Debates of March 21st, 2013

National Caregiver Day

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association and the Quality End-of-Life Care Coalition of Canada, I rise in the House today to bring attention to National Caregiver Day on April 5.

As the Canadian population ages, more of us are becoming caregivers. We care for those close to us with devotion, patience and love as they live their final days with a life-limiting or terminal illness, as my uncle recently demonstrated in caring for my Aunt Linda.

A 2007 study estimates that annually, 23% of Canadians care for a family member or a close friend with a serious a health problem. Current estimates for replacement costs for unpaid care given in Canada indicate a significant economic contribution by caregivers. The estimates are in the billions of dollars.

Let us stand together and thank all caregivers for their contribution to Canadian society and their devotion to assuring quality end-of-life care for their loved ones.

The Budget

[Jonathan Tremblay, NDP, Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in two hours, the Minister of Finance will table his budget. People in Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord are worried. They are already dealing with fallout from changes to the employment insurance program. They hope that the government will finally wake up and realize that it has to continue investing in the economy if it does not want to sabotage and depopulate our regions.

The government must not balance the budget at the expense of our economy, our regions, our workers and our families. It must not balance the budget by cutting provincial transfers.

Canada is a huge country, with different job market realities from one region to the next. The provinces are well aware of these realities, and that is why they are in the best position to take charge of worker training.

The government has an opportunity to listen to what the people are saying. Where I come from, people want the government to invest in infrastructure and job creation. They want government measures that will spur economic recovery, not measures that interfere with what the provinces do best.

Tanker Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, while the majority of northeastern B.C. residents are in favour of developing our natural resources responsibly, some of my constituents have expressed concerns about shipping these resources overseas.

Our government understands the importance of protecting our nation's waters. That is why we have introduced a comprehensive plan to develop a world-class tanker safety system here in Canada, in particular off the west coast. This new plan would implement eight new tanker safety measures; introduce a safeguarding Canada seas and skies act; and create a tanker safety panel to review Canada's current tanker safety regime and propose further measures to strengthen it. Although we already have strong tanker safety in Canada, these new measures would represent the first steps toward developing a world-class tanker safety system.

Our government will continue our efforts to increase trade while protecting our environment for generations to come with a first-class tanker safety system second to none in the world.

Magnus Poirier

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in order to pay tribute to a true Quebec institution, as Magnus Poirier celebrates its 90th year in operation.

On March 15, 1923, Magnus Poirier was founded, and it has grown exponentially over the years to become one of the finest establishments of its kind, by bringing comfort to thousands of Quebeckers in their darkest hour through their commitment to serving their clients with warmth, support and respect.

Under the guidance of the Poirier family, Magnus Poirier is constantly seeking to better serve its community as a truly modern company, all while maintaining the traditional values that have made it a model company and a leader in the community through its countless charitable initiatives.

I would like to congratulate the chairman of the board, Claude Poirier, president and CEO Jacques Poirier and executive vice-president Marc Poirier for carrying on the Poirier family legacy with such class and excellence, while preparing the next generation to successfully assume the tremendous responsibility that comes with bearing the name “Poirier”.

United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society

[Wai Young, Conservative, Vancouver South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 40th anniversary of the United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society, more commonly known locally as S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

Established in 1973, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. is one of the largest social service agencies in British Columbia. Its mission is to build bridges, celebrate diversity and facilitate integration. Serving over 100,000 clients in eight different languages each year, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. provides services in settlement, English as an additional language, employment, family and youth counselling, seniors' and women's programs, business and economic development, and health care, housing and community development.

Last Saturday, in a testament to the strength and value of this organization, 1,000 supporters celebrated 40 years of community service. As a community, we are truly thankful for S.U.C.C.E.S.S. and its contributions to B.C. and to Canada. On behalf of the people of Vancouver South, I thank S.U.C.C.E.S.S. and congratulate its founding members, board of directors, employees, and volunteers on this important 40th milestone.

Racial Discrimination

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that today is International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and also the start of the Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination.

Every day, people experience discrimination based on their origins, religion, colour, ethnocultural affiliation or gender. This discrimination is pervasive in Canada and elsewhere, and it is quite simply unacceptable.

We must not tolerate the fact that almost 1,500 hate crimes are committed every year in Canada. We must not tolerate the fact that visible minorities with equal skills have unemployment rates that are 1.7 times greater than the average.

As parliamentarians, and also as Canadians, it is our duty to speak out against this and to oppose acts of discrimination and those who support this discrimination through their actions or their silence.

It is our duty to take action to eliminate all forms of discrimination and to promote equal opportunities for everyone.

World Down Syndrome Day

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to recognize the 35,000 people who live in Canada and have Down syndrome. People with Down syndrome are amazing, and today is World Down Syndrome Day.

Tonight in Toronto, Circle 21, an organization that provides leadership to the Down syndrome community, will be bringing together dozens of support organizations from across Canada to acknowledge their contribution and hard work in helping make life better for people who have Down syndrome. At this inspirational event, there will be hundreds of people gathering, many of whom have Down syndrome themselves.

This date, March 21, is symbolic, as Down syndrome is caused by having three copies of the 21st chromosome instead of two copies, like we have. March, representing the third month, and 21, makes for a great day to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day.

While there is work yet to be done, we are blessed to live in such a wonderful country, where people with Down syndrome are included in our society.

New Democratic Party of Canada

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the people of Oakville are shocked that the official opposition voted against our bill that would remove foreign criminals faster from Canada. They are also worried that the opposition parties will revive their socialist coalition to reverse all the bills our government has introduced for safe communities, lower taxes and a dynamic economy.

What bills would such an opposition introduce? We know from their voting record that they would introduce the slower removal of foreign criminals act and a new CETA, the cancel every trade agreement act. Their first move would be the carbon tax on everything you need to live act. They would prioritize the borrow billions to bail out European banks act, quickly followed by the never-ending long gun registry or duck farmers act. However, to seal the deal, the NDP would have to accept the Liberal political loan shark forget about it act.

Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last November, in my riding of Hamilton Centre, I was honoured to join with the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion as it held its first ever conversation café at the Beasley Community Centre on Elgin Street. Attended by more than 150 people, the conversation café brought together members from many of Hamilton's cultural communities, including the Turkish, Somali, Chinese, Spanish and Arabic communities, as well as seniors and youth representatives, to discuss changes residents would like to see in their neighbourhoods and how they would like to get involved in their community life.

The conversation café continues the outstanding work of HCCI and its executive director and Diamond Jubilee medal recipient, Evelyn Myrie, who works to assist the City of Hamilton, as well as major institutions, business, service providers and others, to provide equity and create inclusive environments in all areas of civic life. This important work continues to play a critical role in Hamilton's multicultural development.

I would like to congratulate the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion for the excellent work in our community and wish it continued success with more conversation cafés.

Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada

[Eve Adams, Conservative, Mississauga—Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, later today, the Minister of Finance will deliver our economic action plan 2013, a plan to create jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity.

Our economic action plan stands in sharp contrast to the risky NDP, who would hike taxes on the job creators and kill thousands of jobs in Canada. Where the NDP leader was not attacking the pro-Canadian Keystone XL project in Washington last week, he was demanding a $34 billion tax hike on job creators.

The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters report that if the NDP had its way, there would be 200,000 fewer Canadians working today. The NDP leader's plan to kill 200,000 Canadian jobs is just more proof that Canadians cannot afford the risky economic theories of the NDP.

150th Anniversary of Weedon

[Jean Rousseau, NDP, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, celebrations have started for the 150th anniversary of the municipality of Weedon, in the RCM of Haut-Saint-François, in the Eastern Townships. The Weedon we know today, which is part of Quebec's relay-village network, is the result of an amalgamation of four entities in the 1990s: Saint-Gérard, Fontainebleau, the township of Weedon and the village of Weedon. The people of this region have shown courage, bravery and tenacity in the face of socio-economic challenges over the past few decades.

They have not had it easy. They have faced early spring floods, the decline of the manufacturing and forestry sectors, students dropping out of school and demographic changes. Without a spirit of solidarity, this region would have become a ghost town.

Nevertheless, over the next few months, residents of Weedon will celebrate the success of a municipality where people have pulled together when the need has arisen. I would like to commend the hard work done by all of the volunteers involved in organizing the festivities, as well as the municipal council, led by Jean-Claude Dumas.

I wish Weedon all the best in the future.

The Economy

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let us look at the facts surrounding Canada's economic leadership on the international stage. The Wall Street Journal reported that Canada is “one of the developed world's most stable economies”. The article then went on to say that Canada “outperformed most of its peers in the Group of Seven”.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that “Canada's path of great budgetary discipline and a very heavy emphasis on growth and overcoming the crisis...can be an example for the way in which problems on the other side of the Atlantic can be addressed.” Moody's said that “the Canadian banks still rank amongst the highest rated banks in our global rating universe.”

When the Conservative government tables the 2013 economic action plan this afternoon, members can be certain that it will allow Canada to continue to be an economic leader on the international stage.

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

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

Mr. Speaker, on March 21, 1960, South African police opened fire on a peaceful anti-apartheid demonstration, resulting in the deaths of 69 people. In 1966, March 21 became the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Canadians have fostered a nation of tolerance and acceptance. I am honoured to represent the citizens of Markham, an incredibly diverse and accepting community. However, more must be done. Canada must remain a leader at home and abroad in ending racism and fostering acceptance.

On behalf of the Liberal Party, I would like to take this opportunity to renew our commitment to diversity and equality. I will close with the words of Nelson Mandela:

No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love....

The Economy

[Stella Ambler, Conservative, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today our government releases economic action plan 2013. Our economic action plan would create jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity. There are no more sleeps. The wait is over, and I cannot wait to hear from the world's greatest finance minister and my former boss, Canada's Minister of Finance.

However, I already do know that one thing our economic action plan would not do is hit Canadian families with an NDP job-killing $20 billion carbon tax that would increase the cost of gas, groceries, electricity and everything else.

Unlike the New Democrats, who would hit Canadians with increased taxes, our Conservative government has cut taxes 140 times, putting an average of $3,000 back in the pockets of Canadian families. The NDP leader can try to run from his job-killing carbon tax, but he cannot hide. Canadians know that from our Conservative government they would get a low-tax plan for jobs and growth, and from the NDP leader they would get a job-killing $20 billion carbon tax.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this Minister of Finance is great. He is great at ushering in an era of skyrocketing household debt, great at ballooning our debt by over $120 billion, great at allowing credit card and mortgage debt to go through the roof, and great at building the largest deficit in the history of Canada. To top off that legacy of shame, he is now meddling in the private affairs of individual companies, pressuring them to increase mortgage rates.

Even the Conservative Minister of State for Small Business understands that this is wrong. He gave his Minister of Finance a tongue-lashing yesterday, saying, “I would not dictate to businesses what prices to decide”. We agree, and Canadians deserve better.

Thankfully for the member for Beauce and for all Canadians, there is the NDP. We will fight reckless Conservative interference and in 2015 we will form an NDP government and finally bring sound public administration to Ottawa.

[Phil McColeman, Conservative, Brant, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our government is focused on jobs, growth and long-term prosperity. Thanks to the leadership of our Prime Minister, our Conservative government has been delivering results. The World Economic Forum rated Canada's banking system the world's best for the fifth straight year. The OECD is projecting Canada to lead the G7 in economic growth over the next 50 years. We have cut taxes 140 times, putting an average of $3,000 back in the pockets of families. We are proud of our record on the economy and proud to have created 950,000 net new jobs since July 2009.

However, while we are focused on the economy, the NDP leader is scheming to implement a $20 billion job-killing carbon tax on Canadians. Such a tax would ruin our economy and would raise the price of gas, food, electricity and everything else. Our government will continue to fight the NDP leader's $20 billion job-killing carbon tax.

Employment Insurance

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, today Le Devoir revealed that the Conservatives are going on a witch hunt to find those who exposed the intimidation tactics being used against the unemployed.

The executive director is launching an investigation into what she describes as an “unauthorized disclosure of documents”.

They went after the unemployed, and now they are going after public servants.

Why do the Conservatives want to keep Canadians in the dark about how their tax dollars are being spent?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, employment insurance is very important for those who paid their premiums and who expect the program to be there when they are unemployed.

It is important that the program's funds be used to protect people who lose their job.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, whistleblowers like this are heroes and they should be honoured, not hounded. This Conservative cover-up will not stop people from being outraged about these home inspections and by Conservative attacks on employment insurance.

Conservatives were not transparent about their plans. They refused to consult with the people who were affected and now they are trying to cover their tracks. Why are the Conservatives investigating their own public servants for telling Canadians the truth?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again, employment insurance is a very important program that Canadian workers pay into to ensure there is a fund there when they lose a job due to no fault of their own and find themselves unemployed. It has long been the responsibility of public servants to ensure that the fund is used for the people who are entitled to it and who genuinely need it. Obviously we support them in that important work.

Ethics

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives once honoured whistleblowers and now they are subjecting them to witch hunts, but their war on accountability gets even worse.

The Prime Minister is now defending a cheater and a rule breaker, Peter Penashue. This is a man who broke election laws. He made spending announcements after he realized he broke the law and he launched his re-election advertising campaign before he resigned.

When will the Conservatives stop using the Prime Minister's Office to promote their disgraced candidate?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, Peter Penashue has worked very hard on the things that the people of Labrador elected him to do and made considerable progress. The people of Labrador are the ones who will make the appropriate decisions in this regard. Minister Penashue has an important record he can point to and I think that will be much more important to the people of Labrador, their interests and what can be done to serve their interests than any sort of campaign by the NDP.

The Environment

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, if you are the best, then you do not resign. If you are not good, you resign.

Speaking of "not good", the Minister of Natural Resources tried to hide Conservative inaction on the risks related to oil spills by smiling for the cameras.

However, the largest cleanup ship got stuck on a sandbar on its way to his news conference.

What is the system for preventing ships from running aground for a Conservative photo op?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, our marine safety system has served Canada well without a major tanker accident ever. Still, we will do more and that is why the Minister of Transport and I announced a comprehensive eight-point plan to develop a world-class tanker safety system.

Canadians can count on our government to responsibly develop our resources with strong science-based environmental protections, unlike the NDP who reject science.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I think the vote last night proves the contrary. However, the minister stood there claiming he could protect B.C.'s coast after all his government's cutbacks to protection, even though he knew hours earlier the largest oil spill response skimmer coming to Vancouver for his photo op had run aground.

Photo ops will not protect our shores any more than reality TV will protect our borders, or TV commercials will stimulate our economy. When will the minister work to prevent spills and accidents instead of causing them?