Debates of Dec. 6th, 2012

Public Transit

[Rathika Sitsabaiesan, NDP, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to present a petition on behalf of many residents of my riding of Scarborough—Rouge River. The petitioners call upon the government to create a national public transit strategy.

Canada is the only OECD country that does not have a national public transit strategy. It is estimated that over the next five years there will be a gap of $18 billion in transit infrastructure needs. Residents of my community spend over two hours commuting to and from work by public transit because the location of most of the jobs is in downtown Toronto and in the northeast end of Scarborough.

The petitioners therefore call upon the Government of Canada to enact a Canada public transit strategy that would seek to provide a permanent investment plan to support public transit, establish federal funding mechanisms for public transit and establish an accountability measure to ensure that all levels of government work together to increase access to public transit.

Shark Finning

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two sets of petitions today. The first is signed by hundreds of people from Guelph.

The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to immediately ban the possession, trade, distribution, or offer for sale of shark fins in Canada, understanding that shark fins, raw, dried and otherwise processed, are detached fins from living sharks.

Patent Act

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

The other set of petitions calls on the Government of Canada to amend the Canada Access to Medications Regime, which would therefore enable easier access to generic drugs, particularly for people in countries like sub-Saharan Africa, in order to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

It is a terrible tragedy. The act needs to be amended and the people of Guelph call on the government to revisit the issue.

Search and Rescue

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour today to present five petitions from hundreds of residents from places such as St. John's East, the adjoining riding of St. John's South—Mount Pearl and the riding of Avalon.

The petitioners are part of a continuing urging by people from my province, asking the Government of Canada to reverse the decision it made to close the Canadian Coast Guard maritime search and rescue centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, to reinstate its staff and restore its full services.

As we know, the centre looks after a huge area of coastline, some 29,000 kilometres, and a huge area of ocean, populated by many people who earn their living from the sea, transport over it, or work offshore. It is extremely important that this service be reinstated.

The petitioners urge the government to recognize its mistake and reinstate the service.

Public Health

[Mylène Freeman, NDP, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition signed by my constituents from Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel. They are calling on the House to support my Motion No. 400, in the interests of protecting water and public health in rural communities.

In rural areas, a large number of septic systems in isolated homes are outdated and require significant, urgent and costly work to be brought up to standard. This situation poses a serious potential risk to our water quality. Furthermore, because of the high cost of this work, some individuals are delaying updating their systems.

My constituents and I are urging the House to support this petition and my motion.

The Environment

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions. The first is from residents of British Columbia, including some from within my own riding in Sidney as well as as far away as Vernon.

The petitioners call upon the Conservative government to stop promoting the northern gateway pipeline and to look at the evidence and decline its approval.

Foreign Investment

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is primarily from residents in the Parksville area of British Columbia but also from residents in Nanaimo.

With respect to a Privy Council decision, the petitioners ask that the government decline to ratify the Canada-China investment treaty as it is lopsided and would provide more markets to China than our Canadian businesses would have access to. This treaty would lock us in for up to 31 years and allow Chinese state-owned enterprises to sue Canada.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 995, 996, 997, 998, 1000, 1012, 1013 and 1015.

Question No. 995

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

With regard to Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), from 2005 to 2012: (a) what has been the relationship between ADM and the company Construction Gastier inc., (i) does ADM lease any kind of space to it on its airport sites, (ii) if so, since when, (iii) what is the lease cost, (iv) is there a security protocol between ADM and Construction Gastier inc. regarding this occupation of airport space; and (b) what has been the relationship between ADM and the company Construction Gastier international, (i) does ADM lease any kind of space to it on its airport sites, (ii) if so, since when, (iii) what is the lease cost, (iv) is there a security protocol between ADM and Construction Gastier international regarding this occupation of airport space?

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, Aéroports de Montréal, ADM, a not-for-profit corporation without share capital, is responsible for managing, operating and developing Montreal-Trudeau and Montreal-Mirabel airports under a long-term lease with Transport Canada. ADM has full responsibility for managing business, contracts, tenders and leases of its airports, in compliance with the provisions of the lease and the applicable regulations. ADM operates independently, and Transport Canada does not interfere with the management of the corporation’s day-to-day business.

Question No. 996

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

With regard to the business relationships maintained by Aéroports de Montréal (ADM): (a) with the company Construction Gastier inc., from 2005 to 2012, (i) did it receive contracts from ADM, (ii) what was the value of the contracts, (iii) were the contracts tendered or was a ministerial exemption required, (iv) if there was a ministerial exemption, what were the grounds for it, (v) is there a security protocol between ADM and Construction Gastier inc. on all contracts awarded; and (b) with the company Construction Gastier international, from 2005 to 2012, (i) did it receive contracts from ADM, (ii) what was the value of the contracts, (iii) were the contracts tendered or was a ministerial exemption required, (iv) if there was a ministerial exemption, what were the grounds for it, (v) is there a security protocol between ADM and Construction Gastier international on all contracts awarded?

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, Aéroports de Montréal, ADM, a not-for-profit corporation without share capital, is responsible for managing, operating and developing Montreal-Trudeau and Montreal-Mirabel airports under a long-term lease with Transport Canada. ADM has full responsibility for managing business, contracts, tenders and leases of its airports, in compliance with the provisions of the lease and the applicable regulations. ADM operates independently, and Transport Canada does not interfere with the management of the corporation’s day-to-day business.

Question No. 997

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

With regard to the public tendering of renovation and construction work at the Montréal-Trudeau Airport and any other public tendering at the Montréal-Trudeau Airport, from 2000 to 2012, for each public tender: (a) which companies submitted bids; (b) which companies were awarded the contract and carried out the work; (c) what documentation was made available to the companies in the public tender; (d) what costs did the airport charge companies in order to have access to the public tender; (e) are there security protocols between the airport and the companies that submitted bids and did not receive contracts; and (f) are there security protocols between the airport and the companies that submitted bids and were awarded contracts?

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, Aéroports de Montréal, ADM, a not-for-profit corporation without share capital, is responsible for managing, operating and developing Montreal-Trudeau and Montreal-Mirabel airports under a long-term lease with Transport Canada. ADM has full responsibility for managing business, contracts, tenders and leases of its airports, in compliance with the provisions of the lease and the applicable regulations. ADM operates independently, and Transport Canada does not interfere with the management of the corporation’s day-to-day business.

Question No. 998

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

With regard to untendered renovation and construction contracts at the Montréal-Trudeau Airport for which the airport requested a ministerial exemption, from 2000 to 2012, for each contract awarded: (a) which companies were awarded the contract and carried out the work; (b) what documentation was made available to these companies; (c) what costs did the airport charge these companies; (d) are there security protocols between the airport and these companies; (e) what are these security protocols; and (f) what justifications did the airport provide the department to be entitled to an exemption from the requirement to issue a call for tenders?

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, Aéroports de Montréal, ADM, a not-for-profit corporation without share capital, is responsible for managing, operating and developing the Montreal-Trudeau and Montreal-Mirabel international airports under a long-term lease with Transport Canada. ADM has full responsibility for managing the business, contracts, tenders and leases of its airports, in compliance with the provisions of the lease and the applicable regulations. ADM operates independently, and Transport Canada does not interfere with the management of the corporation’s day-to-day business.

Question No. 1000

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

With regard to the Department of Finance report titled “Economic and Fiscal Implications of Canada's Aging Population” released October 23, 2012: (a) which senior officials or outside consultants made recommendations regarding this report, including, (i) their names, (ii) their duties; (b) what was the total cost of the report; and (c) what portion of that cost was paid to outside consultants?

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

Mr. Speaker, the report titled “Economic and Fiscal Implications of Canada’s Aging Population” was prepared by officials at the Department of Finance, economic and fiscal policy branch. There were no incremental costs associated with the report and no fees were paid to outside consultants.

Question No. 1012

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

With regard to Transport Canada, how many requests for information, made pursuant to section 4 of the Access to Information Act, is the department currently processing, reviewing, or considering, and for each such request: (a) what is the file number; (b) what is the date on which the application was made; (c) what is the date on which the application was received; (d) what are the details of any extensions of time limits made pursuant to section 9 of the Act; and (e) what are the details of any complaint which has been made to the department in respect of the request?

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the access to information and privacy electronic database does not have the capability to generate the requested information in both official languages.

Question No. 1013

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

With regard to foreign affairs: (a) did Canada vote in the October 2012 vote to ratify the membership of Rwanda in the United Nations Security Council and, if so, how did Canada vote; and (b) what was the foreign policy rationale which governed Canada’s vote or abstention from the vote?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, given the secret nature of the ballot, Canada does not make public its voting decisions for membership in the United Nations Security Council. In the case of the Africa group, there was only one candidate.

Question No. 1015

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

With regard to Aboriginal affairs, how many persons have been registered on the Indian Register on or after November 20, 2002, as members of (i) the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation, and (ii) the Mushuau Innu First Nation, distinguishing the number of persons so added who were born before November 20, 2002, and those who were born on or after November 20, 2002?

[John Duncan, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, the two first nations were created by order in council on November 21, 2002. At that point, there were 691 people on the founding list for the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation, and 491 people on the founding list for the Mushuau Innu First Nation.

Additionally, there was a follow-up list on August 22, 2003, which added 158 members to the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation list and 94 members to the Mushuau Innu First Nation list.

Since that time, an additional 585 persons were added to the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation list, with 322 of those individuals being born before November 20, 2002, and 263 individuals being born after that date.

Three hundred persons were added to the Mushuau Innu First Nation list, with 96 of those individuals being born before November 20, 2002, and 204 individuals being born after that date.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, if the supplementary response to Question No. 984, originally tabled on November 30, as well as Questions Nos. 998, 1003, 1005, 1006, 1010, 1016 and 1022 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.