House of Commons Hansard #57 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was yea.
Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, I am advised that the RCMP has assisted Interpol with a criminal investigation. I am also advised that the RCMP co-operation was done in accordance with Canadian law. It would be inappropriate to comment any further as this investigation is ongoing.
Sylvain Chicoine NDP Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC
Mr. Speaker, the fate of Canadians detained abroad is not the only problem. After spending months turning in circles without making any announcements, the government is now prepared to sign the border agreement with the United States. No one knows what is in that agreement. The Privacy Commissioner is concerned about the way the information will be shared with the Americans, but the government refuses to talk to her.
I have a very simple question: will the government commit to presenting the agreement to Parliament?
John Baird ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, no final agreement has been reached. Ongoing discussions are taking place. When there is an agreement to be announced, members opposite will certainly be among the first to hear that.
We are seeking to establish a relationship with the Obama administration to ensure that the border is not a barrier to jobs, economic growth, or growing the Canadian economy. There is a reason why the Canadian economy grew by 3.5% in the third quarter. It is because this government is focused like a laser on jobs and the economy, and we are going to continue to do so.
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
Mr. Speaker, how can anyone trust the government? Every time it negotiates with the Americans, it costs Canadian jobs and Canadian families lose out. That is the record. From the softwood lumber sellout thickening the border or new fees slapped on Canadians to the government's botched efforts on buy American, Conservatives have failed to defend the interests of Canadians every single time.
When will the minister bring an agreement before Parliament? Will the Conservatives let Canadians see what they are giving away this time?
John Baird ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, we are working with the Obama administration to try to allow trade to go back and forth between Canada and the United States. This is not just important but it is vital to the auto sector in southwestern Ontario and critical to the future economy of Windsor-Essex.
The member opposite disagrees with free trade. He does not want us to trade with the United States. He does not want a trade agreement with the United States. If he will not fight for jobs in Windsor-Essex, maybe he should step aside and let those of us on this side of the House do it.
Judy Foote Liberal Random—Burin—St. George's, NL
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government has used privacy as a reason for getting rid of the long form census. It used privacy as an excuse for killing the long gun registry. Despite its apparent concern about privacy, we now learn that the government is willing to sign a perimeter security deal with the U.S., sharing the travelling information of Canadians.
Why do the Americans have the right to know where Canadians are travelling if they are not going to or over American territory?
John Baird ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, no agreement has been concluded. No agreement has been announced. Yet, the member opposite is scaremongering Canadians.
We are seeking a constructive relationship with the Obama administration to ensure that goods and services can make their way across the border. That is good for Canadian jobs, good for American jobs, and good for economic growth. That is the focus that this government is taking: job protection and job creation here in Canada.
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Mr. Speaker, in the name of privacy, this government refuses to give the provinces the information from the firearms registry—which would improve protection for the public and our police officers—but it is prepared to give the Americans some very personal information, such as the fact that Mr. and Mrs. So-and-so left Labelle and went to Paris.
Why does the Conservative government trust the American authorities more than the provincial governments, its Canadian partners?
John Baird ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, every time Canadians travel to the United States they produce their passport, they have to tell the authorities who they are and where they are going. The reality is that we want it to be as easy as possible for Canadian firms to do business in the United States, to build and manufacture goods and services right here in Canada, and to sell them south of the border.
A thickening border is preventing that and this government, under the leadership of this Prime Minister, is doing the right thing for Canada, the right thing for jobs, and working constructively with the Obama administration. That is real leadership.
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, this summer, when the Conservatives decided to profess their love for the royals by hanging portraits of the Queen all over the place and adding the word “royal” to the name of our air force, they completely forgot to think about an appropriate French acronym. In a rush, they decided to use the name “forces aériennes royales canadiennes”, or FARC. You do not need to know much about geopolitics to know that FARC is a Colombian terrorist organization.
Who will the Minister of National Defence blame for this mistake?
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, it is clear. Our air force's French name is Aviation royale du Canada, and we are very proud of that name.
I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Lieutenant-General Charlie Bouchard and our entire Royal Canadian Air Force for all they did to bring about the successful liberation of the people of Libya.
Congratulations and thank you.
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, the name change was improvised. The French acronym was created on the fly. This mistake highlights the lack of consideration for the French language. The Conservatives are improvising all over the place: the management of military bases, the purchase of equipment, our veterans. That is a worrying trend.
How does the minister explain to francophone air force personnel and their families, who are proud of the work they do, that his department's original plan was to rename the air force with the acronym of a terrorist organization?
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, restoring the historic royal designation of the three branches re-establishes an important and recognizable part of our military heritage and establishes a link with similar important contributions made by the Canadian Forces today. We are very proud of this name and we are certainly very proud of the people who work very hard for our country every day.
Rick Norlock Conservative Northumberland—Quinte West, ON
Mr. Speaker, in July of this year our Canadian Forces handed over Task Force Kandahar to American personnel, and we began drawing down on equipment and personnel.
The Canadian focus for the next few years will be our training mission centred in and around Kabul. Today we learned that Task Force Canuck, our tactical air lift unit, will be welcomed home at 8 Wing Trenton.
Can the Minister of National Defence tell the House what Task Force Canuck accomplished in Kandahar?
Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, the member for Northumberland—Quinte West, home of 8 Wing Trenton, is correct.
Today the Chief of the Defence Staff and other senior military commanders will welcome home the crew of Task Force Canuck, our outstanding Hercules aircraft unit that conducted operations in Afghanistan.
They began their engagement in Afghanistan in 2001, transporting Canadian Forces personnel and equipment in and out of the Kandahar airfield, as well as supporting the ISAF mission brilliantly. They completed more than 3,400 logistical and operational missions successfully and safely over that 10-year period.
We welcome them home. We thank them. We congratulate them. They are the best.
Ted Hsu Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Mr. Speaker, the IOUs for climate change are coming.
Instead of trying to solve climate change, the Conservatives are saying “Get used to it; let us adapt”, and worse, they are paying lip service to that enormous cost of adaptation.
These enormous IOUs for climate change add to the $600 billion of debt that the Conservatives are passing on to our kids. We are causing climate change; why should our kids pay for it? I believe that is not fair. I believe that is immoral.
Why have the Conservatives made Canada a quitter on solving climate change?
Peter Kent ConservativeMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, it is bad enough that the Liberals embraced Kyoto in the first place, but what made it truly outrageous was that they did so with no intention of ever fulfilling their obligations.
Let me just offer a quote from another lucid member of this House.
[The Liberal government's] plan in terms of the Kyoto agreement was basically written on the back of an airplane napkin on the way to Kyoto. There was no long term planning. There was no real negotiation with the provinces or with industry sectors. In fact it was a last minute, hastily drafted agreement.
Who said that? It was the member for Kings—Hants in a moment of—
Ève Péclet NDP La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Mr. Speaker, on November 7 Air Canada decided to move its head office to Brampton, Ontario. This move will force over 140 employees to choose between moving their families and losing their jobs. There is a good chance most of them will choose to remain in Montreal, which could make it very difficult for Air Canada employees to obtain services in French.
Will the minister enforce the law stipulating that Air Canada's head office must be located in Montreal, and will he protect bilingualism within Air Canada?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, in response to my hon. colleague, I would remind her that we recently introduced a bill on respect for official languages that allows the Commissioner of Official Languages to deal directly with companies that are under contract with Air Canada. There is also an amendment to compel the company to honour its commitments. Air Canada is a private corporation and we want it to be as successful as possible here in Canada.
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying yesterday, Canadians gave our government a strong mandate to end the wasteful and ineffective long gun registry once and for all. That is exactly what we are going to do.
The NDP has punished its members for voting with their constituents. It has sent members into committee to try to gut our legislation and is now engaging in misleading propaganda, claiming that restricted firearms would become non-restricted after the registry is abolished.
Could the minister comment on whether ending the long gun registry will do this?
Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, first the NDP showed a restricted firearm on its misleading ads and claimed it was non-restricted. When this deceit was uncovered, it was forced to change its ads. What were they replaced with? Yet another restricted firearm that the NDP claims to be non-restricted.
I would call on the NDP to end this ridiculous and misleading campaign. Repeatedly playing fast and loose with the facts just shows Canadians that the NDP is unfit to govern.
Francine Raynault NDP Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, with the planned cuts to Canada Post, we are starting to wonder whether people have to live downtown to be entitled to postal service. Does the government forget that mail delivery is an essential service? Canadians and Quebeckers who live in rural areas need and are entitled to receive their mail and have a post office nearby. Driving or walking 20, 30 or 40 minutes to get the mail is unacceptable.
Why is the government refusing to keep rural post offices open?
Steven Fletcher ConservativeMinister of State (Transport)
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to quality postal service for all Canadians, no matter where they live. That is why our government introduced the Canadian Postal Service Charter. We expect Canada Post to abide by the charter and provide quality postal service that Canadians can count on.
We are focused on service to Canadians like a laser. That member is zapped.
