Debates of Oct. 26th, 2012

Brain Tumour Awareness Month

[Malcolm Allen, NDP, Welland, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring awareness to a very important issue. October is Brain Tumour Awareness Month. Every day, 27 Canadians are diagnosed with a brain tumour. It is estimated that 55,000 Canadians are surviving with this illness. Alarmingly, the number of diagnoses is increasing but the reasoning is unknown.

The current Canadian medical system does not track statistics on primary brain tumours. Complete and accurate data is needed to facilitate the research that will lead to a better understanding of this disease and improved diagnosis and treatment.

Enhancing the quality of life for people with brain tumours requires access to quality specialty care, clinical trials, follow-up care and rehabilitative services.

Canadians are invested in the future of health care in this country. As we prepare for the renegotiation of the Canadian health accord in 2014, we have the opportunity to re-imagine how our public health care system delivers quality care. We can make brain tumour research a priority and improve the lives of those affected.

The New Democrats call on the government to ensure that crucial research and funding in this field be supported through its health care initiatives. We seek help from the Minister of Health to ensure that those who have brain tumours will indeed--

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Order, please. The hon. member for Simcoe—Grey.

Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to recognize a select group of individuals in my riding of Simcoe—Grey, individuals who have demonstrated a true commitment to service and volunteerism, recipients of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal.

This commemorative medal is a tangible way for Canada to honour Her Majesty's 60 years of service to this country and, at the same time, it serves to honour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians.

Commander Terry Goddard from Tottenham, a World War Il veteran, who served for 27 years as an aviator in the Royal Navy, participated in the historic “swordfish attack” on the German battleship Bismarck.

Leonard Gibson, a local business leader, runs Gibson Transport in Alliston and has donated countless hours volunteering and providing needed funds throughout the New Tecumseth area.

Sandra Bednarek, a woman who epitomizes the true spirit of community volunteerism, is a prominent figure in the New Lowell's community, volunteering at local libraries, schools and churches.

Those individuals are a true testament to the service and dedication that is represented by Her Majesty. They have given so much to their communities and country and, in the form of this commemorative medal, we are giving back to them.

I thank them and congratulate them for their great service.

The Economy

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there are now 205,000 people employed in the Niagara region. This is an all-time record for our local job numbers and a sign of a resilient local economy that has created over 21,000 net new jobs since 2008. The last three months have been our best three months ever for local jobs in Niagara.

After years of neglect by previous governments, the economic action plan has built a stronger, more prosperous Niagara with lower taxes on families and small businesses, investments in a new Burgoyne Bridge, the Cairns Health and Bioscience Centre at Brock University, a widened QEW highway and a parking garage and performing arts centre in downtown St. Catharines.

The opposition talks about negativity in this House but it would be nice for more parliamentarians to acknowledge that Canada has managed the recession better than anyone else in the world.

In Niagara, it has meant 205,000 total jobs, 21,000 net new jobs and a more diverse economy. In St. Catharines we are firing on all cylinders and poised for jobs, growth and long-term prosperity.

Fundraiser for Developmentally Delayed Children

[Manon Perreault, NDP, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the cyclists, volunteers and sponsors who took part in Expédition Pinocchios, a bike tour around Quebec, from Val-d'Or to Mascouche.

This event is sponsored by the Mascouche police force and raises money to help children living with brain damage. At a ceremony in Mascouche last Wednesday evening, it was announced that participants had raised over $40,000 for the Fondation Pinocchios.

This non-profit organization helps parents of children with developmental delays, whether or not they are diagnosed. The Fondation Pinocchios provides sensory, motor and intellectual stimulation activities for children.

Congratulations to the Mascouche police force for the wonderful fundraising initiative they have been organizing for 14 years. I hope they will continue to cycle around Quebec and raise funds for and awareness of this cause for years to come. This is a remarkable event that helps and supports people, and one that we should be proud of.

Youth Criminal Justice

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are concerned about crime, especially crime committed by serious repeat and violent offenders. Canadians in Ottawa are particularly concerned about the release of a repeat young offender who abducted and sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl.

This is precisely why our government has introduced and passed the Safe Streets and Communities Act. I am happy to say that our government's improvements to the Canada's youth criminal justice system came into effect this week.

The coming into force of the violent and repeat young offenders provision represents an important step forward in strengthening our youth criminal justice system. Through balanced and responsible changes, we are helping to ensure that Canadians will be protected from violent and repeat young offenders.

We remain committed to ensuring that young offenders will be held fully accountable for their actions and the safety and security of law-abiding Canadians will be given full consideration at sentencing.

Our government will continue standing up for victims by putting their rights first.

Foreign Investment

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Vale's announcement last week that it was reviewing the operation of the Birchtree Mine and delaying a decision on the 1-D project in Thompson, Manitoba, my hometown, means more instability and uncertainty.

Only two years ago, when Vale announced that it was closing the smelter and refinery in Thompson, it indicated that it would be investing in the 1-D project and that Birchtree was planned to continue operation until 2020 at least. It is ironic that this occurred the same week as the federal government rejected the foreign takeover of Progress Energy Resources because it did not provide sufficient net benefit to Canada. Where is the net benefit for Thompson and northern Manitoba from the Vale takeover that it approved in 2006?

The federal government has to be part of any and all discussions related to Vale. Not only did it approve the takeover of Vale, it provided a $1 billion low interest loan to move the jobs out of Thompson.

It is clear that Canada does not have a strategy for resource development that is working for resourced-based communities. Resource-based communities deserve better. Canadians deserve better.

Afghanistan

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I was horrified to learn today of reports of a suicide bomb in northern Afghanistan, which happened as people were leaving the Eid Gah mosque in Maimana. More than 50 people were wounded in the attack and officials have said that 14 civilians and 6 children were among the dead. Our government condemns in the strongest terms this brutal and cowardly attack that blatantly targeted those worshipping to mark Eid al-Adha. This type of violent attack only strengthens the resolve of all who work for peace and security throughout this region.

Our sincere thoughts and prayers go out to those killed in this senseless attack and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured. We stand with them during this difficult time.

Honorary Citizenship

[Irwin Cotler, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in a landmark ceremony, the City of Montreal bestowed honorary citizenship on Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish non-Jew who saved more Hungarian Jews in four months in 1944 than any single government, and whom the United Nations has called the greatest humanitarian of the 20th century.

The incredible heroism of Canada's first honorary citizen, recognized also at the inauguration of the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre's Education Week, included: issuing Schutzpasses, diplomatic passes conferring immunity on their recipients and which saved some 20,000 Jews alone; establishing protected safe houses, which saved 30,000; and, in his most memorable rescue, causing Nazi generals to desist from blowing up the Budapest ghetto, saving 70,000 Jews in this act of heroism alone, showing that one person can make a difference and that one person can confront radical evil, can prevail and can transform history.

It was an honour to join Mayor Tremblay, city councillors and Holocaust survivors, such as Agnes Kent, herself saved by Wallenberg, as we note another important moment in Hungarian history, the 56th anniversary of the uprising against Soviet totalitarianism.

Raoul Wallenberg combined the courage to care with the commitment to act, inspiring us all in the struggle for justice, peace and human rights. May we honour his humanitarian legacy.

New Democratic Party of Canada

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the NDP needs to come clean with Canadians. On page 4 of his party's election platform it states in black and white that the NDP has a $21 billion carbon tax plan. This new tax will raise the price of everything.

The NDP leader said, on page 3 of his policy backgrounder, that his new carbon tax would “raise billions in new revenue”. Especially hard hit because of the NDP leader's new carbon tax would be Canadian seniors.

While our government has consistently stood up for Canada's seniors, the NDP leader needs to come clean with the seniors he is meeting with today and all seniors across Canada on his plan to raise the price of everything with his new $21 billion carbon tax.

Member for New Brunswick Southwest

[Alexandrine Latendresse, NDP, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in his only statement since this fall session began, did my colleague from New Brunswick Southwest talk about the negative impact the Conservative changes to EI will have on the many workers in his riding? No.

Did he mention how proud he is of Ronald Rees, one of his constituents whose most recent book about New Brunswick's early roads offers a fascinating and unique look at the history of that beautiful province? Apparently, that is not good enough for the hon. member for New Brunswick Southwest. Instead, he chose to act like a parrot, reciting the nonsense concocted by the lackeys holed up in the Prime Minister's Office who have nothing better to do.

There is nothing forcing my colleague from New Brunswick Southwest to continue his gradual transformation into a docile puppet. Instead of making up stories about the NDP, he could be his own man and talk to us about his constituents and what they are doing. If his constituents do not deserve his recognition, why is he even sitting in this House?

In 2015, the people of New Brunswick Southwest can put their faith in the NDP.

Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, last night many members of the House headed back to their ridings. They made their trips via planes, trains and automobiles. What those three modes of transportation have in common is that their costs will skyrocket under the NDP leader's $21 billion carbon tax. Canadians would not be paying more just for their own travel but also for the travel costs of MPs.

On this side of the House, we will not let that happen. We will stand up and fight back against the NDP leader's $21 billion job-killing carbon tax.

The Environment

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport erased all references to the environment from his website. And now, the word “environment” has returned, but all the government is saying is that protecting the environment is a responsibility shared by several federal departments and agencies.

Can the Minister of Transport tell us whether his department is responsible for protecting the environment?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the responsibility of the Minister of Transport under the Navigable Waters Protection Act is to protect navigation. The act is about navigation. It only refers to navigation and has only referred to navigation for over a century.

The people who are interested in hiding things are not us, but the NDP. It is the NDP members who have been standing in the House trying to suggest that our drawing attention to their proposed carbon tax is not accurate. Yet here it is in black and white in their own platform at the costing on page 4: $21.5 billion authorized by the registered agent.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, while references to the environment have been deleted from the frequently asked questions section of the minister's website, those same references still exist in black and white in the application guide section of the same site. It reads: “This process usually takes less time to complete, but might still require...an environmental assessment”.

It is 2012, not 1984. When will the minister finally admit that his website was correct and that navigable waters is about protecting the environment?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, what I find remarkable about the NDP members is that they continue to come to the House and demonstrate that they are simply not ready for prime time. Yesterday, we heard about their failure to understand procedure. Today, we are hearing about their failure to actually read the statutes that are the law of this land, in this case, the Navigable Waters Protection Act, which refers to and protects navigation in this country. The member thinks it is about something else. She obviously has not read the act. The only thing she will find referenced in there is the protection of navigation in the law, in black and white.

Take a look. It will be very educative for the member.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, with the Navigable Waters Protection Act this has gone from comedy to farce. We know what the minister is saying in the House is just not true and the words are there in black and white on his own website. The examples are piling up so fast that the minister's own minions cannot remove them as quickly as we can find them.

When will the minister finally admit that he has overreached and put an end to this attack on environmental protection?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the attack we are concerned about is the attack on Canadians by a $21.5 billion carbon tax proposed by the NDP in the last election, and the examples do keep piling up in black and white. Here it is in the NDP leader's leadership platform where he talked about using a tax like that to generate billions of dollars of new revenue, more than the $21.5 billion in their election platform. Now we have the latest, the report this month from the NDP think tank, the Broadbent Institute, calling not just for a carbon tax but for an across the board 10% increase in taxes on Canadians. That is an attack on Canadians.

Foreign Investment

[Hélène LeBlanc, NDP, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have not reassured the markets and Canadians about takeovers of Canadian businesses. The Wall Street Journal is now asking for a clear explanation of the criteria for making decisions about foreign ownership. The Conservatives' bungled process in the case of Progress Energy is seriously hampering investment in Canada.

To avoid another fiasco with Nexen, will the Conservatives finally clarify the criteria for accepting or refusing a takeover bid?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, after an extensive review, the minister was not convinced that the proposed investment would be of net benefit to Canada, and he decided to reject the bid. However, under the law, Petronas has up to 30 days to make representations and additional commitments. We will continue to follow the process set out in the act.

[Hélène LeBlanc, NDP, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we know that the Minister of Industry is not quite capable of abiding by his government's code of ethics, and so we are skeptical when he asks us to trust him to make the right decision. The Nexen decision will have a major impact on the Canadian economy and the development of our natural resources.

Why is the minister still refusing to disclose the criteria on which he will base his decision?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP has a decision to make. Only a few months ago, its leader said that the natural resource sector was a disease, that it was too large and did not benefit the Canadian economy. Now, for the purposes of foreign investment, the NDP thinks it is the most important industry the world has ever seen.

If the NDP members believe the latter, why are they proposing a $21.5 billion carbon tax that would not only raise gas prices for Canadian consumer, but would also devastate the resource sectors that have driven economic success in so many provinces across this country?

Food Safety

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, under new management, XL Foods is trying to get back into business, but it is still not clear if its products are safe.

The CFIA is supervising, but the Guelph Food Technology Centre says that CFIA standards are the bare minimum, and most retailers require something better, that is, certification by the global food safety initiative. XL lost that certification last week and cannot get it back until next year.

Why are CFIA standards lower than global standards? Will XL be allowed to sell anything before it meets global requirements?

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian consumers are our first priority when it comes to food safety.

The CFIA has notified the Minister of Agriculture that it will be reissuing the licence to this facility. Our government will continue to provide the CFIA with the resources it needs to ensure that safe food comes out of that plant.

The safe food for Canadians act is an important tool to strengthen our food safety system. I encourage this member and his colleagues to vote in favour of the bill when it comes back to the House.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Agriculture says that the CFIA was just too nice to XL Foods. Hence, the CFIA had the power to call that delinquent firm to account but did not do so.

Food contamination persisted for more than a month. Over 2,000 products had to be recalled. Sixteen people got sick. Cattle producers and others absorbed big losses.

Since the minister himself knew of the problem by September 5, why was he also too nice in doing nothing to fix it? How can he and CFIA now lead a review when they are clearly part of the problem?