Debates of May 17th, 2012

Aboriginal Affairs

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as an open and active member of the United Nations, Canada has a long-standing invitation for all UN human rights officials to visit our country. However, when the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food took up this invitation, he was welcomed by the government with insults to his education and attacks on his mandate. Worse yet, when a government member attacked him in a statement, theMinister of Foreign Affairs applauded.

Is this the way a government of a G8 country is supposed to treat visitors from the UN? Is this a new policy of the government?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I will tell the member opposite and all Canadians what the policy of this government is. It is to stand up for Canada, to stand up for Canadian interests and to stand up for Canadian values. We will do that each and every day.

I want to tell all members of the House how proud I am and how proud this government is of the Minister of Health for the absolutely outstanding job she has done for all Canadians as Minister of Health and, particularly, her approach to bringing the views of Inuit people to cabinet. She has done a phenomenal jobs, and we are tremendously proud of her.

Veterans Affairs

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, 13 days remain until the government must decide whether to appeal the decision of the Federal Court ordering it to cease clawing back veterans' pensions from people like Dennis Manuge.

It has been almost three weeks, and we still have no indication of what the government will do. We are still not sure whether the Minister of National Defence has managed to read the 31-page court decision.

The Conservatives have two choices: appeal the Federal Court decision or do the honourable thing and accept it. Which is it?

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

Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, the Government of Canada is currently studying the decision and considering the next steps.

No decision has been made at this point in time, so it is premature to assume that any decision has been taken or will be taken until such time as we make up our minds as to what needs to be done.

National Defence

[Scott Andrews, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Mr. Speaker, since the Conservatives have forgotten, I will remind the government of its promises for 5 Wing Goose Bay: a 650-member rapid reaction battalion and a 100-member UAV squadron.

Who made these promises? The problem minister, the Minister of National Defence, and the Prime Minister himself. They said, “It'll all be in the defence plan. Don't worry”. They will say anything for a vote. All we have seen is more broken promises.

For 30 years, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs campaigned to get the military out of Labrador. Is he happy now that he seems to be getting his wish?

[Peter Penashue, Conservative, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I can reaffirm that our government is working to fulfill our commitment for an operational mandate for 5 Wing Goose Bay that takes advantage of a unique location and enhances the protection of Canadian sovereignty, including in the Arctic.

Since 2006, our government has consistently worked to ensure the future viability of 5 Wing Goose Bay through investments, such as runway resurfacing and decontaminating sites around the base.

Health

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Manitoba Grand Chief Nepinak said, “I've never seen the minister come to Manitoba to visit the remote communities that I was able to take the rapporteur to, so I would trust the observations of the rapporteur ahead of the health minister at this time”.

Why does the government deny the problem of food and security among first nations, Inuit and Métis instead of working with the communities to find the real solutions?

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

Mr. Speaker, I will talk about the UN rapporteur. He is so ill-informed that he has no idea what our government is doing to invest in nutrition north programs promoting a number of health program initiatives throughout the country.

The Liberals like to talk about food security, but at the same time, like the UN rapporteur, are trying to shut down the seal hunt, which is important to aboriginal people.

The member and the Liberal Senate bill basically state that they are of the same colour.

National Defence

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

Mr. Speaker, at the Conservatives' request, the RCMP was required to investigate a journalist's article confirming that the Conservatives were going to buy the F-35s without a competitive bidding process.

The Conservatives' attempts to conceal the facts from Canadians are completely appalling. The department of propaganda has reached a new low. Trying to conceal poor management practices under the guise of national security is inexcusable.

Why did the Conservatives request an investigation based on an article that exposed their mismanagement?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP was asked by the Clerk of the Privy Council to look into a possible unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, which is done from time to time.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is just another example of the Conservatives lashing out at those who tell the truth.

According to DefenseNews, the U.S. house appropriations committee is recommending an additional $5.3 billion for everything from aircraft, vehicles, ships and weapons, everything but the F-35. In fact, it actually wants to cut the F-35 program by $530 million because of cost increases and delays.

Who will the Conservatives lash out against when the truth is coming from the U.S. Congress?

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

Mr. Speaker, far from lashing out at anybody, this is the government that put in place the resources necessary to ensure that our military can do the job we ask of it.

This government is committed to supporting the Canadian Forces. We are committed to ensuring that we do all that we can to enable members of the Canadian Forces to carry out their responsibilities in a way that also addresses the needs of Canadians.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, speaking of accountability, yet another source of assistance for Canadian Forces members in need of help has been found wanting.

Complaints of a poisonous work environment, 50% staff turnover and delays of up to five years to resolve issues of support for mental health needs, while soldiers returning from Afghanistan are more than ever seeking fair and just treatment from the government.

How can Canadian Forces members and their families have confidence that the government cares about their needs?

What will the minister and the government do to ensure that the office of the ombudsman does the job that it was set up to do?

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

Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the issues and the Minister of National Defence has ordered an investigation to look into some of these items. We are receiving the report and we will act on those recommendations as soon as they are made available to us.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, again on accountability, the Prime Minister promised in 2006, 2008 and again in 2011 to put a 650-member rapid reaction battalion at CFB Goose Bay, plus a UAV squadron. There was also a pledge to create a territorial defence battalion of 100 regular forces and 400 reservists in St. John's. Both of these promises have been broken. There is nothing for Goose Bay, and the Minister of National Defence says that a territorial battalion group will be set up in 10 cities, from Vancouver to Halifax.

Why can the government not be trusted to keep its promises? Why does the government not keep its commitments to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador?

[Peter Penashue, Conservative, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I can reaffirm that our government is working to fulfill our commitment for an operational mandate for 5 Wing Goose Bay that takes advantage of its unique location and enhances the protection of Canadian sovereignty, including in the Arctic.

Since 2006, our government has consistently worked to ensure the future viability of Goose Bay through investments, such as runway resurfacing and decontaminating sites around the base.

Political Party Financing

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in 2006, we ended big business and big union political contributions through the Federal Accountability Act. We believe that money for political activities should come from ordinary Canadians who choose to donate, not big corporations, not big unions and not government.

That is why our government continued to take action by ending the direct subsidy to political parties.

Could the Minister of State for Democratic Reform update the House on how much money taxpayers are saving through this initiative?

[Tim Uppal, Conservative, Minister of State (Democratic Reform)]

Mr. Speaker, our government is delivering on its commitment to phase out the $30 million per year taxpayer subsidy of political parties. Today I am happy to report that this year taxpayers will save $8 million as a result of our government's actions.

Unfortunately, it is not surprising that the big tax, big government NDP voted to keep this easy subsidy. This disrespect for taxpayers' money is typical of the NDP.

Political parties should do their own fundraising and not live off taxpayer-funded handouts.

G20 Summit

[Rosane Doré Lefebvre, NDP, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the report on police actions during the G20 came down yesterday like a ton of bricks. First of all, the temporary detention facility did not meet the most rudimentary standards. Furthermore, illegal mass arrests were made, and finally, excessive violence was used.

None of this would have happened if the government had focused more on organizing the summit rather than creating the G8 slush fund.

Will this government admit its responsibility in this fiasco?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP found that the RCMP acted appropriately and reasonably.

The NDP has made wild allegations about the actions of our national police force, such as, “Canada is becoming a police state, where the toe of an officer's boot or punch in the gut is the rule of law”.

I cannot comment on the actions by provincial or municipal authorities, but I find that kind of comment by the NDP about our police forces to be despicable.

[Andrew Cash, NDP, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the G20 summit left Toronto with a fake lake, broken glass and the biggest mass arrest in Canadian history. Who created this chaos? That government when it chose the Toronto venue four months before the summit.

The provincial report says that some of the planning was “rushed and inadequate”. As a result, law enforcement officers were thrown in unprepared.

This was either Conservative incompetence or malice toward the people of Toronto. Which is it?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote from the report of the Commissioner for Public Complaints. He is clear. He states, “The RCMP planning process was robust and thorough”.

However, I have not heard that member try to defend the scurrilous comments that his party has been making against police officers, such as, ”Canada is becoming a police state where the toe of an officer's boot or punch in the gut is the rule of law”.

That is what the NDP views our police forces as.

Canadian Heritage

[Andrew Cash, NDP, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives simply refuse to take responsibility for their mistakes. Here is another one.

Last week, the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages wanted, oh, a friendship. This week he is interfering with respected professional museum staff. He called a highly regarded exhibit insulting to the taxpayer. The same exhibit did not even cause a stir in Regina or Montreal.

It is not the 1950s. It is important we talk about sex with our kids. When will the Conservatives stop launching attacks on anyone that gets--

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.

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

Mr. Speaker, I believe in the independence of our museums and I also believe in sex education. The director of the museum asked me to view the exhibit. Unlike the member opposite, I have actually seen the exhibit and I respect the independence of the museum. However, I was asked for my opinion and, in my opinion, it is not appropriate for young children to be exposed to sexually explicit material without the consent of their parents. I made that view known to the museum.

The museum can make its own decisions about its own direction and its own exhibits. I made my view known, and it is up to the museum to decide now where it goes.