Debates of Feb. 28th, 2012

Cross-Country Skiing

[Glenn Thibeault, NDP, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to recognize the recent athletic achievements of Sudbury native Devon Kershaw who continues to do Canada proud by shining brightly on the world stage.

After proudly representing Canada at both the 2006 and 2010 Olympics, Devon has continued to demonstrate athletic excellence in his chosen sport of cross-country skiing by winning gold in two World Cup events as well as placing fourth in the demanding multi-stage Tour de Ski and twice finishing third, all this in just the past seven weeks.

Devon now sits third in the overall cross-country point standings, a truly remarkable and historic achievement for a Canadian Nordic skier.

As we begin to build toward the 2014 Olympics in Russia, Canadians from coast to coast to coast salute Devon's remarkable achievements and stand behind him 100% in his continued pursuit of excellence as he keeps doing Sudbury and Canada proud.

Original Humboldt

[Bradley Trost, Conservative, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

Mr. Speaker, our Canadian history is important and that is why I wish to bring to the attention of the House the great work done to bring alive the history of Original Humboldt.

Original Humboldt was part of the 1876 Dominion Telegraph Line. The Humboldt telegraph station was built in 1878 by George Weldon, whose wife, Catherine, would become the first female telegraph operator in the west.

During the 1885 Resistance, Original Humboldt became a military site used as a storage and supply depot under Lieutenant Colonel George T. Denison. The Humboldt telegraph station became a critical link as the station remained untouched during the Resistance, allowing continued contact with Ottawa.

On April 30, 2009, Original Humboldt land was presented as a gift to the city of Humboldt. Since that time, Original Humboldt has been developed by volunteers working through the Humboldt and District Museum who did the restoration without government subsidy.

Many more people will know that over a century ago, Humboldt represented a new frontier using a new technology: the telegraph.

I congratulate the Original Humboldt committee for its great work.

Polish Canadian Community

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, Cape Breton has an active and vibrant Polish community. The centre of its community is St. Mary's Polish Church in Whitney Pier.

Over 100 years ago, Polish immigrants came to Sydney to work in a new steel plant. They not only worked hard in the plant and raised families, they built a wonderful church and community.

This weekend, I was honoured to attend the church service at St. Mary's. It was a wonderful event highlighting traditional Polish dress and language. After the event, the congregation blessed our buses and we went on a pilgrimage to St. Ninian's Cathedral in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. A church service was held at the cathedral to highlight the Polish community and showcase the importance of St. Mary's Church to the Antigonish diocese.

Today I rise in the House to recognize the great contribution that St. Mary's and the Polish community have given to Cape Breton and all the rest of Canada. May they continue to do so for many years to come.

Citizenship Ceremony

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, last week, I had the incredible privilege of being with hundreds of students from the Aldergrove Community Secondary School as we witnessed people becoming new Canadians. The Aldergrove secondary students gained insight and appreciation for what it means to be a Canadian as 51 people from 24 countries were honoured at their official citizenship ceremony.

Canada is a country where people from every cultural background have bonded together to create one of the most diverse, harmonious, successful societies on Earth, and that includes Aldergrove.

In fact, Aldergrove is the community currently featured on the reality TV show Million Dollar Neighbourhood, which has increased community spirit, helped more than 100 families and benefited Aldergrove as a whole. People there realize how wonderful Aldergrove is and how blessed they are to live there.

Where is Aldergrove? In beautiful Langley, the hub of the Fraser Valley.

Bullying

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Mr. Speaker, every seven seconds in Canada a child is bullied. In fact, far too many people in our workplaces, communities and schools are victims of bullying behaviour.

Tomorrow many in my riding of Newton--North Delta will mark Pink Shirt Day. It is a campaign that began in 2007 when two brave students decided to take action after witnessing a younger student being bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school.

This year, the City of Surrey, Surrey RCMP and CUPE Local 402 launched a new youth film contest that focuses on ending bullying. I commend them, as well as the Surrey Board of Trade, which is focusing on bullying in the workplace.

To all the young and not so young people in my riding who are victims of bullying, I say that together we will make it better. On Pink Shirt Day I am reminded of the famous quote from Tommy Douglas, “Courage my friends, 'tis not too late to build a better world”.

Surrey

[Nina Grewal, Conservative, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Surrey, B.C. has been named the best place to invest in western Canada. A dynamic community full of opportunity, Surrey is positioned for prosperity and job growth with one of the lowest tax rates in the country and a city council determined to cut red tape.

Our government is also doing its part for Surrey with our own low-tax plan and record investment in people and infrastructure. There has been funding for the new City Centre Library, Fraser River flood protection, road and highway improvements, sewage treatment, public transit, cycling paths, hiking trails, and a new athletic park. All told, it adds up to tens of millions of dollars, more federal funding than under any previous government.

Working together with our provincial and municipal partners, we are ensuring that Surrey is one of the best cities in Canada in which to live, work and do business.

Rare Disorders

[Joy Smith, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to stand in the House to welcome patients and families living with rare disorders who are visiting Parliament today with the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders. One in 12 Canadians suffers from one of 7,000 rare disorders, many of which are life threatening or severely debilitating. More than half affect infants and children, which can inflict a devastating toll on entire families and communities.

Twenty years ago there were few treatments for rare disorders, and today we celebrate the fact that there are nearly 400 therapies. Earlier this year our Conservative government announced a $67.5 million investment in personalized medicine, which will benefit many rare disorders patients and will support the development of additional therapies.

I would invite all my colleagues to join me in welcoming these patients and their families as they celebrate International Rare Disease Day tomorrow. Their spirit of hope is an example to us all.

Winter Festivals

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

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to address the House today on behalf of the people of Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel.

Today I would like to highlight the winter festivals that showcase my region's spirit and energy.

Saint-Placide's Festi-Vent sur glace has been going strong for 14 years now. This one-of-a-kind festival puts on a very exciting show and gives the local economy a major boost every year. Unfortunately, Festi-Vent's federal funding was in jeopardy this year, but we put pressure on the government to admit its mistake in this case and restore funding.

Other not-to-be-missed events include carnivals in Ripon and Chénéville, Thurso's snowfest, the Plaisirs d'hiver festival in Fassett and Lachute, and Oka's Cinéglace, all of which showcase the cultural vitality of communities in my region.

I am proud to support our heritage and I hope that the people of Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel will continue to breathe warmth and life into this cold season.

North Korean Refugees

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we are concerned about the latest reports of North Korean refugees in China facing the risk of being forcibly sent back to North Korea.

North Korea is a state where basic freedoms, including religious freedoms, are not respected. Disturbing reports include public executions, torture, arbitrary detentions, collective punishment, forced abortions in prison camps, and reports of increasingly harsh treatment against those who fled North Korea and have subsequently been repatriated.

Canada has raised this issue at the United Nations on multiple occasions. We call upon all parties, including China, to respect the principle of non-refoulement of refugees from North Korea.

I join the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in encouraging all parties concerned to find a viable humanitarian solution for these individuals.

New Democratic Party

[Sylvain Chicoine, NDP, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

Mr. Speaker, during the last election, Quebeckers turned their backs on a Conservative Party mired in scandal and they turned their backs on the Liberal Party, the sponsorship party—two parties that care more about the old ways of doing politics than they do about concrete action. Quebeckers voted for the NDP because they trust our party to get things done. Unfortunately, nothing has changed within the old parties: the Conservatives' election fraud and the Liberals' illicit Twitter attacks prove this. Fortunately, the NDP is here to get things done.

Again yesterday, thanks to the leadership of the hon. member for Hull—Aylmer, the NDP took concrete action to achieve Shannen's dream. Thanks to the NDP, we are one step closer to a Canada in which every child in every community has the right to the high quality education they truly deserve. Enough with the scandals. Quebeckers and Canadians can count on us. Let us work together. That is how the NDP is getting things done. That is what the NDP is doing as the opposition—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière.

Liberal Party of Canada

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as the saying goes, they were hoist by their own petard. The recent attacks against the Minister of Public Safety are the latest addition to a long list of the third party's dirty tricks.

In 2011, individuals were caught stealing election signs and were filmed nonchalantly removing opponents' brochures from mailboxes.

During the 1997 campaign, at the height of the sponsorship scandal, some people admitted to accepting cash and graciously handing it out to orphan ridings, without reporting it, of course. The list of tricks is long, and it is easy for the pot to call the kettle black.

The people I mentioned were all Liberals. Did the interim leader of the Liberal Party condone the actions of one of its employees before extending a formal apology?

Migrant Workers

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, earlier this month in the Ontario community of Hampstead near Stratford, tragedy unfolded when a van loaded with migrant workers collided with a truck. Eleven people were killed. In that moment, the lives of entire families were shattered.

Canada relies on the work provided by migrant workers, whether it is the harvesting of crops or any of the dozens of other important jobs filled by hard-working people from places such as Jamaica, Mexico, Spain and elsewhere. Despite the important service these workers provide, they continue to toil without any protection that many others in Canada enjoy.

Earlier today, Wilfrid Laurier Professor Jenna Hennebry published a study calling for better integration services for these workers. As a former minister of citizenship and immigration, I know the demands faced by the department, but I know that we all can do better.

Hopefully the minister will review the tragic events of February 6. By improving the situation of Canada's migrant workers, he would ensure that these 11 people did not die in vain.

Ethics

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadians discovered that the Liberal Party was behind the reprehensible personal attacks against the Minister of Public Safety. This is just the latest in a long history of Liberal dirty tricks.

For example, last year during the election the Liberals were caught stealing opponents' signs. During the same campaign, a Joe Volpe campaign worker was caught removing Green Party literature. Adam Carroll, the staffer blamed yesterday for the attacks against the minister, was a former Volpe staffer. In 2004, the Liberal member for Scarborough—Guildwood condemned his own party after it admitted to a push poll insinuating that the Conservatives were taken over by religious organizations. The list of Liberal dirty tricks goes on and on.

The interim Liberal Party leader needs to answer the following questions: Did Adam Carroll use taxpayer resources for his reprehensible campaign? Is the Liberal Party going to reimburse this House and Canadian taxpayers? Finally, were the personal, vicious attacks against the Minister of Public Safety endorsed and encouraged by members of the Liberal caucus?

Shannen's Dream

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we have Conservative election fraud, Liberal dirty tricks, and snooping and spying. No wonder Canadians think that Ottawa is broken. The old-style parties are playing the games of scandal, division and dirty tricks. Meanwhile, New Democrats are delivering for Canadians.

For example, last night in the House of Commons our leader, the member for Hull—Aylmer, brought through Shannen's dream motion where every child in this country is going to be guaranteed an equal right to education.

That is what leadership is about. That is why Canadians voted for us in such numbers. We are doing this as the united New Democratic opposition against that corrupt old party over there.

In 2015, we will send those members off to the permanent dog house when we form a New Democratic government.

Ethics

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the interim leader of the Liberal Party revealed that his own backroom operatives were behind a campaign of vicious, anonymous smears against a member of Parliament and cabinet minister. This is just the latest in a long history of shady Liberal practices that harm our democracy. These nasty, dirty Internet tricks were deeply personal and fall short of the standard of behaviour that Canadians have come to expect.

While that alone may offend the sensibilities of many Canadians, equally troubling is the fact that these dirty tricks were carried out using resources provided to the Liberal Party by the House of Commons and paid for by Canadian taxpayers.

Today I notified the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics that I intend to move a motion calling former Liberal research bureau staffer Adam Carroll to committee next week. We need to get to the bottom of this inappropriate use of resources and the attempts by the Liberals to conceal this anonymous smear campaign against a public official. It is shameful.

41st General Election

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, this House unanimously adopted an NDP motion asking members to give the authorities any information they had about the fraudulent calls made during the last election. The NDP has lodged several complaints with Elections Canada. We have even provided some telephone numbers used by the Conservatives, for example, 406-426-3832. We have done our part.

Can the Prime Minister give us some of the information that his government provided to the authorities?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP made calls to the office of a member of this House for the purpose of shutting down the telephone lines to her office in the riding of Saint-Maurice—Champlain. The NDP has no credibility when it makes these kinds of allegations.

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we are talking here about election fraud. We are not talking about changes or about calls to reach constituents.

The Prime Minister admitted that the Conservatives made calls. He confirmed that these calls were related to changes in polling station locations. What the Prime Minister failed to mention is that, in most of the ridings concerned, the locations of the polling stations had not changed.

The Prime Minister must take responsibility. Will he submit all contracts, orders and agreements with RackNine, RMG and Campaign Research?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again, a party that makes anonymous calls does not have any credibility when it makes these kinds of allegations.

Once again, the NDP is the party that made a series of phone calls to the riding of a member of the House, the riding of Saint-Maurice—Champlain, for the purpose of shutting down the telephone lines in that riding.

The NDP has no credibility when it makes these kinds of allegations for which it will not provide evidence.

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it is not the NDP that has been accused of cheating; it is the Conservatives. Where is the accountability?

We have a Conservative contract with RMG showing that it received the script from the Conservatives. RMG used the Conservatives' database.

The Prime Minister must release all information about the phone calls made on behalf of the Conservatives by these companies. Will he do it, or is it time to bring back Judge Gomery?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is the NDP that is making these allegations. If the NDP actually has any information, we challenge it to give that information to the authorities. We have yet to see it and no reason to believe them.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, let me read a quote:

They have gone against Canadian values and have made a joke out of our democracy. I believed I was working...to bring greater accountability, transparency and respect for the taxpayer; the result was just the opposite.

Who said that? It was a former member of the Conservative riding association in Guelph.

Some Conservatives with a conscience are doing the honourable thing. It begs the question, what is wrong with the moral sextant of the people on the frontbench of the Conservative Party? They ignore the opposition. Will they at least listen to their former supporters, do the honourable thing, and come clean--

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister.

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, if the NDP has any information at all, it should provide that information to Elections Canada so it can review that information and investigate it appropriately.

That member, who has never been shy of making mendacious comments here in the House, should well know that this party is fully co-operating with any investigation we have been made aware of, and to date that is only one.