House of Commons Hansard #183 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was nation.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Barry Devolin
The hon. member for Edmonton—Strathcona will have four minutes remaining when this matter returns before the House.
Conservative
The Acting Speaker Conservative Barry Devolin
Order, please. I have the honour to inform the House that a communication has been received as follows:
Rideau Hall
Ottawa
November 22, 2012
Mr. Speaker,
I have the honour to inform you that the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, signified royal assent by written declaration to the bills listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 22nd day of November, 2012, at 11:01 a.m.
Yours sincerely,
Stephen Wallace
Secretary to the Governor General and Herald Chancellor
The schedule indicates that the bills assented to were Bill S-201, An Act respecting a National Philanthropy Day, Chapter 23; and Bill S-11, An Act respecting food commodities, including their inspection, their safety, their labelling and advertising, their import, export and interprovincial trade, the establishment of standards for them, the registration or licensing of persons who perform certain activities related to them, the establishment of standards governing establishments where those activities are performed and the registration of establishments where those activities are performed, Chapter 24.
Tilly O'Neill-Gordon Conservative Miramichi, NB
Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to welcome the nine international students who will study at the New Brunswick Community College campus in Miramichi, New Brunswick, this academic year.
Last week, I had the pleasure of hosting a luncheon for them, while delivering greetings and welcoming these bright young people on behalf of the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.
With a group of students from Jamaica, Mexico, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Spain and Vietnam, it was very appropriate that we met during International Education Week. We are lucky to have the privilege to have these students among us so we can all learn about their unique cultures and experiences. Academic exchanges are vital to the development of our friendship with foreign neighbours and we in the Miramichi are proud to be part of this excellent program.
On behalf of Miramichiers, I welcome these students and I wish them all the best. At the same time, I congratulate the professors and staff at the college for ensuring that these students enjoy our hospitality and all that Canada has to offer.
Mylène Freeman NDP Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am so glad to rise to welcome to the Hill students participating in McGill's Women in House program.
Women In House has the noble mandate of fostering the interest of political involvement in young women, with the goal of improving female representation in government.
Today, female MPs and senators are mentoring the young women of the program who will hear first-hand from female politicians, making the daily realities of politics accessible and profoundly inspiring its participants.
As a student, I was a participant and a coordinator of Women in House and it motivated me to push the boundaries of what it means to be a politician. Still today, women are underrepresented in this House and we need to work together toward inclusive policies so we can truly achieve equality in this country.
I hope McGill's Women In House participants take away from the experience the desire to get involved and break down the barriers for women in politics.
Daryl Kramp Conservative Prince Edward—Hastings, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am sad today to report that this past Monday the residents of the Quinte area lost one of the most dedicated community champions with the passing of the former Progressive Conservative member of the provincial parliament, Doug Rollins.
Doug's forthright passion for making his community become a better place to live is unparalleled. He not only worked tirelessly in his capacity as a member of the provincial parliament, but never stopped working for causes close to his heart and would stand up bravely in the face of any challenge or obstacle to achieve those things that would benefit the residents of his area.
He was a good, kind man of integrity and fairness who was a friend and a mentor to many. A Hebrew proverb says, “Say not in grief 'he is no more' but live in thankfulness that he was”.
There are many in Prince Edward—Hastings, including my family and me, who are thankful that we have been blessed by knowing Doug. We sent our prayers and thoughts to his wife Cheryl and family.
Godspeed, my friend.
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
Mr. Speaker, Canada has lost a friend and dedicated public servant, a man who fought cancer with dignity, tenacity and courage, a long-serving municipal and federal representative with a deep love of community and country.
Nick Discepola served in this House from 1993 to 2004 as the member for Vaudreuil-Soulanges, occupying roles from parliamentary secretary, committee chair and task force leader to chair of the Quebec Liberal caucus.
Nick brought a methodical yet visionary perspective to public life. An MBA from McGill and successful businessman, he knew the importance of economic issues, both as mayor of the city of Kirkland and later as a stalwart member of the House of Commons finance committee.
However, Nick also recognized our need for community. The groups he founded or encouraged, such as the West Island Italian Association, continue to this day to bring people together in friendship and celebration.
On behalf of all members, I extend to Nick's wife, Mary Alice, and his children, Lisa, Laura, Michele and Marco, our deepest condolences. May God be with him.
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
Mr. Speaker, this Sunday afternoon, at the Ukrainian Black Sea Hall on Welland Avenue, I will be joining local members of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress at a memorial service for the Holodomor.
As members of this House are aware, in 1932 and 1933 the Communist regime of Joseph Stalin manufactured a famine that caused the deaths of millions of Ukrainians through forced starvation. Holodomor is one of the saddest stories in history but one that must be remembered, not only to guard against future atrocities but because the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics tried long and hard to hide the Holodomor from the world and from history.
However, these tragic events happened and I am honoured to accept the invitation of local Ukrainian Canadians in St. Catharines to honour the memory of the victims of Holodomor.
Vichnaya Pamyat, in everlasting remembrance.
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, this week, we remember Ukrainians who died tragically in the Holodomor famine genocide of 1932 to 1933. In Ukrainian, the term Holodomor means death by starvation. This deadly famine genocide was engineered and organized on a vast scale by Stalin and the Soviet authorities, causing the deaths of millions due to imposed starvation.
I was deeply moved on one of my recent trips to Ukraine to visit the Holodomor memorial in Kiev to pay my respects.
Commemoration of the Holodomor is particularly important given that this terrible crime against Ukrainian people was denied and unspoken for so many decades. However, no more. Every fourth Saturday in November, the Ukrainian community and all Canadians commemorate the victims of the Holodomor.
This Saturday, I will stand with the Ukrainian Canadian community at the Holodomor memorial in Edmonton, the first public monument in the world to commemorate the victims of the famine genocide in Ukraine.
I encourage all Canadians to learn more about the Holodomor and to take a moment this week to reflect upon this tragedy and its impact on its victims and all Ukrainians.
LaVar Payne Conservative Medicine Hat, AB
Mr. Speaker, it is a great honour to rise in this place today to give my full and wholehearted support to the Calgary Stampeders, as they will play for the Grey Cup this weekend on this 100th anniversary.
My son and I will be cheering on the Stamps at the game. I am looking forward to seeing the Stampeders bring the cup back to southern Alberta. I, along with my son and grandson, Connor, are the team's greatest fans and we are looking forward to cheering them on.
As the third oldest active franchise in the Canadian Football League, they have managed to win the Grey Cup six times, most recently in 2008. One thing that is certain is that all Canadians and all southern Albertans will be watching closely as they compete for the cup this weekend. We will gallop off with the cup even if Toronto will not allow our Stampeders' horse to make a touchdown run.
Go Stamps go.
Parm Gill Conservative Brampton—Springdale, ON
Mr. Speaker, this Sunday marks the 100th Grey Cup. No institution is as uniquely Canadian as the CFL and no annual Canadian event is as unifying as the Grey Cup.
Bolstered by the committed ownership of Senator David Braley and inspired by the positive and optimistic leadership of Scott Milanovitch, the Toronto Argonauts continue in a proud winning tradition. We anticipate the exciting on-field exploits of star quarterback, Ricky Ray; explosive receiver, Andre Durie; and CFL record holder, Chad Owens.
Football is ultimately a team sport. The Toronto Argonauts embody the Canadian values of hard work, commitment and sportsmanship, values that will surely contribute to on-field success.
On behalf of all Argo fans around the world, I congratulate everyone in the Argonauts organization on a very successful season. This Sunday, as always, I will be cheering for the blue team, the Argos.
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
Mr. Speaker, Bear Creek, in my community of Surrey, is a prime example of critical salmon habitat that is under threat because of the government. The Conservatives have used their monster budgets to systematically undermine and dismantle environmental protections for our rivers, lakes and streams right across the country.
Urban waterways, like Bear Creek, are under pressure from development and related pollution, and legislation that traditionally helped to protect these sensitive areas is being gutted by the Conservatives.
Local governments are struggling to fill the gaps but they cannot do it alone. Last week, I met with officials from the City of Surrey and they said very clearly that they rely on strong legislation and enforcement from the federal government to do their jobs.
It is time for the government to stop making policy at the whims of their oil industry friends and start standing up for the needs of our communities.
Rob Merrifield Conservative Yellowhead, AB
Mr. Speaker, our government continues to stand up for the interests of Albertans and all Canadians. Unfortunately, the Liberals do not.
My constituents were shocked to hear a top Liberal spokesman for natural resources tell us to go back to Alberta if we wanted to defend the interests of Albertans or the energy interests. The comments were so arrogant and unacceptable that the member had to step down from his role as critic.
However, it does not change the fact that the anti-Alberta attitude remains ingrained in the Liberal Party. In fact, in the last 24 hours it has been revealed that the anti-Alberta attitude within the Liberal Party is alive more now than ever before.
I need not remind my constituents of Trudeau's failed national energy program that devastated the economy and cost Albertans billions of dollars.
Our government is proud to defend Alberta's interests, especially against disastrous Liberal policies that have hurt Alberta in the past and would do the same in the future. God forbid that the Liberals ever get that chance.
Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC
Mr. Speaker, today, I am proud to recognize the unique contribution of an individual from my riding who passed away on November 3.
There is no question that Henri Audet was a great ambassador for our city and the entire country. This man cleverly and courageously built a small Trois-Rivières television station into a prominent, multinational communications company that provides services in Canada and in Portugal. That company is Cogeco. Our country owes a debt of gratitude to this pioneer of French-language television for his contribution to our cultural heritage, a contribution that earned him the Order of Canada in 1994.
This tireless worker certainly lived a very full life. Yet, a man's greatness is not determined only by his professional achievements, for while Mr. Audet had a very successful career, his greatest treasure was his family.
I extend my heartfelt condolences to his wife and children. On behalf of the people of Trois-Rivières, I thank Mr. Audet for his remarkable contribution to our city's history and development. May his spirit continue to inspire people in Trois-Rivières and across Canada.
Ted Opitz Conservative Etobicoke Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday was a bad day for the Liberal Party of Canada. First it lost its top spokesperson for natural resources because he revealed the divisive anti-Alberta position of the Liberal Party. Then former Liberal member of Parliament, Joe Fontana, was charged by the RCMP for betraying the trust of Canadians.
What is most unfortunate is that none of these events are surprising. The Liberals have a record of anti-Albertan policies, such as Trudeau's national energy program that devastated the economy and cost Albertans billions. This also would not be the first time that the Liberals betrayed Canadians. Remember the sponsorship scandal.
The only thing I have to ask the Liberals is: What shameful act will we hear about next?
Judy Foote Liberal Random—Burin—St. George's, NL
Mr. Speaker, World Pneumonia Day was November 12. Every 20 seconds a child dies from pneumonia, a largely preventable and treatable disease. Pneumonia is the world's leading killer of children under the age of five, causing nearly 1.3 million child deaths each year. Developing countries and the poorest children within them are the hardest hit, accounting for 99% of childhood deaths from pneumonia.
I witnessed first-hand the devastating impact pneumonia can have on children and their families when I travelled with Results Canada to Tanzania this past February. There I met Daniel, a very young Masai child, hospitalized in a health care centre because of pneumonia, but Daniel was one of the lucky ones. He was being treated and on the road to recovery. The emotional burden and financial strain of having to hospitalize a child need not be a reality for families in Tanzania. With the introduction of the pneumococcal vaccine, children like Daniel and thousands of others can be spared from this deadly disease.
I ask the government to continue to invest in the scale-up of the pneumococcal vaccine through effective global mechanisms such as the GAVI Alliance. The world's children depend on it.
Rob Anders Conservative Calgary West, AB
Mr. Speaker, the comments made on Tuesday by the Liberals' former spokesman for natural resources show that in over 30 years they have not learned a thing. The Liberal spokesman said that Alberta MPs should go back to Alberta if they wanted to represent Albertans and the energy industry. Clearly, the Liberals did not learn that their anti-Alberta attitude is bad for the country. Everyone remembers the devastating Trudeau national energy program and no one wants to see that again. His comments were arrogant, but the member himself has not apologized. His anti-Alberta attitude is clearer now more than ever.
As an Albertan, I am proud to stand up and defend the interests of my constituents and all Albertans. Alberta deserves an apology from the former Liberal natural resources spokesman.
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Conservatives turned their backs on Canadian youth and refused to act on the serious issue of bullying. By refusing to put their narrow partisanship aside and voting against the national bullying prevention strategy, Conservatives missed an opportunity for members of the House to work together for the well-being of Canada's children and youth.
One in three youth admit to having been victims of bullying, an experience being witnessed in school yards across Canada with victims such as Amanda Todd or Jamie Hubley. Sadly, when Conservative members were called on to help stem this problem, they sat down. Despite their indifference, this problem will not go away.
The NDP will continue to stand up against bullying in our playgrounds, schools, online and, yes, even here on the floor of the House of Commons. We must put an end to bullying and that is why the NDP called on all parties to support the development of a national strategy. By voting against the national bullying prevention strategy, the Conservatives refused to put partisanship aside and work together. The Conservative vision, which favours criminalization rather than prevention, condemns our youth to continued suffering from bullying for years to come.
Kevin Sorenson Conservative Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, the member for Ottawa South is a key senior member of the Liberal Party. His own brother, Premier McGuinty, has led the Liberal Party in Ontario for years. When this member of Parliament speaks, he is not some outsider in the Liberal Party, he is showing the arrogance that is ingrained within the Liberal Party.
This is the same arrogance that led to Pierre Trudeau's national energy program, which killed jobs in Alberta. It is the same Liberal arrogance that targeted law-abiding farmers and hunters with a wasteful and ineffective billion dollar gun registry. It is the same Liberal arrogance that denied prairie farmers the right to sell their own wheat. It is the same Liberal arrogance that told parents that they could not be trusted to raise their children because they blow all their money on popcorn and beer, and it is the same Liberal arrogance that led Pierre Trudeau to give the finger to all Canadians who call western Canada home.
Albertans know that this anti-Alberta sentiment runs strong in the Liberal Party and that is why election after election Albertans—
Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, leaders from across Canada are gathering in Halifax to discuss the serious threats facing our economy.
Last week when the Minister of Finance delivered his economic update, he tried to reassure Canadians. He claimed that Conservatives have “contingency plans” in the event that Canada falls back into recession.
If Conservatives do indeed have a plan to deal with the threat of another recession, why are they not sharing it with Canadian premiers? If the Prime Minister takes the threat of another recession seriously, why will he not work with the premiers in Halifax to tackle that threat head on?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, unlike the leader of the NDP, I meet with the premiers very regularly. In fact, I had over 50 such meetings in the past year alone. Obviously this government is focused on the economy. We are not focused on a recession. We are focused on making sure the Canadian economy continues to grow.
As we know, despite the global uncertainty, the Canadian economy has relatively good performance among the major developed economies, creating over 800,000 net new jobs since the end of the recession. We are certainly working hard to make sure that growth continues.
Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, a few five-minute consultations per month on the phone is not consulting with the premiers.
Leaders from across the country are meeting in Halifax today to work together to come up with solutions to Canada's economic problems—all but one, the Prime Minister of Canada. He still has time to change his mind, show some leadership and prove to Canadians that he is capable of working with his colleagues, the provincial premiers.
If the Prime Minister can fly his limousines to India, surely he can catch a plane to Halifax.
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I meet with Canada's premiers regularly. We are doing our job when it comes to the Canadian economy.
Our initiatives have helped Canada outperform other major developed nations. We plan to continue doing just that. We have created over 800,000 net new jobs since the end of the recession. It is crucial that we continue on that path.
Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, there are 350,000 more people unemployed today than when the recession hit in 2008, and we are running a $50 billion a year economic deficit in our trade. Forget about the boasts on those ones.
His attitude should come as no surprise. Working with others is a foreign concept to him. He even refuses to work with the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Kevin Page, whom he himself appointed. Mr. Page is being forced to drag him to court to get the financial information that he is entitled to.
Will the Prime Minster change his mind on this? Will he put an end to the legal proceedings by giving the Parliamentary Budget Officer the budget information he needs?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, once again, I must set the record straight regarding the government's performance.
The leader of the NDP mentioned things that are simply not the case. Here is the record: 820,000 net new jobs created since July 2009; Canada ranked the most tax-competitive economy among mature markets; Canada's debt to GDP ratio the lowest in the G7; the World Economic Forum rating our banking system the best in the world; all the major rating agencies maintaining Canada's AAA credit rating; the OECD predicting we will lead the G7 in economic growth over the next half-century. That is the record of Canada—
