Debates of Dec. 6th, 2012

Status of Women

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, this government has been very consistent and clear in defending the rights of women and, indeed, all Canadians. I can only point out for the New Democrats that when we had a vote ending house arrest for sexual assault, they voted against that. They voted against tougher penalties for child predators. They even voted against tougher sentences for those who produce, traffic and import date rape drugs. Maybe she should have a discussion among her colleagues over there as to what they are doing in this area.

Pensions

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have squandered a $13 billion surplus and taken the debt to an unprecedented $600 billion. To cover their own financial incompetence, the Conservatives will force low-income Canadians to wait an extra two years before qualifying for their old age pension. That will cost the lowest-income Canadians, such as elderly widows, at least $30,000 each.

Why are Canada's most vulnerable being forced to delay their retirement to pay for Conservative financial incompetence?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development]

Mr. Speaker, let us face it. The population is aging and we want to ensure that the old age security program is there for all Canadians when they reach the age of retirement. The changes to this program do not even start until 2023 and then they will be phased in gradually.

Our government is committed to ensuring that support for our seniors is there when they need it.

Government Services

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Beauséjour, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' financial incompetence has resulted in record debt of $600 billion. Consequently, the Conservatives are now slashing services that are important to Canadians.

Service Canada cuts are causing significant delays for the most vulnerable, while immigration cuts are making wait times for family reunifications even longer.

Why must Canadians pay for the financial incompetence of the Conservative government?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's economic action plan 2012 is our plan for employment, growth and long-term prosperity. An important part of our plan is balancing the budget by implementing fair, balanced and moderate economic measures.

We have protected services that Canadians expect from the federal government, and we will continue to do so.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, Conservative financial incompetence created record deficits and gave Canada now a record $600 billion debt. Now constrained by the debt they created, the Conservatives are slashing services to working-class Canadians. Cuts to Service Canada mean longer wait times for vulnerable Canadians. Cuts to immigration mean longer wait times for family reunification.

Why are these hard-working Canadians losing services and being forced to suffer as a result of Conservative wasteful spending and financial incompetence?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, we understand that balancing the budget is important if we are to create jobs and long-term prosperity, something that former Liberal governments could not understand. At the same time as former Liberal governments were trying to deal with economic pressures, they cut services on health care and education to our provinces. That was their solution, which was no solution at all. We understand what is important to Canadians; they do not.

Foreign Investment

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

Mr. Speaker, whether it is the new trade agreement with China or the sale of Nexen, the Conservative approach remains the same: no consultation, no debate and no vote.

The Alberta government is calling for a different approach. It wants a public discussion on foreign ownership and its impact on Canadians. That is how serious and democratic governments deal with sensitive issues.

Why are the Conservatives refusing to listen to Albertans and Canadians, who are calling for a serious and transparent evaluation of Nexen's takeover?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture)]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, the hon. member is well aware that when a transaction is proposed, Canadians are free to express their views to Industry Canada's transaction evaluation branch. That is what is happening. Of course, for reasons clearly explained in section 36 of the act, this sensitive information cannot be released.

One thing is certain: Canadians can count on a responsible government that will always makes decisions in their best interests, unlike the NDP which proposes a radical program that would block all forms of foreign investment. That is irresponsible.

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

Mr. Speaker, they may try to cloud the issue with made-up stories, but the reality is that consulting experts would help the government make informed decisions and stop improvising.

The takeover of Nexen and the trade agreement with China are a mess. By suggesting there could be another delay regarding the decision on CNOOC and Nexen, the Conservatives are spreading fear among investors and on the stock markets.

When will the Conservatives stop managing this important file like amateurs?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture)]

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member knew the legislation as she should, she would see that section 36 provides for a consultation process.

What is really irresponsible is for a political party like the NDP to suggest that it would not allow any form of foreign investment in the country.

That is not how we operate. We are open to foreign investment because it puts our enterprises in the global value chain, provided there is a net benefit to our country. Canadians can count on a responsible government to evaluate each transaction on its merits.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, what Canadians should be counting on is being consulted by the government. Canadians deserve better than what they are getting from the government.

Yesterday, the convoluted message of the minister sent the stock market spinning yet again. The government has missed deadlines time after time. It has made decisions in the middle of the night. It has confused investors around the world. It has shut down any consultations with the Canadian public. This is no way to run a G8 country. This is not even the way to run a lemonade stand. It is all a mess.

Will the minister clean up the mess that he has created?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture)]

Mr. Speaker, as soon as NDP members open their mouths there is a major investment chill. They are against foreign investment in our country. The Liberals, like they said a couple of weeks ago, would rubber-stamp each form of transaction.

Canadians can count on their responsible government to ensure that each transaction will be evaluated on its own merit.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, under the NDP, we would have clear rules and public consultations. That is why for so many Canadians 2015 cannot come soon enough—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. member for Burnaby—New Westminster has the floor.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, those members really cannot bear to hear the truth.

The deadline will apparently be extended again to December 31, New Year's eve. While Canadians are celebrating New Year's, Conservatives will be selling them out. There is no plan to ensure that state company investments benefit Canada, no public review of the Nexen sellout, no rules for the public and investors to have confidence in. It is disrespectful.

Why is the minister showing such disrespect for Canadians?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture)]

Mr. Speaker, the real form of disrespect that we can see is from NDP members. They say that they care about foreign investment when they do not. They are against foreign investment. They are anti-trade. They propose putting a carbon tax of $21.5 billion on the shoulders of Canadians. That is irresponsible.

Canadians can count on their responsible government, a government that is open to foreign investment as long as it provides a net benefit for Canada. That is exactly what we are reviewing in the best interests of Canadians.

Justice

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Brampton West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, since we were first elected, our government has consistently and repeatedly put the rights of victims ahead of the rights of criminals. We have created the Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Crime. We have repealed the so-called faint hope clause. We have introduced in the past dozens of justice and public safety bills to help ensure that offenders serve sentences which reflect the severity of their crime.

Given today's anniversary, could the Minister of Justice please update the House on our government's actions to help victims of crime?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, our government has taken action to ensure that victims have a stronger voice in Canada's criminal justice system. Since 2007, when the government announced the federal victims' strategy, we have made significant investments to respond to the needs of victims of crime.

When it comes to legislation, I am proud to say that this government has cracked down on firearm's crime with tougher penalties for violent offenders. A recent study from Statistics Canada shows that homicides committed with a handgun are down 30% since 2008.

Canadians can count on us to continue to stand up for victims, as we always do.

National Defence

[Christine Moore, NDP, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in response to an earlier question about transparency in the failed procurement process for the F-35s, the Prime Minister said that the Conservatives were going to be diligent. How can they be trusted? The Auditor General has condemned their practices and the secretariat is now making the same mistakes.

When the Prime Minister talks about diligence, is he referring to the diligence with which he and his government hid the truth about the F-35s?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, the National Fighter Procurement Secretariat is in place to ensure transparency and due diligence is done in our decision to replace the CF-18s.

Let me just remind the member what the secretariat is. It is: the deputy minister of Public Works; the deputy minister of the Department of National Defence; the deputy minister of Industry Canada; the deputy secretary of the cabinet; the secretary of the Treasury Board; the associate deputy minister of the Department of Finance; the national security advisor to the Prime Minister, as well as many officials; a respected former Auditor General of Canada; and a respected academic.

These are the people doing the work for the government. They are doing substantive and comprehensive work. I would ask the member to give them the time—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Beaches—East York.

[Matthew Kellway, NDP, Beaches—East York, ON]

None of whom are accountable to Canadians, Mr. Speaker.

It would take a giant leap of imagination to swallow that this current secretive process, including sitting on the KPMG report for at least a week now, is somehow open and transparent. From the get-go, the Conservatives have had permanent staff assigned to the JSF office in Washington. For 11 years they have been receiving bilateral cost breakdowns from the U.S. defense department. Since 2006, they have received 15 cost information packages on the F-35.

Will this information be made public? Will it form part of the KPMG report? When can we expect that report?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, the National Fighter Procurement Secretariat and the officials who are in charge of ensuring that the proper due diligence is done leading up to the decision to replace our CF-18s are doing this work. Their mandate is public. It is published on their website. At this point there has been no money spent on the acquisition of new aircraft. Until the secretariat has finished its seven-point plan, no money will be spent.

The KPMG report is obviously an independent validation of the Department of National Defence's cost estimates and the secretariat will release that as well.