Debates of March 9th, 2012

National Defence

[Jasbir Sandhu, NDP, Surrey North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I will see if the minister likes my tone better.

The Military Police Complaints Commission is holding a hearing into the death of Corporate Stuart Langridge, a Canadian Forces member who was suffering post-traumatic stress disorder and committed suicide on a military base while under suicide watch. All the parties participating in the hearing have been given funding for legal representation, except Stuart's parents, Shaun and Sheila Fynes.

The chair of the commission has ruled that they should be given funding. Will the government comply?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, our sympathies go out to Corporal Langridge's family.

With this particular investigation which the MPCC has been carrying out, we have been co-operating. We are considering the request for further funding. I should point out that the Government of Canada has already provided an additional $2.3 million to the MPCC to fund this public interest hearing.

The public interest hearing is, of course, under way. The member opposite should know we cannot comment on this while the hearing is taking place.

[Jasbir Sandhu, NDP, Surrey North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Corporal Langridge served Canada honourably in Bosnia and in Afghanistan.

The inquiry into his death will help military officials with suicide prevention and investigations. The Fynes have been waiting in limbo for a decision from the government for many months. Why have the Conservatives continued to stonewall the Fynes? Will they do the right thing and provide funding for legal representation for these hearings?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. It is a shame the member opposite and his party would want to politicize such a very compassionate and difficult issue for the family.

We have been working with the MPCC, co-operating fully, including providing additional funding of over $2 million. This particular issue will be resolved in that forum, that non-partisan, arm's-length hearing. We will not interfere with a process that is under way.

Employment

[Ted Opitz, Conservative, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP's economic plan for massive government deficit spending and high, punishing, job-killing tax hikes is the last thing Canada needs. The NDP's plan shows how out of touch it is when it comes to the economy and jobs.

In the words of a recent National Post editorial, “long-term planning is anathema to the NDP, which would prefer the finance minister jump on his horse and spend in all directions”.

Could the Minister of State for Finance give the House an update on Canada's job market?

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

Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times in this House, we remain focused on jobs and the economy. As a result of this, we continue to have the strongest job growth numbers in the G7. In fact, over 610,000 new jobs have been created since July 2009, 91% of which are full-time jobs.

That brings me to the comment about last month. Last month alone, 9,000 net new long-term jobs were created.

We will continue this in economic action plan 2012.

Employment Insurance

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

Mr. Speaker, we learned from this morning's edition of Le Soleil that in 2009 the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development did not plan to close the employment insurance processing centre in Rimouski. On the contrary, the department had decided to expand the centre. It was the centre in Thetford Mines that was supposed to close. That is what the government was telling employees in Rimouski for four years.

And yet, on August 19, the Conservatives announced the closure of the main processing centre in Rimouski in favour of the secondary centre in Thetford Mines. What happened in the meantime to explain such an about-face?

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

Mr. Speaker, the comments of the member opposite are completely false. Our government is improving the way we deliver EI services by expanding and modernizing our backroom processes.

No decision has been made regarding the office location in Thetford Mines for the consolidation of EI processing. This location will be selected by Public Works in a fair, open and competitive process.

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

Mr. Speaker, like the minister, the Parliamentary Secretary is trying to confuse the issue. I am not talking about what happened in 2007. I am talking about what happened last year.

This is what happened. The Minister of Industry boasted to a local newspaper that he lobbied to have the centre moved to his riding in a building belonging to his former associate, who is also a Conservative donor who worked on his last election campaign.

I ask again: what happened in the meantime to explain such an about-face? Did the Minister of Industry interfere in the selection process?

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

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. The answer is no. The false allegations of the member opposite are not acceptable.

This location is being selected by Public Works in a fair, open and competitive process. We are pleased that is the process it is moving forward.

Shawinigan-Sud Tax Centre

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

Mr. Speaker, still no answer, how odd. A number of people in Quebec are worried about the future of the Shawinigan-Sud Tax Centre. They fear that the Conservatives are getting ready to announce the closure of that centre, which employs 600 people. What will become of the 600 jobs and the families who depend on them?

We see what is happening in Rimouski. Is the minister going to make the people of Shawinigan suffer the same fate?

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

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Our government is improving the way we deliver EI services to Canadians by modernizing our processes.

No decisions have been made with respect to the consolidation of offices. Public Works is making a decision with respect to this. We are conducting a fair, open and transparent process.

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

Mr. Speaker, there is nothing reassuring about the parliamentary secretary's evasive answers. It seems to me that our citizens are entitled to clear answers to clear questions. After all, we are talking about 600 high-quality jobs.

I will try again, but this time I will ask simple questions. Can the minister or the parliamentary secretary tell us whether the Conservative government's ill-considered cuts will affect the Shawinigan-Sud Tax Centre? Even simpler: can the parliamentary secretary tell us whether the Shawinigan-Sud Tax Centre will remain open?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have been exceptionally clear. Our government is moving forward and ensuring that we modernize processes for EI. However, let us be clear. This government has created 610,000 net new jobs. We are focused on jobs and the economy. We will be growing them, but we are also ensuring that we have efficient services in place. Part of that is ensuring we consolidate EI processing.

Employment

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, young Canadians are facing a jobs crisis. Our youth lost another 27,000 jobs just last month. We now have the worst youth jobs numbers in 10 years. Since September 2008, young workers have lost almost 300,000 jobs. An entire generation of Canadians is losing hope, with no real job experience and no real prospects for jobs after graduation.

Why will the Conservatives not step up to the plate with a real program to provide real opportunities and real jobs for young Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, once again, I would remind the hon. member that we will come forward with economic action plan 2012 that will be focused on jobs and growing the economy. It is a continuation of our previous economic action plans that have actually shown results. More than 610,000 net new jobs, 91% of those are full-time jobs. That is important to Canadians.

We continue to be concerned about youth unemployment and will continue to work on that with the support, we would hope, of the opposition parties.

National Defence

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our military has the justified reputation as a smart, ethical and effective force. It is therefore disheartening to see the Minister of National Defence issue a contract to BlackBerry, formerly Xe Services, now Academi. Changing names does not change a vigilante culture.

The world's largest mercenary army has been accused of murdering Afghanis and Iraqis with impunity and immunity and lying to Congress. That is hardly the way to win the hearts and minds of civilians.

Why would the minister sign any contract with this appalling Blackwater company.

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we do not have a contract with BlackBerry or Blackwater at the Canadian Forces. We do in fact contract out for very specific purposes involving training. At certain times of the year, when facilities in Canada are not suitable for the type of training required, we invest in that. We invest in the training. We invest in the equipment.

I would hope that the member opposite in the third party in the third row would be a little more forthcoming in his support for the men and women in uniform.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has been unacceptably silent on fleet separation. The Conservatives will not say publicly what they are planning to do. However, what we do know is that for years this policy has preserved jobs for independent fishers. It is becoming obvious that the minister wants to sell out Canadian fishers to big corporate interests. The minister must come clean.

Why does the Conservative government want to get rid of something that has helped so many coastal communities?

[Randy Kamp, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and for the Asia-Pacific Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, these are consultations. The minister is listening to fishermen who have an interest in their way of life. He has no mandate. He is not advocating any particular position in this. He is listening to fishermen because we are committed to the economic vitality of the fishermen and the communities in which they live.

[Philip Toone, NDP, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, eliminating the fleet separation policy will harm independent fishers. The government is only consulting through the Internet. This is of great concern to the coastal communities in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, communities that depend on fishing. Francophones represent 25% of independent fishers. Doing away with the fleet separation policy will have serious repercussions for fishers in Quebec and New Brunswick.

Why are the Conservatives putting the interests of major corporations ahead of those of independent fishers and their families?

[Randy Kamp, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and for the Asia-Pacific Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, what we want, and hope what the opposition wants, is a strong and viable fishery. We are losing that and changes do need to be made. Therefore, the minister is speaking to fishermen asking them if there are changes or ways in which they might have a more stable and economically sustainable fishery. We are listening at this point and will continue to do so. I wish those members would join us in this modernization process.

Justice

[David Wilks, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are concerned about crime and keeping our streets and communities safe.

In the last election campaign, we promised Canadians that we would introduce harsher sentences for violent criminals in the first 100 days of this Parliament.

The safe streets and communities act will ensure jail time for sexual predators and drug dealers who target our children.

The opposition parties recently moved to adjourn Parliament rather than debate the legislation. Could the parliamentary secretary update the House as to the status of the safe streets and communities act?

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his work on the justice committee.

First, it is ironic that the NDP members wanted to leave work early. They should know that those who do not show up for work, should not get a promotion. They should just ask the little Liberal Party.

Despite the silly games of the opposition, I can report that the final vote for the safe streets and communities act will take place next Monday. That means the opposition parties will have one more opportunity to get on board with victims advocates, law enforcement, provincial attorneys general and premiers who strongly support this legislation.

I would also note that recent polls show—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Mount Royal.