Debates of March 23rd, 2010

International Cooperation

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, our government wants, and we have articulated this, to save the lives of mothers and children based on facts and evidence. I would like to put another fact before us. Between 1993 and 2006, under a Liberal government, maternal mortality decreased by only 1% per year.

That is not a stellar record. The Liberals may want to politicize this matter. We want to really make a difference, save the lives of some mothers and help children so that they can have a fruitful future.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government's old Reform roots are never far away. While other G8 nations are trying to improve women's health in the poorest regions, the government is using this opportunity to export its backwards ideology.

Can the government set the record straight once and for all? What will its policy be at the G8: to promote birth, no matter what the cost, or to give women the freedom of choice?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, as I have clearly said, we want to ensure that Canadians are contributing and making a difference in lives where there is the greatest need. Right now, we see mothers dying and children who are not surviving their infant stage. We want to ensure we can address these issues.

In fact, we know that the main causes of child mortality are neonatal causes, pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria and HIV and AIDS. We have been doing a good job at this, but we know all the G8 countries will focus on this and actually show real results.

Human Resources and Skills Development

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, troubling questions have been raised about enabling accessibility fund. Three years ago it was announced, but it took a full year to release the application details, and it came with a suspicious one month deadline.

Many advocates suggested it was specifically designed for a project in the finance minister 's riding. Two days before the last election was called, the government announced that very project. In fact, of the $45 million made available, $30 million of it went into just two projects, both in Conservative ridings. Last week at committee, officials indicated that funding for those projects had been deferred.

Could the minister confirm that, and how much of the original $45 million will actually lapse?

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

Mr. Speaker, we are quite proud of the program we have to ensure accessibility to those who are disabled. We have put forward projects throughout the country. We have invested significant dollars. Projects include more accessibility to buildings, upgrading and creating comprehensive ability centres to provide a range of services for all of those who are affected.

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the government has played partisan games with this fund from the very beginning. It was announced three years ago, and yet some of that money has not even flowed. Canadians with disabilities deserve better than that.

Given the political games that the government has played by allocating 66% of all the funding to just two projects in Conservative ridings and making the application criteria so strict that many of us could not even apply for the rest of the funding, what possible reason would Canadians have to believe that the sequel would be any better than the original?

Why will the Conservatives not put aside partisan games and help all Canadians with disabilities?

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

Mr. Speaker, we are helping all Canadians with disabilities. Budget 2010 increases the funding by $45 million over three years. The enabling accessibility fund makes buildings and vehicles more accessible, helps create comprehensive ability centres. It ensures that every sector that may affect those who are disabled is enhanced by investing significant funds, something the previous government did not do.

Immigration

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Speaker, once again the government is showing its hypocrisy. A year after banning anti-war MP George Galloway from entering Canada, the minister of censorship has no problem with letting a pro-war conservative come and preach hate.

Ann Coulter said:

--the government should be spying on all Arabs, engaging in torture as a televised spectator sport, dropping daisy cutters wantonly throughout the Middle East--

I am all for freedom of speech, but why the double standard?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, I am surprised the member does not understand Canadian immigration law. It is not politicians who decide who can come into the country, it is professional members of the public service.

In the case, for instance, of Mr. Galloway, Mr. Galloway received a preliminary inadmissibility determination by an officer of the Canada Border Services Agency, I presume based on the fact that he publicly and overtly handed tens of thousands of dollars to the leader of a banned anti-Semitic terrorist organization called Hamas.

If the hon. member has information on anyone who comes to Canada that she thinks would be the basis for an inadmissibility review, I invite her to furnish that to the president of the Canada Border Services Agency.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Speaker, newly-filed court documents revealed that the minister was active in stopping Mr. Galloway from crossing the border. CBSA was told that Galloway could not be admitted under any circumstances.

For this government, a pro-peace British MP is a threat, but a pro-war conservative, who said that Jews needed to be perfected and called Muslims insane savages, is fine.

Will the minister admit he supports free speech only if he agrees with the speaker, or is this more Conservative hypocrisy?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, this government supports free speech within Canadian law. If the hon. member has any information that she thinks would render a visitor to Canada inadmissible, she should supply that information to the CBSA. It can take it into account.

It did take into account Mr. Galloway's admission of having financed the leadership of Hamas, which is a banned terrorist organization. I simply made it clear that I was not going to grant a ministerial permit to effectively override the inadmissibility determination of the CBSA because I actually happen to believe that we should enforce the law and not allow financiers of terrorist organizations to come to Canada.

National Defence

[Guy Lauzon, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Public Works and Government Services.

Since coming to power, our Conservative government has worked hard to rebuild and re-equip the Canadian Forces after 13 years of Liberal neglect known as the decade of darkness. This morning the minister made an important announcement in this regard.

Could the minister please provide the details to this House?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, in fact, this morning I had the honour and the privilege of joining hundreds of employees of CAE in Montreal at their plant to announce that CAE had been awarded a $250 million training contract for the new Chinook medium-lift to heavy-lift helicopters.

This investment clearly demonstrates our ongoing commitment and support for the Canadian men and women in uniform. This contract also creates high tech jobs in the aerospace sector. Indeed, this contract will create 240 jobs for the first four years and another 40 jobs for the next 20 years.

The Environment

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, this government has dragged its heels on renewing the Atlantic coastal action program so badly that it has had to admit the program will not be ready for April 1.

Sixteen community-based groups in Atlantic Canada are left twisting in the wind by the government's incompetence. They are waiting to hire students for this summer. They are waiting to start projects to protect our coastal areas.

When will the minister get his act together and release details of the interim funding?

[Jim Prentice, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, Environment Canada values the relationship it has on conservation. The achievements of this government relative to conservation across our country are enormous. We have expanded the footprint of Canada's national park system by close to 30% in four years. We have partnered, for close to $1 billion, with other agencies and with other investors in terms of conservation.

The Atlantic program of which the member speaks is under consideration. It is being reviewed along with all of the other conservation investments that this government has made and will continue to make.

Pharmaceutical Industry

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on October 25, the Minister of Industry said that his government had an action plan to help the innovative pharmaceutical industry. The government has done nothing since then to grant the right to appeal, allowing innovative companies to stand up to their competition so that they can continue investing in research and development. Yet innovation drives the pharmaceutical industry.

When will the Minister of Industry introduce a regulation on the right to appeal in order to correct this glaring injustice in the Patent Act?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to update the hon. member in this chamber.

Indeed, we have had discussions with the pharmaceutical sector. It knows what is required to move that step forward, which frequently involves the provinces signing off that this is the right thing to do in terms of their budgets.

If the hon. member is suggesting that we should override the provinces, including the province of Quebec, he should stand in his place and say so. In the meantime, we are looking for a national solution that involves the provinces and territories.

Mining Industry

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the labour dispute at Vale Inco has been going on for eight months. The Minister of Industry has met with the company representative 13 times since July 2008. The workers are still waiting for the company to negotiate in good faith.

Yesterday, thousands of miners and their families gathered together to show that the fight for fair wages and a fair pension is not over.

When will the minister put pressure on the company to negotiate in good faith?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, this is a matter under provincial jurisdiction. The provincial minister of labour is involved in that. It would not help matters if I became involved as well.

The hon. member is incorrect. I have not met with Vale Inco officials, maybe on one occasion since I was first elected to this place. In fact, I have met with union officials more often than I have met with company officials.

Families

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

Mr. Speaker, I am appalled that the Liberals are continuing with their beer and popcorn attitude and are yet again bashing the important work of mothers across this country. The Liberal member for St. Paul's stated that she did not think that mothers who stay home to raise their children are doing a real job.

Could the minister tell this House what he thinks of these comments and how our Conservative government's support for families differs from that of the Liberals?

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

Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government could not disagree more with the Liberals.

Let me be clear. On this side of the House we believe that the most important job in this country is being a mom or a dad. We believe that families are the foundation of this great nation. We believe that parents know what is best for their children. That is why we are providing choice in child care through the new universal child care benefit.

The Liberals should be ashamed of any comments or any statements to the contrary.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I am afraid that will conclude our question period for today.

Business of the House

[Gordon O'Connor, Conservative, Minister of State and Chief Government Whip]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among all parties and I believe if you seek it you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, all questions necessary to dispose of Ways and Means Motion No. 8 shall be put immediately at the expiry of the time provided for oral questions on Wednesday, March 24.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Does the hon. Chief Government Whip have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.