House of Commons Hansard #119 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was environmental.

Topics

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order, please. The hon. Minister of the Environment has the floor.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Conservative

Peter Kent Conservative Thornhill, ON

Mr. Speaker, what the commissioner did not note in his report was my greenhouse gas inventory report released last month. It shows that emissions have declined in almost all sectors, including oil and gas, since 2005; our GHG emissions are down 48 megatonnes from 2005—

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order, please. The hon. member for Vancouver East.

HealthOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

NDP

Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC

Mr. Speaker, for years New Democrats and many others have been calling for a comprehensive strategy and action to improve mental health services for Canadians. Canada's mental health system is poorly coordinated and underfunded. The Mental Health Commission today called for a long-overdue overhaul of this broken system. The federal government must stop neglecting mental health care and take leadership to ensure that Canadians receive the care they deserve. What actions will the government take to implement the recommendations of this report, and when will we see these long-overdue changes?

HealthOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Nunavut Nunavut

Conservative

Leona Aglukkaq ConservativeMinister of Health and Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency

Mr. Speaker, we welcome the release of the mental health strategy this morning from the Mental Health Commission of Canada. As the opposition member knows, this important commission was created under our government. We are proud of the work that it has done so far. Our government will continue to work with the provinces and the territories in their efforts. We have committed to a long-term stable funding arrangement that will see health transfers reach record-high levels by the end of the decade.

HealthOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

NDP

Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC

Mr. Speaker, my question was, what action will the federal government take on the recommendations that came out today? The report outlines the need for collaboration and coordination among all levels of government.

Canadians need to see a significant federal investment in mental health. Enough of the self-congratulations. Will the government implement these recommendations, or is it really just washing its hands and leaving it to the strained provincial budgets to pick up the slack?

HealthOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Nunavut Nunavut

Conservative

Leona Aglukkaq ConservativeMinister of Health and Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency

Mr. Speaker, once elected, our government took quick action. In fact, we formed the Mental Health Commission during the first year of our mandate.

The Liberal record is deplorable. All the Liberals did was to cut transfers to the jurisdictions.

As for the NDP members, it is a bit rich that they ask such a question as they voted against the establishment of the Mental Health Commission.

We will continue to work with the provinces and territories in the rollout of these recommendations.

The BudgetOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

NDP

Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON

Mr. Speaker, by introducing a Trojan Horse budget packed with amendments that have nothing to do with the budget, the Conservatives have shown their true colours.

This budget cuts more jobs than it creates. It reduces seniors' benefits, provincial health funding, and food inspection.

Why is this government so determined to pass a bill that will weaken our economy and endanger Canadians?

The BudgetOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Whitby—Oshawa Ontario

Conservative

Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, the context of the budget is an effort to continue the economic recovery, jobs and growth and prosperity in Canada.

As the member opposite knows, Canada has done relatively well. Coming out of the great recession, we have about 700,000 net new jobs in Canada, the best job growth in any industrialized country in the G7. We have done rather well, but we need the long-term plan to get back to balanced budgets, and have sustainable programs in the long term so Canada can maintain its record of jobs, growth and long-term prosperity.

The BudgetOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

NDP

Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON

Mr. Speaker, Canadians deserve better than the irresponsible changes the government is trying to quietly sneak through in this bill.

From cuts that will affect Canada's poorest seniors the most to wide-ranging cuts that will harm Canada's multi-billion dollar arts industry to foreign aid cuts that will stop all aid to four of the world's poorest countries, this Trojan Horse budget will in fact kill more jobs than it creates.

When will the government stop listening just to oil lobbyists and start listening to Canadians?

The BudgetOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Whitby—Oshawa Ontario

Conservative

Jim Flaherty ConservativeMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the member opposite has read what the economists in Canada and elsewhere have said about the budget and how economic action plan 2012 continues Canada in the right direction toward jobs, growth and prosperity.

Yes, there are modest spending reductions over the course of three years built into the budget. If hon. members want to see drama, they should go to the United Kingdom, or watch what the United States will be obliged to do when it tries to get its house in order. We never want Canada to be in that place. That is why we have moderate spending reductions, returning to balanced budgets in the medium term.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

Talking about getting the house in order, Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives should start with the environment.

There are 22,000 contaminated sites in Canada posing risks to human health, from abandoned mines to leaky fuel tanks. Canadians expect the government to take action on these sites. The environment commissioner has identified a half billion dollar funding shortfall. That is less than half of the cost of the meeting in Muskoka.

Why have the Conservatives failed to make the cleanup of thousands of contaminated sites a priority? Why have they failed Canadian families yet again?

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Thornhill Ontario

Conservative

Peter Kent ConservativeMinister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, I think it is wonderful the NDP has finally discovered the challenge this country faces with regard to contaminated sites.

The commissioner's report also notes that 42% of the inventory of contaminated sites have been cleaned, remediated by February this year.

The 15 year federal contaminated sites program is only at its midway point. We will continue to work to address the situation on all of the major contaminated sites in this country.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC

Mr. Speaker, what a crock. According to the commissioner, those sites are the legacy of poor planning, inadequate environmental assessment and weak environmental regulations.

The Conservatives are using their budget bill to force Canadians to accept changes that scuttle environmental protection for Canadian families.

When will the Conservatives stop their constant attacks on environmental regulation? When will they start protecting the health of Canadian families?

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Thornhill Ontario

Conservative

Peter Kent ConservativeMinister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, I think that our colleague needs some help reading the report.

The report indicates that the commissioner says the Government of Canada is making good progress in addressing contaminated sites across the country. Through the federal contaminated sites action plan, the Government of Canada is addressing harmful effects of past practices and protecting Canadians and our environment for future generations.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

NDP

Hoang Mai NDP Brossard—La Prairie, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative vendetta against environmental groups is becoming clearer. Tides Canada is fighting to protect the environment, yet it is being attacked and its activities are being scrutinized by Revenue Canada.

Rather than cleaning house at Revenue Canada, which is mired in allegations of corruption and is producing questionable videos, the Conservatives are intent on finding fault with environmental groups. Why?

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Egmont P.E.I.

Conservative

Gail Shea ConservativeMinister of National Revenue

Mr. Speaker, our government does understand that registered charities are an important part of our Canadian society, and we do encourage Canadians to donate generously. CRA does enforce the Income Tax Act free of political direction, specific files or interference, and we expect CRA to undertake compliance and enforcement activities, as appropriate, to enforce Canadian laws.

We are taking action so that Canadians can be sure that charities are using their resources appropriately.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

NDP

Hoang Mai NDP Brossard—La Prairie, QC

Mr. Speaker, Tides Canada is a respected organization which does tremendous work in environmental causes and social—

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order. The hon. member for Brossard—La Prairie has the floor.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

NDP

Hoang Mai NDP Brossard—La Prairie, QC

Mr. Speaker, Tides Canada is a respected organization that does tremendous work in environmental and social causes, but the Conservatives are targeting Tides Canada and treating people who disagree with their reckless environmental policies like criminals. The government is using the Canada Revenue Agency to attack charities that disagree with the Conservative Party line.

When are the Conservatives are going to stop this outrageous war on Canada's environmental groups?

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Egmont P.E.I.

Conservative

Gail Shea ConservativeMinister of National Revenue

Mr. Speaker, all organizations are subject to Canadian law. We expect that those organizations will be in compliance with Canadian law. Canadians want to ensure that when they donate to charities, those charitable resources will be used for the purpose they were intended.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

NDP

Anne Minh-Thu Quach NDP Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC

Mr. Speaker, now is the time to tackle environmental challenges, not attack environmental groups. The figures speak for themselves: in February, six years after the Conservatives were first elected, only two regulations had been put in place to limit greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation industry and no regulations had been put in place for the oil and gas industry. What a coincidence.

And yet the Conservatives committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 17% by 2020. Given their irresponsible choices, they will not even be able to meet their own extremely low targets.

Why do the Conservatives not have a credible, costed plan to protect the environment and the health of future generations?

The EnvironmentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Thornhill Ontario

Conservative

Peter Kent ConservativeMinister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, as I have said any number of times in the House, we do have a plan, and that plan is working sector by sector. We began with the transportation sector, which accounts for 24% of our annual greenhouse gas emissions. We are about to bring down final regulations for the coal-fired electricity sector. We are in consultations now with the oil and gas sector. We will continue and we will hit those 2020 targets.

National DefenceOral Questions

May 8th, 2012 / 2:35 p.m.

Liberal

Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I attended the Military Police Complaints Commission hearings and met Sheila Fynes, the mother of a deceased soldier. I saw first-hand the impact his suicide is having on her. Compounding this enormous sadness was a 14-month delay in releasing the suicide note, leaving the family to wonder and to question the reasons for his death. The note included his hope to have a small, private funeral, a wish that went unfulfilled because the government did not release the note.

At what point in 2008 was the minister first made aware of the suicide note?