Debates of May 4th, 2012

National Parks

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Madam Speaker, she pats herself on the back. The Conservatives opened up a new park and provided no new money for it. They have to take funds for the operation of that park out of existing programs, which will further impact negatively on the current park inventory.

Where are the Tory backbenchers when there are cuts made to their communities? Where is the minister from P.E.I. who has jobs leaving the island like rats leaving a ship? Where is the member for Peterborough who is losing jobs? What about Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Order, please. The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment. I am sure we all want to hear the answer.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Madam Speaker, I believe it is unparliamentary to talk about where backbenchers are, so I will not mention where the backbenchers are in the Liberal Party today.

I believe that our parks system will continue—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Order, please. I would like to ask for a little order in the House while the parliamentary secretary—

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Denise Savoie]

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Centre-North, AB]

Madam Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that our parks are well promoted and well visited. They are part of Canada's national brand. They are respected around the world. What we have put forward in the budget will ensure that the parks are well staffed during peak seasons for years to come.

Immigration

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Madam Speaker, tens of thousands of international students flock to British Columbia every year, bringing in over $0.5 billion of direct revenues for our communities and our small businesses. Canada-wide, this industry is worth $8 billion. However, the government is eliminating visa services in some of the most important countries that are the source of these students. Now those students will likely go to other countries to learn English.

Why would the government attack the international education industry, one of the engines of our economy, at the very time that this economy is sputtering?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Madam Speaker, we are doing no such thing. We are not removing visa services from any country. We are doing things more efficiently than in the past, which means that students can apply online. They can also go to visa application centres, which provide professional service.

I know the Liberals do not like to hear the facts. The fact is that there is a huge increase in the number of student visas issued over five years ago. More foreign students are coming to Canada and benefiting from our educational experience.

Ministerial Expenditures

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, yesterday the President of the Treasury Board alleged that his government's wasteful use of drivers and limos is par for the course for government. He assumed the Manitoba NDP government uses drivers and cars as wastefully as his government, yet in Manitoba none of the ministers have cars and only the premier has an assistant whose duties include driving.

I have a very basic question. Will the President of the Treasury Board get up and apologize and clear the record and clear his name and the reputation of the NDP government?

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board and for Western Economic Diversification]

Madam Speaker, we are always looking for ways to run the government at a reasonable cost to taxpayers. Ministers work long hours and drivers frequently have to work the hours that their ministers are working. Salaries and overtime for drivers employed by the public service are based on collective agreements with the unions.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, hard-working Canadians expect their elected officials to be prudent and sensible with their money.

There is no excuse for racking up $600,000 in overtime fees alone, yet the President of the Treasury Board decided to point fingers at an NDP government, which is more fiscally responsible and prudent than the Conservatives are.

Will the Conservatives pledge to learn something about financial wisdom and manners from the NDP government in Manitoba?

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board and for Western Economic Diversification]

Madam Speaker, as I mentioned, we are always looking for ways to run the government at a reasonable cost to taxpayers.

I will tell the House what we have done. We have frozen the salaries of MPs and senators, reduced ministers' office spending, reduced the cost of travel and reduced hospitality spending. This government has taken real action to reduce the cost to taxpayers.

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Madam Speaker, yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board also chose to single out Nova Scotia's NDP government. He accused the members of that government of the same thing he is doing: making excessive use of their drivers and limousines, which are paid for with taxpayers' money.

The facts are clear: the Dexter government ministers do not even have drivers. The NDP government is fiscally responsible.

Perhaps the minister can take one of the limousines he has on standby and go apologize.

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board and for Western Economic Diversification]

Madam Speaker, I said it once and I will say it again: we are always looking for ways to run the government at a more reasonable cost to taxpayers.

Ministers work long hours, and drivers frequently have to work the hours the ministers work. Salaries and overtime for drivers employed by the public service are based on collective agreements with unions.

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Madam Speaker, taxpayers do not want excuses, they want action.

Yesterday the President of the Treasury Board accused two provincial governments of using chauffeur services, but the facts are clear. In Nova Scotia ministers in Darrell Dexter's cabinet do not even use limos. They did away with their driver service after they took power. To do what? To save money.

Perhaps the minister could send his standby driver out to Nova Scotia and Manitoba to learn how responsible ministers respect taxpayer dollars.

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board and for Western Economic Diversification]

Madam Speaker, this is like Groundhog Day all over again. We are always looking for ways to run the government at a reasonable cost to taxpayers.

I will tell the House what we have done. We have frozen the salaries of MPs, including the salary of the member opposite. We have frozen the salaries of senators. We have reduced ministers' office spending, reduced the cost of travel and reduced hospitality spending.

This government is taking real action to reduce the cost to taxpayers.

Health

[Dick Harris, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Madam Speaker, yesterday the hon. Minister of Health made a most important announcement of funding that would go a long way to helping Canadians facing neurological disorders. This is yet another example of this government's commitment to helping Canadians maintain and improve their health.

Would the hon. minister please share this good news with the members of the House?

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

Madam Speaker, one in three Canadians face a neurological disorder or related problems at some point in life.

Yesterday I was happy to announce funding to the Brain Canada Foundation to establish a research fund that would support the understanding and treatment of brain disorders. This investment will strengthen Canada's position as a world leader in research and in the identification and treatment of brain disorders.

This funding and the research it will support are central to our government's commitment to help Canadians maintain and improve their health.

International Cooperation

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Madam Speaker, the true impact of the Conservatives' decision to cut international aid is becoming clear.

As expected, not only are the employees feeling the effects, but so are programs and services. While the minister is drinking $16 glasses of orange juice, Canada is cutting its funding to the fight against TB by $10 million.

How did this government come up with these ridiculous priorities? Will it reverse its decision on these reckless cuts?

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation]

Madam Speaker, budget 2012 has confirmed that Canada's international development assistance will continue our commitment to make international assistance focused, effective, accountable and transparent.

Canadian tax dollars will continue to deliver value for money and make a real difference in the lives of the people they are intended to help. We will continue our efforts in this direction and build on the steps that we have taken so far.

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Madam Speaker, while the minister is living high on the hog, Canada is ending aid to Rwanda, Nepal, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Niger and Cambodia. Canada is delivering less and less aid where the need is greatest.

When will the government stop backsliding on foreign aid and focus on the world's poor instead of the minister's comfort?

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation]

Madam Speaker, as I said, our government remains committed to focused, effective, accountable and transparent development that makes a real difference in the lives of the people in Africa.

The African continent continues to be Canada's largest recipient of international assistance. We are focusing 80% of the $1.1 billion in funding for maternal, newborn and child health through the Muskoka initiative in sub-Saharan Africa.