Debates of March 22nd, 2010

The Environment

[Jim Prentice, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly would like to point out for the hon. member that this is World Water Day and he draws attention to the excellent work of the government in this respect.

On Saturday, we gazetted Canada's first national waste water effluent standards. The hon. member is aware, as well, that we have embarked on historic efforts to clean up the Great Lakes. The government is spending $54 million per year on the cleanup of the Great Lakes, plus investing some $325 million on waste water and municipal waste water facilities relating to the Great Lakes.

Finally, I would draw his attention to the fact that the government has spent $3.25 billion in infrastructure on waste water and water treatment facilities.

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, not only was the minister wrong when he said that funding for the St. Lawrence is included in the budget for the Great Lakes, but worse still, the government is completely neglecting the St. Lawrence.

The St. Lawrence action plan expires next week, on March 31. The government has known for years that this five year action plan would come to an end in 2010. But the government preferred to bury its head in the oil sands and has not yet negotiated a new agreement with Quebec.

Is the government's neglect of the St. Lawrence in any way related to its decision not to develop a national water strategy?

[Jim Prentice, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, between 2005 and 2010, the Government of Canada invested over $75 million in the St. Lawrence action plan and a lot of money in other infrastructure projects in Quebec.

Environment Canada currently provides an average of over $8.3 million to that action plan, and the Bloc, the Liberal Party and the other parties should support our efforts.

Housing

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, 1.5 million Canadian families live in unacceptable housing conditions and over 300,000 people rely on shelters every year. Stable housing saves lives, improves the health and safety of our communities and it stimulates our economy.

However, Canada is one of the few countries in the world without a national housing strategy. Why is the current government rejecting our proposal to develop one?

How does the minister justify billions in tax cuts for banks and oil companies but no long-term plan for those who need it most?

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, we obviously do think housing is very important, which is why we are spending billions of dollars to ensure the housing program goes forward, that jobs are created and that people have shelter.

We are working with the provinces and the territories and have signed agreements across the country to ensure these projects go forward, and we are consulting with all of them as we go forward.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, we have heard that answer before, meanwhile nearly half of all Inuit in the northern region live in overcrowded homes. One thousand new homes are needed immediately but last week the government renewed a plan to create only 300 units over five years.

How does the government justify this failure? Inhuman conditions will not be alleviated by one-off investments and shiny photo ops. Our proposal to give Canada a national housing strategy is at committee this week. Will the government support us?

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, it is not a one-off program. We have 3,500 projects under the economic action plan right across the country. We are co-operating with the provinces and territories.

We are ensuring that the dollars are going forward, including $2 billion to repair and rebuild new housing, $475 million for seniors and persons with disabilities, $400 million for first nations reserves, and $200 million in the north. We are working throughout the whole spectrum of it ensuring that housing is a top priority of this government.

2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked the official end of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Over the past two months, Canada, together with the rest of the world, celebrated the victories of the best athletes the world has to offer.

Could the Minister of Canadian Heritage relay to the House the success of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, from the torch relay, which was the longest torch relay in Olympic history at over 46,000 kilometres and involved over 90% of Canadians from coast to coast to coast, to the great Canadian athletes, like Brian McKeever, Jen Heil, Alexandre Bilodeau and Joannie Rochette who are now known not only in Canada but internationally, to the cultural Olympiad which saw over 3,000 artists perform at over 300 venues all across the country, to the infrastructure legacies of the Canada Line and the Richmond Oval, to everything that was the Olympic Games, we are so proud of the success of this event.

This shows what a great country can do. When the federal government, provincial governments, four host first nations and everybody gets together and puts on a great event, Canada can shine on the world stage like never before.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Mr. Speaker, according to his own department's evaluation of the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, its programs are effective, working and achieving results. In fact, the report recommends renewal of the program. In response, the Conservative government is killing it.

The healing journey for many residential school survivors has only begun. Now the government is telling them that the journey is over. Why is the minister making a mockery of the residential schools apology? How can he justify this uncaring and heartless decision?

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

Mr. Speaker, we do thank the Aboriginal Healing Foundation for its dedication in providing healing programs and services to address the experiences of survivors of the Indian residential school system, which is why we are very pleased that 12 healing centres will continue to provide services until 2012.

More important, budget 2010 announced another $199 million over the next two fiscal years that will enable Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Service Canada and Health Canada to meet the needs of former Indian residential school students. Of course, we know that this work is ongoing and that is why we are pleased to be part of that settlement program.

Financial Markets

[Daniel Paillé, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Speaker, to counter speculation and to get the banks to do their part, a number of world leaders such as Gordon Brown, Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel support the idea of a tax on foreign exchange markets.

In the meantime, the Minister of Finance is dragging his heels. He opposes a Tobin tax and any other tax of the kind. He persisted last week during his recent European tour. He thinks everyone is out of step except him.

When will the government stop aiding and abetting the speculators who treat the financial markets like the wild west?

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we do support our financial institutions. They are well regulated and well managed, including the Bloc leader's favourite financial institution through which he invests, Groupe Desjardins, and including the Banque Nationale du Canada in Montreal.

We are fortunate in Canada to have a well regulated, well managed financial system. We are, in fact, the envy of most western developing countries in this regard. No, we will not impose a capital tax on our banks and no, we will not impose a Tobin tax because we do not need to. We have success in our financial sector.

The Environment

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after years of drought and unmitigated industrial expansion, Albertans know how precious water is and yet, after four years in power, the Conservative government's actions to protect our water amounts to a drop in the bucket.

In honour of the United Nations World Water Day, will the government finally table the long promised aboriginal safe drinking water law, a law to ban bulk water exports, and assert federal powers to address serious climate and pollution threats to Canada's precious water?

[Jim Prentice, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, this is World Water Day and it draws attention to the excellent work that this government is doing. I am sure the hon. member meant to point out and draw to the country's attention the historic gazetting on Saturday of Canada's first national waste water standards, which will regulate 4,000 facilities across this country, as well as the other investments, in particular those that relate to the Great Lakes.

We also announced today the Government of Canada's support for the United Nations GEMS/Water Programme to do important work internationally.

Bloc Québécois

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last Saturday, at the general council of the Bloc Quebecois, the Bloc leader compared Bloc members to the French resistance fighters during the Nazi occupation.

Could the Minister of State for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec give us his reaction to these rather surprising comments from the Bloc?

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Minister of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)]

Mr. Speaker, every federalist and separatist member in this House must condemn these comments, especially all the members from Quebec who do not belong to that party.

The Bloc leader is so desperate to have a referendum on sovereignty as quickly as possible that he is now using ludicrous comparisons to revive his troops. He must apologize to the House and make it clear to Quebeckers that the only goal of his party is to prevent Quebec from thriving within the Canadian democracy.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the Aboriginal Healing Foundation has funded successful projects in my own riding, such as those carried out by Labrador Legal Services and Nunatsiavut. It has funded the Native Women's Shelter of Montreal which now has to slash services to aboriginal women and their families.

There are 27 projects in Manitoba, 19 in northern and southern Ontario, 17 in Saskatchewan and over 130 across the country, effective programs helping residential school survivors, whose work is now being cut short.

Why is the government intent upon perpetuating the legacy of residential schools?

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

Mr. Speaker, our government gives funding and help in many different categories.

Not only are we fully meeting our obligations under the Indian residential schools settlement, but the Aboriginal Healing Foundation will continue to do much of its good work, including keeping healing centres open across the country. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission starts its major hearings later this spring and it will have healing facilities accompanying it. As well, funds in the budget that go through Health Canada address the mental and counselling needs of people right across this country.

We are continuing to address the needs of residential school survivors across the country.

Notice of Motion

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 83(1) I wish to table a notice of ways and means motion to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled on March 4, 2010, and other measures.

I ask that an order of the day be designated for the consideration of the motion.

National Defence

[Maxime Bernier, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on National Defence in relation to supplementary estimates.

Health

[Joy Smith, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report and second report of the Standing Committee on Health in relation to supplementary estimates (C) 2009-10 and the main estimates 2010-11.

Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.

In accordance with its order of reference of Wednesday, March 3, 2010, the committee has considered vote 45c under Justice and vote 20c under Parliament in supplementary estimates (C) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010, and reports the same.

Procedure and House Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 104 and 114, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the membership of committees of the House.

I would like to move concurrence at this time.

(Motion agreed to)

Canada Post

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to present a petition from the citizens of the municipality of Wotton, in my riding, who are asking that the moratorium on closing rural post offices be maintained. They are joining hundreds of other petitioners. Thousands of people in Quebec, many of whom are in my riding, are asking the minister responsible for Canada Post to maintain public postal services and the related jobs.The public wants postal services maintained.