House of Commons Hansard #27 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was cyberbullying.

Topics

International DevelopmentOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Newmarket—Aurora Ontario

Conservative

Lois Brown ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development

Mr. Speaker, indeed, the refunding conference is taking place in Washington on Monday and Tuesday, and Canada will have a representative there. It is a little bit like Christmas, though; we have to wait until the day comes before we make that announcement.

While I have the floor, I would like to take a moment to thank Canadians for the incredible generosity that they have given to the Typhoon Haiyan relief fund. That matching fund has been extended by our Conservative government until December 23. I urge Canadians to continue to generously contribute.

TaxationOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

NDP

Jean-François Larose NDP Repentigny, QC

Mr. Speaker, at a time when its public service cuts are forcing more and more Canadians to rely on charitable organizations, the government continues to refuse to acknowledge the importance of this sector to our economy. Charities account for more than 7% of our GDP, generate more than $100 billion in economic activity every year and create thousands of jobs.

Will the government commit to making it easier for the charitable sector to access assistance for businesses?

TaxationOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

South Shore—St. Margaret's Nova Scotia

Conservative

Gerald Keddy ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue and for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is alluding to the charities and we should be clear that the rules regarding charities and political activities are long-standing. Our Conservative government has always supported charities and their ability to exist within the tax rules in Canada.

Economic action plan 2012 provided the CRA with additional tools and resources to increase transparency in the charitable sector.

MulticulturalismOral Questions

12:10 p.m.

Conservative

David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON

Mr. Speaker, as we enter the Christmas season, I hear a lot about political correctness and wishing someone merry Christmas. There are those who will say, “do not say merry Christmas; say happy holidays”.

Political correctness is deluding Christmas in a well-intentioned but unnecessary attempt to be inclusive. After all, we deck the halls of Parliament with Christmas trees, not holiday trees.

As we spread holiday cheer this Christmas season, I ask the Minister of State for Multiculturalism if he considers it an offence to wish someone merry Christmas during the holiday season?

MulticulturalismOral Questions

12:10 p.m.

Edmonton—Sherwood Park Alberta

Conservative

Tim Uppal ConservativeMinister of State (Multiculturalism)

Mr. Speaker, as a non-Christian myself, I do not find this offensive at all.

Canada has a long tradition of pluralism and it is truly wonderful that people of all faiths are able to practice and celebrate their traditions openly in Canada.

During this season of Hanukkah, we wish our Jewish friends, Chag Hanukkah Sameach.

During Vaisakhi, we wish Sikhs, Vaisakhi diyan lakh lakh Vadhaiyan.

True diversity means respecting the traditions of all Canadians, including those of Christian Canadians. I ask all members during this Christmas season to wish our Christian friends a very merry Christmas.

International TradeOral Questions

12:10 p.m.

Bloc

Claude Patry Bloc Jonquière—Alma, QC

Mr. Speaker, Quebec's milk and cheese producers protested yesterday. They are demanding that the federal government deliver on its promise to compensate them for the huge losses they will incur as a result of the European free trade agreement.

Under this agreement, 17,770 additional tonnes of European cheese will be imported. As the president of the Fédération des producteurs de lait du Québec said, “The concession represents more than the total production in the Lac-Saint-Jean area, which is huge”.

When will Quebec's cheese producers be compensated?

International TradeOral Questions

12:10 p.m.

Durham Ontario

Conservative

Erin O'Toole ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member would know, the Dairy Farmers of Canada appeared before our trade committee. With a riding with dairy farmers, I have been talking about the opportunity CETA holds to open up the entire cheese market of 500 million Europeans to our cheese manufacturers.

With cheese growing at 6,000 tonnes per year, the phase-in of this agreement means that it will likely have no impact on production levels for our top level dairy farms in Quebec and Ontario. It will be a win for all sectors, a win for Canada.

International TradeOral Questions

12:10 p.m.

Bloc

Claude Patry Bloc Jonquière—Alma, QC

Mr. Speaker, cheese producers are still waiting for compensation, but exactly one month ago, the federal government gave $280 million in compensation to Newfoundland fishermen, who were also affected by the free trade agreement.

Why is it so easy to find millions of dollars for Newfoundland, but not so easy to find money for Quebec's cheese producers?

International TradeOral Questions

12:10 p.m.

Durham Ontario

Conservative

Erin O'Toole ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member spoke about fishermen. Our trade committee was just in Halifax this week, where we talked about the tremendous opportunity the European deal has for the seafood industry in all of Atlantic Canada. In fact, lobster has a tariff rate of 8% for fresh lobster, but in the 20% range for processed seafood.

This will be a win, not only for the fishers on our oceans, but the processing industries in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland will be huge winners when these tariff walls come down.

Government AccountabilityOral Questions

12:10 p.m.

Independent

Brent Rathgeber Independent Edmonton—St. Albert, AB

Mr. Speaker, last spring the Auditor General showed that the government was unable to account for some $3.1 billion allocated to combat terrorism.

Then the AG stated that the opaqueness of the entire system was making the tracking of the money virtually impossible. However, after six months, it appears that the Treasury Board now believes that it can account for all of the money. Some of it was improperly tagged or labelled in wrong envelopes. Some of it had apparently lapsed or was not spent and was returned to the general revenue fund.

My question for the President of the Treasury Board is this. What has the government, elected on a promise of accountability, done to promote transparency and to prevent such accounting debacles in the future?

Government AccountabilityOral Questions

12:10 p.m.

Parry Sound—Muskoka Ontario

Conservative

Tony Clement ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board

Mr. Speaker, the money the hon. member is speaking of was money that was allocated between 2001 and 2009 and was dedicated to combatting terrorism and making sure that Canadians were safe from terrorism, so it was money well spent.

He is absolutely correct, the Treasury Board did undertake a process to reconcile all of the money that was spent, $12.9 billion over that nine year period, and to ensure that this was accounted for. In fact, it was accounted for.

In terms of his question, I would only say that we now have online budget accounts, by department, by program, available to parliamentarians and available to citizens.

Employment InsurancePoints of OrderOral Questions

12:15 p.m.

Calgary Southeast Alberta

Conservative

Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

I would like to table a document with respect to the connecting Canadians with available jobs initiative, consequent to an item that came up in yesterday's question period.

Employment InsurancePoints of OrderOral Questions

12:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Can I ask the hon. minister if the document he wishes to table is in both official languages?

Employment InsurancePoints of OrderOral Questions

12:15 p.m.

Conservative

Jason Kenney Conservative Calgary Southeast, AB

Yes, it is, Mr. Speaker.

Government Response to PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

12:15 p.m.

Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan

Conservative

Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 30 petitions.

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern DevelopmentCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

12:15 p.m.

Conservative

Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development in relation to the study of supplementary estimates (B) 2013-14.

National DefenceCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

12:15 p.m.

Vancouver Island North B.C.

Conservative

John Duncan ConservativeMinister of State and Chief Government Whip

Mr. Speaker, I think if you seek it, you shall find unanimous consent for the following motions.

First:

That, in relation to its study of care of ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members, twelve members of the Standing Committee on National Defence be authorized to travel to Petawawa, Ontario, in the Fall-Winter of 2013, and that the necessary staff accompany the Committee.

(Motion agreed to)

International TradeCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings

12:15 p.m.

Vancouver Island North B.C.

Conservative

John Duncan ConservativeMinister of State and Chief Government Whip

Second:

That, in relation to its studies on the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Benefits for Canada of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), twelve members of the Standing Committee on International Trade be authorized to travel to Vancouver, British Columbia, in the Winter of 2014, and that the necessary staff accompany the Committee.

(Motion agreed to)

Income Tax Deductions for TradespeoplePetitionsRoutine Proceedings

12:15 p.m.

NDP

Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure I table a petition from the residents of Edmonton, Fort Saskatchewan, Leduc, and Tofield, Alberta. The petitioners bring to the attention of the House that many out-of-work tradespeople currently have to finance their own travel and accommodation if they have to move to another region to obtain a job, which is, of course, what the government is trying to encourage.

The petitioners call on the Parliament of Canada to support private member's Bill C-201, tabled by the member for Hamilton Mountain, which would allow tradespeople and indentured apprentices to deduct travel and accommodation expenses from their taxable income so they could secure and maintain employment at construction sites more than 80 kilometres from their homes.

PensionsPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

12:15 p.m.

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB

Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure I table today a petition from many residents in Winnipeg North who are calling upon the government to recognize the importance of our old age pension.

In particular, the petitioners say that people should be able to continue to have the option to retire at the age of 65 and that the government should not, in any way, diminish the importance and value of Canada's three major seniors' programs: OAS, GIS, and CPP.

Genetically Modified AlfalfaPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

12:15 p.m.

NDP

Kennedy Stewart NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today. The first petition is signed by dozens of citizens from my riding concerning genetically modified alfalfa.

The petitioners note that contamination from genetically modified alfalfa is inevitable. They are calling upon the Government of Canada to impose a moratorium on the release of genetically modified alfalfa.

Income Tax Deductions for TradespeoplePetitionsRoutine Proceedings

12:15 p.m.

NDP

Kennedy Stewart NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is with respect to Bill C-201 regarding the right of tradespeople and indentured apprentices to deduct travel and accommodation expenses from their taxable income.

I have many friends in the building trades who I know would support this petition, and I really urge the government to take it seriously.

Extractive SectorPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

12:20 p.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by hundreds of Quebeckers who are calling for the creation of an extractive sector ombudsman.

While much of Canada's extractive sector demonstrates exemplary corporate citizenship, the international activities of certain Canadian companies are deeply troubling from a human rights perspective.

The ombudsman called for by this petition would help ensure the corporate accountability of Canada's extractive industry at home and abroad.

Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

12:20 p.m.

Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan

Conservative

Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 5, 6, 12, 21, 29, 42, 44 and 60.

Question No. 5Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

12:20 p.m.

NDP

Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON

With regard to residency questionnaires for citizenship applications: (a) what is the total number of questionnaires sent out by Citizenship and Immigration Canada for each of the last five years; (b) what is the total number of questionnaires sent to citizenship applicants living in the riding of Ottawa Centre for each of the last five years; (c) what is the total number of questionnaires sent out by province for each of the last five years; (d) if the use of questionnaires has increased, what is the rationale; and (e) what are the names of all documents describing the criteria of assessment used to determine whether a residency questionnaire will be administered to an applicant?