House of Commons Hansard #159 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was criminals.
Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' claims about their spending are simply not supported by the facts. They are denying their own financial documents, but the Conservatives like to hide the facts.
When the Parliamentary Budget Officer asked about the impact of the Conservative cuts on food safety, the CFIA said that it either did not know or could not say. Why are the Conservatives denying their own financial statements? Why are they hiding the facts from Canadians?
Gerry Ritz ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, there are no cuts to food safety. We have said that often in this place. For some reason the NDP do not seem to be able to add the numbers up in the budgetary process and figure that out.
The Parliamentary Budget Officer tabled a report. Those are incomplete numbers. He should know that some of those programs were sunset and picked up again in the next suite of farm programs.
Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, this is how the government reacted to the E. coli crisis. First, it said that there was no problem. Second, it said that there are enough inspectors. Third, it blamed everyone except itself. This is just obfuscation and excuses.
This is what Canadians wanted to hear from a responsible government: yes, there is a serious problem; yes, we are looking into the problem immediately; and yes, the health of consumers is our top priority.
When will this government act in a mature and responsible manner?
Gerry Ritz ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure where the member has been. We constantly say how seriously we take food safety by enhancing the capability of the CFIA to do its job. We add dollars and human resources to its staff to ensure it has the ability to do it.
I am not sure where the member has been.
Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON
Mr. Speaker, there is not a single group left in Canada untouched by the horrible lapse in food safety at XL. Canadians are worried about tainted meat. Cattle producers just getting off their knees from BSC are worried about selling their safe cattle.
Dr. Richard Arsenault, the CFIA's director of meat, said, “We're not going to pretend we got it right.”
People are sick from E. coli, yet the government continues to pretend that nothing is wrong. How many people must get sick before the minister will reverse cuts to the CFIA funding and give it the resources it needs to keep our food safe?
Gerry Ritz ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, there are no cuts to the food safety system in the CFIA. We continue to enhance the capacity of the CFIA from both a budgetary and human resource perspective to get that job done.
To make sure it has the ability to capture any type of product like we see here, we build a body of evidence in our timeline and we look forward to more recalls coming out. That is the nature of the beast. As things swell out, we will ensure that Canadians are well-served by a robust recall system.
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Mr. Speaker, this is for the Prime Minister who promised to hold ministers accountable.
First, we have the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food who failed to fully implement the Weatherill report after 23 people died. Now the same minister presides over the biggest beef recall ever, when in fact CFIA did have the authority to act under current law.
Second, we have the Minister of Health who has a responsibility to reassure the public, lay out a plan on such public health matters, and who has gone into lockdown.
When will the Prime Minister put a stop to this incompetence and protect Canadians' food supply?
Gerry Ritz ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is absolutely right. This government's number one job is food safety. That is a priority for us. We continue to enhance CFIA to give it the tools it needs to work.
One of the tools it is working with, quite successfully, is the CVS equivalent program that was brought into play by his government in 2005. I am not sure why the member has a problem with it now.
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday first nations chiefs from across the country voted to reject the government's unilateral decisions on education. Not a single penny of the education funding announced this week goes to schools on reserve where the need is greatest. Chiefs are threatening civil disobedience to force the government to deal with the crisis in first nations education.
Will the minister admit that unilateral decision making is wrong and commit to investments that actually help first nations students on reserve?
John Duncan ConservativeMinister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we have been doing.
I met with the national chief last week, and I will meet with him again today, to reaffirm our commitment to develop legislation through intensive consultations with first nations across the country.
We already have existing comprehensive first nations education agreements in Nova Scotia and British Columbia, which demonstrate improved student outcomes. We are committed to improving educational outcomes for first nations students across the country.
Francine Raynault NDP Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, first nations communities are in desperate need of money to provide their children with proper education. However, the Conservatives are only throwing them crumbs. These communities have waited more than 10 years for new schools, but only three will be built this year. Children of the Atikamekw nation in Manawan, in my riding, should not go without education, any more than any other Canadian child should.
When will the minister take action instead of making empty promises?
John Duncan ConservativeMinister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, we have made many commitments on first nations education.
We made commitments in the economic action plan 2012. I made announcements yesterday that included many more schools than the three that were mentioned by my colleague across the way.
We have completed construction on 33 new schools since 2006. We have done over 240 upgrades of and additions to schools since 2006. We are continuing with those kinds of investments.
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB
Mr. Speaker, Manitoba is hosting a national aboriginal women's summit focusing on violence against aboriginal women. Yet, despite the federal government previously co-hosting such summits, this year it is nowhere to be found. This crisis will not be solved without federal leadership.
Today, on the national day of action and remembrance for missing and murdered aboriginal women, families and communities want to know when the government will recognize the national scope of this tragedy? Why will it not work with Manitoba? When will it call for a national inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women in Canada?
Kerry-Lynne Findlay ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice
Mr. Speaker, our government attaches great importance and urgency to addressing the issue of missing and murdered aboriginal women. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the grieving families.
We have invested significant resources and law enforcement tools needed to locate missing women, while providing on-reserve, culturally responsive policing services. We are also supporting victim services in aboriginal communities to improve overall community safety.
The government is taking significant action to address this serious issue and is going to continue to do so going forward.
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, this epidemic of violence against aboriginal women has shattered families from across Canada.
Gladys Radek from northwestern British Columbia, my home, is here in Ottawa calling for justice. Her niece Tamara Chipman disappeared on the highway of tears when she was 22 years old. Her story is far too common.
We know the solutions: affordable transportation, partnership with first nations, and support for those working to end this violence. Municipalities, women's groups and first nations families have come forward with real solutions for the government.
When will we move from sympathy to action?
Kerry-Lynne Findlay ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice
Mr. Speaker, the NDP just is not paying attention because we have been taking that action. We are taking action to crack down on murderers who prey on women. It is the NDP that is standing in our way.
This government introduced and passed legislation to repeal the faint hope clause, which was only serving to revictimize those who have lost their loved ones. We eliminated house arrest for serious crimes, such as kidnapping and sexual assault. We created a national website for public tips to help locate missing women. We have boosted victims' services.
Unfortunately the NDP, including the member for Churchill, voted against those measures. Shame on them.
Wai Young Conservative Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Speaker, our government's record has exceeded expectations when it comes to environmental action. We have been instrumental in implementing a world-class oil sands monitoring program. We have put in place new waste water regulations to protect the health and safety of Canadians. We are halfway to meeting our greenhouse gas emission targets.
Canada is truly a world leader when it comes to environmental progress.
Could the minister update the House regarding our government's new measures to clean up contaminated sites?
Peter Kent ConservativeMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, our investment today in the renewal of the federal contaminated sites action plan demonstrates the balance between the need for a cleaner environment and protecting jobs and economic growth. This program, which is expected to create some 7,300 jobs across Canada, is yet another example of how we are working toward a cleaner and a healthier environment.
Unlike the NDP's $21 billion carbon tax, which would increase the cost of everything, our action plan will create jobs, not kill them.
Alexandre Boulerice NDP Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the hon. member for Nepean—Carleton once again behaved like a clown. Instead of answering serious questions about pressure exerted by the Prime Minister's Office, he called into question my love of Canada, the Rockies, Crosby, Terry Fox and even the Montreal Canadiens. Yet, his histrionics do not change the fact that the Prime Minister's advisers twisted some arms to get Robert Abdallah, a man now accused of being part of a corruption scheme, appointed to a post with the Port of Montreal.
Why was the government so determined to get Robert Abdallah appointed to this position? What was it expecting in return?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, the member is the gift who just keeps on giving. In fact, he not only gave once, he gave 29 times to the separatist Québec solidaire.
Canadians are very forgiving people. They can forgive someone who makes a mistake or makes the same mistake 29 times, but what they cannot understand is when someone who purports to be a future minister in the Government of Canada cannot simply rise and say he believes in Canada.
Alexandre Boulerice NDP Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member is so determined to talk about Quebec's situation, I invite him to discuss it with Bernard Landry's former advisor, who sits in caucus with him.
It is strange that the parliamentary secretary is washing his hands of these issues when, yesterday, one of the Prime Minister's advisors sold him out in public by admitting that yes, Robert Abdallah was the Conservatives' favoured candidate. I would like to quote the Prime Minister's press secretary, who said, “To be clear, the government expressed a preference for that candidate.”
What are the Conservatives trying to hide? What exactly were they expecting to receive in return for this?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, there is nothing more beautiful than when a former separatist decides that after all, he is going to embrace Canada. That is why, after I learned that over a decade this particular member donated 29 times to the hardest line separatist party in Quebec, I gave him repeated opportunities to rise in the House of Commons and say it was all a mistake and that he now believes in Canada.
Why does he not come on over and join the Canadian family? We are a welcoming place. Why can he not just say he loves Canada, that he believes in this country and wants to be part of its future?
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Order, please. The hon. member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie.