Debates of April 23rd, 2010

Brewing Industry

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the people of Hamilton are outraged by Labatt's-owned Lakeport Brewery's complete disregard for the future job prospects of the 150 people it threw on the street. Not only is it closing the brewery, it is deliberately preventing other beer companies from restarting production and rehiring the workers.

Why is the federal government missing in action? The Siemens and Lakeport closures mean 700 lost jobs and the government has not lifted a finger to help. What exactly is the Conservative government going to do to help save these Hamilton jobs?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, that is not true. As the hon. member knows, or ought to know, this matter was in fact referred to the appropriate body, which is the Competition Bureau. It reviewed the facts of the case and declined to intervene because there was no reason to intervene in this particular case. The laws of the land are being upheld, and that is a matter of fact.

I was in Hamilton just three weeks ago announcing a project that our department is helping to finance that will grow 200 new jobs for Hamiltonians.

Firearms Registry

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Wetaskiwin, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in an April 21 interview, Calgary Police Chief Rick Hanson echoed what our government has said all along, that the gun registry is just a placebo and that it has not really worked all that well. He also said that lawmakers should focus more on sentencing.

Would the Minister of Public Safety inform the House what this Conservative government has done to address Police Chief Hanson's concerns?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, through this government's Tackling Violent Crime Act, we ensured tougher mandatory jail time for serious gun crimes. We also eliminated the practice of awarding two for one and three for one credit for time served, ensuring that the punishment truly fits the crime. This is something the Liberals tried to block.

We will continue to introduce legislation to protect victims and law-abiding citizens of this country. We will scrap the wasteful long gun registry supported by the opposition coalition of deceit.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, for 25 years the Nova Scotia Gambia Association has sent workers, nurses and volunteers to help teach health awareness and education programs to the folks in Gambia and Sierra Leone. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, it was hoping to bring over some of its Gambian volunteers to Halifax. Unfortunately, their requests for travel visas have been denied.

Why are these humanitarian workers not allowed to enter Canada to celebrate their success?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, we certainly do understand that people are disappointed when their visa applications are denied. Our responsibility, however, is to ensure that all visitors meet the requirements to come to Canada, as set out in Canada's immigration law.

These applications are assessed on a case by case basis. Visa officers review the specific facts that are presented by the applicant in each case as well as in this one.

Transportation

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec has just announced its contribution of $200 million for a rail shuttle linking Trudeau airport with downtown Montreal. However, we are still waiting for the federal government's contribution to this project.

Having agreed to fund the construction of airport shuttles in Vancouver and Toronto, why is the federal government still dragging its feet on funding for the Montreal shuttle?

[Rob Merrifield, Conservative, Minister of State (Transport)]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to infrastructure on rail and infrastructure in communities, we have had an unprecedented year of success. We are going to continue that.

We will take the member's specific request under advisement and will get back to him in due course.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. speaker, there is a treaty banning chemical weapons and one banning biological weapons. However, so far, no similar effort has been successful to ban nuclear weapons. The danger they pose cannot be underestimated.

Over 500 members of the Order of Canada continue to press the government in their campaign for the elimination of nuclear weapons. They have joined the UN Secretary-General in calling for the negotiation of a treaty to ban nuclear weapons.

Will Canada support a nuclear weapons convention? Better still, will Canada seek a leadership position in its negotiation?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, Canada indeed has played a leadership role. In fact, last week the Prime Minister was at the nuclear summit that was convened by the President of the United States in which Canada played an important role. We will also be participating quite actively in the nuclear non-proliferation discussions that will take place in a short time at the United Nations. This is the five year review plan.

Canada indeed has assumed its responsibility. I am very proud to see that we are taking that leadership role about which the member is talking.

Volunteerism

[Gary Schellenberger, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this week is National Volunteer Week, a time to thank volunteers all across Canada for giving their time to make Canada a better place. Over 12 million Canadians give over two billion hours of their time each year for a variety of causes and activities.

Could the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development please inform the House what our Conservative government is doing to recognize and encourage volunteering?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development]

Mr. Speaker, our government values very highly the important contributions made by volunteers right across the country. That is why we are bringing in the Prime Minister's award for volunteerism. That is why we are investing in projects that help seniors mentor the next generation of volunteers. That is why we are investing in youth internships for not-for-profit organizations.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the volunteers right across our country who give so generously of their time and talent. I and our government say a huge “thank you” to them.

International Aid

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Mr. Speaker, everyone in this chamber knows that the KAIROS funding cuts were both unfair and slanderous. It is therefore extraordinary when both the Canadian Council of Churches and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada come together, representing virtually the entire spectrum of Christian churches, and ask for a meeting with the minister in order to “restore the relationship”.

When will they get that meeting?

[Jim Abbott, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, we have heard this question many times from the member and the answer remains the same. The criteria for the funding for KAIROS is the same as the criteria for funding for anyone else applying for such funding. KAIROS did not meet the criteria. It did not get the funding. There was no surprise there.

I am surprised that the member keeps on asking the same question.

Ethics

[Jim Prentice, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order relating to a matter before the House and before one of its committees.

I would like to inform the House that on Tuesday evening of this week, April 20, I was advised that in April 2009 a member of my staff in Calgary, Mr. Scott Wenger, was approached by Mr. Rahim Jaffer. Their discussion involved representations by Mr. Jaffer on behalf of a company.

On my instructions, Mr. Winger has forwarded the details of those discussions and the documents relating to them to the Commissioner of Lobbying. The material was transmitted late yesterday, April 22. The same material is being transmitted today to the Ethics Commissioner.

No contract was ever awarded to the company. I was not involved in those discussions in April 2009. Nor was I aware that they took place.

As I have previously stated publicly, the only discussion I have had with Mr. Jaffer in the past one and a half years consisted of a 30 second discussion in this very building in early 2009, when I told him that I was not responsible for the administration of the so-called green funds.

I felt it was my obligation, Mr. Speaker, to so advise the House today.

Government Response to Petitions

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to three petitions.

Combating Terrorism Act

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-17, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (investigative hearing and recognizance with conditions).

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Justice and Human Rights

[Bob Dechert, Conservative, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

In accordance with the order of reference of Wednesday, April 14, your committee has considered Bill C-475, An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (methamphetamine and ecstasy) and agreed, on Thursday, April 23, to report it with amendment.

Procedure and House Affairs

[Marcel Proulx, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, pursuant to Standing Order 91.1(2).

This report contains a list of items added to the order of precedence as a result of the replenishment that took place on Wednesday, April 14, 2010, under private members' business that should not be designated non-votable.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Pursuant to Standing Order 91.1(2), the report is deemed adopted.

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 sixth report of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.

In accordance with its order of reference of Wednesday, March 3, your committee has considered vote 15, under Parliament, in the main estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, and reports the same less the amounts voted in the interim supply.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I seek unanimous consent to revert to presenting reports for interparliamentary delegations.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Interparliamentary Delegations

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34 I have the honour to present, in both official languages, two reports from the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association concerning a bilateral visit to New Zealand in December 2009 and a conference in the United Kingdom in February 2010.