Debates of June 15th, 2012

Penticton Secondary School

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC]

Mr. Speaker, recently, Penticton Secondary School celebrated its 100th anniversary in my riding of Okanagan—Coquihalla.

Schools can be so much more than just bricks and mortar. In the case of Pen Hi, as graduates affectionately know it as, this school has been the heart and soul of the community, graduating future community leaders, and creating memories and friendships that can last a lifetime.

It was very rewarding to see so many graduates gather from far and wide to pay tribute to a true legacy asset in the city of Penticton.

I would like the House to join me in recognizing the volunteer committee, who put on an incredible anniversary event that made our whole community proud.

As graduation is again around the corner, may we all wish our future community leaders well, as they pursue their hopes and dreams all across this great country.

The Budget

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government has launched a direct attack on the Canada we know. The omnibus budget bill, as well as other legislation that is being put forward, seeks to destroy the fabric of our country we have all helped build.

Cuts to Heritage and Parks Canada are disconnecting Canadians from our human and natural history. Cuts to health transfers, the environment, pensions, employment insurance, and women in aboriginal programming are eroding the social fabric of today's Canada.

Cuts to science and research are threatening the future of our environment, preventing us from knowing who we are and what we must do. These cuts are selling out Canada's future as a creative, innovative nation.

However, there is hope. Over the past few days we have fought back, supported by thousands of Canadians who have spoken out online, at town halls, through letters and at rallies.

Our message to the government was and is that we will not stand by as it destroys the Canada we have all built. We will not stand by as it makes Canada and Canadians more unequal in our country, and that our voices will not be muzzled by the government's attempt to shut down democratic debate in this House.

Our message is that we will not forget what the government has done and that we will remember as we go on to--

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Mississauga East—Cooksville.

Adam Bardach

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Adam Bardach, a highly decorated veteran of the Second World War, was unable to go back to his native Poland and immigrated to Canada. He recently passed away in Ottawa.

I would like to share with this House his testimony on his life in our country: “From the time perspective, my wife was the main motivator and proponent of moving to Canada. She had no problems convincing me. It was a great decision. Krystyna felt that Canadians were generous, friendly people. There is no prejudice against other nationals. We are all equal and welcome. Canada became our home and country. Family was always very important to us. Canada changed since our arrival in 1952. Canada prospered more and more, and so did we. We led a wonderful life and we had lots of friends who enjoyed successes in life. So did we. We can depend on them. They can depend on us. Canada is the country where we began our married life. Our children were born in Canada. We were happy here. This is our home.”

His words still ring true. May Adam Bardach rest in peace.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

[Scott Andrews, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Mr. Speaker, today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The purple ribbons MPs are wearing were supplied by the west end seniors network in Vancouver.

This day is in support of the UN international plan of action, which recognizes the significant abuse of older persons in our society. Elder abuse is a shameful reality that far too many of our parents and grandparents endure.

Abuse can be physical, emotional, verbal, financial, sexual, and spiritual. Neglect is also a common form of elder abuse. It often happens within families, or when one person is in a position of trust or authority . Elder abuse occurs in the home, health care facilities, and in the community.

About 80% of elder abuse goes undetected and approximately 10% of seniors may experience abuse or neglect later in their golden years.

By raising awareness of this important issue, we can put an end to this abuse. Our seniors need to feel and be safe in their homes and in their communities and never should be victims of abuse.

Employment

[Colin Mayes, Conservative, Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Mr. Speaker, June is a time of celebration across Canada for high school graduates. I would like to acknowledge all the dedicated teachers and supportive parents who have prepared graduates for their future endeavours.

To the graduates, congratulations. They have attained this milestone through hard work and dedication.

The opportunities for employment will be greater than they have been in decades due to past low birth rates and baby boomer retirements.

Our budget 2012-2013 has allocated millions of dollars to support trades training and scholarship funding for post-secondary studies. Our government's jobs and growth budget would ensure that the opportunities in today's economy will be there when current graduates are ready to enter the labour market.

The budget is not just about spending tax dollars and providing services to Canadians. It is about giving all graduates every opportunity to fulfill their dreams and ambitions as well as building a prosperous nation now and for the future.

World Day Against Child Labour

[Joy Smith, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, June 12 marked the World Day Against Child Labour. The International Labour Organization estimates that millions of children every year are caught up in the worst forms of child labour, including forced labour, debt bondage and involuntary servitude.

These children are used to provide slave labour for many products that are purchased by Canadians every day. However, Canadians can do something to combat these modern-day forms of slavery by being aware of the supply chains and urging their favourite brands to ensure their products are not made with forced child labour.

For example, Canadians can visit free2work.org to download the free2work app that will help them be informed about products as they shop, or they can visit slaveryfootprint.org to find out how they can advocate for slave-free products.

I am confident that, with the action of dedicated Canadians, we can end the modern-day slave trade that remains a terrible mark upon our generation.

Shooting at the University of Alberta

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, last evening a tragic shooting occurred on the University of Alberta campus during an armed robbery, leaving three armed car company employees dead and another seriously injured.

As the member of Parliament for the University of Alberta, I wish on behalf of all members of Parliament to convey our deepest condolences to the families of the guards killed and our wishes for a full recovery for the gentleman seriously injured in this incident.

This violent crime took place in the university residence where students were sleeping and studying. It is a blessing that no students or staff were harmed. The incident was discovered by a student volunteer group, Safewalk, that provides a safe escort service in the evening for campus students and workers.

The university has offered to relocate students, defer their exams and provide counselling.

I have extended my support and sympathy to the families of the officers, the university president, students, faculty and staff. I have spoken with the students' union and the president, both of whom extend their condolences to the families and are ready to provide comfort and support to the shocked university community.

Flooding in Yukon

[Ryan Leef, Conservative, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, the Yukon has been through some tough times this week. Floods and mudslides around the territory made many roads and highways impassable. The damage has forced road closures and kept stores all over the Yukon with empty shelves.

Eleven homes in Upper Liard were evacuated after being flooded when the dike protecting the community from rising water levels gave way.

As usual, Yukoners have rallied, repairing damage and getting on with business. The territorial government stepped up quickly and purposefully.

I commend all Yukoners. Their perseverance and industry make me proud to be a Yukoner. My thoughts are with those affected during this very difficult time.

The Economy

[François Lapointe, NDP, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week my colleagues and I on the human resources committee went on a very important trip to study labour shortages in Canada. We listened to dozens of witnesses in Vancouver, Whitehorse, Fort McMurray and Estevan.

I have to underline the incredible energy and remarkable sense of duty of all the witnesses whom we had the privilege of meeting. A clear majority of these westerners shared the common view that we need better social programs to support a booming economy.

They asked for affordable housing to retain a labour force for small businesses, which would be good for the economy; for a child care program that would assist single parents to apply for a job, which would be good for the economy; and for more resources to address low literacy so that workers can learn how to read and apply for better jobs, which would also be good for the economy.

The NDP wants to see a prosperous west, not just for the current boom but for the long term, a sustainable west.

The NDP will be there in 2015 to provide answers to westerners' concerns, and yes, that will be good for the economy.

Forestry

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Resolute Forest Products is now the largest manager of Forest Stewardship Council-certified forests in the world. This is a globally respected standard for sustainable forest management, reflecting the latest in scientific knowledge.

The total area of Resolute's FSC-certified forests in North America is 25.6 million acres, which is an area larger than Portugal. The Thorold mill in my region manufactures 100% recycled newsprint and is certified to the FSC recycled standard.

Only 9% of the world's forests are third-party certified to those management standards, and 40% of these forests are right here in Canada.

Our government is supportive of the forest industry, which is the third-largest contributor to the Canadian economy behind energy and minerals.

As the Prime Minister noted last month while announcing a significant federal investment in forestry research, “...money doesn't grow on trees, but trees can create prosperity...”.

Once again I am proud to note that our government and companies like Resolute Forest Products are committed to sustaining Canada's natural environment for future generations.

The Budget

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

Mr. Speaker, the past few days have been particularly trying for my colleagues. The mammoth Bill C-38 was passed after more than 22 hours of voting despite many amendments proposed by the opposition parties. The face of Canada has changed.

Now that it is the morning after the marathon, I would like to congratulate all MPs for their perseverance. It can sometimes be easy to feel discouraged, to wonder why we are here fighting for the values we all believe in.

I would also like to congratulate all of the staff who worked tirelessly to keep things rolling on the Hill. A big thank you as well to the people who sent us encouraging messages via social media.

Finally, I would like to most sincerely thank our staff for the professional and moral support they provide for our activities, day after day.

2012 Olympic Games

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS]

Mr. Speaker, this summer, as we saw in Vancouver, our Canadian Olympic team will participate in the Olympics, and the Olympics are the world championships in many sports.

Our athletes are going to go to London and proudly represent our country, stronger, higher and faster. Our athletes once again will represent us well.

Our women's soccer team has an opportunity to medal. Soccer is one of the proudest sports in the world, one of the most well-attended and well-respected sports in the world. Our women's team is going to compete with the best.

I want to wish all of our athletes the best of luck when they participate in London. I cannot wait to cheer team Canada on. I cannot wait to see how many medals they bring back. Go, Canada, go.

Human Rights

[Irwin Cotler, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to highlight the grave plight of two courageous Iranians emblematic of the criminalization of innocence in Ahmadinejad's Iran.

The first is Ronaghi Maleki, one of the first Iranian bloggers, sentenced in 2009 to 15 years' imprisonment for blogs critical of the regime. Maleki has suffered from kidney disease since his imprisonment, aggravated by abuse from prison authorities, and is on a hunger strike to protest his conditions, his life hanging by a thread.

The second is Abdolfattah Soltani, a distinguished Iranian human rights lawyer sentenced to 13 years in prison by a Tehran revolutionary court for co-founding the centre for human rights, on trumped-up charges of spreading anti-government propaganda.

These charges are reflective of the massive human rights violations in Iran today, of the persistent and pervasive state-sanctioned assault on the human rights of the Iranian people, as well as on those who would defend them.

We call on the government of Iran to release Mr. Maleki for urgent medical leave and to drop all charges against Mr. Soltani.

I hope that members of the House will join in solidarity with these two courageous Iranians and with the courageous Iranian people.

Korea

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, 25 years ago at the Brandenburg Gate in June 1987, President Reagan called on Gorbachev to “tear down this wall”.

Germany was able to reunite as a democracy and showed that Soviet communism was a failed experiment.

Sadly, more than 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, there remains a place where a nation and people are divided, where one side enjoys freedom while the other side lives under repression. The demilitarized zone between South and North Korea is the last visible scar of the Cold War. It reminds us how the North Korean regime continues to forcibly stop its population from finding a better life.

The unification of the Koreas will one day become a reality.

Canada calls on North Korea to close this sad chapter in its history and work toward promoting the well-being of its people and stability on the Korean peninsula.

Essential Services

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are behaving as though essential services have no impact on the Canadian economy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Services that Canadians rely on are key elements of economic stability. The Conservatives have slashed those services without evaluating the consequences of their actions.

We also need to think about what this means for the future of the thousands of Canadians who work hard to serve the public and who have received vague letters telling them their jobs might be eliminated. Imagine having to spend the summer with this sword of Damocles hanging over your head. Imagine the impact this would have on your family, your children—those long months not knowing what the future holds. Imagine how hard it would be to continue to participate in your community life and in put money into your local economy.

Entire regions are having to deal with this tough reality. This is a far cry from responsible economic management.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Mr. Speaker, good morning on the next day of the House of Commons, following Wednesday.

Elder abuse is unacceptable and should not be tolerated. Unfortunately, it continues to happen in communities across Canada. Elder abuse robs older people of their dignity and peace at a time in life when they need to feel secure. That is why our government remains committed to increasing awareness of these serious issues through elder abuse awareness campaigns, such as the new horizons for seniors program, just like the one in Wasaga Beach, the Prime Time Club, in my local riding of Simcoe—Grey.

In recognition of the seventh World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, it gives me great pleasure to rise in this House to acknowledge and congratulate the latest recipients of the pan-Canadian new horizons funding to combat elder abuse just announced by the Minister of State for Seniors this morning in Toronto.

Today, on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, I encourage all members of the House to stand with the government to combat elder abuse in all its forms.

Bill C-38

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, in under 24 hours, the Conservatives voted to scrap the Environmental Assessment Act, end fish habitat protection and sabotage the National Energy Board.

The NDP proudly opposed those measures. Yesterday, despite his arrogance, the Minister of Finance was also unable to explain the link between assisted human reproduction measures and the budget.

Do the Conservatives realize that Bill C-38 will weaken our laws and our economy?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, quite the contrary. The facts are clear. This government has the best job creation record in the G7. We have the soundest fiscal situation in the G7. We have the strongest economic growth in the G7. The NDP's policies are to increase taxes, the deficit and spending and send billions of taxpayer dollars to European banks. That party is against developing our natural resources. That is why Canadians trust this government's record when it comes to the economy.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, if the minister is so proud of these changes, why did he not run on them?

Yesterday the Minister of Finance admitted that he had not read the whole bill. He could not answer basic questions about how the bill had anything to do with the budget. Then the minister acknowledged that the bill had mistakes and yet he still voted down any opposition attempt to fix those mistakes. It is a shameful lack of accountability.

When will the Conservatives drop the stubbornness and agree to fix their flawed budget bill?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, the only thing that is flawed is having an official opposition that has no focus on the creation of jobs, prosperity or economic growth. This government has the best job creation record in the developed world since the global downturn and the soundest fiscal situation in the G7. We have the lowest federal taxes as a share of our economy since 1964 and the strongest growth today, all of that reinforced by Moody's giving us the highest credit rating in the developed world.

This government is delivering on jobs and long-term prosperity for Canadians and we will not accept being lectured on an economic policy by a party that is opposed to development.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it was the Conservative finance minister who admitted he had not read the bill. It is really outrageous.

The courts have already pointed out a major flaw in the government's Trojan Horse. The Federal Court has ruled that the Conservative plan to cancel backlogged applications from skilled workers is in violation of the law.

The NDP had warned the Conservatives. The courts are now ordering them to stop.

Will the Conservatives change the law or will they treat the courts as sworn enemies?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, we will take action to speed up our immigration process so that it works for Canadians, our economy and newcomers. It is unacceptable that immigrants have to wait 8, 10 or even 12 years for their applications to be processed. Had we implemented the NDP or Liberal policies, the immigration backlog would have risen to 1.5 million, which would have taken more than a decade to process. We want a system that works well for the Canadian economy.

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it has to sting the Conservatives to be rebuked by the court before they were even able to force their Trojan Horse bill through the House. It must be some kind of record.

The court's decision highlights the recklessness of the Conservative bill. The Minister of Immigration has no plan. He is making it up as he goes, and it is Canadians who will pay the price.

Will the government comply with Justice Rennie's decision? Will it process the outstanding applicants?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, we are reviewing the decision, but on the matter of policy, here is a choice we have. We can continue to grow massive backlogs in our immigration system, which is what the opposition parties want us to do. They do not even want us to control the number of incoming applications, so they want endless growth in the backlogs. They were not satisfied with eight-year wait times. They want 10-, 12-, 15-year wait times to get into Canada.

We know that is not working for newcomers. It is not working for our economy. New Canadians want an immigration system that works just in time so we can connect them, as much as possible, with the jobs that are available in our economy and so they can come to Canada and realize—