Debates of May 14th, 2010

Daniel L'Heureux

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am also very pleased to have this opportunity, on behalf of the New Democratic Party, to wish our friend Daniel all the best for a wonderful retirement.

Daniel L'Heureux worked as a professional—and I do mean “professional”—journalist for some 40 years. He always managed to remain extremely objective in his work, as anyone who worked with him here on the Hill can attest to. He got right to the heart of the matter when asking a question, like the good lawyer he could have been had he continued along that path. He already knew the answer, and anyone who told him anything but the truth had to think twice.

With his Master's degree in sociology and journalism studies in Paris, the only thing I can fault him for is not completing his law degree. Daniel L'Heureux brought a smile, considerable intelligence and keen insight to every issue he covered, along with the desire to inform the public with every interview he conducted.

o Daniel, his wife and children, I wish him all the best in his retirement.

Leader of the Liberal Party

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Russian online newspaper Pravda had an interesting story yesterday about the leader of the Liberal Party entitled, “Russian Duke Craves Power in Canada”. Many Canadians probably do not know that the Liberal leader admitted on a Canadian television program to being flattered when addressed using the aristocratic and hereditary term “count”.

They also probably do not know that the Liberal leader admitted that his aristocratic and hereditary title was useful for social advancement in the United Kingdom. We do know that the Liberal leader is a self-identified cosmopolitan who admits to being “horribly arrogant”. It is no wonder the Liberal leader wants to raise taxes that will hurt Canadian families by killing jobs. Clearly, in his mind—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

We will move on to the next statement. I think that is out of order.

International Day Against Homophobia

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, May 17 is International Day Against Homophobia. In honour of this day, famous playwright and novelist Michel Tremblay will receive the 2010 Fight Against Homophobia Award.

We must take this opportunity to consider how far the gay and lesbian community has come, but also how much further it has to go. Although gays and lesbians have more rights than ever, it may all be for naught with this Reform-style Conservative government.

By removing any reference to homosexual rights from the immigrants' handbook and by reducing or eliminating funding for gay pride festivals in Montreal and Toronto, this Conservative government has made it clear it want to hide and silence homosexuals.

The Bloc Québécois would like to take this opportunity to say that we want to live in a society free of prejudice that welcomes everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Margaret Rideout

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Beauséjour, NB]

Mr. Speaker, it is with considerable sadness that I rise today to pay tribute to the late Margaret Rideout, who died Wednesday at 87 years old. In 1964, Mrs. Rideout was the first woman from New Brunswick ever elected to the House of Commons. Four years later, she became a Citizenship Court judge and served as chief judge of the Court of Canadian Citizenship.

Mrs. Rideout was highly respected for her dedication to the people of Moncton and her commitment to public service and Canada's immigration system. Her son, Mr. Justice George Rideout, was a colleague and is a friend to many of us, as he too served in the House from 1988 to 1997.

I know all members join me in the mourning of the loss of this outstanding Canadian and expressing our deepest sympathies to the Rideout family at this difficult time.

Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we saw a typical Liberal hypocrisy being practised by the chair of the ethics committee, who only wants to follow the rules when they suit him.

Under the concept of ministerial accountability, the Minister of Human Resources voluntarily and willingly appeared at the ethics committee to answer questions related to her department. Shockingly, and perhaps a first for a Westminster Parliament, the chair refused to allow the minister to be accountable and--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Order. The hon. member knows that there was a point of order raised on this matter concerning a statement of a similar nature yesterday, and I think he might usefully make his submissions on a point of order rather than as a Standing Order 31 statement.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Several eloquent statements by members paid tribute to a great Canadian who is with us today.

I remind the House that television is a visual medium and that it is the Chair who should draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of Mr. Daniel L'Heureux, a journalist who has been the voice and face of Radio-Canada for 30 years. He is retiring today after a long and distinguished career. He will be sorely missed.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

The Economy

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, a new Certified General Accountants Association of Canada report shows that Canadian families are the most indebted of the OECD. Meanwhile, the Conservatives are growing our public debt by borrowing billions to finance corporate tax cuts.

On the one hand, Canadians are struggling to pay down their personal debts. On the other, the government is taking on new public debt to lower corporate taxes that are already among the lowest of our competitors.

Why does the government want to impose more debt on Canadian families in order to give additional tax breaks to the largest and wealthiest of corporations?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, our number one goal, our number one objective as a government here in Canada is to create jobs, to create more hope, to create more opportunity.

Just 15 months ago we came forward with Canada's economic action plan. One of the centrepieces of that is tax reductions, to make Canada a magnet for jobs, investment and opportunity. Just last month we got some good news that 108,000 jobs were created in this great country. There is no doubt that corporate tax cuts on the job creation sector was a major part of that.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, the government is all about short-term messaging for long-term pain, and that is the fact.

We balanced the books and lowered Canada's deficit. The Conservative government is increasing debt by borrowing against our grandchildren's future. It reminds me of the Mulroney government that drove this country to the brink of bankruptcy.

Why is the government borrowing from our grandchildren to cut corporate taxes beyond what is fiscally prudent?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, it is funny. The Liberal Party had a conference in Montreal, a policy conference, a thinkers' conference, but it did not allow Liberal MPs to speak. The Liberal leader would not allow his Liberal MPs to speak.

Had he done that, he would have heard some great quotes from the Liberal critic for finance, the member for Markham—Unionville, who has said in the past that corporate tax cuts create jobs, that cutting taxes on new investment is the best way to get the economy going. He was right then and he is right now.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, it is all about choices, and the Liberal Party looks at choices.

The government chooses to borrow more money to pay for tax cuts for the largest and wealthiest of corporations. It chooses to slash payments for services to ordinary Canadians. Does the government not realize that poor fiscal choices today lead to economic tragedy tomorrow?

Why does the government play a game of economic jeopardy with our grandchildren's future?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, let me inform the member opposite of a great quote from a great thinker on tax cuts. He said:

Our leader has stressed...the importance of deeper corporate tax cuts as a primary means of achieving the investment, the rising living standards and the jobs, jobs, jobs that we all want for ourselves and our children.

Who said that? The official spokesman for the Liberal Party on taxes, the member for Markham—Unionville.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian families have been going through tough times as of late. At the same time, the Conservatives' deficit is estimated at over $50 billion. What is the government doing? It is insisting on another round of tax cuts for large corporations, when we already have one of the most competitive tax regimes in the world. We will lose $6 billion a year as a result of these tax cuts. This money could go to Canadian families to help them with much more pressing needs.

When will this government show some good judgment and work on this country's real priorities?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the real priority is to create jobs so that families can provide for themselves and increase their standard of living. Liberals know this only too well.

Let me read another quote, “Corporate tax cuts are one of the best strategies to attract investment and help manufacturers battered by the high Canadian dollar”. Who said that? It was the official spokesman for the Liberal Party on taxes, the Liberal member for Markham—Unionville. He was right then. This is one of the reasons that Liberal MPs should have been allowed to speak at their policy conference.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' incompetence is costing Canadians dearly. Not only have they driven up our debt, but they have made all kinds of promises they do not keep. How many photo ops did we see the with the Prime Minister and the Canadian navy? How many ships did they promise to build? They are good at self-promotion. How do they explain that the navy now needs to cut its patrol fleet in half? Are the Conservatives so short-sighted on purpose, or are they just incompetent?

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, before I go on, let me offer the condolences of our government and everybody in the House to the family and comrades of Private Kevin McKay, 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Edmonton, who gave his life for Canada and for Afghanistan yesterday.

It is a bit rich for the party of the decade of darkness over there to talk about funding for the Canadian Forces.

This government will not tie up ships. In fact, this government has given $200 million more to the navy this year than last year. Last year we gave more to it than the year before. We are getting the job done for the navy because the navy deserves it and Canada deserves it.

Securities

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Quebec's finance minister, Raymond Bachand, is still angry with the Conservatives who, as he said, are using rhetoric to sell the idea of a single securities commission in Canada. He said that it is irresponsible to make people believe that a federal commission would have protected unfortunate victims from fraudster Earl Jones.

Will the government admit that its sole motivation for moving ahead with this project is to deprive Quebec of its financial sector for the benefit of Toronto?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague that Canada is the only major industrialized nation that does not have a national securities regulator.

As my colleague, the Minister of Finance, has said on a number of occasions, Quebec can choose whether or not it wants to participate. That is up to Quebeckers and their government. They will make that decision.

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Minister Bachand does not buy the argument that provincial participation is voluntary. No one in Quebec is being fooled. The Conservative strategy is simply to isolate Quebec in order to eventually force it to join this Canada-wide securities commission.

Why are the Conservative members, especially those from Quebec, bent on destroying Quebec's financial autonomy to the benefit of Toronto?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague that countless articles have explained that this type of organization would essentially provide better protection for Quebec investors, reduce useless expenditures and attract new investors and investment from abroad.

[Robert Carrier, Bloc, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Quebec's finance minister condemns the Conservatives' disinformation about the costs of the current regulatory system. Many analyses show that the costs of raising capital in Canada are comparable to those in the United States. And that is not including the job losses in Quebec and the $300 million the federal government is investing to duplicate a system that works well.

When will this government admit that there is only one reason for its commission: to strip Quebec of its financial autonomy for Toronto's benefit?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that my Bloc Québécois colleague is ignoring the facts. I would like to share with him something we heard recently from Joey Davis, a victim of Earl Jones who speaks for the victims' group. He said that he had more confidence in the federal government and that he hoped Mr. Bachand and Premier Charest would work with and not against Ottawa on this issue.