House of Commons Hansard #109 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was person.
Pierre Lemieux ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture
Mr. Speaker, these types of changes will have no effect on the safety of Canada's potato industry. The CFIA will continue to inspect for soil contamination and will work with the provinces and the private sector to find an alternative vehicle cleaning service.
The safety is there, the car wash is there, but the Canadian taxpayer will not be there.
Hélène LeBlanc NDP LaSalle—Émard, QC
Mr. Speaker, while the Quebec government, Investissement Québec and the QFL Solidarity Fund are working on a recovery plan for Aveos, the Minister of Industry merely says that he sympathizes with the 1,800 workers who were laid off in Montreal. Despite everything, the government is leaving Quebec to fend for itself when it comes to saving assets and jobs.
Why is the government refusing to enforce the Air Canada privatization act? Why not support Quebec's efforts?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, our position on this is clear. This situation involves two private corporations. This case is currently before the courts, so we will refrain from commenting any further.
Laurin Liu NDP Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government does not seem to understand the urgency of the situation.
Without the good work of Quebec government officials, Aveos workers would still not have received their employment insurance cheques because they have not yet received their official termination notices even though they were summarily shown the door.
The Conservatives are hiding behind their legal opinion to avoid enforcing the law. They are washing their hands of the whole thing. On March 2, 2011, Chuck Strahl rose in the House and promised that the Montreal, Mississauga and Winnipeg centres would stay open.
Is that all that a Conservative promise is worth?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, once again, in the preface to her question, the member made statements that are all wrong. It is thanks to our government, our minister and our work that Aveos workers were able to receive employment insurance benefits despite not having records of employment. How could it be otherwise?
We certainly sympathize with the workers who unfortunately lost their jobs, but once again, this is a private-sector matter that is before the courts. There will be no further comment.
Patricia Davidson Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON
Mr. Speaker, there is currently a proposal to restore a flow of oil to its original direction from west to east, from Alberta to Ontario. This is a routine proceeding requiring little change.
This proposal would reduce our dependence on foreign oil, create jobs and help consumers. This is a win-win for everyone across the country and could create much-needed economic opportunities in my riding of Sarnia—Lambton. However, there are those who seek to delay this process. Could the Minister of Natural Resources update the House?
Joe Oliver ConservativeMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, yet again groups opposed to resource development are seeking to delay a simple process by flooding our independent regulator with over 40,000 form letters. Yet again, we need to make changes. We need to show that we need to make changes to ensure our system works efficiently while hearing from Canadians who have a direct interest.
The question is this: will the leader of the opposition, who argued for eastern oil access, side with Canadian jobs or with groups doing everything to block job-creating projects?
Ted Hsu Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Mr. Speaker, the government said that by closing Kingston Penitentiary, the Regional Treatment Centre and Leclerc Institution, we would save $120 million per year. Public Accounts Canada 2011 says this is just the combined annual budget of the three institutions, but the true savings can only be a fraction of that. The $120 million must be reduced by the total expense of holding the 1,000 inmates elsewhere.
Could the minister inform us how much it will cost to hold these 1,000 inmates elsewhere and what the true net savings will be to Canadian taxpayers?
Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, I am advised by the department that the true net savings is $120 million a year.
Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC
Mr. Speaker, the NDP came up with a solution to protect francophones working in federally regulated businesses in Quebec. The Conservatives voted against it. What is their solution? To create a puppet advisory committee, which we have yet to hear from five months later.
Can the minister of conflict of interest tell the House what mandate he gave the committee, how frequently it will meet and when we can expect a report?
Lisa Raitt ConservativeMinister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, as has been said in the House many times before, the Canada Labour Code has great protection for citizens in Canada and in Quebec. We are very proud of the language work that we are doing in Quebec. We are very proud of our Canadian record and our government's record.
That said, the Minister of Industry has announced that there is going to be a committee set up to study the matter, and we look forward to hearing about it.
James Lunney Conservative Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, this week is National Victims of Crime Awareness Week. To help give victims a stronger voice in the criminal justice system, our government is supporting local events and projects across Canada.
In the past few days we have announced $7 million in new funding for the victims fund. Furthermore, the Prime Minister recently announced the new income support program for parents who are coping with the death or disappearance of a child that occurred as a result of crime. In fact, new legislation was introduced just today.
Can the Minister of Justice please inform the House about the government's latest initiative to help victims?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, today we introduced legislation that will make convicted offenders more accountable to the victims of crime. We will double the federal victim surcharge that offenders must pay and ensure that this surcharge is automatically applied in all cases. The revenue from this surcharge is used to provide direct services to victims of crime. We believe this sends the right message to criminals: they must pay for the harm that they caused their victims.
Canadians deserve a justice system that respects the victims of crime and one that sentences offenders appropriately. We committed to Canadians to put the rights of victims first, and after passing 20 justice bills since 2006, we have delivered.
Jinny Sims NDP Newton—North Delta, BC
Mr. Speaker, in legislation after legislation the Conservatives, with their recklessness, are unfairly punishing genuine refugees and putting lives at risk. Even under the current system, the government deported a refugee claimant, and she paid the ultimate price: her life.
Instead of improving the process and ensuring a fair and independent decision, the Conservatives are making matters worse by pushing this legislation about refugees. Why is the government putting even more power into the hands of one minister and creating an environment for more lives being at risk?
Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Citizenship
Mr. Speaker, we are doing the opposite. Through this legislation, this government is creating, for the first time ever, a full fact-based appeal, including an oral hearing for failed asylum claimants at the new Refugee Appeal Division. It is an extra safeguard to ensure that we do not return people to face danger.
However, I regret that the member seeks to politicize a tragic case of a woman. I have read all of the decisions made by the IRB, the Federal Court and the pre-removal risk assessment, and I can tell the member that the tragic circumstances that this lady faced in Mexico had absolutely nothing to do with her claim of fear of a boyfriend in the United States.
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister recently said in Colombia that it was a matter of principle that Cuba should be excluded from the Summit of the Americas. As Communist China keeps buying up Canada, I am wondering where the principle is. While Cuba has a long way to go, it recently held an open mass where the Pope invited Cuban Catholics to worship. There is no such freedom of religion in China's persecution of Tibetan monks, Falun Gong and Christians, which goes unimpeded.
I am asking the Prime Minister, as he hands the keys of Canada to China, what principle excludes Cuba?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the issue is that the Summit of the Americas, by agreement in the Declaration of Quebec City some years ago under the preceding government, agreed that the Summit of the Americas was open to democratically elected leaders from the hemisphere. Cuba does not qualify because the leader is not democratically elected, and China does not qualify because it is not in the Americas.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Order, please.
I would like to draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of leaders and representatives of all Ukraine's major faith denominations—Christian, Jewish and Muslim—who are visiting Canada to acknowledge Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky's heroic good works during the Second World War.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I understand the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism is rising on a point of order.
Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Citizenship
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all members, we are delighted to be joined by religious leaders from Ukraine and I believe there have been consultations from all parties. I am pleased to propose the following motion and I seek unanimous consent for its adoption. I move:
Whereas Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky (1865-1944) of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, was the leader of Western Ukraine's largest faith group during the period of the Second World War; and
Whereas in the darkest period of Europe's history, with the deepening horrors of the mass murder of Jews in their homelands in Eastern Europe under German occupation during World War II, he spoke out eloquently against anti-Jewish violence and urged his congregants in a famous homily: “Thou Shalt Not Kill;” and
Whereas leaders and representatives of all Ukraine's major faith communities—Christian, Jewish, and Muslim—are visiting Canada to acknowledge Metropolitan Sheptytsky's good works; and
Whereas Metropolitan Sheptytsky acted to shelter and rescue Jews, saving over 160, including some present with us in Ottawa today;
This House is united in expressing Canada's recognition of Andrey Sheptytsky's courageous actions, compassion for his oppressed Jewish Ukrainian countrymen, and enduring example of commitment to fundamental human rights as humankind's highest obligation.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Does the hon. Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?