Debates of Nov. 8th, 2013

True Patriot Love Foundation

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last night I attended the fifth annual True Patriot Love gala in Toronto. I joined almost 2,000 other Canadians in showing support for Canadian Forces members and their families. Two million dollars was raised for the important programs True Patriot Love runs for veterans, Canadian Forces members, and their families. I would like to thank the Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Leader of the Opposition, and many members of this House for joining me at that gala.

I also had the distinct honour to join Laureen Harper in presenting a Diamond Jubilee medal to Michelle Hickey. Michelle is a 21-year Canadian Forces veteran, a proud mom, and a member of the March to the Top expedition team.

A hearty “Bravo Zulu” to True Patriot Love and its sponsors. Congratulations to Michelle. Our thanks go to Canadians for last night and for the next week of supporting our veterans and our Canadian Forces.

Veterans' Week

[Laurin Liu, NDP, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this is Veterans' Week, and it is very important for Canadians to recognize the work done by all those who serve our country during armed conflict throughout the entire year.

This year we are thinking in particular about the veterans who participated in the Korean War, which ended 60 years ago. Korean War veterans are Canadians who became heroes by defending the values our country believes in: peace, liberty and justice.

As the member of Parliament for Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, I am proud to represent three Korean War veterans: Gerry Boudreau, Calvin Atkin, and Neil MacDonald. On behalf of Canadians everywhere, I thank them for their service and for their courage. We also owe our thanks to those who served in uniform and made the ultimate sacrifice.

In conclusion, I urge our government to acknowledge the sacred obligation we have towards our veterans.

Lest we forget. N'oublions jamais.

Remembrance Day

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

Mr. Speaker, today I stand and recognize New Ross Legion Branch 79 in my hometown. Branch 79, or as we say in New Ross, “the legion”, was built following World War II. My grandfather, my father, and my brother have all been presidents, and I am proud to be a 36-year member.

This year, the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, our community, like communities across Canada, will gather at the cenotaph to recognize and honour our veterans and the sacrifices they have made. It should be noted that the cenotaph in New Ross is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, World War I cenotaph in the country. It was erected in 1914-1915 to recognize the volunteers for World War I.

On November 11, we will recognize them again, along with all of our veterans, but especially our Korean War veterans in this, the 60th anniversary of that war.

Ringside for Heroes Event

[Parm Gill, Conservative, Brampton—Springdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week I had the opportunity to attend a tremendous event organized by the Canadian Emergency Services Boxing Association in partnership with the Royal Regiment of Canada. The event was held at the historic Fort York Armoury and featured sanctioned amateur boxing with Canadian Police and Canadian Forces versus the Boston Police.

Proceeds from the event benefited Canada Company, which provides post-secondary scholarships to children of fallen Canadian Forces members. Canada Company also supports the military employment transition program to help our veterans obtain meaningful work after serving Canada.

I would like to congratulate the Royal Regiment of Canada and Inspector Barry Dolan of the Peel Regional Police, who is the founder and president of the Canadian Emergency Services Boxing Association. They put together an excellent event that builds camaraderie between emergency services, Canadian Forces, and veterans, while benefiting veterans and the children of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for Canada.

Lest we forget.

Federal Public Service

[Dany Morin, NDP, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since the current government came into office, a disturbing trend has emerged in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean: jobs in the federal public service have become increasingly threatened.

I would like to give a few examples: the closure of the post offices in Port-Alfred and Jonquière; the attempt to close the Chicoutimi-Nord post office; the relocation of the Service Canada and Passport Canada offices in Jonquière; the closure of the Canada Revenue Agency counter in Chicoutimi; the contracting out of the Jonquière tax centre archives to private companies outside the region; the outsourcing of file processing for Canada Summer Jobs; the massive restructuring of jobs at National Defence; and the threat to reduce funding for the Aluminum Technology Centre.

What these examples have in common is that federal public service jobs in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean are being threatened.

To make the government aware of this problem, I wrote a letter to the Prime Minister and seven other ministers, calling on them to stop making cuts to the local services that people rely on.

I urge my colleagues to follow suit and seek firm commitments from the federal government on public service jobs.

Immigration

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Brampton West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today, I am going to speak about an exceptional Canadian, Luigi “Loui” Marcon. We will not read about him in a textbook, but we should. He is the epitome of the Canadian immigration success story.

Loui was born on October 31, 1939, a special Halloween treat for his parents. His dream was to come to Canada. His dream came true. He immigrated in 1958 and started working almost the same day. He was a highly skilled bricklayer, respected by his employers and his colleagues. Loui worked all across Ontario on many landmark projects in the Niagara region, including Ridley College, the Pen Centre, and Niagara Square. He worked until the day he retired, never requiring government assistance.

Loui has always been grateful for the life he made for himself and his family here in Canada and has always been a very proud Canadian. If there is one thing we can hold against him, it is that he is a Boston Bruins fan.

I am proud to call Loui my father-in-law and feel privileged to have been welcomed into his family.

Remembrance Day

[Anne-Marie Day, NDP, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in this time of remembrance, I would like to pay tribute to all of Canada's veterans and acknowledge the work of Canadian Forces personnel who are constantly striving to maintain peace in the world.

Thanks to my colleague, the member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, I recently had the opportunity to meet with veterans from my riding. I met Lucia Isabelle-Morand and Jean-Claude Morand during the annual poppy campaign in Charlesbourg.

I deeply admire and respect these Canadians, and I would ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the sacrifices made by our veterans to make Canada the peaceful country we enjoy today.

Let us humbly remember that it is everyone's responsibility to be respectful, open and resilient so that we can preserve the fragile peace that our ancestors, families and loved ones fought so hard to win.

Financial Literacy Month

[Rick Norlock, Conservative, Northumberland—Quinte West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to economic management, our Conservative government is leading the world. We have overseen the creation of over one million net new jobs, signed the Wayne Gretzky of trade deals, and are staying on track to balance our budget. We also cut the GST and created tax-free savings accounts that are now benefiting more than eight million Canadians. Consumers now have more money in their wallets. We are committed to protecting them. We banned unsolicited credit card checks, ensured that pre-paid cards never expire, and made certain that credit card companies provide timely advance notice of rates and fee changes.

However, we have not stopped there. November is Financial Literacy Month. All month long, we are holding events to help consumers learn the skills they need. We are ensuring that Canadians get clear and direct information on financial products so they can make the best financial decisions for their families. I encourage all Canadians to join in and attend an event in their area.

Remembrance Day

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let us fulfill the duty we have to remember at this time of year: remembering those who sacrificed their lives for our country, most of them barely in their prime. They contributed so much; we must not forget them.

My grandfather fought in the First World War. He was wounded twice, first at Lenz and again at Passchendaele. Then he helped build this nation. My father fought in the Second World War and spent his career with the Royal 22nd Regiment.

Our veterans deserve our greatest respect, because they have gone into the face of danger. Some have not returned. Some have seen their friends perish. Some have seen the horror of mutilated bodies or the deaths of innocent civilians. Few have not been profoundly changed by their experience. Many have returned wounded in body or in spirit, or in both.

We owe them so much.

Liberal and New Democratic Parties of Canada

[Ryan Leef, Conservative, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, our government is putting job creation and economic growth first, while the Liberals have now decided to join the NDP in its carbon tax plan. Their new alliance opposes energy infrastructure before it has undergone independent scientific review.

The Liberal leader has lent his support to the radical NDP centrepiece of irresponsible economic management, whose $20-billion carbon tax would raise the price on absolutely everything. However, our government rejects that idea to impose a job-killing carbon tax that would increase the price on everything, including gas, electricity, and groceries--a tax on all Canadians.

On this side of the House, we know that higher taxes hurt job creation. We know that it is the opposite of what Canadians expect of their government, so on this side of the House, we will not bow down to the NDP and Liberal coalition on a carbon tax.

Prime Minister of Canada

[Alain Giguère, NDP, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister would have us believe that his chief of staff, several employees, high-ranking members of his party and some of his closest allies cooked up the whole Senate scheme under his nose without his knowledge. Either he takes Canadians for fools, or he has shown a serious lack of judgment when it comes to choosing his advisors. Fortunately for him, the party flushed ministerial responsibility down the toilet a long time ago. In any private enterprise, a manager who allows his closest employees to break the law, whether he knows about it or not, is quickly shown the door.

The Liberal leader may continue to prefer sexist social events over grilling the Prime Minister. However, the NDP will not give up until we learn the full truth about this Conservative scandal. We will not drop it. Canadians deserve better. They deserve the truth.

Religious Freedom

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

Mr. Speaker, Canada was built on a foundation of freedom, one that includes freedom of religion. It is one that is cherished by all Canadians, a value that is constitutionally protected.

Yesterday the minority separatist Parti Québécois government introduced some legislation, and let me be clear that our government's position is very clear: nobody should be denied a job on the basis of criteria unrelated to the performance of that job. Nobody should have to choose between their job and their religion.

A Canadian is no less a Canadian because they wear a cross, a kippa, a Star of David, or a turban. Thankfully a majority of Quebec's National Assembly oppose this bill in its current form.

However, let us be very clear: if this bill passes, our Conservative government will act in order to protect the constitutional right to which all Canadians are entitled.

Ethics

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is fascinating to see that the Conservatives have so far refused to answer a very simple question. Let us try again.

Who in the Prime Minister's Office has been questioned by the RCMP?

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

Mr. Speaker, many Canadian families received good news this morning, because there are a lot of new jobs. That is good news for all Canadians.

We know that there is still a lot of work to be done, which is why we will continue to move forward with our economic action plan.

With respect to the member's question, Nigel Wright has identified in an affidavit the persons he brought into his confidence on this matter, but the issue, of course, is that Senator Duffy and these senators accepted payments to which they were not entitled, and those payments need to be repaid.

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, either they respond now, or they wait for the RCMP to show up before they start answering. It is up to them.

What documents from the Prime Minister's Office regarding the Wright-Duffy affair have been requested by the RCMP?

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to be very clear. The Prime Minister's Office is not under investigation, but of course we are assisting with the RCMP in this matter.

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a criminal investigation on the actions of staff in the Prime Minister's Office should be treated more seriously by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister.

When did the Prime Minister find out that the Conservative Party initially agreed to pay Mike Duffy's illegal expenses when it believed he owed only $32,000?

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

Mr. Speaker, let me outline the timeline.

On February 13, when Senator Duffy came to the Prime Minister to try to justify his inappropriate expenses, the Prime Minister told him he had to repay those inappropriate expenses. Mr. Duffy then went on TV, suggesting he had done that with a loan from RBC. We later learned that was not true.

On May 15, we, along with Canadians, learned that it was actually Nigel Wright who paid those expenses. That was inappropriate. Nigel Wright has accepted responsibility for doing that and is prepared to accept the consequences.

At the same time, we would hope that Senator Duffy would actually pay back Canadians. At this point he is the only one who has yet to pay back a dime.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told the House of Commons that the payment of $13,000 to Mike Duffy's lawyers was for “valid legal fees”.

Could the government explain the details of this payment so that we know how the Prime Minister is able to claim in the House that they were valid? If the Conservatives cannot, will they explain why the Prime Minister is making unsupported statements about a potential crime in the House of Commons?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I have said on a number of occasions in the House, our party, like all parties in this House, does offer assistance to its members who are in good standing if they require some legal assistance.

The Leader of the Opposition accepted the same type of assistance from his party, with one exception: he had the judgment paid for. Thousands of dollars in legal fees were paid for, and the judgment.

That is not something we do on this side of the House, but as is the case with every other party, if a member in good standing requires assistance, we are there to help.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I suppose that is why the RCMP is investigating.

Let us try another simple one for the parliamentary secretary. On February 13, the Prime Minister stood in this House and said he had personally reviewed Pamela Wallin's expenses and that they were “comparable to any parliamentarian”.

Later that same day the Prime Minister's Office was warned by one of Pamela Wallin's former staffers not to be seen defending her expenses, because they were “really problematic”.

Given the Prime Minister's recent attacks on Ms. Wallin, can the Conservatives explain why it took the Prime Minister over three months to distance himself from her spending?

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

Mr. Speaker, just to advise the member, there was an audit completed in the Senate that outlined some of the very troubling expenses that Senator Wallin, Senator Duffy, and Senator Brazeau undertook.

We have been very clear that inappropriate expenses need to be repaid. At the same time, Canadians have been very clear that they want accountability. That is why a motion was passed in the Senate to strip these three senators of their pay.

We are the only party in this House that seems to want to stand up for Canadian taxpayers. I am glad that at least the Conservatives in the Senate took this motion very seriously and stripped these three senators of their pay.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Law Society of Upper Canada code of conduct states that “A lawyer shall not...knowingly assist in or encourage any dishonesty, fraud, crime, or illegal conduct”.

We know that Benjamin Perrin, the Prime Minister's lawyer, was involved in the scheme to give a $90,000 cheque to Mike Duffy. We also know that Conservative Party lawyer Arthur Hamilton was involved.

Has the Minister of Justice reported the conduct of Benjamin Perrin and Arthur Hamilton to the Prime Minister's Office and to the Law Society of Upper Canada?

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

Mr. Speaker, Nigel Wright was very clear on the people he brought into his confidence with respect to this matter. We are continuing to assist officials in their investigation.

At the same time, we know that the Liberals stood very firmly behind the status quo in the Senate. It is a shame that they did that. On this side of the House, we are going to stand up for Canadian taxpayers. That is why we fought so hard to have the Senate pass this motion. I am proud of the fact that at least Conservatives in the Senate took Canadian taxpayers' desires very seriously and stripped these three senators of their pay.

Again Liberals have proven that they are entitled to their entitlements and that nothing will stand in the way of that.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Law Society of Upper Canada code of conduct states that a lawyer “shall not knowingly assist in or encourage any dishonesty, fraud, crime, or illegal conduct”. We know that Benjamin Perrin, the Prime Minister's lawyer, was involved in the scheme to give $90,000 to Senator Duffy. We also know that Conservative lawyer Arthur Hamilton was involved.

Has the Minister of Justice reported the conduct of Benjamin Perrin and Arthur Hamilton to cabinet and to the Law Society of Upper Canada?