House of Commons Hansard #52 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was farmers.
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, we have based this bill on the recommendations, first of all, of the Nunn report and what we have heard from across this country and from provincial attorneys general from all political parties.
The bill goes after those individuals who sexually prey on children. It goes after drug traffickers. I cannot understand why that is always such a problem for the NDP. Could the hon. member please explain that to the House?
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Mr. Speaker, it is not just the misguided crime bill that has the out-of-touch government in hot water; it turns out the government's proposed legislation to kill the long gun registry has legal problems of its own.
Yesterday, the Information Commissioner and the Privacy Commissioner confirmed that the destruction of registry data risks contravening not one, not two, but three Canadian laws.
When will the government stop putting political motivation ahead of good public policy? Will it commit to preserving this data and respecting Canadian law?
Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, perhaps the member has not understood. We are changing the law. Claims that our legislation breaks the law simply do not make any sense in that context.
Our legislation will destroy the records which are increasingly inaccurate and unreliable, and become increasingly so over time. If given the chance, the opposition would once again use this data to target law-abiding citizens. We will not support the creation of the long gun registry through the back door.
Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
Mr. Speaker, the latest Statistics Canada figures show that Canada has 578,000 fewer full-time jobs than in August 2008. Now the Auditor General is slamming the Conservatives for spending $47 billion of tax money on a jobs plan without keeping track of the jobs. He says that the government cannot prove how many jobs were created with the $47 billion.
How could the Conservatives use GPS to track action plan signs and not bother to track how many jobs were created? Are the Conservatives more interested in signs than in Canadian jobs?
Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, the fact is that since the end of the recession in July 2009, the net new job count in Canada is almost 600,000 jobs. The IMF and the OECD have looked at this. They have credited Canada with the best job growth in the G7 since the end of the recession.
I know the member for Kings—Hants does not believe in international assessments. We do and we are proud of our record as looked by the international organizations.
Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
Mr. Speaker, Canada has 578,000 fewer full-time jobs than before the recession. The Conservatives have spent $47 billion to supposedly create jobs, but the Auditor General is saying that the Conservatives cannot prove how many jobs were created.
How can a government be more interested in counting its action plan signs than in counting jobs created?
Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance
Not only was the economic action plan in its first phase effective, Mr. Speaker, but in its next phase we have the budget items that the Liberals voted against. They voted against flowing $1 billion in federal funding to provinces and territories for infrastructure 2011-12. They voted against helping manufacturers by extending the capital cost allowance for two years. They voted against renewing EI pilot projects to help the unemployed. They voted against extending work sharing and against the hiring credit for more than half a million small businesses in Canada. That is the Liberal record.
Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
Mr. Speaker, we voted against a government and a finance minister who has missed every deficit target they ever set. We voted against a government that thinks it is fair to deny low-income Canadians the same kind of benefits it has offered other Canadians. We will continue to vote against a government with this level of economic incompetence and disinterest in helping working Canadians who need a hand during these difficult times.
The Muskoka minister was the one driving the G8 gravy train, wasting tax dollars on luxury hotels, fake lakes and gazebos. We know this based on municipal government documents. With—
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Order please. The hon. member is out of time.
The hon. Minister of Finance.
Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, not only do we have the view of the IMF that Canada is actually doing quite well, not only do we have Forbes magazine rating our country, Canada, as the best country in the world in which to invest, not only do we have that, but we have the Canadian people who, on May 2, had an opportunity to express their view at the ballot box with respect to the Liberals' economic policy, and we know the result of that. They are sitting way down in that corner.
Alexandre Boulerice NDP Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the President of the Treasury Board claimed that he was not involved in picking projects for the legacy slush fund. Documents the NDP has now obtained show this is simply not true. According to his own office, he was personally involved in selecting projects.
We asked the minister at committee if he would table the documents that were sent to his office. At committee the minister said “sure”. He said it. Will he table the documents now?
Tony Clement ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, indeed, I answered a total of 75 questions at both the government operations committee and the public accounts committee of this chamber. I answered all those questions fully and completely and to the best of my ability. The record is very clear that I had no determinative role. I had a recommendation role, as a local member of Parliament, but the decisions were made by the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.
Alexandre Boulerice NDP Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, we could count the number of times he has not answered the questions put to him in this House.
The member for Parry Sound—Muskoka claims that he had no part in eliminating the famous 33rd project. That is untrue. At least three documents prove that and contradict what the member is claiming. He also claims that the applications sent to his constituency office on handwritten forms were never looked at. Once again, the documents obtained contradict that claim. His own second-in-command announced two of the refusals to municipalities herself.
Will the Conservatives finally accept the gravity of the situation and launch a full parliamentary inquiry, as suggested by the Auditor General?
Tony Clement ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated at committee, and as was backed up by various government officials at Transportation and Infrastructure and at Industry Canada, the documentation that was in my purview was forwarded to the Auditor General, who had access to all documentation. The officials indicated where there was documentation and where there was not. All those questions have been answered at committee, and I stand by my responses.
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives are cutting back on public airline safety and security, they are blowing $5 million a year on private jets that mostly sit empty. Government-paid pilots fly them around empty just to keep their licences. This is a new low, or should I say a new high, in wasting taxpayer money.
Instead of burning millions of dollars on jets no one needs, why will the government not invest in inspectors and mechanics to keep Canadian passengers safe?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, the safety of our planes is very important. I totally disagree with what the MP said at the beginning of her question. Our government has significantly decreased the use of government aircraft. Transport Canada has already sold eight of its aircraft and we are always reviewing options to ensure that we are using tax dollars as efficiently as possible.
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Mr. Speaker, we are talking about the nine aircraft that are sitting empty and they are burning cash like jet fuel.
Government airline safety inspectors have been cut. Airlines are left to inspect themselves and the government just takes them at their word. That is a recipe for disaster.
Why is the government more interested in funding empty private executive jets than in keeping our skies safe for Canadians?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, the safety of Canadians when they fly is an absolute priority for Transport Canada. Canada has one of the safest aviation systems in the world and we are very proud of it.
As I said before, Transport Canada already sold eight of its aircraft and it will continue to review all the options for the best way to use the tax dollars of our country.
Jamie Nicholls NDP Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Mr. Speaker, rather than trying to sell us an aircraft that does not work, the Conservatives should focus on doing a better job of managing those we already have.
Transport Canada's nine Citation aircraft are either being flown with no passengers on board or sitting on the ground, at a cost of $5 million a year. Even the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is criticizing this poor management.
This government is going to save money by cutting services for families. Why not get rid of these useless aircraft instead?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, our government has significantly decreased the use of government and Transport Canada aircraft. We have sold eight of these aircraft and we will continue to review all the options because we always rigorously manage the tax dollars of this country. For us, it is not a matter of instilling fear about airline safety. Canada has one of the safest aviation systems in the world. We will continue.
Jamie Nicholls NDP Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have a real love affair with jets.
First, the Minister of National Defence was using Challenger jets for personal reasons, and now a lot of money is being spent to fly senior federal officials around in Citation jets when they could very well take commercial flights. Canadians have had enough of the Conservatives breaking the rules that everyone else has to follow.
Will the government finally set an example by reducing its own spending?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, in the previous question, the hon. member said that planes were flying around empty, and now he is saying that they are being used to transport public servants. He needs to get his facts straight.
These planes are used for the benefit of Transport Canada and for the benefit of security. We have sold eight of these aircraft. We will continue to very rigorously manage Canadians' money. In particular, we will continue to ensure the safety and security of air travel in this great country.
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General's report clearly indicates that the Department of National Defence does not have a comprehensive view of its military procurement processes.
We are now learning that the F-35 communications system will not be compatible with the systems used in other fighter jets and by troops on the ground.
My question is simple, and I hope that the minister will answer it this time. When will the government finally launch an open, transparent bidding process to replace the CF-18s?
Julian Fantino ConservativeAssociate Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, contrary to the member's misrepresentation of the facts, I am pleased to correct the record. Canada is scheduled to receive its entire delivery of F-35 aircraft equipped with the ability to locate and communicate with aircraft, ships and ground forces. This means that all Canada's F-35s will not only be capable of operating overseas the moment we get them, but will be able to communicate with other aircraft and know where friendly ground units are well in advance of deployment on operations. Our plans continue to be on track.
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is crucial to the safety of our troops on the ground that a fighter jet be able to communicate with them. This is no joke.
This situation again shows that the government does not know what is happening with this file. With the communication, safety and durability problems with the F-35s, this government is putting our soldiers' lives in danger.
When will the government finally stop defending its program and unveil its infamous plan B?