Debates of Nov. 8th, 2013

Tourism

[Maxime Bernier, Conservative, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say to my colleague that we are promoting Canada, both within the country and abroad.

I recently went to China with the Canadian Tourism Commission to ensure that our Chinese friends can travel to Canada. As everyone knows, we signed a co-operation agreement with the Chinese government. There will be even more Chinese tourists and that is good for the Canadian economy.

Foreign Affairs

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, government officials confirmed yesterday that Bill C-6 would still allow Canadian personnel to authorize the use of cluster munitions. People are concerned this could undermine the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Seventeen NATO countries have already ratified the treaty without this kind of exception.

Will the government work with us to close the loopholes in the bill?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for this thoughtful and important question.

Obviously, these weapons cause devastating effects on civilian populations. Some 30 years after the war in Vietnam, Laos still has more than 80 million unexploded ordinances, and this is killing people each and every week, maiming them, taking their limbs.

We want to implement this convention as effectively as possible. We are always very pleased to work with the opposition. I can guarantee that the Canadian Forces would never use these types of munitions and we are prepared to eliminate the stockpiles that we have.

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada ratified the Anti-Personnel Mines Convention without including exceptions for interoperability. This has not affected in the least our joint missions with the U.S. and our other allies. The bill to implement the Convention on Cluster Munitions does provide for exceptions in the name of this interoperability.

Civilians represent 98% of the victims of cluster munitions. Is the government ready to work with us in order to fix this bill?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I have visited the victims of these cluster munitions. More than 30 years after wars have ended, these weapons continue to take limbs and lives. We want to do everything we can to rid the world of the scourge of these weapons.

Not all countries have adopted the position that Canada has. There is a small number, which could be counted on one hand, per year. The Obama administration has not signed on and we wish it had. But we are prepared to work with the opposition to create as strong a bill as possible, at the same time supporting the training of our military leadership when they have interoperability measures with the United States.

Status of Women

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this week we learned that the leader of the Liberal Party insulted women across this country and across all party lines with an invitation to a women only event in Toronto. Sadly, the invitation implies that women are only concerned with pressing issues, such as their favourite virtues. Well, how demeaning.

Personally, as the father of three daughters, I can say that all members on this side of the House believe every issue and all issues are women's issues.

Could the Minister of Status of Women update the House on our government's actions to create jobs for not only women but all Canadians?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, our government is focused on what matters to Canadians, including women: jobs and long-term prosperity. In Canada in 2013, women are accountants, electricians, engineers and even pediatric orthopedic surgeons. The invitation to the fundraising event was both demeaning and unacceptable. It suggested that women are shallow and incapable of discussing serious issues.

Important issues face Canada right now. Unlike the Liberal leader who thinks that women are incapable of participating and contributing to Canada's economy, our government applauds women and all their capabilities. Maybe the reason he refuses to discuss economic issues with women is that he is actually incapable of doing so. I think he is in a little over his head.

Official Languages

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the last report from the Commissioner of Official Languages points to a disturbing situation regarding of the use of French in the federal public service. The report makes a link between the inadequate delivery of services in French and budget cuts in the public service.

Has the government examined the negative effects of these cuts, and has it consequently planned measures to address this reduction of services in French?

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question and congratulate her for currently sitting in the parliamentary committee where I have the pleasure of working with her.

I would like thank the Commissioner for his annual report. I am proud of our government's unprecedented commitment to both of our official languages. We will continue giving Canadians the opportunity to learn our two national languages to enhance the vitality of our official-language minority communities.

Economic Development

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

Mr. Speaker, mourning will take time, but the very courageous people of Lac-Mégantic are ready to rebuild.

Business people will be part of the solution, but many of them are struggling right now because the town's commercial core was decimated by the tragedy.

Will the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec listen to the chamber of commerce and business people in the Megantic region and set up a special funding program to help businesses get back on their feet, in addition to the decontamination and reconstruction budget that has already been announced?

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec's mandate focuses on economic development. We are always concerned about regions that are struggling, and we will help them.

Government Priorities

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians were told yesterday, in a shocking admission, that the leader of the Liberal Party believes that dictatorships, countries without freedom, human rights, or basic rule of law, are nations to uphold and celebrate. These inflammatory comments further demonstrate that the leader of the Liberal Party lacks the judgment to lead.

Would the Minister of State for Multiculturalism please update the House on the values our Conservative government upholds at home and abroad?

[Tim Uppal, Conservative, Minister of State (Multiculturalism)]

Mr. Speaker, the comments made by the leader of the Liberal Party are an insult to the many Canadians who have fought for the basic values and freedoms we enjoy today. His answer demonstrates again the long-standing position of our party that he is in over his head.

Having met so many Canadians who have faced persecution abroad, I assure them that we will always stand up to promote and defend the values Canadians cherish, including democracy and freedom, not dictatorships.

Yet again, the Liberal leader's comments demonstrate that he is not fit to lead the greatest democracy in the world.

Passport Canada

[Claude Patry, Bloc, Jonquière—Alma, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has slated the Jonquière passport office for elimination even though the office runs well, is familiar to people, and is ideally located in the centre of the region. People are taking action. They are asking Ottawa to keep the service near them. They have every reason to fear that the closure will have a negative impact.

Why does the government want to take the passport office away from the people of Jonquière? Will it instead commit to keeping these offices open?

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Minister of State (Social Development)]

Canadians continue to benefit from the high quality of service they have always received from the passport program, now at Service Canada offices. There will be no staff reductions as a result of this change. Some of the changes that have occurred mean that there are Service Canada passport offices very close by. In fact, we have increased the number of offices in Canada where passport services are available so that more communities have passport services than ever before.

Natural Resources

[Bruce Hyer, Independent, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, two years ago, Mark Carney and I called for Alberta oil to flow to eastern Canada, but this is a good idea only if we require that the pipeline fuel Canadian jobs and energy security.

We export discounted crude while eastern Canada depends on expensive oil from Arabia and Venezuela.

Buy high, sell low, export jobs: a brilliant business plan. When will our Prime Minister stop shilling for U.S. oil interests?

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, our government welcomes the prospect of transporting Canadian crude oil from western Canada to consumers and refineries in eastern Canada, and ultimately, to new markets abroad.

We are encouraged by the Deloitte Touche study that predicts a high potential for construction and operating jobs and economic growth, particularly in Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada.

We will only allow energy projects to proceed if they are proven safe for Canadians after an independent, science-based environmental and regulatory review has taken place.

Democratic Reform

[Dean Del Mastro, Independent, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this week, the Saskatchewan legislature voted unanimously in support of abolishing the Senate. In his remarks, Premier Wall stated that reforming the Senate is no longer viewed as a viable option.

I want to be clear. I stand with the member for Beauce, as a matter of fact, in support of Saskatchewan's conclusion and feel it is time to give Canadians a say on the future of the Senate through a clear referendum question. While I understand the Constitution does not allow for abolition through referendum, it would provide support and inform the Supreme Court, provincial legislatures, and indeed, this Parliament if we did, in fact, proceed to a referendum.

Would the Minister of State (Democratic Reform) indicate to the House whether he is considering such a move?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Minister of State (Democratic Reform)]

Mr. Speaker, first, I congratulate both Premier Wall and that member for raising a very important issue. Canadians have waited almost a century and a half for the Senate to change. Unfortunately, it has been frozen in time since Confederation.

We continue to believe that the preferable option is democratic bicameralism, an elected Senate accountable to Canadians, representing the regions from coast to coast. We hope to make some incremental progress toward that goal in the coming weeks, but our position has also been that if the Senate does not change, is not reformed, then, like its provincial counterparts, it should vanish.

Official Languages

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Joe Comartin]

I have the honour to lay upon the table the annual reports on the Access to Information and the Privacy Acts of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages for the year 2012-13.

This report is deemed permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Drug-Free Prisons Act

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-12, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Library of Parliament

[Bradley Trost, Conservative, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament, entitled “Quorum and Mandate of the Committee”.

Foreign Affairs and International Development

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development concerning the situation of Jewish refugees from Middle Eastern nations.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

Electronic Monitoring

[Bryan Hayes, Conservative, Sault Ste. Marie, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a certified petition calling on the Government of Canada to provide stronger control in the form of GPS tracking technology to trace the whereabouts of violent criminals who have been released into the general public.

A failure of policy allowed Andre Denny to be out, unsupervised, from the East Coast Forensic Hospital, which resulted in the tragic death of my constituent's brother, Mr. Raymond Taavel. May he rest in peace.

Restrictions on Navigation

[Marc-André Morin, NDP, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present to the House six petitions signed by people in my riding and elsewhere in Canada. The petitioners are calling on the House to adopt my motion, Motion No. 441, which will be debated today. It aims to simplify the process for obtaining restrictions on navigation on lakes and waterways.