Debates of Nov. 18th, 2013

Intergovernmental Relations

[Annick Papillon, NDP, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, ministerial responsibility means being responsible for everything that happens in one's department. That is what ministerial responsibility is. Furthermore, Transport Canada's website indicates that that is indeed the case. Transport Canada owns and manages several public ports, including the Port of Québec.

Will the government take responsibility and demand that the work stop immediately until the government can hold proper public consultations in order to ensure that the residents and authorities of Quebec City know what is going on in this regard and can finally have their say?

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, the port of Quebec is an arm's-length organization, and as such is responsible for its own decisions. As a good corporate citizen, however, the port can consult the population when it comes to its development projects.

International Co-operation

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

Mr. Speaker, Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines two weeks ago. The destruction that the typhoon caused is horrific. Millions of people have been affected, with thousands of lives lost and absolute destruction of the whole community.

Can the minister please update the House with respect to actions taken by the Government of Canada to help the people in the Philippines who have been affected by this horrible tragedy?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Minister of International Development and Minister for La Francophonie]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, we extend our condolences to the families of the people affected by this tragedy. We join them in prayer.

We announced immediate emergency aid of $5 million when this tragedy struck. Then we announced that a fund would be set up to match charity donations here in the country. We also promptly deployed the disaster assistance response team. I am honoured to inform the House that, just today, the Prime Minister announced that Canada would contribute another $15 million in emergency aid. The $20-million contribution from the government combined with the matching funds add up to nearly $40 million in Canadian aid already in place.

Rail Transportation

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Speaker, three engineers died and many passengers were injured when a train derailed in Burlington, Ontario. The Transportation Safety Board made key recommendations to prevent future accidents, and now the board is accusing the government of failing to act, failing to put safety first. I met with a widow of an engineer who died in the crash, and she is demanding action from the government.

When will the minister fully implement all of the safety board's recommendations?

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, first I would like to convey my condolences to the families of those who perished in this tragic accident.

The health and safety of Canadians is a top priority of this government. Transport Canada continues to implement the Burlington report's recommendations. As well, VIA Rail, as the member probably knows, has committed to voluntarily installing voice recorders across its entire fleet.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Speaker, let us be specific. The safety board recommended installing an automatic braking system called “positive train control” in all trains, and video cameras in all locomotives. Together these measures will save lives. The American government has made emergency braking systems mandatory in all their trains, but here in Canada the minister would rather just talk, meet and delay.

More talk will not protect the public. Why will the government not act on rail safety?

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

That is nonsense, Mr. Speaker. Transport Canada continues to implement the Burlington report's recommendations. Positive traction control is not part of the TSB's recommendation, but Transport Canada is working with industry to look at possible fail-safe train controls. We continue to monitor the implementation of positive train control in the United States.

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary does not seem to have read all the reports.

The Conservatives need to take rail safety more seriously because, as we have said, voluntary measures are not working. In April 2012, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, the TSB, made recommendations during the investigation into the Burlington accident, but they were rejected. Now, in a new report, the TSB is accusing the Conservatives of not fulfilling their responsibilities.

When will automatic braking systems and video cameras be installed?

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, Transport Canada continues to implement the Burlington report's recommendations. VIA Rail has committed to voluntarily installing voice recorders across its fleet, but positive train control is not part of the Transportation Safety Board's recommendation. Transport Canada is working with industry to look at possible fail-safe train controls.

Champlain Bridge

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on another transportation file, families and elected officials in the greater Montreal area are concerned by the recent developments regarding the Champlain Bridge. For more than a year now, I have been asking the minister to unveil plan B. The public also has the right to know what it is.

Can the minister tell us his contingency plan should the bridge be closed prematurely?

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Minister of Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, it is clear that this member would have closed the bridge long ago. He has rejected all of the measures that we have put in place to maintain the existing bridge. In fact, this government has invested $380 million in maintaining the existing bridge. The bridge is safe. It is monitored daily by groups of engineers. They will continue their work and, in addition, we will build a new bridge.

National Defence

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Department of National Defence is considering chopping an infantry battalion as part of its effort to control its spending. This is of great concern to Manitobans.

My question is for the Minister of National Defence. Can the minister guarantee that 2PPCLI and CFB Shilo are in Manitoba for the long term and will not be impacted by the DND cutbacks?

We are talking about billions of dollars of national defence cuts that are on the horizon. Will the minister stand in his place and give that guarantee today?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we have grown the size of Canada's military men and women consistently, along with the equipment they need.

This is in complete contrast to what the Liberals did during their years in office. We will never go back to what the Liberals did.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the national shipbuilding plan is completely adrift and the Conservatives are hiding the real costs. This is yet another example of financial and management incompetence by the government.

Has the minister, who has so far refused to answer questions today, learned from the F-35 stealth jet debacle? Or is she keeping two sets of books to mislead the public about the true cost of the ships, just as was done with the jets?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, that is so far from the truth that it is hard to comment on it.

What I can say is that we are committed, unlike the Liberals, to making sure that our men and women in uniform, whether they are in the navy or the coast guard, get the equipment they need and deserve to serve Canadians well.

The new national shipbuilding procurement strategy has been applauded so far, and it is expected by industry analysts that it will create 15,000 jobs and $2 billion a year in economic activity over the next 30 years.

Health

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health made a heartless decision to prevent those who need access to medicalized opiates from having it.

She ignored her own experts and she ignored those who provide treatment when she changed the special access program.

Is it too much to ask of the minister to put ideology aside and support a method of treatment that is scientifically proven to be effective?

[Eve Adams, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, our policy is to take heroin out of the hands of addicts, not to put it in their arms.

We do support drug treatment programs that work to end drug use in a safe way, so that those who are struggling with addiction can recover and maintain a drug-free life. Drug treatment should be focused on ending drug use and recovering into a drug-free life.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is ironic that the only person suffering from addiction and who the Conservatives seem to have compassion for is the mayor of Toronto.

It is inexplicable that the minister went against her own department, attacking the experts. She chose to recklessly put lives at risk. No wonder her decision is now facing a court challenge.

Did the minister not learn anything from the Supreme Court decision on InSite? Will she reconsider providing this needed treatment?

[Eve Adams, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, under the special access program, Health Canada can approve emergency access to certain medicines for Canadians with rare diseases or terminal illness. This program was not intended as a way to give illicit drugs to addicts.

Our government's position against the use of dangerous and addictive drugs is clear. To keep dangerous drugs like heroin out of Canadian communities, our government has taken action to protect the integrity of the special access program and closed that loophole.

I will continue to protect Canadian families and continue investing in drug prevention programs for individuals and children.

[Robert Sopuck, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB]

Mr. Speaker, studies have shown that marijuana puts some teens at risk of developing addiction and mental health problems as adults.

Were the parents of the students at Sioux Valley first nation school, in Manitoba, told that the Liberal leader was going to promote marijuana legalization in front of their young children? This school is right next to my constituency.

Will the parliamentary secretary explain to my constituents what our government is doing to protect children from illicit drugs?

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

Mr. Speaker, promoting the legalization of illicit substances to young children is completely unacceptable and completely inappropriate. The Liberal leader should immediately apologize to the parents in Brandon, and to parents across Canada.

Being an overgrown flower child is no excuse for the remarkably poor display of judgment that the leader shows.

Veterans Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, last week over 3,000 people took part in a march to protest the closure of the Veterans Affairs office in Sydney, Nova Scotia. The march was led by veterans of the Second World War and Korean peacekeepers, some with walkers, others in wheelchairs. These same men and women were proud to march into battles all around the globe for their country, but they know it is wrong now to make them march to Halifax to see a caseworker.

Please do not give us the 600 points of service drivel. Do not insult the veterans with that. All they got was an 800 number and a busy signal.

Will the minister reconsider this wrong-minded decision?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, among the variety of options available to veterans, Veterans Affairs Canada caseworkers and nurses do personalized home visits for those who need them.

While the member opposite engages in scare tactics, we will continue to deliver services and support the veterans, no matter where they live in Canada.

If they need assistance, among the many services we offer, we will cut their grass, shovel their snow and clean their homes. That is our commitment to Canadian veterans, not the rhetoric from that side.

The Environment

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives continue to be dunces when it comes to the environment. They are not going to achieve their target of reducing greenhouse gases by 20%.

The minister still claims that she will reach her target despite the fact that she has failed to present any decent plan. The fight against climate change deserves better than the minister's wishful thinking.

People living in coastal regions and farmers deserve better than the Conservatives' inaction. Do the Conservatives understand that concrete action is needed in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to avoid the cost of inaction?