulating economic growth and restoring confidence following the global economic recession”.

Food Safety

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, the minister should know the difference between an audit and a review. It was an audit that was called for to determine the number of inspectors needed and how many facilities each inspector should be responsible for.

Canadians want confidence that inspectors are in place to do the job. The government has denied Canadians that right. Sheila Weatherill demanded the audit because she clearly had no more confidence in the government than we do.

Just what is it that the minister does not get about his responsibilities for food safety?

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture]

Mr. Speaker, we take food safety very seriously. As I already explained, we conducted a thorough independent review. We are in the process of hiring 170 new inspectors. We have invested an additional $75 million in the CFIA. Since 2006, we have added to the number of inspectors with 538 new inspectors.

The member himself has said, “I personally believe that our food is safe in Canada”.

Canada's Citizenship Guide

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

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism says that he is concerned that new immigrants' lack of knowledge about Canada's history will lead to social unrest. For that reason he has produced a Conservative propaganda guide to Canadian history. The guide does not mention Bill 101 or that immigrants are required to attend French schools in Quebec.

Should the minister not revise his message and clearly tell new arrivals that everything in Quebec is done in French?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, in this country if a document or book sells more than 5,000 copies, it is considered a gold best seller.

Over 250,000 copies of the new citizenship guide have been distributed across the country. This document cannot stay on the shelf long enough because Canadian citizens and those who want to become new Canadians are picking that document up. We have not had an update like this in decades.

People want to become Canadians. They want to understand the history of this country, whether they are in British Columbia, Quebec, Nova Scotia, or Ontario. They love it and they are going use it.

Canadian Wheat Board

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives will stop at nothing to interfere with the election of Canadian Wheat Board directors: gerrymandering voters lists, using tax dollars to spread propaganda, putting a gag order on the Canadian Wheat Board, and even withholding initial payment cheques to farmers to bias the vote. This behaviour is a disgrace and an affront to democracy.

Why do the Conservatives not quit their ideological crusade to destroy this great prairie institution and join with the rest of us and celebrate the Canadian Wheat Board instead of trying to smash this great Canadian institution?

[David Anderson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, as usual, the member comes late to the debate. He knows full well that the majority of western Canadian farmers want choice. If he understood farming at all in western Canada, he would understand the necessity for it.

I would also like to address the fact that the member cannot seem to get along with anyone, and he certainly cannot co-operate with western Canadian farmers.

The Forest Products Association actually sent a letter to his leader asking if the NDP shared his view that Canada's forest products industry is neither sustainable nor environmentally sound. It went on to say that the tone and nature of his questions at committee are completely unacceptable and serve only to perpetuate a stereotypical view of the industry that has been dealt with 10 years ago. They are asking the member's leader to repudiate his views.

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 responses to five petitions.

Preventing the Trafficking, Abuse and Exploitation of Vulnerable Immigrants Act

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-56, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Larry Miller, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, entitled “Young Farmers: The Future of Agriculture”.

I also have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, in relation to producer cars.

Take Note Debate

[John Baird, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, after consultations with the other parties with respect to a take note debate on pensions, I move:

That a Take-Note Debate on the subject of the national discussion focusing on improvements to Canada's retirement income system, including the ongoing dialogue between federal, provincial and territorial governments and consultations with all Canadians, take place, pursuant to Standing 53.1, on Tuesday, November 23, 2010.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

(Motion agreed to)

Passport Fees

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

Mr. Speaker, I present a petition concerning the deteriorating state of tourism in Canada and the precarious state of hunting and fishing lodges in this country as well. This petition has been signed by dozens of Canadians and it calls on the Government of Canada to negotiate with the Government of the United States to reduce passport fees on both sides of the border.

The number of American tourists visiting Canada is at its lowest level since 1972. It has fallen by five million visits in the last seven years alone, from 16 million in 2002 to only 11 million in 2009. Passport fees for an American family of four could be over $500 U.S; and in fact, while 50% of Canadians have passports, only 25% of Americans do.

At the recent Midwestern Legislative Conference, involving 11 border states from Illinois to North Dakota--

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I will just remind the hon. member that the Standing Orders allow members to provide a brief explanation of petitions but it is not an opportunity to make a speech.

The hon. member for Rivière-des-Mille-Îles.

Air Canada

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by Air Canada workers who belong to local 1751 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to ensure full compliance with the 1988 Air Canada Public Participation Act, which requires that Air Canada maintain operational centres in Mississauga, Winnipeg and Montreal. More than 23,000 direct and indirect jobs are at stake.

Foreign Takeovers

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise and present a petition concerning the need to change the Investment Canada Act, particularly section 36, which has allowed Vale and Xstrata to buy up Canadian properties without having to make any real commitments. Now, as I make this presentation, Thompson is being told that its smelter is being shut down. It is the latest serious move by both Vale and Xstrata to rip apart the production capacity of base metal mining in this country.

The petitioners call on the government to set up clear rules and transparency so that these foreign corporate raiders can be held to account.

Right to Life

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today.

The first calls upon the Government of Canada to respect human life and to provide protection for human life from conception until natural death.

The petitioners draw to the attention of the House the fact that it has been 41 years since Parliament passed the law to permit abortion and that since 1988 Canada has had no law whatsoever to protect the lives of unborn children, including those who are moments away from natural birth.

The second petition relates to the issue of pornography, child pornography in particular. It takes the form of one of the white ribbon campaigns that goes on across the country.

The petitioners call upon the House to combat pornography, particularly because of its impact on children.

This second petition is not in the appropriate form for the House, but given the goodwill of the people who have presented it and the importance of the issue, I wonder, Mr. Speaker, if you could seek the unanimous consent of the House to accept this petition as well.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Is there unanimous consent to allow the member to present a petition that may or may not be in the usual order?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the petition I have in hand is again from individuals who are greatly concerned and draw the attention of the House to the fact that Canada is a country respecting human rights and that in fact we have included in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that everyone has the right to life. They, as with the last petition, remind us that it has been now 40 years that Parliament has had no law to protect the lives of unborn children. So they are asking Parliament to pass legislation for the protection of human life from the time of conception until natural death.