House of Commons Hansard #105 of the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was review.
Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON
Mr. Speaker, thanks to the persistence of the government operations committee, we now know a bit about what the OPP spent millions of federal tax dollars on for the G8 and G20 conference. The only problem is details representing items that “number in the thousands” and total almost $8.4 million have not been released.
The Minister of Public Works told the House, “the government will table all costs, down to the penny, of the G8 and G20 summits”. Why did she break her word?
Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows, the Ontario Provincial Police is making this information available. As the Ontario Provincial Police stated, it expects to be under budget.
Listen to what Superintendent Tim Charlebois of the OPP said at the government operations committee, “Quite frankly, our anticipated projections are that we will come in under budget”.
Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON
Mr. Speaker, the acting commissioner said that he would not release the details.
The OPP alone spent twice as much on security as South Korea did for its entire G20 conference. The minister promised to document every penny, yet the OPP says it is “not possible” to account for $8.4 million, while seniors poverty has increased by 25%. We know about the $1.2 million the OPP spent on hotels and resorts and the $25,000 on bug jackets.
Is this undisclosed $8.4 million the real reason that Julian Fantino will not show up to debates or talk to the press in Vaughan?
Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, the truth is when the Leader of the Opposition needed a candidate in Vaughan, he went to Julian Fantino first. When the liberal leader was turned down by Mr. Fantino, and many others, he finally settled on Tony Genco.
Mr. Fantino will be a welcomed addition to the Conservative caucus on Monday.
Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC
Mr. Speaker, last Tuesday, Paul Sauvé answered a question about whether or not the Conservative Party receives kickbacks by stating, “I believe so. The system is completely ridiculous.” Mr. Sauvé had to pay 3% of his contract to a friend of the Conservatives in order to obtain the contract.
Why did the Prime Minister not call in the RCMP to investigate this Conservative corruption? Why did he not suspend the minister in question? Why?
Public Works and Government ServicesOral Questions
Ottawa West—Nepean Ontario
Conservative
John Baird ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I expect, as usual, the Liberals will talk tough, will talk like a lion in the House and talk like a lamb outside the House, when they have to take responsibility for their actions.
I know what this question is all about. It is an attempt to try to change the channel from the leader of the Liberal Party's trying to court Julian Fantino to run for the Liberal Party and Julian Fantino's refusal to do so. We know the Liberals are trying to change the channel.
Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC
Mr. Speaker, last December, the Minister of Natural Resources promised to table a report on the progress of the West Block. Now, a year later, after being riddled with scandal, we have yet to see the report.
We heard of the kickback scheme last Tuesday, with Mr. Sauvé paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to Conservative Party insiders in order to secure a contract on the West Block.
Why will the Prime Minister not call in the RCMP and fire the minister? He had no trouble kicking to the curb his female minister when she got into trouble. Therefore, why does he not do it with that minister?
Public Works and Government ServicesOral Questions
Ottawa West—Nepean Ontario
Conservative
John Baird ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, we have learned a lot this week. We have learned that Mr. Sauvé was courted by the Liberal member for Bourassa to be a Liberal candidate in Outremont. That is what Le Journal de Montréal has reported.
Now we have learned that the leader of the Liberal Party tried to recruit Julian Fantino and Julian Fantino said no. We also know that the leader of the Liberal Party then went after many other candidates, as he told a Toronto radio station, and had to settle on his final candidate. It was the best he could do.
Harold Albrecht Conservative Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
Mr. Speaker, for the past several weeks and again today, the Liberals in this place have been attacking Julian Fantino's character, a man who has dedicated his entire life to serving and protecting the public. Julian Fantino's character and integrity are second to none.
We now know that the Liberals are guilty of hypocrisy and mudslinging of the worst kind.
Would the Minister of Public Safety tell the House what the Liberal Party really thinks of Julian Fantino?
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
I am not sure that the question has anything to do with the administrative responsibilities of the government. I do not think the Liberal Party's views in respect of Mr. Fantino are relevant, so we will move on.
The hon. member for Sackville—Eastern Shore.
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
Mr. Speaker, in 2005, the Conservatives promised a compensation package from 1958 to 1984 for over 300,000 victims of Agent Orange in the foliage spraying in Gagetown for military and civilian members.
They came out with a package and only $90 million was offered, and yet we find out today that $33 million of that $90 million are still sitting in the fund, leaving thousands of people out of a minuscule compensation.
I would like the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs to stand in the House and say today that the $33 million will be released so that thousands of veterans will at least get some form of compensation--
Greg Kerr ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, as the member is well aware, our government made a clear decision in 2007 to provide compensation for victims of Agent Orange.
Unlike the Liberals, we took decisive action to care for our veterans and over 3,000 people have received compensation to date.
The Minister of Veterans Affairs has directed the department that absolutely no veteran who is sick because of Agent Orange will be denied compensation due to an arbitrary deadline.
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
Mr. Speaker, at the same time, the government is spending $8 million worth of tax dollars fighting the victims of Agent Orange in the foliage spraying by taking them to court over the class action lawsuit, because he is right, only 3,000 people have been compensated, but the Conservatives promised that over 300,000 would be compensated.
The truth is that thousands of veterans, civilians and their families have been denied any assistance by the government.
I would like the parliamentary secretary to look into the camera and tell Bette Hudson of Widows on the Warpath of New Brunswick why she and thousands of others are being denied assistance by the Conservative government.
Greg Kerr ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I will take it as a compliment that this is the only government that decided to move on this very important file. For many years these people were left out there with no hope, no answer and no program.
Unfortunately, it did come late and many of the files were not available to help out, but we are fully committed to helping every victim of Agent Orange in any way we can because our veterans deserve that.
Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Finance's absurd plan to have a single securities commission is floundering, while Alberta and Saskatchewan are looking at the possibility of creating a joint securities commission. Concerns about the minister's plan are clearly growing.
As of right now, Quebec and five provinces have expressed opposition to the plan. That is a lot of opposition. Frankly, this plan is very divisive. What is the minister waiting for to abandon this plan?
Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, as I have already said, this plan is optional for the provinces. I am happy that 10 provinces and territories are on board .
This is an optional plan. If Quebec does not want to join the plan, that is okay. If Alberta does not want to join the plan, that is okay.
I am surprised to see the suggestion in the press that Alberta wants to create a common regulator with Saskatchewan, because it has taken the position that it does not need a common regulator. However, that is okay and that inconsistency is okay also. Everyone has a choice in Canada and it is a good thing for the country.
Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Mr. Speaker, no one, except in Ontario, is interested in a Canada-wide securities commission.
The evidence is growing daily. Does the minister not think that he should abandon his Supreme Court challenge to strip Quebec of its financial autonomy and give up on this plan that no one is interested in, no one besides his Bay Street buddies, that is?
Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is talking nonsense. Where there is an optional plan where there is a choice, how can it be said by any reasonable person that any province is losing anything? Any province or territory that does not want to join a Canadian securities regulator may choose not to join the Canadian securities regulator. That is it, that is all.
Ruby Dhalla Liberal Brampton—Springdale, ON
Mr. Speaker, from an order paper question, we learned that over 700 different clients and over 50 federal government agencies have all bought reports to develop policies and deliver programs to help aboriginals, visible minorities, the disabled, seniors, women and unemployed workers. There has been an outcry from across the country, including cities like Brampton and regions like Peel, to save the census. Why are they being ignored? Why are ethnic communities and minorities being abandoned in Canada? Why are they being left to fend for themselves?
Mike Lake ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, speaking of part of an outcry here, I have a letter written by the Liberal member of Parliament for Richmond Hill in 2006 to the then industry minister where he was hearing an outcry from his constituents. He writes that they are primarily concerned with the great deal of personal information they are required to fill out and therefore potential invasion of privacy. He says, “I share this constituent's concern”.
We will no longer threaten Canadians with jail time and fines because they do not want to tell the government what their religion is.
Ruby Dhalla Liberal Brampton—Springdale, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is not about threatening Canadians, it is about helping minority communities in Canada. I would encourage the member to look at a letter that I have written to the Minister of Industry on behalf of the cities like Brampton and the region of Peel. We have 297 government bodies, 232 businesses, 66 non-profit organizations and 54 health and social service agencies all across the country that need the data and use the data.
Why is the government ignoring the facts, because the fact is that the census is helping minority communities? Why are the Conservatives silencing the voices of Canada's minorities?
Mike Lake ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member says that it is not about threatening Canadians, but what happens to new Canadians who do not want to tell the government what their religion is? What happens is that an enumerator fills out what is called a total refusal form. At the top of the form it says that the information provided in the following sections may be used to support a legal prosecution. The other line the enumerator fills out asks for a description of the person who refused, for example, age, gender, height, weight, other physical details, such as facial hair, tattoos, glasses, birthmarks, distinctive clothing, et cetera.
I would say that seems a little heavy-handed approach for someone who does not want to tell the government what his or her religion is.
Glenn Thibeault NDP Sudbury, ON
Mr. Speaker, across North America today marks Black Friday, the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Bill C-36, Canada's updated product safety legislation, passed by the House with all-party support, is being held hostage in the Senate for a second time in the past 14 months. Canadians need up to date product safety legislation now. Our children should not be opening toys this Christmas laced with cadmium.
Will the Senate again be obstructionist and act in contravention of the House, or will it respect the will of the House and pass Bill C-36 before the holidays?
Colin Carrie ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, Canadians should have confidence in the consumer products that they buy and the best way to do that and to ensure that countries and their importers comply is to pass our Canadian consumer product safety bill, Bill C-36. We are eagerly awaiting the passage of the bill in the Senate and we hope this time around the Liberal senators will not hold it up.