House of Commons Hansard #189 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was terrorism.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I have cautioned members before about asking questions that touch on the administrative responsibility of government, and many of these questions about campaigns and things like that do not fall under that. I see the parliamentary secretary rising to answer, so I will give him the floor to do so. I hope members keep that in mind in the future.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I agree with you.
I note, as well, that the member was just about to get around to the fact that only her party has been found guilty of making illegal robocalls.
After breaking the law in this way, perhaps she could find some way of regaining the trust of Canadians by finally supporting more transparency for how unions spend the money they forcefully take away from workers. For example, now that our government is ensuring that Canada Post will not fund this conference that Canada Post unions are attending, will it be clear that workers will not be forced to pick up the tab through their mandatory dues?
Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' decision to close the Maurice Lamontagne Institute's library makes no sense.
Some 61,000 French-language scientific documents will be sent 800 km away from where they are truly needed. In addition to serving that institute, the library serves the UQAR's ocean sciences department, the Institut des sciences de la mer, the Institut maritime du Québec, the Marine Biotechnology Research Centre, the Interdisciplinary Centre for the Development of Ocean Mapping and the Technopole maritime du Québec, all located in Rimouski.
Can the minister tell us, with a straight face, how this makes any sense whatsoever?
Randy Kamp ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
Mr. Speaker, we are doing what any responsible government would do. We are focusing on providing effective services in the most efficient way possible. We are modernizing where we can and eliminating waste and duplication.
In this case, library users are asking for digital information, so it is logical that Fisheries and Oceans Canada would accommodate that demand by making its collection available in a digital format. The library will continue to deliver services in English and French.
Charmaine Borg NDP Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Mr. Speaker, only 3% of the 61,000 documents are digitized. That does not qualify as modernizing, not to mention that no funding has been made available to digitize the rest. The location of those documents is therefore crucial to the scientific community.
If the minister insists on going ahead with her absurd plan to move the library, she must tell us immediately how much funding she will earmark for the digitization of the documents before closing the library. Will they really be modernizing, or are these empty promises?
Randy Kamp ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
Mr. Speaker, the fact is that in 2011, for example, over 96% of clients' requests were addressed virtually, and by that way staff addressed the service from their own desktop. Clients downloaded over 137,000 articles from their desktops and phoned 8,000 times as well. We think this is a good measure.
Mylène Freeman NDP Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Emerson report is clear: the Conservatives are not investing enough in the aerospace industry. Industry stakeholders are concerned about the ground they have lost in recent years. The Conservatives' lack of vision for this industry is creating uncertainty that discourages investment.
Will the Conservatives take their usual approach and shelve this report that criticizes them, or will they implement the recommendations?
Christian Paradis ConservativeMinister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture)
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank David Emerson for his excellent report. We asked him to review the state of the aerospace industry. We are ranked fifth in the world. Mr. Emerson has produced a revenue neutral report that contains good recommendations. My colleagues and I will take the time to examine them properly. The industry also welcomes this report.
Our proposals are very different from those of the NDP, which wants to tax everything and bring in a $21 billion carbon tax, which would kill the aerospace and automobile sectors and manufacturing in general.
We are taking the right approach, and we are very pleased with this report.
Mylène Freeman NDP Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Emerson report is clear: the Conservatives are not doing a good job.
The aerospace industry represents 66,000 direct jobs, 92,000 indirect jobs and $40 billion in economic spinoffs. To avoid losing ground in the global aerospace market, we must invest more in research and development, among other things.
The industry wants a long-term development plan and stable funding. When will the Conservatives take action? Will they follow the recommendations or not?
Christian Paradis ConservativeMinister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture)
Mr. Speaker, I do not believe that my colleague is familiar with the file.
When the council was appointed, Mr. Emerson told a press conference that we must not sit on our laurels. We are ranked fifth in the world, but we have to see where the industry will position itself and where it will be in five, 10 and 20 years. That is why we asked for the report, and we have received some good recommendations.
Recommendations such as the NDP's $21.5 billion carbon tax will kill the aerospace sector, as well as manufacturing. The NDP has no credibility. That is why I do not listen to their recommendations. I prefer to study Mr. Emerson's.
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Mr. Speaker, Canada is not immune to ongoing global economic challenges from beyond our borders, especially those who are our most important trade partners, like the United States and Europe. That is why we continue to work hard to implement economic action plan 2012, including measures to grow the economy today.
While we are focused on helping the economy grow, the New Democrats want to take $21 billion out of the pockets of Canadians with a new carbon tax that would cripple our economy and kill Canadian jobs. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance please update Parliament on the state of the Canadian economy?
Shelly Glover ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Souris—Moose Mountain for prompting me to share some good news today for Canadians.
As everyone knows, our Conservative government has focused on creating jobs and long-term prosperity and ensuring that our economy grows. Indeed, today Stats Canada announced that our economy grew again in the third quarter of 2012. This represents the fifth consecutive quarter of economic growth in Canada. Our modest but steady economic growth shows that we are on the right track. We are going to continue on this track. What we are not going to do is to implement a $21 billion carbon tax on Canadians that would kill—
Alain Giguère NDP Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Mr. Speaker, no matter what the hon. member for Saint-Boniface may think, the number of unemployed Canadians is growing. And four out of 10 of them are not currently receiving EI benefits. And yet, instead of making sure that employment insurance is available to people who need it, all the Conservatives are doing is finding more ways to prevent more people from accessing benefits.
Nearly 20% of Canada's unemployed workers have not accumulated the number of hours needed to qualify for EI.
Why are the Conservatives so stubborn? Why not help the unemployed, instead of blaming them?
Kellie Leitch ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, this government has been focused on ensuring that Canadians have jobs, in fact creating 820,000 net new jobs since the downturn of the recession.
Unlike the New Democrats, we have a plan we are putting in place that would help create jobs, whether that be the EI small business tax credit, the additional $50 million for the youth employment strategy or $30 million in order to aid individuals with disabilities to be employed. Unlike the NDP with its proposed $21 billion carbon tax, we are creating jobs.
Philip Toone NDP Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is not enough to tell unemployed people that they just need to find jobs. For every vacant job in Canada, there are more than five people out of work. By not renewing the pilot project to extend EI benefits, the government has left seasonal workers without an income for nearly two months.
These workers did not ask to work seasonally, but the lobster fishery is seasonal.
Does the government not understand the importance of seasonal industries to our economy? Why not support them?
Kellie Leitch ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, actually, this government's members understand seasonal workers exceptionally well. In fact, in my riding in Simcoe—Grey, there are many seasonal workers and they are delighted with the plan that this government has put forward. We have created 820,000 net new jobs. Whether that be ensuring that young people have opportunities for employment or the targeted initiative for older workers, we have a plan for creating jobs, unlike the New Democrats who have a $21 billion carbon tax that would just create an opportunity to destroy jobs and increase taxes.
Philip Toone NDP Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am sorry, but “delighted” is not the way I describe the unemployed citizens in my riding.
The lobster season opened this week, but clouds of uncertainty hang over the industry.
Fishers met in Moncton yesterday to express their concerns about the cuts to Fisheries and Oceans Canada that affect the already unsatisfactory dates for the fishing season, the minimum size for lobsters, and much else. All these issues need to be resolved as quickly as possible.
Will the minister take her responsibilities seriously, go to Moncton, and find the appropriate solutions to protect the future of this crucial industry?
Randy Kamp ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
Mr. Speaker, of course, this is an important issue that the minister and our government is paying close attention to. The minister's officials are working with industry to make sure they get their questions answered, because a sustainable fishery is of key importance to us.
Sadia Groguhé NDP Saint-Lambert, QC
Mr. Speaker, the closing of the Buffalo visa office is another example of Conservative incompetence.
People lost in the Buffalo process have had no news of their permanent residence files for nearly two years. My office is inundated with calls and letters from people who simply ask not to be overlooked. It is unacceptable.
Will the minister finally step up to the plate, tell us how many people are affected by the closing of the Buffalo visa office, and take action, at last, to solve the problem?
Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Citizenship
Mr. Speaker, all the applications that were being processed in Buffalo have been moved to Ottawa, where public servants are dealing efficiently with them.
I can assure the House that the department is able to process these applications normally. If people want information on the status of their applications, they must contact the department. It is one way we work efficiently for the taxpayers.
Mark Eyking Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS
Mr. Speaker, Atlantic Canadians are well aware of the disdain the Prime Minister has for their region. Not only does the Prime Minister want to cut out all of our services, he has now sent his three amigo senators to corral all the maritime provinces into one. He has gone from putting up a firewall to creating one province. We are not going to let him take away our individual rights or our constitutional rights.
Why are the Atlantic Conservative MPs not standing up for the region?
Bernard Valcourt ConservativeAssociate Minister of National Defence and Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (La Francophonie)
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member is referring to a political union of the maritime provinces, this is not the policy of this government.
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
Mr. Speaker, apparently size matters. Size matters to Senators Duffy, Wallace and Greene, who want to erase Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick off the Canadian map.
We are a proud people back home and, yes, we have challenges. If the Conservatives really want to help the Maritimes, how about they stop attacking our way of life? How about they stop gutting thousands of jobs from our region? How about they stop saying that we have a culture of defeat? How about they stop the EI changes that are killing seasonal industries? How about trying to find real solutions instead of creating division?
Bernard Valcourt ConservativeAssociate Minister of National Defence and Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (La Francophonie)
Mr. Speaker, he did not understand it the first time, so I will say it again: that is not government policy. Not at all.