House of Commons Hansard #10 of the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was quebec.
Ted Menzies ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if we could get the volume any higher in this House, and I do not think that is necessary.
The answer to a simple question like that is we have put in place 10 measures to close tax loopholes. The Bloc voted against that, plain and simple.
We are trying to make taxes fair to all Canadians. We continue to reduce taxes for Canadians. The Bloc votes against it.
Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are coming to realize that the Conservative government is making a mockery of their dream to have Canada become a green energy superpower. The budget is overwhelmingly negative when it comes to the environment. There is no action to fight climate change. There is no action to create green jobs. In fact, the primary focus seems to be to accelerate more oil, gas and coal instead of creating the green jobs of the future.
Why is the Prime Minister crushing the dream of so many Canadians to have Canada become a green energy superpower?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. The economic action plan of the government adds additional programs to the already billions of dollars we have been spending through the ecoEnergy initiatives, including important initiatives like the green infrastructure fund, the clean energy fund. What I do not understand when we talk about voting against dreams is why the NDP then votes against all of these programs for the environment and the economy.
Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, contrary to what the Prime Minister just said, the budget eliminates the eco-Energy for renewable power program. This demonstrates a blatant lack of vision on the Conservatives' part. They are impeding the creation of sustainable jobs. They say that they want to align their policies with those of the United States. However, Americans spend 18 times more than Canadians on renewable energy.
Does the Prime Minister realize just how far behind the rest of the world his government is lagging? Does he realize it, yes or no?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, this government has invested billions of dollars in green infrastructure programs, not just eco-Energy programs. The green infrastructure fund and the clean energy fund are initiatives in the economic action plan. Why is the NDP voting against these environmental and economic measures?
Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, the budget torpedos climate change research. It kills the Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences. That is why young Canadian scientists are having increasingly to go to other countries to find jobs, green jobs. We are talking here about green jobs for the green brains that are increasingly having to leave our country because of the government's policies; green jobs like the thousands being created by Obama through project re-energize.
Why will the Prime Minister not harness the talent of our young scientists by creating the green jobs needed for the--
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, in terms of brains, on this side we like to speak of grey matter. I think any scientist would tell us when we are talking about a brain that has become green matter, we are in some level of difficulty.
This government's commitment to invest in science and research innovation and particularly in projects that relate to energy and the environment is well known. The budget has been very well received in that regard. I would encourage the New Democratic Party to cease voting against these progressive investments for Canadians.
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
Mr. Speaker, Sheila Weatherill stated in her 2009 report, “We cannot wait for another food-borne emergency to occur and more lives to be lost before we act”. She said that there would be costs to implement her recommendations, but the costs of inaction would be far greater.
The government's budget gave no money to implement her 57 recommendations. Today we learned from the Chief Public Health Officer that there will be no report until 2011.
Will the health minister table the status of the recommendations and explain how she will pay for them?
Gerry Ritz ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, the money that is in the budget they voted against it; they would kill any money for food safety in the budget. What we did is allocate last summer the beginning of the Weatherill recommendations and we put $75 million toward it. We committed to hire 166 new personnel for CFIA. Since then in this fiscal framework we put forward $13 million to hire 100 front line meat inspectors. We are getting the job done and moving forward.
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
Mr. Speaker, the lessons learned from the report about the 2008 listeriosis outbreak described a bureaucratic mess across departments and jurisdictions. Reports today say that the experts remain concerned that Canada's food safety system is broken, no money, no plan.
Can the Minister of Health tell the House that the outbreak response protocol has been updated so that the Public Health Agency of Canada has the lead and that the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada can speak directly to Canadians?
Gerry Ritz ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Well, of course, Mr. Speaker, that is a fact. The lead on the listeria recall in Ontario is the public health system in the province of Ontario. We are supplying support staff in the recall process, but the lead in that particular instance is the province of Ontario.
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Transport answered on behalf of the Minister of State for the Status of Women. When he was doing so, she was heckling that the question was a fabrication.
I ask the minister herself today whether any of the reported facts relating to her activities at the Charlottetown airport are incorrect. Did she not call P.E.I. a “hellhole”? Did she not berate, belittle and bully airport staff? Will she correct the record, or will she resign?
John Baird ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. The minister, a colleague, made a sincere apology to the individuals in question. I think in the best traditions of this House members should accept that apology and focus on the priorities that Canadians elected us to solve.
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Clearly then, Mr. Speaker, the facts are well established.
How can the Prime Minister continue to condone the conduct of a senior minister who one, insulted a province, and two, berated, belittled and bullied airport personnel and security staff? The list of Conservative insiders calling on the Prime Minister to fire the minister continues to grow daily.
Does the Prime Minister still condone this conduct? If not, will he fire the minister?
John Baird ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, let us look at the facts. The minister has made a sincere apology to the individuals in question. They have accepted that apology. If it was good enough for them, could I suggest it be good enough for the member for Malpeque?
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is thanks to the Bloc Québécois and its defence of Quebec's model for fighting youth crime that in the young offenders bill introduced today, the government specifies that no minor will be imprisoned with adults.
Does that not suggest that under the current system, minors can be imprisoned with adults, contrary to what the Conservatives said during the election campaign?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, that was completely at odds with what takes place right across this country in provincial facilities, but it is correct. We put very clearly in the bill that young offenders would not be held in the same facilities as adult offenders. The bill effectively would hold young offenders accountable for serious crimes with meaningful consequences.
I hope for once the Bloc Québécois will get onside and support this important legislation.
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Mr. Speaker, the bill introduced today adds new criteria to be considered during the sentencing of a young offender. The focus will be on deterrence, to the detriment of other criteria. In other words, a young person would be punished based on public perception and not according to the offence committed. The government is asking judges to make an example of people.
Does the government realize that its bill goes against Quebec's approach, which is to rehabilitate young offenders and not seek U.S.-style retribution?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that the Bloc is new to anything to do with the criminal justice system and that is why those members do not understand these things.
The bill would make the protection of society a primary goal, but it would make denunciation and deterrence for the individual two of the criteria to be taken into consideration. It would in no way interfere with provincial jurisdiction in this area. If the hon. member reads the bill, he will be able to figure that out.
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, in an attempt to distance himself from controversial stands taken by Rights & Democracy's new president, Gérard Latulippe, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said that the organization had to follow this government's international policies. However, Rights & Democracy is an arm's length organization.
Is that not proof that, by appointing Gérard Latulippe, a yes man, the government is trying to take control of Rights and Democracy?
Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, what I said was that this organization, whose mandate it is to promote democracy around the world, a mandate that it was given, of course, necessarily has to respect the obligations under the international treaties to which the Government of Canada has adhered.
If the Government of Canada has adhered to the principle of defending human rights worldwide, which it has, this organization is expected to do the same.
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, Rights & Democracy is an arm's length organization. Appointing Gérard Latulippe is an attempt to ensure that a good yes man is in place to defend government positions. The Minister of Foreign Affairs even added that this requirement to follow government policies had been extended to the entire organization, despite the fact that it is an arm's length organization.
Is that not further proof of the Conservative government's desire to subject Rights & Democracy to its own Conservative policies?
Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
I have made myself clear, Mr. Speaker. I mentioned to the member the international commitments made by the Government of Canada, as well as its obligations. Organizations that fall under the jurisdiction of the Government of Canada are necessarily required to honour these commitments.
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Mr. Speaker, after 35 years of government support, KAIROS had its funding cut off by the Conservative government after being falsely labelled as anti-Semitic. In a letter dated January 21, ten highly respected national faith leaders, including prominent evangelicals and Catholics, formally requested a meeting with the Prime Minister for an explanation.
Why can the Prime Minister not do the right thing, meet these faith leaders, apologize, and restore these politically motivated funding cuts?
