House of Commons Hansard #100 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was banks.
Keith Ashfield ConservativeMinister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway
Mr. Speaker, as stated many times, all language capabilities will be put in place so that there will be no danger for mariners. We will continue with the plan as we move forward. We look forward to the new operations.
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Premier Dunderdale joined the call for full accountability of the Minister of National Defence for the errors his department made during the ill-fated search for 14-year-old Burton Winters. The minister's full reply to the premier was swift and direct: provincial authorities bear the bulk of the responsibility by waiting until hour 21 and hour 50 to request help and by not following the infamous callback protocol to maintain the priority after being denied.
My question is for the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, the member for Labrador. Does he agree that it is the Dunderdale administration that bears full responsibility for the operational failure to find Burton Winters?
Julian Fantino ConservativeAssociate Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, to repeat, the death of Burton Winters is a tragedy and we all grieve over that. The province was the lead with respect to the ground search and rescue. Provincial assets were requested prior to the Canadian Forces being asked to assist.
I can also assure the House and the member opposite that following this tragic incident, the Canadian Forces reviewed its response protocols in relation to this matter. Those changes are being implemented.
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
Mr. Speaker, the province was apparently the lead. We know the very existence of the infamous callback protocol was exposed to be a fraud. Claims that bad weather grounded aircraft were also found to be false. The real problem? Every search and rescue asset in Goose Bay and Greenwood had broken down and the Cormorants in Gander were being held in reserve for someone more important than a 14-year-old Inuit boy. I do not know what is worse, the cover-up or the crime.
I want to ask the Minister of National Defence, when can we expect a full inquiry into this matter?
Julian Fantino ConservativeAssociate Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, the matter has been reviewed, changes have been made and protocols have been upgraded. Those changes will, hopefully, help us in the future.
At the end of the day, all we can do is our best. It was not too long ago that one of our search and rescue techs lost his life on one of these missions. There is no end of commitment on the part of our men and women to do the job for Canadians in distress and they do that day in and day out.
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Mr. Speaker, the government is willing to shell out billions on planes and prisons, but it will not spend the money required to give Canadians the services they pay for.
One in four Canadians cannot even get a response to his or her EI claim within a month. People cannot wait months to pay their bills or buy groceries. Unemployed Canadians need help faster.
Will the government help laid-off Canadians and their families by providing the services they have paid for?
Kellie Leitch ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, our government is focused on economic growth and job creation.
We are also committed to making sure that individuals receive the benefits they are entitled to. That is why with EI processing, we have increased the number of full-time staff by 475. We have transferred over 120 individuals from part-time to full-time.
We are doing what we can to provide the best services possible to Canadians so that they get the benefits they are entitled to.
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Mr. Speaker, time and time again, the government demonstrates its contempt for the unemployed.
The number of Canadians actually receiving employment insurance has declined. Only 39% of out-of-work Canadians are now getting EI. While the caseload has gone down, the wait times have gone up. The government's cuts to Service Canada have gutted its ability to provide these vital services to Canadians.
Will the minister protect Canadian families by guaranteeing that the budget will not erode services which are relied on by hard-hit Canadians?
Kellie Leitch ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, I will not speculate on the budget.
As I just mentioned, we have shifted the number of individuals who are available to do EI processing, increasing by over 500 individuals either from part-time to full-time or making sure we have new workers in EI processing.
We are going to do everything we can to make sure that the services Canadians deserve, they receive. Our Service Canada workers are doing a great job at it.
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister arrived in South Korea to lead Canada's delegation to the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit.
With countries like Iran and North Korea that continue to obfuscate their nuclear activities and ignore their international obligations, it is clear that no nation is immune to the consequences of a nuclear terrorist attack.
Will the parliamentary secretary please tell the House how Canada has played a leadership role in the global efforts to fight and end nuclear terrorism?
Deepak Obhrai ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, our government believes that nuclear terrorism is one of the biggest threats to global security.
Sadly, no country is immune from the consequences of a nuclear terrorist attack. Canada has been a leader in the global effort to prevent nuclear terrorism. We are pleased to be delivering on one of our 2010 summit commitments.
We are working in places like Mexico and Vietnam to keep nuclear materials safe and out of the hands of terrorists. Through our global partnership program, Canada has invested more than $85 million for nuclear security work in Russia. It is vital that we continue to work together with our allies.
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday we learned that the F-35 does not even meet its own mandatory minimum requirements.
Nevertheless, the minister was so keen on a premature announcement that six weeks after seeing the statement of requirements, he announced that the F-35 had been selected.
Why are there mandatory minimums for prisoners but not for planes?
Julian Fantino ConservativeAssociate Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, we remain committed to the joint strike fighter program. A budget has been allocated. Of course, as we have stated many times, a contract has not as yet been signed for the replacement of the aircraft.
We will make sure that the air force has the aircraft necessary to do the job asked of it.
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, last week the Minister of Natural Resources insulted aboriginal communities, calling some of them “socially dysfunctional”. Remarkably, he then defended the insult as supportive of economic opportunities for aboriginal peoples. I invite the minister to extend an apology in this place now.
Could the minister also explain how killing the aboriginal skills and employment partnership program offers hope that his government's touted commitment that those very aboriginal communities most impacted by major industry will also benefit?
John Duncan ConservativeMinister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, our government has a jobs and economic prosperity agenda. That is the agenda we have been pursuing with our aboriginal peoples as well. We have demonstrated great progress. We continue with pilot programs across the country that deal with jobs and skills development. This is an important area. It is one of the outcomes of the crown-first nations gathering. We are making real progress.
David Wilks Conservative Kootenay—Columbia, BC
Mr. Speaker, the main obstacle for peace and stability in Syria remains the Assad regime and its backers who persist in killing Syrian civilians. Canada's position has not changed. Assad must go. The aspirations of the Syrian people to live in peace must be met.
Would the Minister of Public Safety please give the House an update on the actions the Government of Canada is taking to ensure that no one removed from Canada faces an undue risk of death or torture at the hands of the Assad regime?
Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, due to the conditions in Syria at the hands of the dictatorial regime, the Canada Border Services Agency placed an administrative deferral of removal on Syria on March 15. That means we will not be removing anyone to Syria unless the individual is a danger to Canadian society.
Canadians can rest assured that our government will continue to enforce the law and ensure that our streets and communities are safe from foreign criminals and terrorists, even those from Syria.
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's promised Arctic naval base at Nanisivik has been downgraded to a fuel cache and an unheated shed.
In 2006, the Prime Minister promised to build a deepwater port at Iqaluit that could be used by the military. This would be vital infrastructure that could help the people of the Arctic reduce their costs and build a prosperous territory. Instead of photo ops and empty rhetoric, the government should have focused on getting the job done for northerners.
When is the government going to realize that the best way to protect the Arctic is by helping the people who call it home?
Julian Fantino ConservativeAssociate Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, Canada's north is central to our government's vision for Canada and the future. We continue to develop the Nanisivik station to serve as a docking and refuelling station for the Royal Canadian Navy and other government vessels operating in the north. Through our northern strategy, our government continues to increase Canada's presence and sovereignty in the Arctic.
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Mr. Speaker, hundreds of Aveos workers are on Parliament Hill today, and they want the government to listen to what they have to say. They want Air Canada to keeps its aircraft maintenance operations in Montreal, as stipulated in the Air Canada Public Participation Act. This government, which makes a great show of championing law and order, is collaborating with this delinquent company and breaking its own law.
By order in council, the Minister of Finance is responsible for enforcing the legislation. Will the minister stop hiding, start doing his job and compel Air Canada to obey the law? Will he stop being complicit in this financial sham?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying earlier, we know that these job losses are devastating for the regions involved. The Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities will be calling witnesses and asking questions.
We have to keep in mind that we are talking about two private companies. We are not considering any plan to bail out Aveos and Air Canada. In the past few years, our government has invested $666 million in the aerospace industry in the Montreal region.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I would like to draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the recipients of the 2012 Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts: Margaret Dragu, Jan Peacock, Jana Sterbak, Ronald Martin, Diana Nemiroff, Geoffrey James, Royden Rabinowitch and Charles Lewton-Brain.
Bob Rae Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is a very simple point of order. I came into the House a little after two o'clock and noticed that the member for Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia is with us again.
I just want to say how delighted all of us on this side of the House are to have him back and looking so well.
Djaouida Sellah NDP Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw your attention to the comments made by the hon. Minister of Transport and member for Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean. During question period, he was rather condescending to my colleague, the hon. member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, referring to her as “that member there”. I understand that the hon. member is in hot water, but he still owes his female colleagues some respect, even if he does not share their ideology.
I am asking that he apologize to the hon. member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine.