Debates of Jan. 31st, 2011

Question No. 654

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I am informed by the Canada Boarder Services Agency that with regard to (a), there have been no increases in pay or benefits as a result of arming.

With regard to (b), to date, $143M has been spent during the first four years of implementing the arming program: (i) On average, the travel related cost and meals per learner attending a duty firearm course is approximately $4,000; (ii) The CBSA cannot isolate specific costs related to accommodations; (iii) There have been no changes to employee benefits or allowances as a result of arming.

Question No. 656

[Michelle Simson, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

With regard to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT): (a) how important is the use of specific language in letters, speeches and interventions at multilateral meetings and in documents produced by DFAIT in determining Canada’s foreign policy; (b) is there a difference between the terms (i) “Child Soldiers” and “children in armed conflicts”, (ii) “International Humanitarian Law” and “International Law”, (iii) “gender equality” and “equality between men and women”, (iv) “impunity for sexual violence” and “prevents sexual violence”; (c) has the Minister of Foreign Affairs or his office been requesting regular changes to wording in foreign policy documents; (d) what was discussed by DFAIT officials at a meeting regarding this issue held on May 21, 2009 in USS’ boardroom A8-211 from 11:00 to 12:00; (e) was a coordinated departmental plan arranged at this meeting or future meetings about language at DFAIT; and (f) were any further meetings arranged to discuss language changes and, if so, how many meetings, who attended these meetings and what was decided at these meetings?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, since DFAIT is one department, the responses for the Minister of International Trade and the Minister of Foreign Affairs are the same.

With regard to (a), where language used in letters, speeches and interventions is reflective of Canada's international legal obligations, efforts are made to ensure that such language is consistent with terms of art used in relevant instruments, or that are meaningful for and understood by Canada's international partners. Official statements, interventions or other public foreign policy documents should, as much as possible, be drafted in such a manner as to allow Canadians and international partners to fully understand the government's policies and priorities.

With regard to (b)(i), “Child soldier” is an undefined term in international law. The optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, a treaty that Canada has ratified, does not use the term. While the protocol does not prevent states parties from recruiting persons under the age of 18 years into their armed forces, it does provide that states parties must ensure that members of their armed forces who have not attained the age of 18 years do not take a direct part in hostilities. It also prohibits armed groups, as distinct from armed forces of a state, from recruiting or using in hostilities persons under the age of 18. The term “children in armed conflict”, which is used in the protocol, offers a clearer reference to international law than “child soldier”. Canada’s use of the term “children in armed conflict” reflects the fact that the UN and the international community often use this term to capture a number of grave violations against children in situations of conflict, including the recruitment and use of children as soldiers, grave sexual violence against children, abduction of children and the denial of humanitarian access for children. Moreover, the “Principles and Guidelines on Children associated with Armed Forces or Armed Groups”, which Canada has endorsed, do not use the term “child soldier”; (ii) International law is, very generally speaking, the law that governs the conduct between states and certain other actors. International humanitarian law, also known as the “law of war” or the “law of armed conflict”, is part of international law. International humanitarian law is a set of rules which seek, for humanitarian reasons, to limit the effects of armed conflict. It protects persons who are not or are no longer participating in the hostilities and restricts the means and methods of warfare; (iii) In multilateral forum like the United Nations, the term “gender equality” is used interchangeably with “equality between men and women”. For example, the Beijing Declaration, from the fourth World Conference on Women, Action for Equality, Development and Peace in 1995, uses the language of “gender equality” and the Beijing Platform for Action refers to “equality between men and women”. In the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, equality of or between men and women, or equality of the rights of men and women, is used throughout the text; (iv) The phrase "prevents sexual violence" addresses the general need to prevent future acts. The phrase “impunity for sexual violence” addresses the need to ensure that perpetrators of sexual violence are held accountable for their actions, thereby helping to deter others from perpetrating similar acts in the future. When calling for effective measures to address sexual violence, Canada uses language that includes both general prevention and, more specifically, the need to bring perpetrators to justice as one element of prevention;

With regard to (c), it is common practice for any government, through the Minister of Foreign Affairs or his office, to provide input into official statements, interventions or other foreign policy documents drafted by officials to ensure that public positions reflect the Government's policies and priorities.

With regard to (d), in the normal course of government business, any number of meetings are held which ensure that the terminology used by the government in public statements, letters, speeches and other similar documents remains consistent with the government's international obligations and policy objectives.

With regard to (e), no.

With regard to (f), please see response to question (d).

Question No. 658

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

With regard to Canada Emission Reduction Incentives Agency, what contracts under $10,000 did it award from September 1, 2009, to the present, including the vendor's name, the date, the amount and the description?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, the Act creating the Canada Emission Reduction Incentives Agency came into force on October 3, 2005 in accordance with the Order in Council number PC 2005-1716. The Agency however is not operational.

Question No. 675

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

With regard to The Heritage Canada Foundation, what contracts under $10,000 did it award from September 1, 2009, to the present, including the vendor's name, the date, the amount and the description?

[Stockwell Day, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, the Heritage Canada Foundation is a national, non-governmental, not-for-profit charity. The Heritage Canada Foundation is an independent body. The government cannot provide a response to this question. The Heritage Canada Foundation should be contacted directly for more information.

Question No. 684

[Bonnie Crombie, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

With regard to Canada Revenue Agency, what grants and contributions under $25,000 did it award from January 1, 2009, to the present?

[Keith Ashfield, Conservative, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, with respect to the above-noted question, what follows is the response from the Canada Revenue Agency, CRA. Unless otherwise indicated, please note that the CRA’s answer includes information from January 1, 2009 to December 14, 2010 that is, the date of the question.

The CRA’s charities partnership and outreach program is designed to provide funding to registered charities and non-profit organizations serving the charitable sector in Canada to develop and deliver innovative compliance-related education and training to other registered charities. The CRA also administers two statutory payment programs, which are reported as statutory grants: the children’s special allowances and the energy cost benefit.

With regard to the charities partnership and outreach program, CPOP, the CRA’s CPOP is designed to provide funding to registered charities and non-profit organizations serving the charitable sector in Canada to develop and deliver innovative compliance-related education and training to other registered charities

From January 1, 2009, up to and including the current fiscal year, to December 14, 2010, i.e., the date of the question, the CRA has awarded one contribution agreement for $19,156 directly under the auspices of the CPOP to the Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan , PLEA.

With regard to the children’s special allowances, CSA, CSA payments are governed by the Children’s Special Allowances Act which provides that this allowance be paid out of the consolidated revenue fund. Subsection 10(1) of the Children’s Special Allowances Act would prevent the Canada Revenue Agency, CRA from disclosing the monetary value of individual payments. In some cases, the CRA can respond with aggregate data. However, in situations where the sample size of the aggregate is too small such that a recipient could be directly or indirectly identified, in keeping with subsection 10(1), aggregate data is not released.

From January 1, 2009, up to and including the current fiscal year, to December 31, 2010, the CRA did not issue any payments under $25,000.

With regard to the energy cost benefit, ECB, the Energy Costs Assistance Measures Act provides that ECB payments be paid out of the consolidated revenue fund to families who were eligible for the national child benefit supplement in January 2006. Subsection 241(1) of the Income Tax Act prevents the CRA from disclosing the monetary value of individual payments. In some cases, the CRA can respond with aggregate data. However, in situations where the sample size of the aggregate is too small such that a recipient could be directly or indirectly identified, in keeping with the subsection 241(1) of the Income Tax Act, aggregate data is not released.

As the data can only be provided in aggregate, and for the aforementioned reasons, the CRA is unable to confirm whether specific payments under $25,000 have been made.

Unlike the CSA, the ECB was a one time tax exempt payment announced in October 2005. The ECB payment to recipients began in January 2006.

Question No. 685

[Bonnie Crombie, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

With regard to the National Energy Board, what grants and contributions under $25,000 did it award from January 1, 2009, to the present?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, from January 1, 2009 to the present, the National Energy Board did not award any grants or contributions under $25,000

Question No. 686

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

With regard to the Canada Emission Reduction Incentives Agency, what grants and contributions under $25,000 did it award from January 1, 2009, to the present?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, the act creating the Canada Emission Reduction Incentives Agency came into force on October 3, 2005 in accordance with the order in council number PC 2005-1716. The agency however is not operational.

Question No. 687

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

With regard to the Canadian Development Investment Corporation, what grants and contributions under $25,000 did it award from January 1, 2009, to the present?

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker the Canada Development Investment Corporation has not awarded any grants and contributions under $25,000 from January 1, 2009 to present.

Question No. 688

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

With regard to Export Development Canada, what grants and contributions under $25,000 did it award from January 1, 2009, to the present?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, EDC did not award any grants or contributions under $25,000 from January 1, 2009 to present.

Question No. 689

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

With regard to Statistics Canada, what grants and contributions under $25,000 did it award from January 1, 2009, to the present?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, Statistics Canada did not award any grants and contributions under $25,000 from January 1, 2009, to the present.

Question No. 690

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

With regard to the Canadian Tourism Commission, what grants and contributions under $25,000 did it award from January 1, 2009, to the present?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Tourism Commission does not award grants and contributions.

Question No. 691

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

With regard to the Privy Council Office, what grants and contributions under $25,000 did it award from January 1, 2009, to the present?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the Privy Council Office awarded no grants or contributions under $25,000 from January 1, 2009 to the present.

Question No. 694

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

With regard to the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, what grants and contributions under $25,000 did it award from January 1, 2009, to the present?

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

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority does not award grants and contributions.