Debates of March 10th, 2010

Infrastructure

[Robert Bouchard, Bloc, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government's lack of flexibility on infrastructure projects will penalize the people of Saguenay. Mayor Jean Tremblay says that it is totally impossible for the city to meet the March 31, 2011, deadline for building the arena in La Baie.

Mayor Tremblay is up in arms against the Minister of Veterans Affairs, who thinks more about his visibility than about the problems he is dumping in the municipalities' backyard.

What is the government waiting for to extend the infrastructure project deadlines?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, we recently announced more than 100 projects. We have created jobs in every region of Quebec for the first time during an economic crisis thanks to a major infrastructure program. Quebec municipalities are ready to act. We announced more than 100 projects, and all the municipalities said they were prepared to complete their projects in the next 13 months.

Status of Women

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, no one in Canada should be perceived to be above the law, no matter what his or her political connections. There must be clear consequences for behaviour that crosses the line.

I ask the Prime Minister this. Why is the Minister of State for the Status of Women still in his cabinet in light of her abusive, level three tantrum at the Charlottetown Airport? The women of Canada deserve better.

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, our colleague, the Minister of State for the Status of Women, has issued a pretty clear apology. I would encourage all members of the House to do the honourable thing and accept that apology.

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I refer the minister to his regulation 602.46, refusal to transport. The minister bullied, belittled and berated the very people she is supposed to serve without any repercussions. Any other Canadian would have been grounded or, as the Conservative commentator Kory Teneycke put it, “tazed and then arrested”.

He and other prominent Conservatives, such as Tim Powers, are calling for a public explanation from the minister. When will they get it and when will there be consequences?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, as I said in my answer to the first question and last week, our colleague, the Minister of State for the Status of Women, has put forward a very sincere apology. When I grew up, I was told that when a sincere apology was offered, it should be accepted. That is the long-standing tradition of the House. I would encourage all members on the other side of the House to do the same.

Automotive Industry

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the inaction of the government on dealing with Toyota recalls has left Canadian consumers with nothing compared to their American neighbours. Toyota is providing rental cars and vehicle pickups to Americans but not to Canadians.

A new Toyota research centre is going to the U.S. but not to Canada. U.S. Congress is getting full disclosure on recalls, making discoveries like the book of secrets and documents where Toyota boasts of saving $100 million by delaying recalls.

Why will the government not stand up for Toyota's Canadian consumers?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, one of the most important priorities for us at Transport Canada is the safety of Canadian motorists and others who use our roads. At Transport Canada, we will ensure that all legal measures, the full force of Canadian law, are used to ensure that all efforts will be taken to ensure Canadians are safe now and in the future.

Canada has a strong record of leading in recalls. Many of the major recalls that have been taken have been led by Transport Canada. We are proud of the work we have done. We welcome the opportunity for hearings so those who are in decision-making positions can be held accountable.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last November, while this minister was busy congratulating Toyota, U.S. investigations were launched by several congressional committees: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission and also a criminal probe by Manhattan's U.S. attorney. Meanwhile, Transport Canada decided on no further investigation, and the result is that Canadians are getting second-class treatment.

Is the minister going to demand that Mr. Toyoda do what he has done in the United States: come here, apologize and make the same commitments to Canadians that he has made to Americans, yes or no?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, it was actually a Conservative member of the committee who first called for hearings before the committee. The government is very pleased to support that.

We have offered members of Parliament a briefing on all of the fine work the Department of Transport has done on this important issue. We have offered the media a full briefing. We have indicated to the committee that we will provide all necessary documents to help it do its work.

We believe that the safety of Canadians is tremendously important, and we will work to ensure that all manufacturers and importers are held to the highest standard under Canadian law.

International Trade

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK]

Mr. Speaker, history has shown the world that the perils of protectionism have stagnated even the strongest economies. Today, right here in Canada, through these tough economic times, we see and hear history repeating itself. There are calls for anti-trade measures and protectionism. We even hear this from the members opposite. This is not what Canadian business or workers need.

Could the Minister of International Trade please inform the House what steps he and this government are taking to stand up against protectionism and to promote free trade for the benefit of all Canadians?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, our government believes firmly that opening foreign markets to Canadian goods and services is the best way to assist Canadian businesses and workers in creating jobs and prosperity for this country.

Our recent achievement of an agreement on a waiver from the buy American policies is evidence of our policy at work and of the strong relationship we have built with the Obama administration, which leads our greatest trading partner.

Later today I will be reintroducing in the House our Canada-Colombia free trade agreement, another opportunity for us to open markets to the high quality products produced by Canadian workers and businesses. We can compete and succeed. Let us have some support from the opposition for those efforts to help Canadian workers.

Status of Women

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, it is now 20 days since the Minister of State for the Status of Women called my province “a hell hole”, or worse. Yet the member still sits as a full member of cabinet, with no sanctions whatsoever.

The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, who is from Prince Edward Island, makes lame excuses instead of standing up for Prince Edward Islanders.

What kind of message is the Prime Minister trying to send to the people of P.E.I.? Does he condone the minister's outrageous insult? Why is that minister still there?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the past and will say again, the Minister of State for the Status of Women has made a sincere apology. I think it is important, and it is incumbent upon all hon. members of the House to accept that apology and move on.

Let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, that I recently visited Prince Edward Island, and what we are seeing in Prince Edward Island is really remarkable. Finally, after a long time, Prince Edward Island is getting strong representation around the federal cabinet table. The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is doing an outstanding job. She is delivering infrastructure projects. She is delivering jobs and opportunity. The people of Prince Edward Island are pretty lucky to have the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

International Cooperation

[Johanne Deschamps, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is already struggling to meet its international aid commitments and now the budget indicates that aid will be frozen. The only budget that will continue to increase over the next few years, although with a few restrictions, is the National Defence budget.

Are we to surmise that this government's policy is more army and less development?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear: the international assistance of this government has not been cut. In fact, it is going to be raised to the highest level ever in the history of Canada.

This government is actually making a difference to people living in poverty. It shows results and shows that we are going to lift these people up so they can have aspirations and opportunities to make their lives better in the future.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations voted yesterday to turn financial control of First Nations University over to the University of Regina.

Will the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development agree now that he should reinstate funding to the university, or will he let a great institution die, just when the Speech from the Throne says that education is a priority?

[Chuck Strahl, Conservative, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, there is some dispute about whether it is a great institution or not.

What we have had over the last number of years is an escalating series of problems, starting with investigations, criminal investigations, forensic audits, and there have been reports of trips to Las Vegas and Hawaii. Now the latest one is that $400,000 of money designed to go to student scholarships has been used for other purposes.

How long does one just cut a blank cheque to that kind of organization? We are here to help the students. That is what we are going to do. That is what we promised to do in the throne speech, and we will deliver on that.

The Budget

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Conference Board of Canada says that without the stimulus for infrastructure, there would have been 75,000 fewer jobs in Ontario last year. It also projects that 40,000 jobs will be saved in Ontario this year. That is great news.

Could the Minister of Finance share with us the reactions he has been getting from business leaders and economists since the budget, particularly as it pertains to job growth and the economy?

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to do that. The economists have been very complimentary of the budget, as a matter of fact. I met with them in February. We used their forecasts in the budget, as set out on page 33.

The Conference Board and TD economists welcomed it as a credible plan. Desjardins economists called it a clear and well-grounded plan. At BMO, UBS Securities, and Merrill Lynch, in fact, their economists felt perhaps it was too prudent in its revenue assumptions.

What did RBC economist Patricia Croft say? She said, “Canada, on a relative basis, coming out of this crisis, I think is a winner.... a gold medal performance on the fiscal side”.

Status of Women

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, talk about righteousness. We have had righteous Conservatives over there by that last answer.

Even prominent Conservatives are condemning the behaviour of the Minister of State for the Status of Women. Former PMO communications director Kory Teneycke said:

This kind of stuff is toxic to the Conservative brand. It speaks to a sense of entitlement and different rules applying....

Now that the Conservative spin doctors are demanding accountability, will the Prime Minister do the right thing and accept his responsibility and fire the minister?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the past, the minister has offered a sincere apology and we should accept that.

What we should also accept is the fact that the Minister of Fisheries is delivering for P.E.I. in a big way.

When lobster fishermen needed help, where did they turn? To the Minister of Fisheries. Did she deliver? Yes. When the health care system in P.E.I. needed a budget increase, did the Minister of Fisheries deliver? Yes. When they needed infrastructure funding to create jobs, hope and opportunity, did the Minister of Fisheries deliver? Yes.

The people of P.E.I.--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member for Berthier--Maskinongé.

Veterans Affairs

[Guy André, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when the new veterans charter came into force in 2006, the lifelong monthly pension for injured veterans was replaced with a lump sum payment. This form of compensation is insufficient and ill suited to the needs of injured veterans.

Is the Minister of Veterans Affairs prepared to re-establish the lifelong monthly pension, as requested by a number of veterans' associations, who support the petition launched by my colleague, the member for Québec?

[Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State (Agriculture)]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

First of all, I would like to point out the excellent work done by the previous Minister of Veterans Affairs, which was much appreciated by our Canadian veterans.

Having said that, I would like to remind my colleagues that we have two types of assistance for our veterans who unfortunately are injured: first, they receive up to $276,000 in a lump sum payment; then, they are entitled to a rehabilitation program that provides them with up to 75% of their salary until they find a new job.