House of Commons Hansard #61 of the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was colombia.
Laurie Hawn ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, to repeat once again, the next generation fighter capability is important to Canada and important to our Canada first defence strategy. No decision has yet been made. Any decision will conform to government rules.
I would point out that if it were up to that party over there, we would not have a military.
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, the problem is that as recently as May 27, the Minister of National Defence stood in his place right over there and guaranteed to us that there will be an open, competitive, transparent process in the purchase of our next fighter aircraft, yet secret cabinet documents reveal now that the minister has no intention of having an open and competitive process, because the Americans would not like it.
A competitive bidding process would give us a better plane for a better price and would provide better regional and industrial benefits. Since when are the Conservatives opposed to a free market? Since when are the Conservatives opposed to free competition?
Laurie Hawn ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, the member knows absolutely nothing about which he speaks, except I will point out, or maybe ask the question, if it is a secret cabinet document, how did he get it? Did he break the law? It really cannot be much of a secret if he got the document.
Again I will say that the program for the next generation fighter is important to Canada. It is important to jobs for Canadians. The process is going to follow all government rules. We are going to get the job done for our Canadian airmen and airwomen and the people who rely on them.
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the most recent report by the Ouranos group of 250 Quebec scientists looks at the negative impact that climate change will have on Quebec. Among the problems, the report mentions shoreline erosion, warming cities and change in river flow.
Is it not time for the Conservatives to wake up, open their eyes and realize that siding with the oil companies will have disastrous consequences to the economy of Quebec?
Mark Warawa ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, the member knows that is not true.
Canada is a country of unparalleled beauty. This government is committed to preserving and protecting the natural environment for this generation and coming generations. The fact is that for the first time in Canada, under this government greenhouse gas emissions have stabilized and they have gone down. How much have they gone down? Over 2%. What happened under the Liberals? They skyrocketed. They went up 26%.
We are getting it done.
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, people everywhere are sounding the alarm and calling for solutions to climate change problems. Just recently, six Nobel laureates called on the Conservative government to put climate change on the agenda for the G8 and the G20.
As the host country, why is Canada refusing to take action?
Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, maybe the hon. member did not understand the response, but the question was asked yesterday by the Leader of the Bloc Québécois, and the Prime Minister answered by saying that notwithstanding the fact that the G20 is an economic meeting, the fact remains that a large number of topics will be addressed and discussed. The Prime Minister has met with President Calderon and, as the Prime Minister mentioned yesterday, this topic will be discussed.
Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON
Mr. Speaker, last year GM terminated 240 Canadian dealerships in a process described as being a “mistake” and “arbitrary” by GM's CEO. Under U.S. congressional pressure, 660 U.S. dealerships were reinstated. Guelph's Robinson Pontiac Buick, cited by GM for over 100% sales efficiency in 2009 and having just spent $2 million on upgrades at GM's request, is being closed for no good reason.
Why, as a GM shareholder, does the government refuse to take action to protect these Canadian dealerships and the jobs and they represent?
Mike Lake ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, of course that is a question to be asked of GM, not of the Government of Canada.
While I am standing I would point out that the actions taken by this government saved thousands of Canadian jobs in the auto sector. In fact, due to the actions of this Canadian government, we have created over 300,000 new jobs in the last year.
We are applauded across the world by every industrialized country for our actions taken. In fact the IMF, the World Economic Forum and the OECD have called Canada a star. The Economist said that we are an economic star. The OECD said that we shine.
Marcel Proulx Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Mr. Speaker, we have met with General Motors and we have also met with a number of their dealers.
It is clear that GM's intransigence makes no sense. A number of very successful and very profitable dealerships might have to close.
As a shareholder of General Motors, it is time for this government to follow in the U.S. government's footsteps and support the dealerships who are fighting with GM to stay open.
When will the shareholders across the way stop being complicit in these closures and layoffs?
Mike Lake ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, that question has nothing to do with government business, but this government has shown unprecedented support for the auto sector.
With regard to the economy, I would point out that a number of commentators and experts have talked about Canada's performance. One of those experts is Christine Lagarde, France's finance minister, who said:
I think...we can be inspired by...the Canadian situation. There were some people who said, “I want to be Canadian”.
We do not even know how the Liberal leader feels about that statement.
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, back in January we were told that Canada's G8 and G20 summits would highlight the environment, development and the global economy. Climate change, we were told, would figure prominently at both meetings, and Canada would set an example by increasing its own spending on maternal and child health in developing countries.
Today the Conservatives are offering nothing more than an expensive tourism ad campaign. The environment is nowhere on the agenda. There is no money on the table for maternal and child health.
The question is: What went so wrong? How did it go off the rails? Where is our commitment--
Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, my colleague has asked two questions.
First, the Prime Minister assured colleagues in the House that this issue will be discussed at the upcoming G20 meeting. Climate change will be discussed by the leaders. As members know, the Prime Minister did meet with President Calderón.
On the issue of child and maternal health, let me tell members what Jill Sheffield, president and founder of Women Deliver, said in the Ottawa Citizen. Colleagues should know about that. In talking about the Prime Minister, she said:
“It is a wonderful thing for him to do”, said...Jill Sheffield of [the Prime Minister]'s initiative. “It puts him right in step with the secretary general of the United Nations and heads of all these UN agencies.”
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Mr. Speaker, after six months of stonewalling, the NDP forced the release by the government of a withheld report on Colombia.
In addition to the systematic killings of labour activists, aboriginal people, Afro-Colombians and human rights advocates by government forces, we now find out about the systematic targeting of lesbian, gay and bisexual community leaders. We mourn their deaths.
Why did the government hide this information and why is it rewarding the Colombian regime for the murder of lesbian, gay and bisexual community leaders?
Lawrence Cannon ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, this is a draft report. It was never completed, nor was it publicly released by its authors. This draft report was prepared over two years ago by Conflict Analysis Resource Center for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. It was not written by or prepared for the Government of Canada.
Canada supports the continued improvement of human rights in Colombia, which is why the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement and the labour side agreement contain strong and enforceable provisions to protect and promote human rights.
Bruce Stanton Conservative Simcoe North, ON
Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government has been working hard on improving Canada's retirement income system.
First, we are improving federally regulated pension plans. Then, because nearly 90% of pension plans are provincially regulated, we are working with our provincial and territorial partners to come up with pan-Canadian solutions.
Both levels of government are listening to the ideas of everyday Canadians on how we can make our pension plan and system better for all retirees.
Would the parliamentary secretary please inform the House on the next steps we are talking about to strengthen Canada's retirement system?
Ted Menzies ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that early next week our award-winning finance minister will be meeting with his provincial and territorial partners to discuss Canada's retirement income system.
Based on the ideas we have heard from Canadians, we have proposed some smart improvements for discussion. They include modest increases to the Canada pension plan and tax changes to encourage multi-employer pensions.
One thing our government will not do is impose unilateral federal dictates that some would have us do. We will work with our provincial and territorial partners.
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
Mr. Speaker, $30 million to $40 million is what the government is pouring out for every 15 minutes of the G8 and G20 meetings. Thirty to forty million dollars is also the ceiling for corporate liability if Canada were to suffer a catastrophic oil spill. Meanwhile, in the Gulf of Mexico, damage from crude oil is estimated at over $3 billion.
Will the minister ensure that it is the oil companies and not the Canadian taxpayers on the hook for a major oil spill in Canada?
David Anderson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, I do not know if people are lying about this issue, or if they are just plain misled, but clearly Canadians are being misled. The requirements for drilling include things like worker safety plans, contingency plans and emergency response plans. The member knows that if she had been listening to the testimony that has been heard at committee, she would know that the safety regime in this country is as good as that in any country in the world.
Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Mr. Speaker, after women's groups and international cooperation organizations like KAIROS and Match International, it is now the Canadian Council for International Cooperation's turn to be hit by ideological and retaliatory cuts made by this government. The president of the Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale, Mr. Brian Barton, is calling for more transparent funding criteria and asking that CCIC's funding be maintained.
Will the government heed this call?
Jim Abbott ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, the government is very proud of the work that it has been doing with respect to these kinds of organizations. As the applications are received, they are duly considered and the minister is currently considering.
Jim Maloway NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Mr. Speaker, the overland flooding caused by extraordinary rainfall in Manitoba two weeks ago wreaked havoc in some areas in my own riding such as south Transcona, as well as other parts of Winnipeg, Brandon and communities across the province. Following the substantial rainfall, the provincial government immediately announced it would provide assistance to homeowners affected by this natural disaster, but there still has been no word from the federal government.
Will the Conservatives provide federal support to these families in need?
Dave MacKenzie ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should know that there is a plan in place. Federal-provincial agreements are in place and when all of those agreements are followed, then certainly the federal government is involved. We do not get involved without the province taking on its responsibility first and then dealing with the federal government.
Scott Armstrong Conservative Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS
Mr. Speaker, the NDP House leader has stated in an interview that she believes the Israeli occupation began in 1948. That is the same date as the creation of the state of Israel. She also has said that she supports the campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions against the state of Israel.
Warren Kinsella, a senior Liberal, says he believes there is not much that divides a Liberal-NDP coalition.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister please respond to these outrageous statements?
