Debates of Oct. 21st, 2013

International Trade

[Diane Ablonczy, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, our government and our Prime Minister are pleased today to be able to deliver for Canadians the Canada–Europe free trade agreement. This historic trade agreement will provide our producers with access to a market of 500 million people. It will be a tremendous boost to our country.

For our farmers, CETA is a huge win. It will remove tariffs on key agricultural exports, including our world-class beef and pork, wheat, soybeans, canola, grains, fresh and frozen vegetables, and countless other products. Even Canadian maple syrup will finally become duty free.

As we move to ratify this historic breakthrough for Canada, it is very disappointing to see the New Democrats once again cave in to special interests and refuse to support this progressive agreement.

On our side of the House, we strongly endorse CETA. It will create thousands of jobs and provide economic opportunity for all Canadians.

Yolette Café

[Paulina Ayala, NDP, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to use my time here today to pay tribute to all the volunteers who dedicate themselves to the well-being of their fellow citizens.

In my riding of Honoré-Mercier, one such person is Yolette Café, a single mother of five who, despite her precarious situation, has been volunteering for 27 years. One example of her vision and dedication is the Centre d'entraide aux familles de Rivière-des-Prairies, which she founded.

The Corporation de développement communautaire de Rivière-des-Prairies recently honoured Ms. Café with an award, demonstrating her community's gratitude for her work.

Today I wish to extend my sincere thanks to Ms. Café and to all those like her who make our community a more caring, supportive place. I hope Ms. Café will inspire others to do the same.

International Trade

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the free trade agreement with Europe is a golden opportunity for the forestry sector.

This agreement will result in the immediate removal of European Union tariffs on forestry rights, which will make them more competitive and create conditions that promote job creation in this key industry.

Unfortunately, we know that the NDP position is identical to that of its provincial wing, Québec Solidaire, and that it is opposed to this agreement.

Our Conservative government supports trade and job creation. The NDP bows down before the unions and the Liberals prefer the drug trade.

Clayton Glenn

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Clayton Glenn was a pioneer and innovator whose remarkable career spanned the most dynamic period of Canada's airline industry. He was, to quote his friend Rémi Lafrenière, “an active participant, indeed more often than not the principal player, in just about every increment made in the aviation industry”.

After graduating from university, Clayton Glenn joined a fledgling airline called Trans-Canada Airlines where he worked on the North Star, taking a good airplane from the manufacturer and making it better. He was then seconded to work on the Avro jetliner and later designed improvements to a succession of well-known aircraft for the national carrier.

I was very honoured when Mr. Glenn shared his written memoirs with me. His account of his life in the airline industry is a gift to Canada, a treasure trove for historians. They illuminate key decisions by both industry and government that shaped today's air passenger sector.

To Elaine, his wife of 63 years, and daughter Holly, son Raymond, and their families, we offer our deepest condolences. They have lost a husband, father and grandfather. We have lost a great Canadian.

Elections Canada

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, under Elections Canada rules, candidates for the leadership of a political party are required to settle unpaid debts no later than 18 months after the vote. For the NDP, that deadline passed on September 24, yet several NDP leadership candidates are still in debt.

It is an offence under the Canada Elections Act to wilfully use loans to circumvent donation limits. Elections Canada, of course, has the power under the existing act to investigate or recommend charges against anyone who has done so.

NDP leadership candidates from 2012 have hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal loans.

Elections Canada can and should investigate whether NDP candidates used these loans to circumvent donation limits. The agency has certainly taken much more drastic actions over much smaller amounts. Elections Canada must apply the law and its discretion under the law equally and fairly to all parties.

Ethics

[Françoise Boivin, NDP, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Mike Duffy's lawyer just held a long press conference during which he revealed a lot about the Conservative Senate scandal.

For example, he revealed that Nigel Wright's lawyer is in possession of documents that allegedly implicate the Prime Minister directly.

He also revealed that the Prime Minister's Office allegedly threatened to throw Mike Duffy out of the Senate if he did not follow their plan, which included Nigel Wright giving a $90,000 cheque to Mike Duffy.

The Prime Minister's Office wrote out talking points for Duffy when the scandal broke. According to Nigel Wright, a number of senators have living arrangements similar to Mike Duffy's.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister's Office allegedly ordered Duffy not to co-operate with Deloitte in its review of his expenses.

All of this information directly contradicts everything the Conservatives have been saying since this whole thing started.

Enough with the cover-up. It is time for the Prime Minister to end his silence and tell the truth.

International Trade

[Robert Goguen, Conservative, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP came out against the Canada Europe trade agreement. The member for St. John's South—Mount Pearl said,“[It] will not fix our broken fishery — it will give it away”. The leader said, “There's going to be a hell of a price to pay”.

With 500 million potential customers, the EU is the world's largest importer of fish and seafood. On day one of the agreement, 96% of the current tariffs being levied on Canada's world-class fish and seafood will be eliminated. The agreement is a huge win for farmers and ranchers, with unprecedented access to delicious Canadian beef and pork. It is a win for Canadian consumers, who will be able to buy more goods at cheaper prices.

The NDP's position on the Canada Europe trade agreement is the same as its provincial wing Québec solidaire. We support free trade, the NDP supports no trade and the Liberals support the drug trade.

Ethics

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the Prime Minister thinks it was business as usual. Friday we posed straightforward questions and, again, Conservatives refused to provide details about their role in the Senate-PMO expense scandal.

Mike Duffy's lawyer today spoke at length and provided lots of new details. According to him, documents from the PMO outlined how this involved “cash for repayment”.

Could the Prime Minister confirm that his office threatened to kick Mike Duffy out of the Senate if he did not go along with their scheme?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear that we expect all parliamentarians to respect the letter and spirit of any rules regarding expenses and if they do not respect that, they can expect there to be consequences and accountability for their actions.

I will just say that I have noticed, obviously, NDP members' instant opposition to the Canada-Europe trade deal. I guess the reason we see them asking these kinds of questions is because on the big issues they are wrong.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, again, no clear answer.

Mike Duffy's lawyer says that he is in possession of documents that implicate the Prime Minister. Is the PMO really going to wait for Mr. Duffy's lawyer to release this evidence? Why will the Prime Minister's Office not release all documents to the public relating to this matter?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again, we have given all information to those authorities that are looking into this matter and we have been very clear. If anybody does not respect the rules, he or she will be held accountable. That is the standard Canadians expect and that is what we will continue to do.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, again, no clear answer.

The lawyer for former Conservative Senator Mike Duffy just said that the Prime Minister's Office coached Mr. Duffy and provided him with lines for dealing with the media over the repayment of his inappropriate expenses. Could the government confirm that this is the case?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again, we have made very clear here today and before that we expect all senators, all members of Parliament, to respect rules regarding expenses in both letter and spirit. If they do not do so, there will be consequences and there will be accountability. That is the position of the government and that is how we will continue to act going forward.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, in December 2012, the Prime Minister's chief of staff stated that several senators had arrangements similar to Mike Duffy's.

Will the Prime Minister tell us specifically who these senators are?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has answered all the questions on this matter.

In addition, Mr. Wright has taken full responsibility for his actions. We will continue to work with the authorities. We have brought forward a number of reforms to the Senate, but the NDP has consistently voted against them.

When they had the opportunity to call for changes to the Senate, they called for six new seats. I would call that a flip-flop.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, did the Prime Minister's Office instruct Mike Duffy not to co-operate with Deloitte in the audit of his expenses? If so, why?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has answered all the questions on this matter.

Honestly, NDP members actually have absolutely no leg to stand on. When they had a chance to demand reform in the Senate, what did they ask for? They asked for six seats of their own in the Senate. That is the reform they asked for.

What Canadians are talking about right now is hope and opportunity. It is the same hope and opportunity that we are seeing through a new trade agreement with Europe: 500 million new people open to Canadian small business people and to our farmers. That is good news for the economy. That is good news for all regions of the country.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, in the ethical scandal engulfing the Prime Minister the crucial issue is that secret $90,000 deal between Mike Duffy and Nigel Wright.

On June 5, the Prime Minister told the House that Mr. Wright acted entirely alone,“Those were his decisions. They were not communicated to me or to members of my office”. However, the RCMP says that is false. It says that at least three PMO staffers were informed: van Hemmen, Woodcock and Perrin, plus certain Conservative senators.

Now that he has been contradicted by the police, does the Prime Minister wish to amend his evidence?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I already answered this question several months ago. I answered based on the information I had at that time.

Of course, the reality is that these actions were the responsibility of Mr. Wright. Mr. Wright has accepted full responsibility for his actions, as he should.

In the meantime, the government is, of course, focused on making sure we create jobs and growth for Canadians, including the biggest trade agreement that we have ever had, the trade agreement that we concluded this week in Europe.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians would appreciate a focus on ethics. The Prime Minister says there are no PMO emails or other written materials in his office or anywhere in his government that relate in any way to the wrongful $90,000 Wright-Duffy deal, but again, the Prime Minister has been contradicted by the police. They have hundreds of pages of emails and a binder full of documentation, including that infamous February 20 email, which we learned today was indeed in the PMO's possession, specifically Mr. Woodcock's.

Does the government still have confidence in Mr. Woodcock, and does the government approve of his actions?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Once again, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Wright, by his own admission, is solely responsible for the decisions that he took. He has accepted full responsibility, and my office has provided authorities with all available information.

Of course, as I have said, we have heard all of these questions before. In the meantime, Canadians are focused on the economy, on jobs. That is what we will continue to do. We have the biggest trade deal in history, and we are going to move forward creating jobs and growth for Canadians.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the behaviour that landed Mike Duffy and the Prime Minister in their ethical scandal was originally discussed by Duffy with the Prime Minister's leading senators—LeBreton, Tkachuk, Stewart Olsen—and then Nigel Wright and others, and they all said okay, but when it all blew up in the government's face, an elaborate cover-up was then orchestrated by the PMO.

How is it credible for the Prime Minister to deny all knowledge, when every important person in his entourage was involved? Does he think people will believe that in Brandon and Provencher?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Once again, Mr. Speaker, as has been said before, Mr. Wright has accepted full responsibility for his decision in these matters. The position of the government, as I have said repeatedly, is that we expect all parliamentarians to respect rules regarding expenditure, not just the letter but the spirit of those rules, and if they do not respect those rules, they will suffer the consequences and be held accountable.

[Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe, NDP, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Chris Woodcock in the Prime Minister's Office said, and I quote, “We have been working on lines and a scenario for you that would cover all of your concerns, including cash for repayment.”

Can the Prime Minister's Office confirm whether it was informed of this arrangement, and if so, when?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Prime Minister has answered all the questions on this matter.

What we are really excited about is the fact that Canada just signed a historic free trade agreement with the European Union. The members opposite should really be excited about that too, because in every region of this country, this means hope and opportunity. It means new jobs. It means access to a market of 500 million people. It means prosperity. Eighty thousand net new jobs is what they should be talking about, because that is what Canadians are excited about and that is what they are talking about.