House of Commons Hansard #30 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was business.
Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government wants to do away with the Canadian Wheat Board. Will its next victim be supply management? We all know that the government's chief negotiator for the free trade agreement with Europe said in committee that everything is on the table during the negotiations.
How can we be assured that this government will not yield to pressure from the Europeans on the issue of supply management?
Gerald Keddy ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade
Mr. Speaker, when the minister appeared before the trade committee, he reassured the committee once again that supply management was protected by this government and would continue to be protected by this government.
Hélène LeBlanc NDP LaSalle—Émard, QC
Mr. Speaker, the expert panel's report on research and development confirms that the government's innovation strategy is a failure. This government's lack of long-term vision is costing us jobs and reducing our ability to compete internationally. This government must do more to be a leader in innovation, because Canada is only marking time.
When will this government finally help the businesses and researchers that innovate and move Canada forward?
Gary Goodyear ConservativeMinister of State (Science and Technology) (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario)
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for pointing out that we did receive a panel report today. I want to thank the panel for its hard work and assure the House that I will be considering all the recommendations in that report.
We do want to celebrate with our businesses this week. We want our businesses to do research, develop new products and new markets. What that would mean for Canadians is jobs, better jobs, higher-paying jobs and a higher standard of living, and that is what we want.
Dan Harris NDP Scarborough Southwest, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is nice to know that the minister knows there is a report, but it would help for him to read it because it would show him that the government's strategy has failed. As countries around the world move forward with new innovations, Canada keeps falling behind.
When will the government stop subsidizing corporate research and start promoting direct investment in R and D like leading countries do? When will it start listening to New Democrats and begin moving Canada forward by adequately funding basic scientific research so our scientists can get results for Canadians?
Gary Goodyear ConservativeMinister of State (Science and Technology) (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario)
Mr. Speaker, I assure the member that if he looks at the record of this government, he will see broad and extensive research funding for basic research all the way through to applied research. Indeed, this government has some of the most generous programs to encourage businesses to do their own research. We are expecting businesses to do a little more. We want to ensure they have the tools.
I will read the report and get back to the House very shortly.
Greg Kerr Conservative West Nova, NS
Mr. Speaker, in the past six years, our government has taken action that will result in an increase of Parks Canada's network of national parks and national marine conservation areas by 50%. This morning the Minister of the Environment was in Nova Scotia to expand on this commitment to create new protected areas.
Could the parliamentary secretary update Canadians on what took place in Halifax today?
Michelle Rempel ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, this morning in Halifax, the Minister of the Environment, along with the Minister of National Defence, signed an agreement to make Sable Island a national park reserve.
Today's memorable agreement will ensure that this iconic and valued Canadian landscape, fabled for its wild horses, shipwrecks and one of the largest dune systems in eastern Canada, will be protected as a national park reserve for the benefit of Canadians now and in the future. This is yet another example of how our government is taking concrete action to protect our country's natural heritage.
Judy Foote Liberal Random—Burin—St. George's, NL
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans cannot continue to speak out of both sides of his mouth and expect to retain his credibility. The government cannot on one hand shut down the Fisheries Resource Conservation Council and at the same time say it supports science.
First it puts the lives of fishers at risk by recklessly closing the Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre in St. John's and now it wants to take the fishers out of the industry altogether by cutting the guts out of the department.
When will the government live up to its responsibility and support the fishing industry instead of trying to destroy it?
Keith Ashfield ConservativeMinister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway
Mr. Speaker, as I said previously, the FRCC has historically served an important role, but activities have been replaced by other approaches. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has built into its operations other ways to gather input from fish harvesters, including industry participation, stock assessments, development of an integrated fisheries management plan and through advisory committees.
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are at it again. The agriculture minister has talked about blowing the candles out on the Wheat Board. The Prime Minister has talked about a train barrelling down on the Wheat Board. We have not seen this kind of arrogance since the Mulroney Tories, whose legacy was to be left with two seats, neither of them in western Canada.
When will the Prime Minister cut the arrogance, stop taking western Canadians for granted and save the Canadian Wheat Board?
David Anderson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to represent western Canadian farmers. We remain committed to providing them with the same opportunities and the same freedoms that other farmers have across the country. We know full well that this is going to increase investment. We have already heard that. We heard an announcement last week in Regina that someone was going to spend $50 million on a pasta plant. It will be the first pasta plant in western Canada in decades. However, people need a free market in order to do that. We know that it will encourage innovation. We know that it is going to create value-added jobs and it is going to create a stronger economy in western Canada.
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Mr. Speaker, today kicks off the ninth round of negotiations toward an ambitious Canada-EU free trade agreement. We are trying to work with all parties in the House to create jobs and grow our economy. However, the NDP support for special interest groups that oppose free and open trade shows that the NDP does not represent ordinary Canadians who stand to benefit immensely from a free trade agreement with the European Union.
I ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade to explain how this agreement would benefit Canadian workers and their families.
Gerald Keddy ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Kelowna—Lake Country for his support for our job-creating, pro-trade plan.
Today's events prove once again that the NDP and its special interest groups are ideologically opposed to free trade and will continue to invent any reason to oppose free and open trade.
We welcome the ninth round of negotiations as the benefits for Canadian workers and businesses through a free trade agreement with the EU are expected to be enormous: a 20% boost in bilateral trade, a $12 billion annual boost to Canada's economy and almost 80,000 new jobs created.
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
Mr. Speaker, now we know that the environment minister is in Halifax, could the government tell us if he is having discussions with the environment minister of Nova Scotia regarding the 233-metre vessel which is stuck off Scatarie Island? It will cost anywhere from $20 million to $24 million, and the federal government has told the province that it will not be responsible for, or even assist in, the removal of that vessel.
Could the environment minister or the parliamentary secretary please tell the House what the government will do to assist the province of Nova Scotia in removing the MV Miner from Scatarie Island?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, Transport Canada's role is to ensure that Canada's waterways provide safe navigation and are free of ship-source pollution. We know that is a provincial jurisdiction, but we will continue to work with the province to determine that there is no polluting of the marine environment and that it is not a hazard to navigation for the moment.
Jean-François Fortin Bloc Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
Mr. Speaker, today the Prime Minister announced the appointment of two new justices to the Supreme Court. And what do we know about them? One of the two judges does not understand French even though he will have to rule on disputes involving laws written in French.
Can the government confirm that the selection committee set up in August has unanimously chosen a judge who does not understand French and that the government approves this choice?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
The Supreme Court of Canada is the pinnacle of our judicial system and we will continue to make appointments to that body on the basis of legal excellence and merit.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of a group of boys and girls, the Children's Miracle Network 2011 Champions from across the country.
These youngsters have overcome life-threatening illnesses or injuries and have been chosen to represent the millions of children who are treated annually by the Children's Miracle Network hospitals and foundations across North America.
Rodger Cuzner Liberal Cape Breton—Canso, NS
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During the course of question period, while I sat here quietly waiting for a response to a question that I posed for the Minister of Labour, for which obviously I did not get an answer, she made reference to being heckled from this corner of the chamber and in particular from this member. I can assure you, and you have access to the transcript in the Hansard, that there was no such noise that came out of this corner or this member. I think the minister would want to stand and correct that.
On another aspect, she did reference the fact that the constituents of Cape Breton expected a great deal from their members. I would agree with her, and that is why there are two Liberals back in the chamber.
Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions
Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, on a related point of order, I am glad my colleague for Cape Breton—Canso stood and made reference to his question. In his question to the Minister of Labour earlier today, the preamble seemed to suggest that the minister was guilty of criminal conduct.
I know the member for Cape Breton—Canso and I know him to be a person of good character. I am sure he would want to do the right thing, the parliamentary thing, and stand up, withdraw his remarks unreservedly and apologize to the minster. Failing that, I would ask you, Mr. Speaker, to review the comments made earlier in his preamble, judge accordingly and rule accordingly.
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Mr. Speaker, I agree with you. This is not a proper point of order. However, I have something in common with the Minister of Labour and the member for Cape Breton—Canso. We all share Cape Breton roots.
As neither of them is a member of my party, and as both of them are people I hold in high regard, I would like the Minister of Labour to know that the hon. member for Cape Breton—Canso, unless this jokester has learned how to project his voice as a ventriloquist, was as quiet as the grave as he awaited the minister's answer.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I appreciate the interventions from the Cape Breton caucus, but I think we will move on.