Debates of March 1st, 2013

The Economy

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, it is worth repeating: today Stats Canada announced that the Canadian economy grew by .6% in the fourth quarter of 2012. While modest, this is, in fact, the strongest growth among all G7 countries in the quarter. This further underlines that Canada has become a leader in the turbulent global economy.

As mentioned, the global economy does remain very fragile. That is why the upcoming economic action plan 2013 will focus on positive initiatives to support job growth and long-term prosperity while keeping taxes low and returning to balanced budgets.

Human Rights

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the U.K. border agency is reassessing the risk that refused refugee claimants face when they are returned to Sri Lanka and face the military regime. The Liberal Party is also deeply concerned about the fate that meets refused refugee claimants who are deported back to Sri Lanka.

Given the Conservative government's tough rhetoric on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, what is Canada's current policy on deporting refugee claimants back to Sri Lanka, and is it considering a reassessment, given the deteriorating human rights situation in that country?

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, the officials at Immigration Canada and the Department of Public Safety always assess the threat when someone is being deported. In situations like this, there is a pause, and they are re-looking at the situation.

Public Safety

[Annick Papillon, NDP, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, one of my constituents, police officer Sandra Dion, has been fighting for more than a year for her own safety. This is an important cause. The criminal who attacked her several years ago is now living in a halfway house near her home.

This is not an isolated case. The Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime asked for changes in 2010 to protect victims, but the report has been collecting dust for more than three years.

Will the minister agree to meet with Ms. Dion and to make the changes needed so she never again has to go into exile in Ottawa for her own safety?

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, we have met with Ms. Dion several times. We are very sympathetic and we are disturbed by what she has had to deal with. We are very concerned about an individual convicted of a very serious crime returning to the same area where the victim lives.

Our government will be bringing forward a victims' bill of rights, which is something no other government has done, as part of our plan for safe streets and communities. This is one of the four priorities set out by the Prime Minister, but it is not even talked about by that party. We have taken strong action to protect victims and to put victims first. We ask the NDP to support us, but we know that will not happen.

Foreign Affairs

[James Lunney, Conservative, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, our government has been actively increasing Canada's engagement in the Americas. This has enabled us to show leadership in our own hemisphere in areas that affect us directly, including trade and security.

Today Peru's Minister of Defence is in Ottawa. Could our Minister of National Defence tell us what he expects to accomplish in his meetings with his counterpart today?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Nanaimo—Alberni for his hard work and leadership.

In fact, today we are welcoming to Canada Peru's minister of national defence, Pedro Cateriano Bellido, and the commander of the Peruvian navy as well, admiral Carlos Roberto Tejada Mera.

Canada enjoys a strong relationship with Peru based on shared values, including democracy. I am pleased to tell the House that later today we will be signing a defence co-operation memorandum of understanding that will help guide our future defence relations in areas such as policy, peace, humanitarian operations, disaster response and military education and training.

This agreement strongly supports the growing ties between Canada and Peru and our government's leadership in the Americas.

Muchas gracias, mis amigos

National Defence

[Tarik Brahmi, NDP, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I hope the Minister of National Defence—

[Some hon. memebers]

Oh, oh!

[The Deputy Speaker]

Order, please.

The hon. member for Saint-Jean.

[Tarik Brahmi, NDP, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I hope the Minister of National Defence will manage Peru's national defence better than Canada's national defence.

The Conservatives' management is absolutely mind-boggling. They have no plan whatsoever. They want to save money on the backs of the provinces by asking them to foot the bill when the Canadian Forces intervene during natural disasters.

The Conservatives do not know what is going on with the F-35s. They do not know how to count when the time comes to calculate the costs of support ships.

Why do the Conservatives manage the Department of National Defence like amateurs?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, the Department of National Defence has seen unprecedented growth in investment during our time in office, whether it be investments in our infrastructure, equipment, support for our personnel and programs and our readiness.

We have been participating internationally, making a real difference in the world, as the Canadian armed forces has always done, building on the legacy and the greatness standing on the shoulders of our veterans.

Consistently the member and his party have opposed those measures to improve the lives of members of the Canadian Forces, their families and our veterans.

Employment Insurance

[Jean-François Fortin, Bloc, Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in Rivière-du-Loup, the Prime Minister condemned what he calls misinformation about the impact of the employment insurance reform. He should look in the mirror.

It is his government that claimed to have studies, but does not. It is his government that denies imposing quotas on investigators, when such quotas are mentioned in black and white. It is his government that claims that the reform will benefit the regions, but refuses to listen to employers and workers who suffer the tragic impact of the new measures.

Will the government put a stop to this misinformation which is entirely of its own doing? Will it stop denying the dramatic consequences of the reform and cancel it?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, I would ask the opposition members to stop the mythology and falsehoods they are putting out with regard to the changes we are making to employment insurance.

Employment insurance will continue to be there for those who need it, as it always has been. I encourage the members opposite to ensure they are telling their constituents exactly that and to please stop perpetuating falsehoods because all they are doing is fearmongering.

We are trying to better connect Canadians with available jobs in their local areas where they have the skills so they can have a better quality of life with their families.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Jean-François Fortin, Bloc, Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government is completely disconnected.

The Maurice Lamontagne Institute marine sciences library was slated to close in the fall, but we have credible information to suggest that the department is speeding up the process. The documents could be boxed up and the doors locked up as of next month. We will be losing DFO's only francophone library for the sake of saving a mere $100,000 a year.

Speeding up this closure is a questionable move. It comes at a time when the Government of Quebec is looking at proposals to keep the scientific documents on Quebec soil. Why is Ottawa speeding up the closure of the library instead of working with the stakeholders on keeping the documents in Quebec?

[Randy Kamp, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and for the Asia-Pacific Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, the department has made a decision to modernize its library services and take advantage of the increasing availability of information resources in digital form. Most requests are received and delivered electronically today. Library collection and services continue to be provided to departmental staff and other users in both official languages.

Work to consolidate the facilities is under way and is expected to be completed by the fall of 2013.

Government Response to Petitions

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary 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 nine petitions.

Combating Counterfeit Products Act

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

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-56, An Act to amend the Copyright Act and the Trade-marks Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts.

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

Rare Diseases

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there are between 6,000 and 8,000 rare diseases that affect 1 in 12 Canadians. Canadians with rare disorders lack access to clinical trials and new drugs that are available in other countries. It is essential that Canadians have equal and timely access to therapies for debilitating and life-threatening diseases.

From the Rare Disease Day Dinner Gala, I would like to recognize extraordinary young people, Cassandra, Jonathan and Kimberly.

The petitioners request that a rare disorder be defined as being a chronically debilitating condition or disease with a prevalence of fewer than 1 in 2,000 people and that a national drug policy regarding rare disorders be implemented.

Sex Selection

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have in hand a petition from a number of individuals across the country, particularly Saskatchewan, B.C. and Ontario.

The petitioners want Parliament to support Motion No. 408 condemning discrimination against women by way of sex-selective abortions.

Maurice Lamontagne Institute Library

[Jean-François Fortin, Bloc, Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of tabling a petition signed by more than 3,500 people who are asking the government to reverse its decision to close the Maurice Lamontagne Institute Library in Mont-Joli.

The library has been very valuable to researchers from Quebec, Canada and the whole world. Fisheries and Oceans Canada does not have another French-language library. The petitioners are asking the government to drop its plan and work with stakeholders so they can find a way to maintain the library's assets, knowing that operating the library costs only $100,000 a year.

Impaired Driving

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present a petition representing thousands of people from British Columbia.

The petition highlights that last year 22-year-old Kassandra Kaulius was killed by a drunk driver. A group of people who have also lost loved ones to impaired drivers called Families for Justice say that the current impaired driving laws are too lenient.

The petitioners call for new mandatory minimum sentencing for people who have been convicted of impaired driving causing death. They also want the Criminal Code of Canada changed to redefine the offence of impaired driving causing death to vehicular manslaughter.

Sex Selection

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from a number of people in my riding and outside of my riding in Saskatchewan.

The petitioners call on the House to condemn discrimination against females occurring through sex-selection pregnancy. They call upon the members of Parliament to support Motion No. 408.

Experimental Lakes Area

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I present a petition signed by many Manitobans asking the government to reverse its decision to close the ELA research station. ELA provides essential scientific knowledge for the development of national and international policies that ensure the future health of our fresh water. I would highlight the importance of Lake Winnipeg not only to the province of Manitoba but the entire country. It is with pleasure that I provide the petition today.

Sex Selection

[Randy Kamp, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by residents of Mission and other areas of the Fraser Valley that calls upon the House of Commons to condemn discrimination against girls through sex-selective abortion and do all it can to prevent sex-selective abortions from being carried out in Canada.