Debates of March 18th, 2013

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, it is one thing for the minister to be obsessed with people who have gone through traumatic experiences, but it is another thing altogether for him to decide to share that obsession with the entire country.

The minister is showing no consideration for these people, who, for reasons we may never know, decided to put their lives in danger and flee their country. He should reflect on that before sensationalizing their situation.

Our border services officers do important and dangerous work. Reducing it to simple entertainment is unacceptable.

How much is this charade costing our border services?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, the show is about the situation faced daily by our front-line border officers. The privacy of individuals is protected at all times.

It is important to remember that illegal immigrants cost law-abiding Canadian taxpayers millions of dollars each year and 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.

Ethics

[Alexandrine Latendresse, NDP, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this is all just a charade for the cameras. It is nothing of any substance. For the Conservatives, human tragedies are nothing more than an opportunity to make a television show. Bravo.

The former minister of intergovernmental affairs was asked dozens of questions about his portfolio. However, Mr. Penashue always remained seated. We asked him about excesses in his election campaign and he remained seated. Then last week, without any warning, he stepped down. Poof, he was gone. That is not bad for a guy who supposedly did nothing wrong.

Why did the Conservative government defend a minister when it knew he was guilty? Why did it reward the scapegoat with a high-paying job?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Penashue took responsibility for mistakes made by a volunteer during the election campaign. Now, he is trusting in the people of that riding.

He is running on a strong record, having delivered a newly paved Trans-Labrador Highway and thousands of Muskrat Falls jobs, helping to dismantle the wasteful Liberal long gun registry and broadening high-speed Internet to rural communities that had been denied it for far too long. That is a record of achievement. We are proud of this man.

[Robert Chisholm, NDP, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, this former minister is going to run in a byelection before Elections Canada has even finished its investigation. He resigned on Thursday, yet his campaign website was set up four days before that. He received a letter from Elections Canada on February 12, yet he only took action a month later.

Canadians want to know what is really going on. Will someone from the government start telling the truth about what is going on with the disgraced minister?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising that he set up a website. After all, he helped rural people in his constituency get access to high-speed Internet so that they could view websites. He also delivered for rural people by defending the ancient tradition of hunting. He protected the seal hunt and the polar bear hunt and he helped dismantle the wasteful and insulting long gun registry. He helped repave the Trans-Labrador Highway. This is a man with a record of achievement.

All they know over there is talk. This is a man who might not use a lot of words, but who does get a lot of results. That is why they cannot stand him on that side of the House.

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

Mr. Speaker, now that Peter Penashue is being shown the door, let us talk about a few other problem cases we have over there.

We have Mac Harb, who has been hitting up the taxpayer for a housing allowance of over $20,000 a year, based simply on his word that—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please.

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay has the floor.

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

Mr. Speaker, they are very defensive this week.

Let us talk about Mac Harb for a minute, and the fact that he hits up taxpayers for a housing allowance of $20,000 a year based simply on his word that he lives in the Ottawa Valley. The funny thing is that the neighbours have never seen him. One man said, "I would not know him if he came to the door”.

Canadians deserve better accountability. That is why we want to bring the Senate ethics officer to our committee to explain her role.

Will the Conservatives work with us to bring some accountability there, or will they keep defending their friends?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know why he is asking questions of the Liberal Party away over there in the corner. He should be doing his job and defending his own constituents the way, for example, Mr. Penashue did when he was serving in the House of Commons.

Let us consider the contrast. This is a man who kept his word to the rural people of his constituency and helped dismantle the long gun registry. The member over there for Timmins—James Bay betrayed his constituents and sold out to his big-city bosses. Mr. Penashue helped deliver for the Trans-Labrador Highway. The member for Timmins—James Bay has delivered nothing.

Mr. Penashue delivered jobs, growth and long-term prosperity.

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

Mr. Speaker, I take it that answer tells us that they are going to defend their unaccountable buddies in the Senate while the New Democrats stand up for the taxpayers.

This is a more dodgy scheme. Last week, the Charbonneau commission shone a very interesting light on the donation scheme at SNC-Lavalin, where executives were encouraged to give maximum donations and were then repaid with phony bonuses.

Coincidentally, at the exact same time, the same number of executives were funnelling amounts of money into a dead-dog Conservative riding association in the Montreal area. All of the numbers were the exact same amount.

Will the government investigate to ensure that with the donations that were given, no fraudulent tax credits were given out?

It is a simple question. Will the government defend the taxpayer?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, it is a curious question. I understand that these illegal donations were being made to the Quebec Liberal Party during the time that the now leader of the NDP was a member of the Quebec Liberal government. Perhaps the member should just pose the question to his leader the next time he wants to know more about that subject.

The member across the way has made himself famous for bloviating on the floor of the House of Commons while failing to deliver on the promises that he made to the constituents of Timmins—James Bay. On this side of the House of Commons, we stand up through accountability for the people we represent.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives refuse to talk about a pattern of political donations from SNC-Lavalin in Quebec because the same pattern exists federally.

According to a witness at the Charbonneau commission, Riadh Ben Aissa, who is currently in prison in Switzerland, encouraged SNC employees and managers to make more donations in 2009, donations reimbursed through bogus bonuses.

Also in 2009, SNC executives filled the Conservative Party's coffers with big cheques. Among them was Riadh Ben Aissa.

Considering this information in the context of Peter Penashue's resignation, what is the government going to do to fight illegal funding?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know why he does not, as I just suggested, direct the question to his own leader, who was in fact a member of the Quebec provincial Liberal caucus when these illegal donations were apparently made to the party of which his now leader was a member.

The member who just posed the question knows a lot about donations in Quebec. After all, he made not one, not two, but 29 donations to the separatist Québec solidaire. Perhaps he could stand in the House of Commons and tell us if he plans to do likewise this year.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it would be nice if my colleague knew what he was talking about once in a while. It would be helpful.

Keep in mind that the Minister of Public Safety breached the provincial elections act. A federal minister could now be in the same boat. Is this a Conservative tradition? SNC-Lavalin used bogus invoices for oil sands projects to divert money. They sent $20 million earmarked for a hospital to Arthur Porter, a Conservative crony. The have bribed people from Montreal to Tripoli. Shareholders were swindled, and standards were violated.

Why do the Conservatives not take these crimes seriously? What is preventing them from dealing with this fraud?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, if the member wants to pose questions for his own leader, I suggest that he do it in a caucus meeting. Question period is not particularly well suited for that kind of exchange. That being said, now that he has asked me to stand, we will once again highlight this member's prodigious experience with donations in Quebec, where he gave 29 donations to Québec solidaire, a party that is now championing a revival of the separatist-terrorist movement of the past that we thought had been put to rest a long time ago. Will he stand and indicate if he approves of that decision?

[Scott Andrews, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the gig is up for former minister Penashue. Prohibited corporate donations, fraudulent invoicing and illegal loans were all used to buy an election. Instead of condemning these illegal practices, the Prime Minister has used taxpayer dollars to repay this dirty money, and to add insult to injury, the Prime Minister is threatening the people of Labrador by saying that they should re-elect Peter, or else.

What kind of Prime Minister threatens a voter?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, it is amazing that on the first day back, after yet another example of Liberal law-breaking, they would put up a member to ask about ethics. We already knew that the member for Guelph was the only one in the House who had broken robocall rules, but now he is not alone. The robocall rule-breaking caucus has doubled in size, with the Liberal member for Westmount—Ville-Marie having done likewise. It would be more appropriate for that member to stand in his place and announce plans to teach his fellow caucus members how to finally start following the rules.

[Scott Andrews, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I remind the member that the Conservative Party is the only party in Canadian history that had to plead guilty to breaking election laws. Now we learn that Elections Canada has recommended charges against more Conservatives for election fraud in the 2011 election. Unethical conduct is becoming an everyday occurrence for these Conservative members.

Peter Penashue cheats, gets caught and has to resign his seat. The member for Peterborough breaks the same laws, yet he remains Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister. Why will the Prime Minister not fire his parliamentary—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please.

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, repeatedly I have asked that member to say what he just said outside of the House of Commons. He always nods his head and promises to do it and then courageously sneaks out the back door. He would never do that, because he would not want to subject himself to the same legal accountability that every Canadian would face in making that kind of false allegation against the member for Peterborough.

As for Peter Penashue, he has delivered more for the people of Labrador in his short time as their member of Parliament than any Liberal had in a generation.

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

Mr. Speaker, it seems that the government wants to hold this byelection as quickly as possible, before Elections Canada gets to the bottom of all the tricks pulled by the Conservatives in the last election.

Will the government co-operate fully and promptly with Elections Canada in order to shine the light of day on this sordid affair, or will it instead, once again, drag things out to hide the Conservatives' tricks?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the member ran for the leadership of the Liberal Party. At the time, his colleagues took out huge loans that have not yet been repaid, and they represent illegal donations of almost $500,000. These donations were made almost seven years ago.

The member should perhaps speak to his former competitors and tell them to obey the law and finally repay their illegal debts.

The Budget

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is budget time, and time for the Conservatives to make choices.

Canadians are waiting to see if this budget will reflect their priorities, or if there will be more cuts to services such as food safety, employment insurance or help for our veterans. The Conservatives can choose to invest in ad campaigns or in real programs for Canadians.

Will the minister confirm that he intends to cancel corporate tax cuts?