House of Commons Hansard #225 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was scientists.
Rick Dykstra ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Immigration has met and spoken with Syrian Canadians across the country on many occasions about the crisis in Syria. The fact is that Turkey does not allow potential refugees to even leave the country until the UNHCR has made a decision on their case and refers their case to a country for resettlement.
We are focused on this and we are doing what we can. The minister has worked extremely hard to assist those in Syria.
Paul Dewar NDP Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that Conservatives have actually damaged our reputation on this. Now, for the second time, Turkey has had to call out a Conservative minister for not telling the truth.
People are being killed by the millions and are being displaced, Canadians are worried about the safety of their family members, yet the minister had the gall to try to blame the Turkish government for Conservative inaction.
Will the minister stand and apologize? Will the Conservatives actually live up to their commitment to save those in Syria now?
Rick Dykstra ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I completely disagree with the premise on which the NDP members are trying build this case.
First, officials are working to process family class and privately sponsored refugee applications from Syria as quickly as possible. Let us not forget the difficult environment they are working within.
Second, almost all spousal sponsorships that were pending have been finalized. In family class cases where compelling circumstances exist, visa officers are issuing temporary resident visas to allow applicants to come to Canada while their application is being processed.
We are on this and we are going to stay on it.
Merv Tweed Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Mr. Speaker, while the NDP members call for billions in new spending they do not know how to pay for, our Conservative government has a low-tax plan for jobs and growth. It is a responsible plan that keeps more money where it belongs, which is in the pockets of Canadian families and businesses to create jobs. While the NDP may not like it, responsible spending and lower taxes help promote economic growth and put Canadians to work.
Will the Minister of State for Finance please inform the House of what Canadians should not expect from Canada's economic action plan 2013?
Ted Menzies ConservativeMinister of State (Finance)
Mr. Speaker, that is a good question. Most people ask what is in the budget and of course we cannot tell them. However, I can, as I mentioned earlier, tell the House what will not be in the budget.
There will not be, as the NDP would wish, $56 billion in risky spending. There will not be a $21 billion carbon tax that it wants to put in. There will not be a $34 billion tax hike on small businesses.
There will be action to promote jobs, growth and the long-term prosperity of our country. We are looking for support to get that completed.
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are failing our health care system.
The latest report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information shows that wait times for priority surgeries are still too long. This is despite clear commitments that were made in the health accords.
This utter mismanagement of Canada's health care system is simply unacceptable and the minister must be held to account. How much longer do Canadians have to wait before she takes action, or will the minister admit that she has no respect for the accords at all?
Leona Aglukkaq ConservativeMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, we respect the provinces and territorial jurisdiction in the area of health care to help the provinces and territories address the issue of wait times. We have made targeted investments of $6.5 billion. We are also providing long-term stable funding arrangement that will see transfers reach a historic level of $40 billion.
Our government will continue to work with the provinces and the territories on wait times in priority areas such as cancer care, cardiac care and diagnostic testing.
Djaouida Sellah NDP Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives can say whatever they want about health transfers, but the reality is that their new formula does not cover inflation, population growth or population aging. Wait time reductions were one of the key elements of the health accords. Although targets were reached initially, wait times have now increased.
How does the minister plan to ensure that Canadians do not have longer wait times for surgeries?
Leona Aglukkaq ConservativeMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, unlike the previous governments that balanced the books on the backs of the provinces and the territories, we have committed long-term stable funding to the provinces and territories that will see a historic level of $40 billion. Since we have formed government, health transfers from Ottawa to the provinces and territories have grown by nearly 35%.
We will continue to work in partnership with the provinces and territories.
Denis Blanchette NDP Louis-Hébert, QC
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about health.
Since we have been questioning the Conservatives about the abnormally high rate of nickel dust in the Limoilou sector of Quebec City, the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities has ridiculed the public's concerns. In his opinion, the port authority is independent and is doing its job. As the minister knows, the Port of Quebec is his responsibility.
What does the minister intend to do to get to the bottom of this matter and protect the safety of the people of Quebec City?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting to hear that everything that happens in the Limoilou sector depends on the Port of Quebec.
The Port of Quebec is an independent organization that is part of Canada's port system and manages its own affairs. Of course, the NDP would like to run all the organizations in Canada and centralize them in Ottawa.
The NDP does not worry about placing trustworthy people and good administrators on a board of directors. We will respect that. There are things that are currently being done by the port and its partners, and they are going to resolve the problem.
Raymond Côté NDP Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Mr. Speaker, this is a serious issue that deserves serious attention.
According to the Direction régionale de santé publique, the mortality rate in Limoilou is up to two times higher than in other sectors of Quebec City. With the recent events related to the nickel dust that is affecting this area, residents are concerned, and I can understand that.
The mayor of Quebec City and the minister responsible for the region in the National Assembly are asking the federal government to step in. Will the minister for once do his job and seriously look into this worrisome situation?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, the Quebec Port Authority is doing its job in this respect. Moreover, it is its duty to work in collaboration with its partners, the port's clients.
Scaring people is the opposition's daily task. Taking provincial health reports, mixing things up and turning it all into something to scare people, that is the only thing they are good at. We will continue to do things with respect for the people with whom we work.
Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Budget Officer revealed that the crime rate has gone down 23% since 2002, but costs have increased by 23%, especially since 2006.
The provinces obviously end up stuck with the bill for 73% of those costs.
My question is very simple. Does the government plan on helping the provinces, which have no choice but to pay the ever-increasing court and prison costs? Is the government prepared to help them?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I would point out to the hon. member that transfers to the provinces have been growing at record levels, and will continue to grow.
There has been an increase of over $20 billion just since this government has taken office. The hon. member should be aware of that.
We all have a role to play in the fight against crime. We are doing our part and we are assisting provinces as well.
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
Mr. Speaker, despite more than 30 years of declining crime rates, taxpayers are now spending over $20 billion a year to pay for Conservative crime policies that even U.S. Republicans are calling outdated and ineffective.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives are funding their wasteful agenda by slashing vital programs like the old age pension and cutting services for seniors and the mentally ill.
Why is it that Conservatives continue to find endless pots of money for their prisons, but cannot find money to help seniors and other Canadians who need help?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the lack of Liberal priorities. I think it is fair to say that any money spent on fighting crime in this country would not have the support of the Liberal Party.
That said, they missed the fact that $100 billion is the price of crime, most of which is borne by victims of crime. That is who we stand for and that is who we represent in this Parliament and in Canada.
Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, on this International Day of La Francophonie, I want to know whether the government plans on renewing its commitment to the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality, which expires on March 31.
This roadmap needs funding so that we can provide the services needed to sustain official language minority communities.
Will the government renew and index its funding to ensure that this country's official language communities continue to flourish?
James Moore ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
Mr. Speaker, in a word: yes.
That is why we held round tables and discussions across the country last year. We held 22 round tables, in every region of the country, and we held discussions with francophone minority communities—and with anglophone minority communities in Quebec—to ensure that our government will always protect the interests of both official languages in Canada.
Annick Papillon NDP Québec, QC
Mr. Speaker, let us stay on the topic of language.
The pilots who travel on the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City have had to file a complaint with the Commissioner of Official Languages because they are unable to communicate in French with the icebreaker crew working on the St. Lawrence.
Already with the closure of the maritime search and rescue centre in Quebec City, we had to expect less service in French, but now things are downright dangerous.
On this International Day of La Francophonie, why are the Conservatives jeopardizing the safety of ship pilots, who have the right to work in French?
Keith Ashfield ConservativeMinister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway
Mr. Speaker, the question from the person opposite is entirely wrong. The Coast Guard does make every attempt to ensure that each vessel working in Quebec has a bilingual capacity to communicate with other vessels.
Marine communications and traffic services centres will continue to provide services in both official languages. These centres are the main point of contact for all vessels.
Jim Hillyer Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Mr. Speaker, there is no question that the Keystone XL pipeline is in Canada's national interest. It will create tens of thousands of jobs on both sides of the border, but the NDP opposes it.
Canada's building trade unions strongly support the Keystone pipeline and have a very strong message for Canadians: the NDP would be very bad for workers and the entire Canadian economy.
Could the Minister of Natural Resources please update the House on the Keystone XL pipeline?
Joe Oliver ConservativeMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, it is shameful that the NDP leader continues to argue against Canada's national interest.
On this side of the House, we stand up for thousands of Canadians, including those represented by the Canadian building trades unions who are counting on the Keystone jobs.
Unlike the NDP members, who reject science when it is inconvenient for them, we base our decisions on science and the facts. Supporting this important project is just one more way to create jobs.
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Veterans Ombudsman called on the Conservatives to settle a class action lawsuit with disabled RCMP veterans. Former ombudsman Pat Stogran and veterans organizations have also called for a settlement in order to avoid repeating the costly mistake of fighting disabled Canadian Forces veterans in court for five years. The Conservatives lost that case, resulting in legal fees of over $60 million.
Instead of making the same mistake twice, will the government now talk directly with disabled RCMP veterans, settle the issue and give these veterans the fairness they deserve?
Tony Clement ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, of course we on this side of the House support disabled persons and disabled veterans and disabled public employees. The matter is before the courts, and that is as much as I can say at this particular moment.