Debates of Oct. 26th, 2012

National Defence

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in July 2011, General Leslie presented a thoughtful and reasoned report on military transformation. The Minister of National Defence has yet to respond.

In an unprecedented display of public impatience, the Prime Minister sent a letter to the minister questioning his ability to achieve the government's preferences and objectives. General Leslie has set out the path; the Prime Minister has expressed his frustrations.

Is it time for the Minister of Public Works and Government Services to take over DND's budget-making process in addition to her procurement responsibilities?

[Chris Alexander, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, the budget of the Department of National Defence has grown substantially every year since this government took office. That said, this government and this department are committed to finding new efficiencies to work more effectively to deliver the Canadian Forces mission at home and abroad.

To that end, we have done our part under deficit reduction, and we are going to continue to do our best to ensure that taxpayers get the best value for their money when they invest in the men and women in uniform and the equipment they need to do their jobs.

Science and Technology

[Laurin Liu, NDP, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in their last budget, the Conservatives made cuts to business research by revamping the innovation tax credit. Now, more than 90 researchers at the National Research Council are being laid off. This halts all of the council's research on neuroscientific medical devices.

The Conservatives are crippling scientific research in this country. Why is it not focusing on the economic spinoffs of research?

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

Mr. Speaker, the problem with the NDP members' attitude is that they measure success by the high costs associated with it.

We measure our success in science, research and other fields by results. We have managed the system by investing resources to produce results, and our policies are producing results. The private sector plays a big role and we must support its efforts to create jobs and prosperity for all Canadians.

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, weak excuses and political spin are one thing, but hard facts are another, and facts are not like Conservatives. Facts do not lie, and that is why we rely on empirical research and invest in R and D. However, Conservatives reject facts, reject science and they are recklessly firing over 90 of Canada's top researchers.

Conservative cuts are hurting the economy. Why are they firing researchers and killing economic spin-offs?

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

Mr. Speaker, the NDP judges success by how expensive we can be. We judge success by the results that are delivered. That is why we are ensuring that our resources move toward the production of said results, so that our scientists, researchers and academics produce the development that our businesses can transform into job creation and prosperity for all Canadians. It is a low-tax, low-cost, low-debt plan for jobs and growth, and that is exactly why we are succeeding.

[Charmaine Borg, NDP, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, our country is desperately behind in terms of Internet access, and that is one reason why some experts are calling Canada the digital third world.

One of the main problems is that the bandwidth limits set by Internet service providers are so low that many new services like Netflix and cloud computing are simply not marketable in Canada.

What will the government do to offer Canadians better Internet access?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should at least examine our digital economy strategy, which we have put in place for exactly the purpose of making Canada more technologically advanced, to create jobs and increase accessibly by all Canadians to the information technology revolution. We have invested to expand Internet access to remote communities that otherwise would not benefit from it. We will continue to make those wise investments in order to grow our economy and move forward into the future.

[Charmaine Borg, NDP, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, if members do not understand what happens when caps slow down Internet service, it is kind of like playing a 75 rpm record at 45 rpm.

The U.K., U.S. and Mexico have raised or eliminated caps. Meanwhile, Canada has the most restrictive caps in the world. It is an international embarrassment and bad for the economy.

Raising the caps would give Canadian businesses and consumers better access to services and markets like Netflix.

Will the Conservatives put away their old record and finally help Canadians jump into the digital age?

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

Mr. Speaker, the New Democrats are still listening to record players and it is appropriate that they do that because all of their economic policies come from the big government era of the 1970s. They believe that the only way to run an economy is through central planning. They sound like a broken record over there.

We on this side of the House are focusing on the jobs of today and tomorrow by expanding broadband access and lowering taxes for high-tech entrepreneurs to modernize our economy and create jobs. That is where the future stands.

The Economy

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, while our government is focused on a low tax plan to create jobs, the NDP is pushing a high tax scheme to kill jobs like the NDP's massive carbon tax that will take over $21 billion out of the pockets of regular Canadians and kill jobs.

Our Conservative government will not let that happen. We will fight the NDP's big tax plans and stay focused on our pro-economic growth action plan 2012.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance please inform the House as to what the international leaders are saying about Canada's economic leadership?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, in fact I can. As the House knows, our Conservative government is focused on the economy, and we are getting results. Since July 2009, Canada has seen over 820,000 net new jobs created. This is the best job growth record in the entire G7.

It is little wonder that international leaders are pointing to Canada as a model to follow. Last night Christine Lagarde, the head of the IMF, stated:

—Canada, a country with one of the strongest financial sectors in the world...can teach the rest of the world about how to build a stronger, safer financial system.

Correctional Service Canada

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the correctional investigator confirmed this week that half of the women in federal prison were harming themselves. In the Prairies alone incidents of self-injury involving aboriginal women went from 8 cases in 2006 to 214 last year. This is a crisis and responding with more failed policies will not help.

What is the minister doing to ensure that this epidemic of self-injury is taken seriously as the mental health crisis it is?

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, our government is continuing to take concrete steps on the issue of mental health in prisons. Both access to treatment services for inmates and training for staff have improved under the result of our strong leadership.

It was our government that provided additional resources, such as requiring a mental health assessment for all inmates within the first 90 days of their sentence. That includes a correctional plan and mental health treatment.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the number of cases is increasing.

It is not an option to respond to this crisis by doing nothing, other than attacking those who are concerned about aboriginal women. Overpopulation and limited access to basic programs in our prisons only makes the problem worse.

In prison, aboriginal women are self-injuring, are being pepper sprayed and put into solitary confinement, when what they need is mental health treatment.

The correctional investigator made some strong recommendations. Will they act on those recommendations?

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, the problems identified by the correctional investigator continue to show the need for mental health care issues to be addressed by the provinces. Mental health issues need to be addressed before individuals come into contact with the correctional system.

Once again, our government has shown strong leadership. CSC has shown strong leadership. In fact, it has been recognized internationally for the work it does on mental health.

We will continue to work with the provinces to ensure that mental health issues are addressed before individuals come into contact with the correctional system.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' incompetence is endangering the lives and the safety of all Canadians. Three months after the minister's ill-advised decision to stop providing refugees with health care, the worst is staring to happen. Clinics and hospitals are refusing to treat even the few cases that are still covered, because there is so much confusion.

Instead of trying to divide Canadians, will the minister cancel his irresponsible and dangerous cuts?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have been extremely clear on this issue. They do not want illegal immigrants and bogus refugee claimants receiving gold-plated health care benefits that are better than those that Canadian taxpayers and seniors receive.

We have acted and we have listened. We have taken steps to ensure that protected persons and asylum seekers from non-safe countries receive health care coverage that is on the same level as Canadian taxpayers receive through their provincial health care coverage. We care and we want to ensure their health is secure, but it should be no better than what Canadians receive in our country.

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister can put his head in the sand, but the facts remain: to score political points, he is putting lives in danger, and that is unacceptable. At least six pregnant women were denied basic, essential care. Children who need vaccines have been turned away.

How many tragedies need to occur before we can convince the Conservatives that they must not play with refugees' lives, the lives of human beings?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, when Canadians speak, we listen, we act and then we implement.

The purpose of our strategy with respect to interim federal health has been to ensure that we no longer pay for eyeglasses or dental work. We pay and ensure the safety of those who are here, but it will not be better and it will not to be superior. It will be equal to that which all Canadians receive.

Employment Insurance

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Mr. Speaker, it has become obvious to Canadians that the Minister of Human Resources does not know her files and, more blatantly, does not care about her files.

Yesterday she said that she cancelled the extra five weeks pilot project because the unemployment rate had gone down, when in fact 8 of the 19 regions saw increases in unemployment, 3 stayed the same and 7 saw decreases of less than 1%. It is bizarre that the minister does not know what is going on, but what is truly embarrassing is that she does not know that she does not know.

Will the minister commit to one day, if not today, learning her files?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, our government is focused on job creation and economic growth. This pilot project was a temporary measure put in place during a downturn of the recession in 2008 and 2010, in the economic action plan, to aid those people who needed to have jobs.

We have a job creation plan. We have numerous initiatives, whether that be the targeted initiative for older workers or apprenticeship programs, all of which help Canadians find employment. The Liberals vote against all of them again and again, let alone the NDP.

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Mr. Speaker, not long ago, the Minister of Human Resources assured, publicly, the parents of Corporal Ricketts they would get their EI while they cared for their son who lay critically injured. They never got it and had to turn to charity instead. Then the minister denied changing the rules around GIS benefits and registered retirement funds. It took three weeks of questioning for the minister to finally confess and admit to taking money from seniors. Then she made a less than stellar backtrack on the working while on claim provisions of EI, showing her lack of command of the files.

Will the Prime Minister admit to what Canadian seniors, the unemployed and the military already know, that she just does not get it?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. The government is focused on job creation and economic growth. The minister has done everything to help facilitate that. Whether that be ensuring we lower taxes to ensure we create jobs, or increasing the GIS to ensure those low-income seniors are provided for, or changing EI to ensure Canadians have opportunities for jobs, the minister is focused on the thing that Canadians want, job creation.

The Environment

[Sana Hassainia, NDP, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the many lakes and rivers on the south shore are the pride of our region. Thousands of Quebeckers who go boating every year, or fish for the makings of an excellent meal, or who simply take in the peace and quiet while walking along the shore enjoy these waterways.

However, the minister has eliminated protection for many lakes and rivers afforded by the Navigable Waters Protection Act. Why is he not protecting our waterways?