Debates of March 16th, 2012

Air Canada

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Speaker, which is it, a fragile economy or a strong economy? I cannot get it.

Conservatives have been recklessly meddling in the Air Canada negotiations. It only adds fuel to the fire. In the end, it is travellers and our economy that will suffer from the unbalanced approach of the Conservatives. Service quality will be affected and even safety could be at risk.

The Conservatives go full steam ahead, picking winners and losers. Their approach is harmful to Canadians. When will the Conservatives stop meddling and allow a negotiated deal that works for everyone? When will Conservatives stop interfering with private businesses?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, we are acting in the best interests of the Canadian public.

Early Wednesday morning, Bill C-33, An Act to provide for the continuation and resumption of air service operations was passed by the House of Commons. We put the public interest, the Canadian economy and Canadian flyers first.

By passing the legislation immediately, we have protected the public interest from the real potential scenario of a strike or work stoppage.

Unlike the NDP members, who really want to focus on aiding their union bosses, we are focused on ensuring the Canadian public is put first.

Health

[Guy Lauzon, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I know the hon. Minister of Health has been working diligently throughout this time of drug shortage.

I understand she has been meeting with Sandoz and other industry organizations, as well as with the provinces and territories, with an eye on ensuring that through working together, any future shortages be anticipated and dealt with promptly. I also know her top priority through all this has been Canadian patients.

Based on all that, would the minister update the House on the progress made this week?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of Health and Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency]

Mr. Speaker, I am encouraged by this week's progress. Our government got a commitment from Sandoz and industry organizations to inform their clients and all Canadians regarding possible drug shortages in the future.

We have started processing all the application for alternate drugs within 24 hours and complete reviews within one month. We are in regular contact with the provinces and the territories and support them in their effort to deliver alternate medications to their jurisdictions.

Foreign Affairs

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this week St. Petersburg adopted regressive legislation, outlawing any public discussion of homosexuality.

Since St. Petersburg is Russia's number one travel destination and many Canadians travel there each year, including many gays and lesbians, will the minister immediately issue a travel warning for Canadians planning to travel to St. Petersburg to alert them to the fact they could be subject to fines or arrest under this discriminatory legislation?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we are all deeply concerned by this legislation that runs contrary to core Canadian values of freedom of speech, of human rights and the rule of law.

Canada's ambassador has written to the Russian government to express our deep concern, and yes we have, at his request, put a travel advisory on our website.

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for his quick action.

Given that many countries fail to recognize lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights and therefore the ongoing threats to safety of lesbian and gay travellers in those countries, it is clear more needs to be done both to oppose the discrimination and to provide protection to Canadian travellers.

Will the minister commit today to improving the travel advice offered to Canadians on the Foreign Affairs travel advisory site by adding specific warnings for countries where it is unsafe for LGBT travellers?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we are concerned when Canadians travel abroad, for their health and safety. We will certainly look at that. We have already done the advisory with respect to St. Petersburg.

One of the core responsibilities that I have as Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs is to promote Canadian values around the world and I will continue to do this.

Youth

[Isabelle Morin, NDP, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this year, for the first time in nearly 40 years, millions of young Canadians are being deprived of an important job search tool. I am talking about youth employment centres, which have suffered further cuts. Certain groups in my riding are particularly worried about how this will affect youth at risk.

Need I remind this government that the youth unemployment rate is double the Canadian average?

Why are the Conservatives abandoning our youth?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, in 2010-11 the youth employment strategy actually helped over 57,000 youth get the jobs and the skills they needed so they could successfully enter into the workplace. There is a permanent increase in the Canada student jobs, almost 40,000 jobs every year.

This government is moving forward, ensuring that young people have the jobs and the skills they need to enter the workforce. Why does the NDP keep voting against every one of these initiatives?

Persons with Disabilities

[Manon Perreault, NDP, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, people with disabilities who did not vote the right way are victims of discrimination. Information from the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development shows that nearly 85% of the $67 million from the enabling accessibility fund was used for projects in Conservative ridings.

How does the minister plan on remedying this disgusting imbalance and ensuring that all Canadians with disabilities are treated fairly?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, the government created an enabling accessibility fund to help ensure community centres and public places were available and accessible to people with disabilities. The NDP voted against every one of those initiatives.

Projects were approved based on recommendations from public servants. The number of projects approved corresponded to the regions and proportionally to the applications received. Unfortunately, with so many applications, not all of those that applied would receive funding. However, every one of the projects that was chosen was based on merit.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Mr. Speaker, there is not a fisheries group in Canada that I have spoken to that supports the elimination of the owner-operator policy. They understand that it would be devastating to the fishery and devastating to the community where these fishers live.

Will the government listen to the fishers and the community leaders where these fishers live? Will the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans indicate to the House that he will not take our inshore fishery and give it to the large corporations in our country and, in doing so, destroy the economy of hundreds of small communities in Atlantic Canada?

[Keith Ashfield, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we are doing. We are listening to fishermen from across the country, and Canadians in general, about how we can move the fishery forward, how we can improve the fishery.

Unfortunately the member across did not spend enough time listening to the fishermen and Canadians. That is why he is way down there.

Veterans Affairs

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Veterans Affairs had a letter in the Charlottetown Guardian, praising the employees of his department. However, last Saturday he had a letter in the Chronicle Herald calling them a bloated, inefficient bureaucracy.

Why is the minister speaking out of both sides of his mouth? Is he not aware that we have Internet on Prince Edward Island? Why is he is calling the employees in his department inefficient, bureaucratic and stupid?

[Eve Adams, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government values the good work done by our public servants. In fact, the folks at Veterans Affairs have dedicated their lives to providing wonderful service to our veterans.

We recognize the good work done in Charlottetown. It will remain a key focus of ours.

Shawinigan-Sud Tax Centre

[Ruth Ellen Brosseau, NDP, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week we asked questions about the future of the Shawinigan-Sud Tax Centre. The parliamentary secretary responded by talking about employment insurance. The nonsense just keeps coming.

The question was clear: is the CRA tax centre in Shawinigan closing its doors or not?

Are hundreds of well-paid jobs going to disappear?

[Gail Shea, Conservative, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, no final decisions have been made. We know we must spend taxpayer money wisely, while ensuring that our government programs are both efficient and effective and deliver a high level of service to Canadians. They must do all of this and ensure that the integrity of our tax system is also protected.

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about a region where the unemployment rate is already over 10%. It seems to me that a clear answer could help hundreds of workers sleep better over the next few weeks, even the next few years. All we need is a clear and simple answer to a clear question. Even the Premier of Quebec has shared his concerns with the leader of the NDP. Getting a clear answer to a clear question is the challenge of the day.

Is the Shawinigan-Sud tax centre closing or not?

[Gail Shea, Conservative, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, the clear answer is that no final decisions have been made on any centres across the country.

Taxation

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the left-leaning Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives released its alternative budget. Its budget would increase taxes on middle-class Canadians, engage in freewheeling government spending and close the doors to new markets for Canadian businesses. In other words, it is the type of economic plan the opposition would love to implement.

Would the Minister of State for Finance please tell Canadians what our government thinks of the call for new tax hikes in this upcoming budget?

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Minister of State (Finance)]

Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government is very proud of our track record on reducing taxes for Canadians and for entrepreneurs and helping those who create jobs. Unfortunately, some left-leaning think tanks that just simply echo the NDP's call for higher taxes are actually asking that higher taxes be put in the budget.

Let me be clear. That will not happen. We know higher taxes kill Canadian jobs. We do not want that to happen.

2015 Pan Am Games

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are demanding transparency about the government's $500 million contribution to the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games. There are reports that they have already gone over budget. Municipalities across the GTA are on the hook for 44% of capital costs, but they have no clue what is going on. Everything has been done in secrecy.

When will the government give municipalities, and all taxpayers, an open and transparent accounting of what is going on?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, we are certain that the 2015 games will indeed be a success for Torontonians and all Canadians. What we have put forward is a substantive commitment on behalf of taxpayers.

If he has any concerns with regard to our approach on transparency, when it comes to international sporting events, he needs to look no further than the efforts we made with regard to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, where we showed remarkable transparency, brought other governments to the table, showed to Canadian taxpayers how money was invested to ensure that the games were not only a success on the field of sport of play, but also a success for taxpayers.

We want to work with all the partners and ensure there is comfort among taxpayers with all the money that is being invested to ensure this is a winning event, not only sporting wise but also for taxpayers.

Guaranteed Income Supplement

[Laurin Liu, NDP, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP has introduced a bill that would automatically register all Canadian seniors for the guaranteed income supplement, to include those who are not receiving it but are entitled to it. An estimated 135,000 seniors are eligible for the GIS and are not receiving their cheques. Instead of saving money at the expense of our least fortunate seniors, we must help lift them out of poverty.

Will the government support our bill to automatically register seniors for the GIS or not?