House of Commons Hansard #41 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was firearms.
Steven Fletcher ConservativeMinister of State (Transport)
Mr. Speaker, after 13 long years, Canadians called for closure on a Liberal government. One of the reasons they did that is that the Liberals refused to do anything with rail for 13 long years.
Our government has worked with great success with stakeholders to improve the supply chain of shipments for everyone involved in the economy, from the railways to marketing facilitators. With regard to the facilitator, an announcement will be made shortly.
Annick Papillon NDP Québec, QC
Mr. Speaker, in four days, Pascal Lacoste will begin a hunger strike in front of the office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs. Mr. Lacoste served his country in Bosnia, but for the past 11 years, the department has completely abandoned him. Other veterans are adding their voices to his in order to denounce the red tape, the extremely long wait times and the lack of health specialists within the department.
Will all our veterans have to resort to such extreme tactics to get the minister's attention?
Steven Blaney ConservativeMinister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for her question.
When our brave soldiers are deployed to theatres of operation, such as Rwanda or Bosnia, they may suffer serious injuries. That is why we are implementing specific and effective programs and services that are based on the most recent scientific data. When we implemented improvements to the new veterans charter, it was specifically to help veterans who had the most serious injuries or illnesses.
As soon as I was made aware of this situation, I asked the officials in my department to take the necessary measures.
Corneliu Chisu Conservative Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
Mr. Speaker, this morning our government became aware of reports that Mr. Ahmed, his wife, and two young children have been released from detention in Saudi Arabia.
We know that the Minister of State of Foreign Affairs and her consular team work incredibly hard to support Canadians in distress in the region, as they do across the globe.
Would the Minister of State of Foreign Affairs please tell this House about the excellent consular assistance provided to and on behalf of this family that assisted in their release?
Diane Ablonczy ConservativeMinister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs)
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to once again be able to advise that other Canadians have now been released from detention abroad--
Diane Ablonczy Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Ahmed family has been freed in Saudi Arabia. I know it has been a very difficult time for the Ahmeds and for their concerned relatives here.
Canadian officials will continue to provide consular assistance and facilitate the Ahmeds' return to Canada, as we have been doing since first learning of their situation.
We once again thank our partners in Saudi Arabia for their co-operation in addressing our concerns with regard to Canadian citizens.
Andrew Cash NDP Davenport, ON
Mr. Speaker, Toronto families are worried about the dirty diesel train that will soon connect to Pearson airport.
While governments around the world invest in the future with cleaner electric trains, the government is leaving our biggest city in the past. Millions of travellers pass through Pearson airport every year. It is Canada's biggest airport. However, we should not be building 19th century transportation to get them where they need to go.
Why will the government not show some environmental leadership and help build an electric rail line to Toronto's airport?
Steven Fletcher ConservativeMinister of State (Transport)
Mr. Speaker, this government has provided unprecedented amounts of funding for rail infrastructure throughout Canada.
If the member were really sincere about representing the people of Toronto, he would have stood and voted with this government on all our historic investments for infrastructure. Why does the member hate Toronto?
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Mr. Speaker, by passing Bill C-10 to amend the Criminal Code, the Government of Canada will impose on the Quebec nation, on its territory, values that it rejects and will pass on the cost without Quebec having a say in the matter. In addition, today, Quebec's Minister of Justice declared that Quebec will refuse to foot the bill.
Does the Minister of Justice realize that this proves that the Quebec nation has no choice but to assume full control over its criminal laws, as any nation state would, to ensure that its values are reflected and it controls the cost of administering justice in its territory?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate anything about fighting crime is very upsetting to what is left of the Bloc Québécois, but these pieces of legislation have been before Parliament and have been in the public realm for quite some time.
I am very pleased that since this government took office, we have increased our transfers to the provinces by 30%, $2.4 billion in the last year alone. That is the right approach to this. We will continue to help the provinces in that regard.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of Her Excellency Rose Francine Rogombé, Speaker of the Senate of the Gabonese Republic.
Gary Goodyear ConservativeMinister of State (Science and Technology) (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario)
Mr. Speaker, I have the accurate research that clearly shows the Perimeter Institute received, and continues to receive, the funding that respects this government's promise. I would like to table this document to set the record straight. I would encourage the NDP to read the actual research and to stop making it up and misleading Canadians. With the permission of the House, I would table the public accounts document.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
The minister does not need the permission of the House. He can table whatever he likes.
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order to set the record straight on the family—
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Order, please. Setting the record straight is not a point of order. It is a point of debate. I would invite the hon. member to perhaps raise it in question period or in statements by members, but setting the record straight is not to use up House time as a point of order.
Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, are the documents tabled by the minister in both official languages?
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Order, please. It has come to the attention of the Chair that the document is in only one official language. Therefore, I would ask the Minister of State for Science and Technology to either provide a copy in both official languages or seek the consent of the House to table it in one official language.
Gary Goodyear Conservative Cambridge, ON
Mr. Speaker, I commit to tabling it in both official languages. I guarantee the facts are exactly the same. The research is consistent. The numbers are the same. The NDP is wrong, in both official languages.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
We will wait for the document to be tabled in both official languages.
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Mr. Speaker, on that point of order, I do not know why the member referred to both being the same in both official languages. We do not have to laugh at our official languages of our country. We should respect that. There is something that happens with the government in disrespecting both official languages.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
The minister has committed to tabling the document in both official languages and the House will wait for that before it is officially tabled.
I would like to thank the hon. member for Rivière-du-Nord for raising this point.
The House resumed consideration of the motion that Bill C-19, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Firearms Act, be read the second time and referred to a committee, and of the amendment.