House of Commons Hansard #223 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was c-55.

Topics

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order, please. The hon. member for Winnipeg North has the floor.

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB

The truth hurts. They are a little sensitive, I see.

Mr. Speaker, Canada Border Services is the law-enforcement agency responsible for upholding border security. It has now been turned into a film production agency for a reality show. This poor lack of judgment has exposed the government to further privacy violations and exploitation of immigration files, and it has compromised CBSA's ability to focus on public safety.

Will the government commit today to end public reality—

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

The hon. Minister of Public Safety.

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Provencher Manitoba

Conservative

Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety

Mr. Speaker, the show is about the situations faced daily by our front-line border officers. The privacy of individuals is respected at all times. It is important to remember that illegal immigrants cost law-abiding Canadian taxpayers tens of millions of dollars each year and they cost the member's constituents, our constituents, thousands of jobs. We expect the CBSA to enforce Canada's immigration laws by removing individuals who take advantage of Canada's generous immigration system by jumping the queue.

Government PoliciesOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

NDP

Andrew Cash NDP Davenport, ON

Mr. Speaker, according to the Conservatives, there is a new threat: librarians and their “high risk” activities, activities like teaching and conferences. That is right. The new code of conduct at Library and Archives Canada even extends beyond the workplace to employees' personal activities. The code even requires duty of loyalty to the Conservative government.

Now, I have always suspected that facts and science stir fear in the hearts of some members opposite, but why is the minister so afraid of librarians?

Government PoliciesOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam B.C.

Conservative

James Moore ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

Mr. Speaker, yes, we are very frightened of librarians. No, what the member is referring to is a code of conduct that was put in place by Daniel Caron, who is the head of Library and Archives Canada. The member should know, as well, that Library and Archives Canada operates at arm's length. We were not consulted on the code of conduct.

If there are controversies about the code of conduct, and I gather there are because the member for Vancouver Quadra asked this question earlier, I invite my colleague and the heritage critic for the NDP to invite Daniel Caron to come before committee to explain the code of conduct and to dispel any myths that the NDP seems to be spreading.

Government PoliciesOral Questions

3 p.m.

NDP

Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC

Mr. Speaker, we certainly have a problem with the archivist Daniel J. Caron. In fact, the code of conduct requires a duty of loyalty to the government. It is not a joke; it is written in black and white.

The Conservatives now want to control the thoughts of honest Canadians. 1984? George Orwell, be gone! I thought the Conservatives were in favour of less government, not more control over people. In the case of the general archivist, it is very clear: we know who is pulling the strings.

What gives our Conservative friends the right to burst into the personal lives of people with this kind of code of conduct?

Government PoliciesOral Questions

3 p.m.

Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam B.C.

Conservative

James Moore ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

Mr. Speaker, as I have already said twice, and for the third time now, if the hon. member has questions about decisions made by Library and Archives Canada, he should invite Daniel Caron to appear before the committee to answer them.

I will just repeat it again in English, perhaps for the fourth time. Maybe I will have some luck with connecting on this one.

Library and Archives Canada operates at arm's length from the government. It does not consult us on its code of conduct. Internally, it has made this decision. If my colleagues have questions about that, they should invite Library and Archives Canada before the parliamentary committee and ask their reasonable questions.

Public SafetyOral Questions

3 p.m.

Conservative

Kevin Sorenson Conservative Crowfoot, AB

Mr. Speaker, after bashing Canada's natural resource sector and Canadian jobs while in Washington, the Leader of the Opposition made it a priority to visit with convicted cop shooter Gary Freeman.

The Leader of the Opposition continues to defend this admitted and convicted felon and pressed for him to be allowed to come on up and live in Canada, despite the fact that Gary Freeman is a citizen of the United States and was never a citizen or lawful resident of Canada.

Can the Minister of Public Safety tell the House whether our Conservative government supports this reckless and dangerous idea?

Public SafetyOral Questions

3 p.m.

Provencher Manitoba

Conservative

Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety

Mr. Speaker, it is truly shameful that when the Leader of the Opposition goes abroad his priority is importing violent criminals into Canada.

Mr. Freeman shot a front-line Chicago police officer, not once, not twice, but three times, leaving that officer permanently paralyzed. These kinds of foreign nationals, convicted of dangerous and violent crimes, are not admissible to Canada.

Reckless policies on immigration, like opposing the faster removal of foreign criminals bill and advocating for those who shoot brave front-line peace—

Public SafetyOral Questions

3 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order. The hon. member for Beauséjour.

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

3 p.m.

Liberal

Dominic LeBlanc Liberal Beauséjour, NB

Mr. Speaker, last Friday I met Maurice Martin, a fisherman from Aldouane, in my riding of Beauséjour. Mr. Martin has been on a hunger strike for 12 days to oppose the unfair changes made under the Conservatives' EI reform. He is doing what the Conservatives refuse to do: he is proudly standing up for—

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

3 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

3 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order, please.

The hon. member for Beauséjour.

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

3 p.m.

Liberal

Dominic LeBlanc Liberal Beauséjour, NB

Mr. Speaker, he is doing what the Conservatives will not do: he is standing up for seasonal workers.

Here is what Mr. Martin wants to ask the Prime Minister: why is the government punishing people who work very hard? Why do the Conservatives want to kill communities in Kent County and elsewhere in Canada with their EI reform?

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

3 p.m.

Haldimand—Norfolk Ontario

Conservative

Diane Finley ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Skills Development

Mr. Speaker, employment insurance provides financial support to people who have lost their job while they look for a new one. If there is no work available in their area of expertise in their region, employment insurance will continue to be there for them.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

3 p.m.

NDP

Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB

Mr. Speaker, Louis Riel was a hero, not a traitor, a father of Confederation, the founder of Manitoba and, many people say, the best member of Parliament that Provencher ever had.

In light of a recent Supreme Court ruling, will the Prime Minister or his designate assure this House and assure the descendants of the Métis of the Red River Settlement that the government will uphold the ruling of the court and respect the outstanding terms and conditions of the terms of union, and end and resolve once and for all 140 years of injustice to the Métis people of Manitoba?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

3 p.m.

Kenora Ontario

Conservative

Greg Rickford ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has received the decision and is reviewing it.

Our government has demonstrated its commitment to resolving historical grievances. For instance, we have resolved more than 80 specific claims. We will continue to work with the Canadian Métis to create jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity for all Canadians.

Public SafetyOral Questions

March 18th, 2013 / 3:05 p.m.

Conservative

Joy Smith Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB

Mr. Speaker, child sexual abuse is a horrific crime that leaves lasting scars on its victims.

Our Conservative government has taken strong steps to target those who prey on children for sexual gratification. We have raised the age of protection from 14 years to 16 years, strengthened sentences for pedophiles and taken steps to ensure that all those convicted of sexual offences are added to the sex offender registry.

Can the Minister of Public Safety please update the House on the government's plans to keep children, the most vulnerable members of our society, safe from dangerous predators?

Public SafetyOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Provencher Manitoba

Conservative

Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety

Mr. Speaker, while our government is taking strong action to protect our children from sexual predators, it is clear that more needs to be done to protect children from the heinous crime of sexual abuse.

Our government is committed to protecting children in Canada and abroad from sex offenders. We intend to take further action against international sex tourism and, indeed, we welcome the support of the Toronto Star.

Cracking down on sexual offences against children continues to be one of our government's priorities to keep our communities safe, despite the jitters and laughter from the NDP.

TerrorismOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

NDP

Françoise Boivin NDP Gatineau, QC

Mr. Speaker, at the end of question period we will be presenting the following motion and seeking the unanimous consent of the House for its support.

That this House reaffirm its zero-tolerance policy for all forms of terrorism and that it condemn any attempt to glorify a member of the FLQ found guilty of such criminal activity.

That this House reaffirm its zero-tolerance policy for all forms of terrorism and that it condemn any attempt to glorify a member of the FLQ found guilty of such criminal activity.

Will the government be supporting our motion, yes or no?

TerrorismOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Mégantic—L'Érable Québec

Conservative

Christian Paradis ConservativeMinister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture)

Mr. Speaker, that goes without saying. There have been consultations, and I am very pleased to see that there will likely be unanimous consent to support this motion. The actions committed at that time are reprehensible. It is very irresponsible for people like Amir Khadir of Québec Solidaire to glorify the memory of people with a criminal past.

Public SafetyOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Bloc

Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC

Mr. Speaker, the government has introduced many bills pertaining to justice and public safety, supposedly to give police officers more tools with which to fight crime.

However, by putting an end to the police officers recruitment fund, the government is jeopardizing the existence of many joint forces and specialized squads, particularly in Quebec City and in Montreal, where the Eclipse squad deals directly with criminal groups and violent crime.

Will the Minister of Public Safety take responsibility and ask the Minister of Finance to renew this fund? Police officers, municipalities and the Quebec National Assembly are calling on him to do so.

Public SafetyOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Provencher Manitoba

Conservative

Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety

Mr. Speaker, when that program was brought forward, it was made clear to all the provinces that this was a one-time-only police officer recruitment fund. I am pleased to see that it gained so much support from the provinces.

Moving on, I would like to ask that member when she and members of her party, since the NDP who replaced them certainly are not doing it, will come on board and defend and protect our efforts to hold criminals accountable.

The EconomyOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Bloc

Claude Patry Bloc Jonquière—Alma, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives claim to be champions of the economy and give their budgets the misnomer of “economic action plan”. This is nothing but smoke and mirrors. The budget allocations are clear: as of this year, the government intends to make $55 million in cuts to Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, which invests in companies in every region of the province, including Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean. The Conservatives are not going to strengthen the regions' economy by making cuts to their economic development.

Will the government use Thursday's budget as an opportunity to change course and cancel the drastic cuts planned for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions?