Debates of Sept. 28th, 2011

Government Funding

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Saskatoon—Humboldt attacked his own Conservative government today over the decision to provide $6 million to the International Planned Parenthood Federation. He said:

The battle over the IPPF continues. ... The government only responds to Pro-Life issues and concerns when we take an aggressive stance. We will apply this lesson.

Would the government categorically state that it will not yield to such threats and will ensure that women around the globe have access to evidence-based programs that include safe abortion and family planning services?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her question because it gives me a chance to say what Canada, under the leadership of our Prime Minister, has done to save the lives of women and children.

It was reported last week at the United Nations that more progress is being made to reduce the rate of maternal mortality in the last year than over the past decade. Canada focused its Muskoka initiative on improving the health of mothers and children and taking real action, such as preventing malaria, better nutrition and training more midwives. We were clear on our criteria and we will fund projects--

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. member for St. Paul's.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Speaker, according to the Auditor General, the quality of life gap between our first nations and other Canadians continues to grow, and the government has not managed to work with the first nations to resolve the problem.

Will the government commit, through a new partnership among governments, to provide equal funding for services of equal quality, as called for by the National Chief, Mr. Atleo?

[John Duncan, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, the government has a responsibility to treat taxpayer money prudently. I had a meeting yesterday with 20 chiefs from the province of Quebec--

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The member has asked a question. I would hope that her colleagues want to hear the answer.

The hon. Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

[John Duncan, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, the government has a responsibility to deal with budgetary items in a prudent way. We are doing that. We are sensitive to the needs of our first nations and aboriginal people.

I have had meetings in this regard and will continue to behave in a responsible manner.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

[Jasbir Sandhu, NDP, Surrey North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we learned that the Conservative government has threatened to pull the plug on the RCMP in British Columbia if the province does not accept a new policing contract by November.

The Conservatives are callously willing to jeopardize public safety in order to ram through a new contract with the province. Instead of being tough on crime, they are being tough on our front-line officers and tough on provinces.

Is pulling police off the streets in British Columbia part of the government's so-called crime agenda?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, our government is willing to renew contract policing agreements with the provinces. After four intensive years of negotiations, it is now up to the provinces to decide whether to come on board.

The same fundamental terms and conditions will apply to all provinces. Saskatchewan and Alberta have accepted the agreement. British Columbia will have to decide whether to accept the agreement.

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the government likes to talk tough on crime, but when it comes to front-line police, it continues to fall down on the job. It is telling the government in British Columbia to take it or leave it on the contract offer.

British Columbians need to know that the result of these negotiations will not be a threat to the safety of their communities. Will the minister stand in the House right now and commit that the RCMP is staying put in British Columbia? Will the government stop playing fast and loose with the safety of British Columbians in these negotiations by telling British Columbia to take it or leave it?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, it is not up to the federal government to determine how the province wishes to carry out its provincial responsibilities in respect of policing. We have been negotiating now for four years. There have been intensive negotiations for four years. Some of the provinces have accepted the agreement and some have not yet decided. It is up to the provinces to make that decision. We do not force provinces to accept the RCMP. We think it is a good deal, but it is up to the provinces to do it.

Canadian Heritage

[John Carmichael, Conservative, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I tabled in the House my private member's bill, an act respecting the national flag of Canada. The purpose of this enactment is to ensure that all Canadians have the right to fly the national flag of Canada.

The Canadian flag represents all Canadian citizens. It represents pride in our great nation and support for those who have sacrificed their lives for the principles which it embodies: freedom, democracy, courage, and the justice upon which our great nation was built.

Could the minister tell the House how important the Canadian flag is to our heritage?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to thank the member for Don Valley West for his incredible leadership early in this Parliament. Our flag is indeed loved by all Canadians and respected all around the world. It is a symbol of our freedom, a symbol of our democracy and a symbol of our unity.

I applaud and support the member's bill so that we can have absolute clarity with federal law. Any Canadian who wishes to fly the Canadian flag should be able to do so, free from bullying, free from intimidation, and to do so proudly as a Canadian from coast to coast to coast.

Veterans

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, Remembrance Day is just around the corner. That day gives us an opportunity to remember the tremendous sacrifices made by Canadians and to pay tribute to those who died for our country.

Why does the government pay up to $13,000 for Canadian Forces members' funerals, but only $3,600 for veterans' funerals? Why does this government care more about gazebos than veterans?

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. This allows me to highlight the excellent work of the funeral and burial program, which is managed by the last post fund, with which we work closely. Assistance for funerals and burials is offered to veterans who have suffered injuries related to their service, regardless of their rank or the medals they have received. We will continue working with the last post fund and exploring other ways to provide quality services to our veterans.

Foreign Affairs

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Mr. Speaker, according to leaked U.S. diplomatic cables, Khaled Samy Abdallah Ismail was arrested and sent to a secret U.S. detention facility in Afghanistan because of suspicious behaviour. It turns out he has a mental illness and was deemed low risk. It took eight months for a consular official to visit him, and nine months more for him to get home.

Why the delay in providing basic consular services to a Canadian citizen in need?

[Diane Ablonczy, Conservative, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs)]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my hon. friend for her question and also to welcome her to this important file. I am going to enjoy working with her.

I have to inform the hon. member that we do not comment on the contents of leaks. I would also point out that the document she is referring to is not a Canadian diplomatic cable.

Ukraine

[Robert Sopuck, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Ukraine has undergone a considerable transformation since the beginning of the Orange Revolution. However, what originally seemed an unstoppable wave of democratic freedom has since gone sour with the news that former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko is being politically persecuted.

Would the Minister of Foreign Affairs please make crystal clear for the House Canada's concerns with Ukraine's political situation?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, our government has expressed to the Ukrainian government our serious concern about the apparent bias in the ongoing judicial proceedings against former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Political persecution is completely unacceptable. The appearance of political bias in judicial proceedings undermines the rule of law.

We urge, here today, the Ukrainian government to strengthen judiciary independence. We will continue to support efforts to build a peaceful, democratic and prosperous society in Ukraine.

Canadian Air and Space Museum

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in 1959 the Diefenbaker government scrapped the Avro Arrow, and much of the Canadian aviation industry along with it, throwing 30,000 Canadians out of work. Now this Conservative government has done it again. Last week it evicted the world's only replica of the Avro Arrow, along with hundreds of veteran volunteers.

Canadian veterans have asked their minister to reverse this disdainful decision. Will the Conservatives listen to Canadian veterans and allow their museum to continue?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, the member more than likely knows that this museum is on the land of Downsview Park, which is a crown corporation. This was a business decision made by Downsview.

Justice

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice is claiming that Canadians approve of his omnibus justice bill. That is certainly not the case in Quebec, as we can see by the reactions of the National Assembly, the Quebec bar association and the youth centres. By imposing a gag order, the government is showing that it will stop at nothing to impose measures that have been formally rejected by Quebec.

What will it take before the Minister of Justice understands that Quebec is saying no to counterproductive measures that do not leave room for rehabilitation and increase imprisonment of young people?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the bill targets those who are involved with organized crime, the people who traffic in drugs, the people who bring drugs into this country, and the people who sexually exploit children. Canadians have not rejected that, but I know Quebec rejected the Bloc. We know that for sure.

Presence in the Gallery

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of His Excellency Jakup Krasniqi, President of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo.