House of Commons Hansard #14 of the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was jobs.
Christian Paradis ConservativeMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, it has always been clear. Our government is negotiating in good faith with the Government of Quebec. The leader of the Bloc vehemently criticizes the oil sands, which leads me to my question for him.
The website branchez-vous.com states that the leader of the Bloc invests in the oil sands. Can he confirm or deny that information here in the House?
Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, all my money is invested in Mouvement Desjardins.
That being said, while the government is refusing to compensate Quebec for harmonizing its sales tax with the GST, it is offering Ontario and British Columbia a fortune for doing exactly the same thing.
Will the Prime Minister admit that he has no intention of compensating the Government of Quebec, as it should, to the tune of $2.2 billion?
Christian Paradis ConservativeMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, as we keep saying, we are negotiating in good faith with the Government of Quebec. The negotiations are ongoing. We are talking about full tax harmonization. Quebec acknowledges that the tax was not fully harmonized.
Speaking of the budget, our economic action plan has raised a lot of expectations. Many Quebeckers expect there to be no opposition to passing the budget.
Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC
Mr. Speaker, the federal government signed agreements with Nova Scotia and Newfoundland regarding sea bed exploration and development. Last week, the Quebec National Assembly adopted a motion calling for a similar agreement to be signed. For 12 years, the Liberals and Conservatives have refused to do so.
Why does Ottawa refuse to grant Quebec the same benefits as Newfoundland and Nova Scotia?
Christian Paradis ConservativeMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, the federal government is always willing to sign agreements with Quebec and all provinces to ensure responsible and lasting development of our natural resources.
It is strange to see the Bloc, which does not have any credibility on this issue, be so critical of the oil sands, when it is talking about the development of fossil fuels in the St. Lawrence Valley. That is what I call intellectual inconsistency.
Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. The Bloc Québécois believes it is possible for Quebec to develop its economy while respecting the environment.
That said, Quebec must have the ability to make its own choices. The problem here is that Nova Scotia and Newfoundland have agreements, but not Quebec.
What is unfair is that Ottawa's stubbornness is preventing Quebec from making decisions about developing its own resources, in accordance with its own assessment system.
What is the government waiting for to answer the call of the Quebec National Assembly?
Christian Paradis ConservativeMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Bloc is trying to stir up trouble and create division yet again. The federal government is always happy and willing to negotiate with the provinces to sign agreements in order to ensure the responsible development of our natural resources.
We are working. We are not sitting around criticizing things we do not like and even things we do like. That is what I call intellectual inconsistency. That is what I cannot stand about the Bloc.
Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, 44 years after medicare was implemented in Canada, we extend our congratulations to President Obama for bringing comprehensive health care reform to the people of the United States. Now, of course, the Americans will be looking to Canada for the next steps.
New Democrats have proposed a comprehensive approach to providing pharmacare coverage for necessary prescription drugs for all Canadians.
Would the Prime Minister and the government agree that this would be the important next step to take in order to ensure that Canadians get all the health care they need?
John Baird ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the leader of the New Democratic Party that all Canadians take great pride in the health care system, which most of us rely on for all of our health care needs and those of our families.
We believe that health care has to be a priority. That is why, despite some difficult economic times, this government in the budget increased health care transfers to provinces by 6%. That is a huge vote of support for health care and a huge vote of support for the provinces and territories which deliver it to Canadians.
Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, the government's responses to questions about maternal health care have been confusing to say the least. At first the foreign affairs minister said it was about saving lives, but then he said that nothing was off the table. It is not at all clear what is on the table.
Would the government clarify today, once and for all, whether a comprehensive approach to family planning is on the table, yes or no?
John Baird ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, G8 leaders will discuss and aim to agree on the way forward to tackle child and maternal health at the upcoming summit that will take place here in Canada.
As we have said all along, we are not closing the door on any options that will save the lives of mothers and children, including contraception.
The government has also made it very clear and we have said all along that we are not reopening the issue of abortion or the debate thereon.
Jack Layton NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, workers at Vale Inco are going through the longest strike in the history of Sudbury. Three thousand workers are still on strike, while the Brazilian giant refuses to negotiate.
Vale Inco made commitments to the government and to the people of Sudbury, and it is time there was some accountability.
Would the minister responsible come with me to Sudbury this afternoon and tell the workers who have been out of a job for nine months what the net benefit to Canada was of his signature and the signature of the government when he sold the workers out?
Tony Clement ConservativeMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has been in this place for many years. He of all people should know that in terms of dealing with the strike and intervening in the strike, that is a provincial responsibility. If he feels so strongly about it, he should resign from this place and run for the Ontario legislature and deal with it there.
Lise Zarac Liberal LaSalle—Émard, QC
Mr. Speaker, in the past week, amidst a number of Conservative flip-flops, we have yet to get a clear answer about the government's approach to maternal health.
While the government members claim that their G8 agenda will promote the health of women and save lives, they refuse to say if they have programmed the full range of family planning options.
Would the government commit to this full range, or will it reverse the long-standing policy of Liberal and Conservative governments to offer every opportunity to save the lives of women and children around the world?
Bev Oda ConservativeMinister of International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, I think we have been very clear that at the G8, the leaders of the G8 countries will be discussing all options without closing doors on any option. Every country will be able to come forward and indicate how it proposes to support and save the lives of mothers and children.
We will discuss and chart the way forward to address this important issue. We are not closing the door on any options that will save lives.
Lise Zarac Liberal LaSalle—Émard, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government refuses to give a clear answer. Why is that?
Will Canada be the only G8 country that refuses to provide a full range of maternal care? Will it be the only G8 country to demand that NGOs share the Prime Minister's ideology in order to receive funding?
The question is clear: do the Conservatives believe in the secular nature of Canada's development policy and foreign policy?
Bev Oda ConservativeMinister of International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, Canada's G8 is a great opportunity for us to address child and maternal health. It is an area that needs significant work in order to save lives.
That is why we are saying we will be discussing this at the G8, and we are not closing the door on any options that are going to save lives of mothers and children, including contraception.
We have also been very clear that we are not opening any debate on abortion.
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Speaker, the U.S. and U.K. routinely provide information to the public on torture in Afghanistan. Even the new reporting structure of the U.S. special forces is being disclosed publicly without being perceived as a threat to national security. The Conservative government is using national security to shield itself from embarrassing questions about torture.
When will the Conservative government be honest with Canadians, stop using national security to hide embarrassing truths about torture and call a public inquiry into the torture scandal?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, the government has undertaken a process, headed up by Mr. Justice Frank Iacobucci, and this will be a comprehensive review of all documents. This should have the complete confidence of the hon. member and his party.
Ujjal Dosanjh Liberal Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Speaker, it is not about documents alone. It is about all of the information about torture.
It is well known from information provided to the public by the U.S. and the U.K. that detainees continue to be tortured in Afghanistan. Some have seen the uncensored documents. They accuse the government of engaging in the out-sourcing of torture.
Unlike our allies, the Conservative government is still covering up torture.
When will the Conservative government stop using the cloak of national security to perpetrate the cover-up on the torture scandal?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Justice Iacobucci will look at all relevant documentation. In fact, Justice Iacobucci will be able to go back to 2001, at the beginning of our involvement in Afghanistan.
Therefore, the hon. member should let Justice Iacobucci do his work.
Robert Bouchard Bloc Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC
Mr. Speaker, according to the Forest Products Sector Council, 100,000 jobs have been lost in the forestry sector over the past five years and 40,000 workers are still unemployed. The USW and the CEP have condemned the inaction of the Conservative government, which is refusing to support the industry and improve employment insurance benefits.
Why is the Conservative government refusing to help Quebec's forestry workers as it did the auto workers, who are concentrated in Ontario?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)
Mr. Speaker, Quebec's 12,000 auto workers must be very proud to hear our colleague.
Last week, we met with the Forest Products Association of Canada, whose membership includes companies operating in Quebec such as AbitibiBowater, Cascades, F.F. Soucy, Kruger, Louisiana-Pacific Canada, Papiers Masson, SFK Pâte and TemBec. It confirmed that the government is moving in the right direction to build the forestry industry of tomorrow and develop biotechnologies.
Robert Bouchard Bloc Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC
Mr. Speaker, forestry workers have again asked for loan guarantees and improvements to employment insurance. This is an indication that the most recent budget still does not meet their needs. The government's inaction is indecent.
When will the government understand the extent of this crisis? When will the government put in place measures to help the industry and workers, measures that they have been anticipating for five years?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)
Mr. Speaker, our government has probably done more for the forestry industry of Canada, including Quebec, than any other government. Unfortunately, as we all know, demand for forest products, from paper to pulp to lumber, is down because of the global economic crisis. I imagine that those opposite also know this.
The agreement that was signed returned $5 billion to Canada; there is $1 billion for greening of “black liquor” operations; we have provided $1 billion for community adjustment; and I could go on. Our government is following developments very closely, and will continue to do so.