Debates of March 18th, 2013

The Economy

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, we have been standing up and fighting for everyday Canadians in every one of the budgets that we have tabled in Parliament.

Proof can be found in what the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters said: without our Conservative government's low-tax plan for job creators, 200,000 Canadian jobs would not have been created today.

That is the result of our government. Over 950,000 net new jobs have been created, the vast majority of them full time and over 90% of them in the private sector. We are delivering results for Canadians. The average Canadian family today has a tax burden of less than $3,000 than when we came into office. The Canadian economy is moving forward.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure that is quote.

Here are some facts. There are 300,000 more Canadians still unemployed today than before the recession hit. Today we have a $66.9 billion trade deficit, and there was a surplus before the Conservatives arrived. That is the real Conservative record.

The Conservatives' last budget failed to implement a meaningful job creation strategy, and they continue to gut the manufacturing sector. Now we hear that the government is planning to cut funding to the provinces for skills training.

When are the Conservatives going to take real action to get Canadians back to work?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, we have, we are, we will continue to, and the proof is in the fact that in Canada we have the best job numbers in all of the G7.

I am frankly more than pleased to contrast our approach with that of the NDP. Last week, in the break week, we had ministers going around the world fighting for Canadian jobs, fighting for Canadian exports. Where was the Leader of the Opposition? He was selling out Canada, selling out Canadian jobs and telling the Americans to not work with Canada for a better, more prosperous future.

He should be ashamed of himself for selling out Canada—

[The Speaker, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives came to power, Canada was number one on the UN development index. For the first time in the history of our country, we are not even in the top 10.

The NDP is proposing practical solutions to create jobs and ensure stable economic growth.

The Conservatives ignored the impact of the latest fiscal cliff in Washington. They also ignored the lowered economic growth forecasts and the impact their austerity measures have had on the most vulnerable members of society.

Will they start listening to Canadians or will they continue to listen only to Tom Flanagan?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

We will certainly continue to listen to Canadians and keep the promises that we made to them.

We are already seeing that in the progress that we have made so far as a result of the jobs our government has created. We have lowered Canadians' taxes and they have more money in their pockets than ever before.

Here is what the Ottawa Citizen had to say about the NDP leader's little vacations, and I quote: “[The NDP leader]...once again demonstrated he is not prime ministerial material.” That is true.

Ethics

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, his Canada includes Tom Flanagan.

Ten years ago today, their Prime Minister, who was the leader of the official opposition at the time, was in Washington extolling the virtues of the war in Iraq. That is not fierce loyalty.

The former minister of intergovernmental affairs resigned after admitting that he received illegal gifts from companies, but he has still not taken responsibility for this matter.

Saturday, Peter Penashue said that he did nothing wrong. Accepting illegal gifts from companies is a serious violation of the Canada Elections Act.

Can the Prime Minister explain to Canadians why Peter Penashue did not really resign?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, he started off his last question by talking about what my Canada includes.

I will take him up on that. My Canada includes a country that is united from coast to coast and is working together for the prosperity of our country.

It is the leader of the NDP who goes to Washington, DC, and attacks Canadian jobs and attacks Canadian exports. It is the leader of the NDP who describes the western economy as a “disease” on Canada. It is the leader of the NDP who ignores the premiers of Saskatchewan and Alberta and western Canada, even ignoring the NDP leader in Saskatchewan saying that the exports are in the best interest of Saskatchewan.

It would be nice, for once, if the NDP leader could put the country ahead of his own ambition.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, will that, then, continue to plead for the export of 40,000 Canadian jobs to the U.S.? We will stand up for Canadian jobs.

Elections Canada is still investigating the fact that the outgoing minister illegally accepted almost $19,000 from an airline and $5,500 from a construction company, yet he continues to claim he did nothing wrong. Peter Penashue said he only became aware of this because of the CBC, pleading, in effect, also his own incompetence.

Despite the protests of the ex-minister that he did nothing and he has resigned, will Conservatives allow Elections Canada to finish?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Penashue has taken responsibility for his actions and has indeed stepped down. All we are asking for as a matter of—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Andrew Scheer]

Order. The hon. Minister of Canadian Heritage now has the floor.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, all we ask for, frankly, is the same degree of accountability for the NDP when it comes to its number one topic of this day, which is the economy. It is the NDP that has come forward with over $56 billion in uncosted demands on the federal government in our budget this coming Thursday. It is the NDP that proposes tax increase after tax increase. It is the NDP, at the same time, that goes to Washington to demand that it shut down the creation of Canadian jobs and the growth of the Canadian economy.

It is laughable that the NDP actually wants to present itself as a government in waiting, because it cannot do so.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, that is some leadership: attack the messenger.

Former minister Peter Penashue knew for months about these illegal donations, and the donations were not accidental, actually. The decisions were made by his campaign manager, a Conservative Party insider with 25 years' experience.

Why are the Conservatives now using taxpayer dollars to repay this dirty money, why is the Prime Minister reappointing this failed politician to run in the byelection, and how can the public actually trust in Canadian democracy in the face of so much Conservative election corruption?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, as I just finished saying, Mr. Penashue has taken responsibility for mistakes that were made on his campaign. A byelection will be called, a byelection in which Mr. Penashue will have the opportunity to remind the people of Labrador of his hard work over the past two years as their representative, including delivering on infrastructure commitments and delivering important job creation initiatives for the people of Labrador.

With respect to the member for Vancouver Quadra, if she really wants to talk about electoral irregularities, perhaps she should go ahead and tell us where the $40 million in stolen sponsorship money went in the Liberal Party—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Andrew Scheer]

Order. The hon. member for Vancouver Quadra.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, that was a stretch.

Former Conservative minister Peter Penashue knew for months that illegal donations had been made to his election campaign. These donations were not made by accident. A Conservative organizer with 25 years of experience decided to accept the donations.

Why did the Prime Minister choose to allow this discredited politician to run in the byelection?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, since I am being asked the same question, I will give the same answer.

Mr. Penashue has taken responsibility for mistakes that were made on his campaign. When a byelection is called, I am certain that Mr. Penashue will have the opportunity to talk to his former and future constituents about the results that he has delivered to date and what he plans to do in the future.

Library andArchives Canada

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, government scientists are now being warned not to speak with Canadians or the media or other scientists. Librarians and archivists have to watch what they say in public, whether it is in classrooms or conferences, or risk being fired, and it is getting worse. Canadians and the global scientific community are up in arms and demanding that the Information Commissioner take action and investigate.

Obstructing access to research weakens Canada's democracy. When will the government reverse this dangerous course?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, that is simply not the case. For example, there is the issue of Library and Archives Canada, for which I am responsible as minister. She should have her critic invite Daniel Caron to come before the parliamentary committee to talk about this. Library and Archives Canada put forward a directive to its own staff, independent of the government. I was not briefed on it. It was its own decision. Library and Archives Canada has a code of conduct with its employees. It does not bar them from being involved or expressing views publicly. They can do so.

If my hon. colleague or the critic on heritage wants to have a more thorough conversation on this outside of 35 seconds, she should feel free to invite Daniel Caron to the committee, who will explain that her question is bunk.

Public Safety

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Shooting Sports Association is apparently outraged that Alberta's Chief Firearms Officer would require, of all things, trigger locks for guns on display at gun shows. It is now asking the Conservatives to scrap provincial firearms officers entirely. This is the same group that the Conservatives have sent to represent Canada at the arms trade treaty talks today.

Would the Minister of Public Safety tell Canadians, here and now, that he rejects this group's outrageous and extreme demands?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, as members know, following the Prime Minister's comments here in the House when he indicated that we would be looking at that body, we in fact put three new individuals onto that body: two police chiefs and one head of a police union. I am very pleased with those appointments.

We continue to work together with all segments of the firearms community to ensure that we focus on real crime, as opposed to the long gun registry.

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, while we welcome new appointments to the committee, this group is still representing Canada internationally today.

The minister has another outrage to answer for today as Canadians across the country are shocked that he personally approved filming immigration raids for reality TV. This is not some episode of Cops. These are real people and real officers doing a dangerous job. Filming is exploitative and can put individuals in danger.

How could the minister be so reckless? Will he take responsibility and put an immediate end to this dangerous and offensive PR stunt?

[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.

However, it is important to remember that each year illegal immigrants cost law-abiding Canadian taxpayers millions of dollars 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.