House of Commons Hansard #28 of the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was colombia.
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, we have taken a very balanced approach.
One of the reasons we have brought in changes to the Criminal Code is that we are standing up for victims and reduced victimization in this country. I appreciate that is a foreign concept for the NDP but we will take a very balanced approach. For once, this should have the support of the New Democrats.
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
Mr. Speaker, last night, the Juno Awards showcased the very best of Canada's music industry from coast to coast to coast. We congratulate the award winners.
Our government is proud to support our artists and that is why we have increased funding for Canada's music industry and delivered more support for artists than any other government in Canadian history.
Could the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell the House how we are delivering real support for Canada's music industry?
James Moore ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased this weekend in St. John's, Newfoundland to follow through on our government's campaign commitment to give record support for Canada's music industry.
We made a commitment that we would provide record funding for Canada's music industry and we have done that and we have provided it for a record amount of time over five years.
We had artists there from Newfoundland and Labrador and from across the country support our announcements. In fact, this is what they had to say about our government support.
Heather Ostertag of Factor said that the government has “clearly demonstrated their commitment to culture”, and that the government is doing everything it can to make sure the music industry will go forward for the next generation.
We are doing what we said we would do.
Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon I listened to the President of the Treasury Board equivocate, the Minister of Veterans Affairs regurgitate and the Minister of National Defence obfuscate.
Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON
Look it up.
When it comes to veterans, the government is long on words and short on actions. Widows and widowers of fallen soldiers have been promised public service jobs. Why has it taken so long for the government to act?
Stockwell Day ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
Mr. Speaker, the only skating that is going on here is by the member opposite.
On the issue of ensuring that the widows and spouses of those who have been lost in the brave fight in Afghanistan have regulations in place so that they can move into an area of preferential treatment related to job-seeking, that will be in place this coming month.
On the issue of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, if there is information that he wants he just needs to ask for it and I will do my best to get it to him.
Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
Mr. Speaker, on March 23, the Minister of Industry stated that he could not take action on the right to appeal and intellectual property rights without the consent of Quebec and the provinces. In a letter dated February 27, 2008, the Quebec government indicated that uncertainty was harmful to Quebec's innovative biopharmaceutical companies and called for quick action by the federal government. Two years later, nothing has been done.
What is the government waiting for to provide the balanced protection of intellectual property rights required by the industry?
Tony Clement ConservativeMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member well knows that in my discussions with the pharmaceutical sector one of the issues that I was concerned about was additional costs to the provinces if we move ahead unilaterally with right of appeal. I have said to that sector and to my counterparts in the provinces that if they agree, then we can move forward.
Why does the hon. member want to add several hundred millions of dollars to the budget bill of the Government of Quebec? That is what I would like to know.
Glenn Thibeault NDP Sudbury, ON
Mr. Speaker, it has been five days since the giant cloud of volcanic ash left millions of people stranded at airports across Europe.
European governments are taking action. Britain is sending in navy ships and is working with Spain to use its airports to fly its citizens home. Canadian travellers have not been as lucky.
The government has done little more than offer an 1-800 number and an Internet link. What is the government doing to help stranded Canadians get home?
Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, we are aware, obviously, that the volcanic ash over Europe has left millions of travellers stranded across the globe. We are monitoring the situation very closely and officials in my department are ready to provide consular services.
We hope the air space will reopen so that affected Canadians can return safety to Canada. I encourage travellers to check our website with our advisories, as well as to verify with the airlines.
Harold Albrecht Conservative Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
Mr. Speaker, Canada is number one in the G7 for supporting basic research at universities and colleges but we lag behind other industrialized countries in business innovation and private sector research and development.
With the economic recovery under way in southern Ontario, could the Minister of State for Science and Technology and the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario tell us what the government is doing to promote innovation among small and medium-sized businesses?
Gary Goodyear ConservativeMinister of State (Science and Technology) (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario)
Mr. Speaker, this morning I announced a brand new pilot project initiative that will provide up to $15 million to help businesses move promising products from the R and D stage to the marketplace. This initiative will create jobs and strengthen the economy of southern Ontario by giving businesses greater access to the research capacity at our colleges and universities.
Polytechnics Canada says that this unprecedented federal investment could become an innovation game changer, and I think it will.
Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON
Mr. Speaker, I will use simpler words this time. In Conservative rich Alberta, veterans line up at the Calgary poppy fund food bank to get $500 worth of food every month. As many as 20 to 30 homeless veterans sleep in the Calgary drop-in every night. They suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and they are not being compensated when they are injured. Now their spouses cannot get access to public service jobs.
What are the Conservatives doing for Canadian veterans?
Jean-Pierre Blackburn ConservativeMinister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State (Agriculture)
Mr. Speaker, we have various programs to help veterans who become homeless.
We work with organizations that identify those with this need. When these people are identified, we help them.
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development snubbed aboriginal financial institutions when he failed to include them in the loan loss reserve program.
For years no banks wanted to invest in on reserve businesses, so the AFIs shouldered the risk by themselves and made it profitable. Now the big banks want to move in and the government is helping them, but leaving out the AFIs.
The Conservative aboriginal caucus wants AFIs to be part of the loan loss reserve program. When will the minister level the playing field and add AFIs to the loan loss reserve program?
Chuck Strahl ConservativeMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, the aboriginal financial institutions are tremendously important. When I was before committee I talked about our obvious support for aboriginal financial institutions.
However, we want the big banks in the game of lending money as well to first nations and aboriginal people across the country. We have a pilot project in place not only with the banks, but also with large credit unions and the First Nations Bank of Canada, all of which is to get them in the exciting game of economic opportunity for aboriginal people across the country, not only AFIs, but banks and credit unions to be in this game as well. It is good.
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Mr. Speaker, during question period on April 16, the member for Fleetwood—Port Kells totally misinformed the House. She stated that I, during the human resources committee, confirmed that the Liberal Party did not give any choice to parents for child care. That statement is totally unacceptable. I never said any such thing. Now I am correcting the record on what was said about me, with due respect.
During that committee, I was talking about a woman who could not get child care or another job because she had no child care and she ended up on welfare, which was no choice at all, and that $100 a month gave nobody any choice whatsoever. In fact, the minister responded to a question by saying that she was providing choice with $100. That does not even provide babysitting for one day.
The hon. member should apologize for totally misinforming the House about what I said at committee.
The Speaker Liberal Peter Milliken
The hon. member for Beaches—East York knows that the Speaker does not get involved in disputes as to facts. Allegations that members may have said something when they did not or may have said something when they meant something else, or whatever, are made from time to time in the House and often it is in the nature of debate.
Therefore, I am afraid it is not a point of order that I feel the Chair can entertain at this stage.
Government Response to PetitionsRoutine Proceedings
Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(b) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 43 petitions.
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, copies of the 2008 annual report of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal.
Military Police Complaints CommissionRoutine Proceedings
Central Nova Nova Scotia
Conservative
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, copies of the 2009 annual report for the Military Police Complaints Commission, “A Decade of Oversight”.
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the 2009 annual report of the Canadian Forces Grievance Board, “The Road Forward”.
Paule Brunelle Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian parliamentary delegation to the Canada-France Interparliamentary Association on its participation in the standing committee meeting held in Paris, France, from February 15 to 17, 2010.
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Official Languages, which passed a motion on Thursday, April 15, inviting the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities to introduce a bill regarding the application of the Official Languages Act to Air Canada, its subsidiaries and partners.