House of Commons Hansard #200 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was crime.

Topics

2 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

It being Wednesday, we will now have the singing of the national anthem led by the hon. member for Saint Boniface.

[Members sang the national anthem]

BurmaStatements by Members

2 p.m.

Conservative

Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC

Mr. Speaker, despite committing to a ceasefire last week, the Burmese military continues to shell Kachin state using heavy artillery and mortars, causing thousands to flee for their lives.

Last Thursday, the state capital, Laiza, was hit by mortars, killing three and injuring four more. The mayor reports that this city of 15,000 is largely deserted as people have fled into the countryside or into refugee camps. One camp, in a school on the edge of town, is now home for 7,500 people.

Some relief groups estimate as many as 100,000 people have been displaced within Kachin state. Without access to crops, clean water and proper sanitation, disease will be next.

This is a disaster in the making.

I call on the Burmese military to live up to its commitments and immediately cease offensive military operations in Kachin state and hopefully, as peace talks begin, bargain with the Kachin people in good faith.

The EnvironmentStatements by Members

2 p.m.

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, on January 21, in his inaugural address, United States President Barack Obama said the following:

We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and [our grandchildren]. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms.

In the same vein, the head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, spoke in Davos and identified the threat of climate change as a more significant economic threat than global economic instability. Finding a future path forward, President Obama called for U.S. leadership saying:

We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries—we must claim its promise.

So too must Canada. With a potential $60 billion in the clean tech sector, we should be seizing the leadership and addressing the climate crisis.

BlackBerryStatements by Members

2 p.m.

NDP

Glenn Thibeault NDP Sudbury, ON

Mr. Speaker, over 60 million people worldwide, politicians and professors, students and stockbrokers, two times the population of Canada, are all communicating with the BlackBerry. We are all proud of the contribution Canadian creativity has made to this global industry.

Research In Motion is, of course, a pioneer and after 14 years of revolutionizing the industry with its iconic BlackBerry, we congratulate it today on the launch of the BlackBerry 10.

Before a parliamentary committee, BlackBerry explained just how helpful government investments have been to the company. We are concerned about the impact budget cuts will have on innovation. We congratulate BlackBerry for its talent and perseverance.

The New Democrats know that Canadian ingenuity can still excel on the world stage. In fact, across Parliament Hill today we can see older devices being dropped in the snow, all in the hope of an upgrade to this cool new BlackBerry device.

Manitoba Ag DaysStatements by Members

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Merv Tweed Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Mr. Speaker, each in year in January, Brandon hosts Manitoba Ag Days. This year January 15 to 17 marked the 36th annual event. The three-day event is a free exposition of agricultural production expertise, technology and equipment that attracts exhibitors and visitors from across Canada and the United States. This year over 37,000 people attended. Among those visitors was the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

The minister and I had the chance to tour the 540,000 square foot Keystone Centre as every inch was packed with over 260 exhibits. After attending Ag Days, I joined the minister for a round table discussion with local ag producers and ag industry experts to discuss the challenges and successes currently affecting the ag sector.

I want to congratulate the organizers of Ag Days for another very successful event and I want to commend the minister and our government for their strong commitment to agriculture and rural Canadians. It is no surprise agriculture is at the heart of the Brandon—Souris economy.

Old Age SecurityStatements by Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON

Mr. Speaker, on this day in 1966, retiring Canadians qualified for monthly income support through the old age security program, created by Liberal Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson.

Liberals knew then, as we know now, that seniors helped to build our country and deserved dignity in their golden years. Sadly, Conservatives in 1966, just like the Conservatives today, opposed the notion that hard-working Canadians deserved income support from the federal government at the age of 65.

Canada is blessed with prosperity and prosperity must be shared. Therefore, why does the Prime Minister think lower income Canadians must work harder and wait longer to retire?

I have spoken to many seniors who have worked a lifetime, paid their taxes, raised their children and now they struggle just to buy groceries.

This is not the Canada for which we have all worked. I can only hope the government will restore the pension benefits it is taking from our low-income seniors. Prosperity must be shared by all or it is just opulence for a few.

Les PavelickStatements by Members

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Bradley Trost Conservative Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK

Mr. Speaker, a piece of Saskatchewania passed away last week. Les Pavelick, better known as “Metro”, died of a heart attack a week ago yesterday.

Les was a Saskatchewan original whose comedy works represented a slice of rural western Canadian culture that is slowly vanishing. The one-time radio ad salesman is better known for his creation of Metro, an accented, slightly exaggerated character who represented the homespun humour of the Prairies. As Metro, his comedy included music, most notably his 1975 recording 11 Days from Christmas, which included songs like Walkin' in my Winter Underwear and Chesnik Roasting on an Open Fire.

His humour was not just for himself; he entertained Canadian troops on overseas UN tours and working various fundraisers he helped to raise over a million dollars for charities and service groups in Saskatchewan. As his friend Sheila Pelltier said, “It's going to be a few hard days, but we know he's telling jokes up there. [He's]...still bringing joy and happiness to people through their memories”. We laughed with Les because we saw ourselves in him, our province, our friends and our family.

He is missed and lovingly remembered by his wife Barbara.

NWT DayStatements by Members

2:05 p.m.

NDP

Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise on NWT Day to celebrate the progressive people and government of the Northwest Territories. They know the key to prosperity is sustainability, protecting our fragile environment while carefully pursuing economic development.

As part of this process the NWT government has put in place a number of unique, exciting and purposeful strategies. The biomass strategy leads the country in converting public and commercial buildings from expensive and polluting fuel oil to clean renewable energy. Canada's first solar energy strategy will reduce the diesel fuel used for electrical generation in our communities.

The waters of the Northwest Territories remaining clean, abundant and productive for all time is the vision of the widely praised NWT water stewardship strategy. This strategy respects aboriginal rights and treaties and protects the values of all northerners when making decisions about NWT waters.

Tonight the NWT is hosting a gala at the Château Laurier. I hope all members will join us and learn more about the Northwest Territories.

Palliative Care TelethonStatements by Members

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Gord Brown Conservative Leeds—Grenville, ON

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend I had the pleasure to act for the last two hours with Jenn Ferguson, from JRfm in Brockville, on the annual Palliative Care Telethon that supports the work of the palliative care services department of the Brockville General Hospital. I am pleased to announce that this year's telethon raised over $203,000, which is $15,000 more than the previous record.

A number of people work hard each year to ensure that this telethon is a success. The community thanks Carol Davis, Joan Addison, Karen Mahon, Patsy Gills, Jean Grey, Ada Hodge, Kim Hodge-Vivian, and James McKenzie, along with Bruce Wylie, from the local radio station JRfm, who has acted as host for the telethon for many years.

I would also like to thank those who provided goods and services, and all of those in the community who supported the telethon. Without their efforts this telethon would not be the tremendous success that it is. I am very thankful that the community stepped up in such a wonderful way.

BlackBerryStatements by Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Harold Albrecht Conservative Kitchener—Conestoga, ON

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to congratulate Research In Motion, now BlackBerry, as well as the residents of Kitchener—Conestoga and all across Waterloo region, on the successful launch of the BlackBerry 10 platform.

At the forefront of Canadian innovation, BlackBerry employs some of the best and brightest in the industry. The success of this company has helped to build the reputation of Waterloo region as the leader in the technology sector, calling itself home to almost 1,000 high-technology businesses. BlackBerry has proven that we can build an iconic global brand right here in Canada.

Today marks the beginning of a new era for consumers, with a tradition of innovation. BlackBerry is reinventing the smartphone experience with BlackBerry 10 and changing the way we use mobile devices. The redesigned, re-engineered and reinvented BlackBerry platform will take us to true mobile computing over the next decade.

Congratulations, again, to all those who brought BlackBerry 10 to fruition. Their success is testament to the talent found right here in Canada. I thank them for their excellent work.

Queen's Diamond Jubilee MedalStatements by Members

2:10 p.m.

NDP

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

Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to pay tribute to the Diamond Jubilee Medal recipients who are involved in the community or politics, who are young role models and who provide services to others.

On January 21, nearly 150 people gathered in Val-d'Or to honour these dedicated individuals. Among the recipients were mayors, veterans, community volunteers and aboriginal leaders.

I am also pleased to be honouring seven additional people from my riding this weekend at Chibougamau city hall.

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to recognize these exceptional people by nominating them. I offer my heartfelt congratulations to all of the recipients, and I would like to thank them for what they do, because it makes our region stronger.

The NorthStatements by Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Ryan Leef Conservative Yukon, YT

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome to Ottawa the cabinet of the Northwest Territories, led by Premier Bob McLeod, as well as visiting members of the legislative assembly. Throughout the next three days, members of our government will be meeting and working in collaboration with the Government of the Northwest Territories to help advance northern priorities.

On this side of the House, our government and our Prime Minister have made the needs of the northern people a priority. We are making major investments in northern infrastructure projects that support northern prosperity, such as the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway. We have increased the northern territories' borrowing limits to allow more flexibility when addressing territorial priorities. We have delivered on new investments in northern health care, and we have eliminated the wasteful and ineffective long gun registry. In contrast, the member for Western Arctic voted against all of these initiatives.

I wish our northern guests all the best for a productive time in Ottawa, as we work together to improve the lives of all northerners.

AbortionStatements by Members

2:10 p.m.

NDP

Sana Hassainia NDP Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC

Mr. Speaker, 25 years ago this week, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that restricting abortion is an unconstitutional attack on women's rights, freedoms and security.

We in the NDP are proud to unequivocally support women's right to choose freely. The same cannot be said of the members across the floor. Since they came to power in 2006, the Conservatives have attempted on six separate occasions to reverse that Supreme Court decision.

Why so many underhanded attacks? Why do the Conservatives want to prevent women from having control over their own bodies?

The Prime Minister promised not to reopen the abortion debate, but clearly, once again, it is up to the NDP to stand up for women's right to choose.

The Conservatives continue to stubbornly defend regressive ideas that have been rejected by Canadians. It is not up to the church or the state to decide, and it is certainly not up to the Conservatives. Terminating a pregnancy is for the individual woman to decide, period.

New Democratic Party of CanadaStatements by Members

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Blake Richards Conservative Wild Rose, AB

Mr. Speaker, our natural resources sector plays a vital role in our economy. Projects such as the Keystone XL pipeline support 140,000 jobs for Canadians. While our government supports our natural resources sector, the NDP's plan for this sector is to send some of its senior NDP MPs to Washington to lobby against creating good Canadian jobs.

Our government is focused on jobs and economic growth, and that is why we are opening new markets for our natural resources sector. On the other hand, the NDP is focused on implementing a $21 billion job-killing carbon tax that would ruin employment opportunities in our natural resources sector. Our government will keep fighting the NDP's job-killing carbon tax and we will remain focused on what matters to Canadians: jobs and economic growth.

BlackBerryStatements by Members

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

Geoff Regan Liberal Halifax West, NS

Mr. Speaker, this is an exciting day for the hundreds of BlackBerry employees who work in my riding of Halifax West. Today the company launched the new BlackBerry 10. Just as a mere decade ago the first BlackBerrys changed how people on the go communicate, today's launch ushers in a new era of mobile computing.

Employees at the BlackBerry facility in Bedford already assist 79 million customers across the globe, and they will play a critical role in support of BlackBerry 10, which represents a redesigned, re-engineered and reinvented BlackBerry. I know that members of the House, so many of whom use BlackBerrys, will join me in congratulating this great, innovative Canadian company on the launch of BlackBerry 10 and in extending our best wishes for continued success.

New Democratic Party of CanadaStatements by Members

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Joan Crockatt Conservative Calgary Centre, AB

Mr. Speaker, everyone has heard the old saying “don't talk the talk unless you can walk the walk”. Unfortunately, I do not think the New Democrats truly understand the meaning of this statement. In fact, yesterday the Speaker had to put the NDP member for Timmins—James Bay in his place for using unparliamentary language, while the NDP ironically tabled a motion to improve House decorum. Better yet, this motion refers to instances of extreme misrepresentation of facts or position in the House.

Canadians are rightly worried about the New Democrats' misrepresentation of facts and positions. After all, the NDP is the party that has a $21 billion carbon tax in its policy documents, in black and white, and yet its members spent the fall denying it here in the House. We will continue to expose the NDP's $21 billion carbon tax that would raise the price of everything, including—

New Democratic Party of CanadaStatements by Members

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order, please. The hon. member for Halifax.

Foreign InvestmentStatements by Members

2:15 p.m.

NDP

Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS

Mr. Speaker, Canadians from coast to coast to coast, including three brave Conservative MPs, have written letters condemning the sell-off of our natural resources to a Chinese state-owned company.

In fact, as the member for South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale wrote, “our trading and investing relationship with China is one-sided and a...proposal of a similar magnitude and nature by a Canadian company in China would simply not be welcomed”.

The member for Medicine Hat wrote, “Canadian laws must prevail, and if we were to allow a state-owned company of a foreign nation...to buy a strategic asset here, we would be setting a very dangerous precedent”.

The member for Kitchener—Conestoga said, “this is an example of the most unfair trade possible...”.

Today I rise to salute those brave MPs who have stood up to the Conservative Prime Minister's reckless rubber-stamping and sell-off of our natural resources. Now, if only a few more Conservatives would follow their lead.

Leader of the New Democratic Party of CanadaStatements by Members

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB

Mr. Speaker, it is becoming quite clear that the NDP leader suffers from a common NDP problem: he has trouble with basic numbers. Yesterday the leader of the NDP stood here in question period and simply got it wrong on income inequality. The NDP leader stated:

Over the past three decades the income of the richest 20% of Canadians has increased, while for the other 80% net income is in fact down.

That is absolutely false. According to the Canadian socioeconomic database from Stats Canada, incomes for Canadians across all five quintiles are in fact up.

I will be sending a copy of its chart over to the leader of the NDP, and I am hoping when he begins question period today he will stand in his place and apologize for his extreme misrepresentation of all of those facts.

EmploymentOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Outremont Québec

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, more than five years after the recession hit in 2008, Canada's youth unemployment rate is still sitting at 15%, double the national average.

According to a report by TD Bank, this represents lost earnings of $11 billion to date, which will take a generation to recover. The high youth unemployment rate obviously has significant consequences for our economy.

Why are our young people not one of the Prime Minister's four priorities?

EmploymentOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, job creation and economic prosperity are our top priorities. In fact, the Canadian economy has created more than 900,000 net new jobs since the end of the recession. That is the best record of all G7 countries.

There are obviously still challenges in this regard, especially for some young people. That is why our budgets include specific measures for youth. I encourage the NDP to support these measures.

EmploymentOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Outremont Québec

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, young people suffered more than half of all the job losses during the 2008 recession. Nearly 280,000 jobs were lost among Canadian young people and to this day only about 30,000 have been recovered. Almost half of all young people who lose a job are not even eligible for EI. That is in the government's budget, which we will not support. That situation is made even worse by the Prime Minister's latest rounds of EI cuts.

Does the Prime Minister understand the devastating impact his failed policies are having on an entire generation of Canadian youth?

EmploymentOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister

Of course, Mr. Speaker, it is completely to the contrary. Since the recession ended we have created 900,000 net new jobs in this country, the best track record in the G7. There is no better place for a young person to be today than in Canada.

Challenges obviously still exist in the labour market and for young people. That is why the government has addressed this in a series of budgetary measures, things like the youth employment strategy that has created over 50,000 positions, the Canada summer jobs program and others, which the NDP unfortunately always votes against.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Outremont Québec

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, a year ago the Prime Minister promised to close the funding gap for first nations schools. Today school funding is still one-third less for kids in first nation communities than for other young Canadians. I do not think any parent in this country would stand idly by if this injustice were happening to their kids.

If the Prime Minister is serious about remembering historic anniversaries, how about this one: the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which is 250 years old this year and gives recognition and promises justice to first nations.

When is the Prime Minister going to start treating the children of all of our nations equally?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, let me repeat: It is the 250th anniversary of the Royal Proclamation, an historic event between first nations in Canada and this country that we all recognize and honour.

This government has built or renovated over 260 new schools. Not only have we made unprecedented investments in this area but we are also presently in consultation with first nations on how to improve an education system. We know we have to improve that system. We do not just want to throw money at a problem. We want to make sure we get the absolute best results for aboriginal young people because they will have more opportunities than any previous aboriginal generation.