Debates of March 27th, 2012

Air Canada

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that, by the time the government gets around to doing anything about it, these jobs will have long been gone to El Salvador or somewhere else. That is the problem with the government's answer.

The government spent $300 million moving a military base from Dubai to Kuwait because it alleged it would be protecting, in the words of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, tens of thousands of jobs in Canada. The government cannot avoid its direct responsibility with respect to what is happening to Air Canada.

Air Canada is the government's baby. Aveos is Air Canada's baby. When is the Government of Canada going to take some responsibility—

[The Speaker, Andrew Scheer]

The Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, again, we all regret when there is any loss of jobs. The reality, though, is that in the past two years we have seen the creation of more than 610,000 net new jobs. The leader of the third party would have us increase taxes on employers and businesses in Canada, which would have the result of killing hundreds of thousands of jobs, just as he did when he was premier of Ontario and had the worst economic record in the history of that province. Thankfully, he will not be able to do to Canada what he did to Ontario.

Ethics

[Bob Rae, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Industry.

Yesterday, his defence regarding Ms. Dawson's decision was that no one was really helped. That is almost like saying yes, he did something bad, but no one was hurt. That makes no sense.

Now we have a new story: the issue of a hunting camp in Quebec, where the minister was a guest of Mr. Aubut, who just happened to have a specific reason for wanting to get the minister's ear.

How can the minister explain this conflict—

[The Speaker, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, there was no conflict of interest. The minister paid his own expenses during that trip. No one put any pressure on the minister and no one benefited from meeting with him. Clearly, our party campaigned against subsidies for professional sports arenas, so there was no conflict of interest there.

National Defence

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

Mr. Speaker, let us come back to the F-35s. We know why the Conservatives were keeping the statement of operational requirements for the F-35s a secret. The F-35s do not even meet the requirements set by this government. Disclosure of that information was dangerous for the credibility of the Department of National Defence.

Is that why the minister rose in the House to say that the F-35 was the only plane that could meet the needs of our armed forces? Why did he mislead everyone?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we will ensure that the replacement for the CF-18s will meet all of our needs. To this end, Canada has been a partner in the joint strike fighter program for the past 15 years. We have not signed a contract to purchase any aircraft. Again I repeat, we will ensure that we have the right aircraft for the Royal Canadian Air Force.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives continue to bungle this file so badly they cannot even cheat properly.

Yesterday, the CBC claimed to have a document that shows that the F-35 fails to meet at least one mandatory requirement. On the very same day, the government tabled a document in this House, signed by the associate minister, that claims that the F-35 currently meets all mandatory requirements.

The obvious question arises. Which document is the truth, the one for public consumption or the one kept secret?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, let me again repeat that we will remain committed to the joint strike fighter program. A budget has been identified. A contract has not been signed for a replacement aircraft.

We will make sure that the air force and the men and women there will have the necessary tools to do their job. That is the bottom line.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it would seem even military families are not being spared from the Conservative government's attack on the Canadian standard of living. Canadian Forces families are very worried about the government's plan to cut the post living differential or PLD. PLD allows families of the Canadian Forces to enjoy an equal standard of living no matter where they serve in Canada.

Will the Conservatives end this uncertainty and tell families of the Canadian Forces that they are safe and that their benefits will not be cut in the upcoming budget?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I think it is well known to everyone that some decisions have to be taken. The economic reality of the day requires us to be responsible.

We will wait to see what the budget unfolds. If and when that issue needs to be addressed, we will do so. In the meantime, we are not in a position to speculate.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian armed forces and their families should not have to wait for the budget on Thursday to hear whether or not the promise that was made to them will be kept or not.

They said there will be no change in the amount of PLD that is being administered under the Conservative government and that there will be no decrease in anyone's paycheque. Who said that? It was the Minister of National Defence in the last election.

The minister owes it to the Canadian people and the Canadian armed forces to stand up today and say there will be no cut to the PLD that our armed forces count on.

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I admire the passion of the member opposite. However, we will not be speculating. We will have to wait and see how things unfold in the next little while.

41st General Election

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the members opposite continue to ignore the biggest electoral fraud in our history. Thousands of voters were cheated and their fundamental right was trampled. How does this government react? By throwing as much mud around as it can in order to create a diversion.

“I do not know.” “It was not me, it was him.” “It was a kid from Guelph.” “It is the Liberals' fault.” “My dog ate it.”

The Conservative strategy is simple and consists of saving their fraudster friends at any cost. Is there anyone, just one minister, who is going to do the right thing and call for a public inquiry?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, Elections Canada is investigating the matter. We are going to co-operate with Elections Canada. However, I can assure the House that all the allegations made by the hon. member are false.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the Conservatives are being investigated. It was the Conservatives who pleaded guilty last year because they broke other election laws. As punishment, the Prime Minister appointed those Conservatives to the Senate.

The fact is that it was Conservative campaign lists being used to send voters to the wrong polling stations. It is Conservative Party operatives who are under investigation by Elections Canada and the RCMP.

Why is the government refusing to admit that this scandal is far-reaching? When will it commit to a public inquiry to restore faith in our democracy?

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

Mr. Speaker, what the member opposite just said is categorically false. We are aware of a single investigation that is going on with respect to the riding of Guelph. Obviously our party is fully participating with that.

The member opposite completely forgot to mention that, of course, the NDP was caught diverting money into the Broadbent Institute; that great unifying force in the NDP, Mr. Ed Broadbent. Yes, they were diverting money illegally via the NDP into the Broadbent Institute. Shame on them. The member should apologize next time she rises.

Ethics

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

Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Conservatives do not understand about the issue of fraud just as they do not seem to understand the issue of ethics. Let us look at our beleaguered Minister of Industry. Last week he was found guilty of giving preferential treatment to his buddy Rahim Jaffer. Now this week he is having trouble getting his story straight about that 2009 hunting trip with Marcel Aubut, who just happened to be lobbying Ottawa for $400 million to help build a hockey arena. Does the minister not see that there is a problem partying with a man who is hitting up the government for taxpayers' dollars? Does he need some kind of help, like some kind of ethical watch dog, to help him get through these basic issues?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have been on many hunting trips and in all of them I have assumed my part of the cost. On the trip in question, I went there on my own, with my own car, and I brought my own equipment. The opposition should focus on what issues really matter to Canadians. Let me be clear. There was never any lobbying from Mr. Aubut, on my part, neither before nor during this hunting trip.

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

Mr. Speaker, sure, he picked up his sleeping bag at Canadian Tire.

It is kind of hard to follow his logic because he says that getting busted for Rahim Jaffer is part of his ethical education. So was his hunting trip part of his summer camp experience? How about moving all those government offices over to his father-in-law's building? Is that about a family togetherness exercise?

There is not a rule the Conservative government is not willing to break. When is it going to teach him a proper lesson and kick him out of cabinet?

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

Mr. Speaker, again, I have gone on many hunting trips in my life. As far as the one in 2009 is concerned, I covered my fair share of the cost, as I always do. I travelled to the site in my own car, with my own equipment. The opposition can ridicule that all they want, but the fact remains that I covered the cost of that trip. At no time did Mr. Aubut ever lobby me before or during that trip.

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we knew that government centres were being relocated to buildings owned by partners of the Minister of Industry. We knew that he violated the Conflict of Interest Act and that he did not believe it was serious. We now know that the minister has no problem going to his friends' hunting camps even though his friends are actively involved in lobbying.

The Minister of Industry is still in cabinet despite his serious errors of judgment. Will he finally resign, or will he continue to claim that breaking the law is no big deal?

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

Mr. Speaker, I will say it once more for the hon. opposition member. He is saying that I was in conflict of interest in 2009 when I went on a hunting trip, but that is not the case. On the trip in question, I travelled in my own car. I paid my fair share of the expenses, as I have on all the other hunting trips I have been on. Mr. Aubut never lobbied me, either before or during this trip.

Air Canada

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Transport said, “The law is the law. Air Canada will have to respect it.”

Respecting the law means protecting the Montreal, Mississauga and Winnipeg centres. That is clear.

The Liberal leader just read the commitment made by Deputy Prime Minister Mazankowski in April 1988.

I will quote that commitment again: “None of these Centres will lose its importance”.

Does the Conservative government intend to make a liar out of the respected Right Honourable Don Mazankowski?