Debates of Feb. 1st, 2013

Employment Insurance

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development]

Mr. Speaker, that could not be further from the truth. By helping people find longer-term jobs in their region and in their area of expertise, we hope that the provinces will see lower social assistance rates. That is our goal.

There is a shortage of skilled workers across the country. That is why we are making an effort to connect people to jobs.

Democratic Reform

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Senate reform bill, Bill C-7, is a unilateral attempt to impose on Canada a stalemate between two elected chambers in addition to terribly under-represented Alberta and British Columbia. Dangerous for Canada, the whole plan is on shaky constitutional grounds.

Will the Minister of State for Democratic Reform announce today that this ill-conceived Senate reform will finally be referred to the Supreme Court, something the Liberal Party has been requesting since June 2007?

[Tim Uppal, Conservative, Minister of State (Democratic Reform)]

Mr. Speaker, we will take no advice and no lessons from the Liberals. That member, in the time that his party was in government, did nothing to advance Senate reform. Our government tabled the Senate reform act to limit the terms of senators and to give Canadians a say in who represents them in the Senate. We are committed to making the Senate more democratic, accountable and representative of Canadians.

I would remind the member that this legislation is already being considered by the courts.

Consumer Protection

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, this week I heard from a constituent who called his wireless provider in early December to cancel a cell phone contract that was set to expire in January. A few days ago, he received a notice saying he would continue to be charged until February, an extra month.

Consumers are fed up with this kind of treatment. They are sick of getting bullied into sticking with unfair and unfavourable contracts with threats of huge cancellation fees.

When will the government start defending consumers and put a stop to outrageous fees for cell phone contract cancellations?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture)]

Mr. Speaker, we have been taking huge steps, since 2008, to make sure that we enhance competition and investment in this country in terms of wireless technology.

My colleague knows that the issue he has raised is under CRTC's watch. The CRTC is conducting a public proceeding to determine whether intervention is required to develop a national wireless services consumer protection code. It would be inappropriate for me to comment at this time, since the CRTC is an independent regulatory agency which operates at arm's-length from the government.

National Defence

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our closest allies have delivered a stinging rebuke to the Conservative government for its security lapses and failures.

In the aftermath of Jeffrey Delisle's espionage, which went undetected for four years, our closest allies are thinking twice about sharing their intelligence with us. This is a real threat to our national security and our relationship with countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

I have a simple question. What is the government doing to address this situation?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Associate Minister of National Defence and Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (La Francophonie)]

Mr. Speaker, one would hope that the NDP had enough respect for our judicial system and the fundamental rights of accused in Canada not to interfere in a matter that is before the courts. It would be inappropriate for me to discuss this matter, as it is before the courts.

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday's testimony contradicts what the Minister of National Defence said about how the Delisle case has not affected our ability to exchange intelligence with our allies.

The Brigadier General said that the minister was not aware of the extent of the damage when he made those comments, but the fact is that our allies are threatening to shut us out of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing community. If that is not a negative consequence, I do not know what is.

What measures will be taken to repair the relationships that have been seriously damaged by this incident?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Associate Minister of National Defence and Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (La Francophonie)]

Mr. Speaker, French or English, my answer will be the same.

Clearly, the question she is asking deals with a matter that is currently before the courts. She should realize that it would be completely inappropriate for me to discuss a matter that is before the courts, so I will refrain from doing so.

Abortion

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadian women were horrified to read a letter from three Conservative members of Parliament who equate abortion with murder. The Prime Minister claims that he does not want the abortion debate to be reopened, yet time and time again members of his caucus put this issue on the front page.

A woman's right to choose is not up for debate in Canada, directly or otherwise. Will the Prime Minister clearly tell his caucus that abortion is not murder?

[Susan Truppe, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister made it very clear yesterday that we are not reopening the debate on abortion.

[Rosane Doré Lefebvre, NDP, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, abortion is legal in Canada, but the Conservatives persistently continue to attack women's right to choose.

Asking the RCMP to investigate some abortions as homicides is repugnant and unacceptable.

Women's right to choose is non-negotiable. The Prime Minister said that the Conservatives would not reopen the abortion debate.

If that is true, can one of the MPs responsible for the letter to the RCMP confirm that they will stop their attacks on women's rights?

[Susan Truppe, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, the question has been asked and answered, but I will say it again more slowly. We are not opening the debate on abortion.

The Economy

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, day after day the NDP leader talks down the Canadian economy and attacks Canada's economic record. If the NDP had its way, big government and big union bosses would dictate private businesses' every move. The NDP would impose massive tax hikes, bankrupting businesses and throwing Canadians out of work.

Could the Minister of State for Finance please explain how the NDP's anti-business, high-tax agenda threatens Canada's economy and Canadian workers?

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Minister of State (Finance)]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the NDP, we actually believe in the Canadian economy. We continue to support the Canadian economy to help it grow. We believe that by leaving more money in Canadians' pockets, they can actually help the Canadian economy grow and help grow jobs. In fact, through what we have put forward in policies, Canadian families have over $3,000 more per family in their pockets.

Unlike the NDP, we will encourage Canadians to invest. Through that, through the businesses in Canada, we have created over 900,000 net new jobs since the end—

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Joe Comartin]

The hon. member for Sherbrooke.

Employment Insurance

[Pierre-Luc Dusseault, NDP, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in my riding, 60 employees of the Sherbrooke Best Buy lost their jobs yesterday when the store closed its doors without notice.

The closure of this store shows that, despite what the Conservatives would have us believe, Canada's economy is stagnant, and good jobs are hard to find and keep. That is precisely why our social safety net exists: to help people like the struggling Sherbrooke Best Buy workers.

Since the Conservatives are unable to create conditions that foster economic growth and job creation, will they at least stop ransacking employment insurance?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture)]

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the families and the workers. Nevertheless, I repeat that we have implemented an economic action plan for the economy as a whole.

Some 900,000 net new jobs have been created since the recession. That is because we have built the framework and created a pro-business environment. Our approach has received international recognition.

A $21 billion carbon tax is obviously not the way to keep businesses open or to attract new investment.

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in my riding, Pontiac, the Conservative employment insurance reform is affecting workers in the forestry and tourism industries badly.

The unemployment rate in two of the four RCMs in my riding is over 10%. Unemployed workers are looking for work, but jobs within an hour's drive are scarce.

Employers need these skilled workers, but the minister's changes could result in an exodus of workers, which could destroy my region's economy and heritage.

The minister says that she did not change anything, but where I come from, the consequences are undeniable.

What does she have to say to the many Pontiac families that have been affected?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development]

Mr. Speaker, our reforms simply clarify the responsibilities of employment insurance recipients. They must make a genuine effort to find suitable work in their region and in their field.

We are helping these people find such jobs through our job bank and our enhanced job alert service. As always, however, employment insurance is available to those who cannot find suitable work.

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, not only are the Conservatives turning a blind eye to all those being thrown out of work, they have now set quotas for more cuts.

It does not matter that people have paid into EI their whole life, the Conservatives have now set quotas for EI investigators to further reduce EI benefits. In fact, they are required to save almost $150 million through those quotas.

After failing to create jobs, why are they reducing EI eligibility and instituting quotas for further gutting of EI?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development]

Here we go again, Mr. Speaker. Once again, the NDP is protecting the bad guys.

HRSD was able to stop $530 million in ineligible payments of EI last year. Even with that, the employment insurance fund still lost hundreds of millions of dollars more due to fraud by people the NDP are now protecting.

The only people who lose if the opposition stops this rooting out of fraud in EI are the Canadians who are playing by the rules.

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, instead of calling EI recipients bad guys, this minister needs to be honest with Canadians.

The Conservatives are forcing hard-working Canadians to travel farther and accept less pay for their work. They cut benefits and reduce eligibility. They fail to create jobs, but take absolutely no responsibility. Instead, they set quotas for cutting more people off EI and quotas for reducing benefits.

Service Canada staff should be rewarded for helping people in need, not receive bonuses for cutting people off EI. Why are the Conservatives adding insult to injury for out of work Canadians?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development]

Mr. Speaker, the insulting going on is by the NDP and it is directed toward those Canadians who are claiming EI, who are responsibly looking for a job and who are playing by the rules. Those are the people who are being insulted by the NDP.

We are helping Canadians get back to work with our economic action plan, with an enhanced job alert system and with a much broader job bank.

However, we must root out the fraud that is in the EI system. It is costing hundreds of millions of dollars and that cost is being borne by workers and employers. That must stop.

Labour

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, last month the Minister of Labour announced, with much fanfare, the support for the healthy workplace guidelines recommended by the Canadian Mental Health Commission. As usual with the government, it was all lip service and no action.

Will this minister take the lead, put her money where her mouth is and will she implement the guidelines in the public service now?