Debates of March 22nd, 2013

Ethics

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

Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe they put that particular member up to ask about the seal hunt. It was not so long ago that he went on a radio interview to say that he thought the seal hunt had no future at all. Since that time, thank goodness, Peter Penashue stood and fought back and defended the seal hunt for his constituents and for rural and remote Canadians across the country.

Speaking of seals, Peter Penashue defended the elimination of the long gun registry. When the hon. member for St. John's South—Mount Pearl had a chance to vote, he voted like a trained seal.

Infrastructure

[David Sweet, Conservative, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Finance tabled the next phase of our economic action plan, which will focus on jobs and economic growth. Among many measures announced in our economic action plan 2013, our government introduced the new building Canada plan. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities tell us about our new federal investments in job-creating infrastructure?

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

Mr. Speaker, in the last seven years, we have successfully reduced the average age of our infrastructure to 14. That means that our infrastructure is newer than at any time in the last three decades. We built on that plan with a new one. Over ten years, predictable funding will also allow for more private sector competition to help get Canadians where they are going faster with a lower tax bill.

When it comes to infrastructure, the Conservative government knows where the rubber meets the road.

International Co-operation

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last night, the Prime Minister's Office appropriated CIDA to itself in order to advance Canada's business interests and the Prime Minister's political interests. Any poverty alleviation will happen by accident rather than by design.

In order to get foreign aid money, the world's poorest will have to learn to do business with us and be politically obedient. How does the minister feel about misappropriating the money set aside for the world's poorest and most desperate for his political interests?

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, we have made Canada's aid more focused, effective and accountable. We are enshrining in law the important roles and responsibilities for the international development and humanitarian assistance minister. This change will coordinate all of our international assistance with broader Canadian values and objectives and it will put development on equal footing with trade and diplomacy. Canadians want to know that their development dollars are making results.

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, merging CIDA with DFAIT could have been a perfect opportunity to bolster the image of international development under the direction of an excellent minister. However, given the Conservatives' appalling record when it comes to international development, we can just forget about that. They have slashed the aid budget, linked that aid to the interests of large corporations and politicized the funding process.

Will the minister commit to focusing his efforts on what—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation.

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, we have made our aid more focused, more effective and more accountable.

I would like to read what the leader of the member's party actually said in his policy document. He wrote, “making development assistance central to our foreign policy by moving the Canadian International Development Agency to the heart of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade”. Why is the member not supporting her leader?

Manufacturing Industry

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, nearly two million Canadians work in the manufacturing sector. These Canadians and their families expect their government to support their jobs, not undermine them. The last thing they want is a government that taxes everything that moves and travels to foreign capitals to ruin their reputation.

Canadians certainly do not want a government that taxes everything that moves and visits foreign capitals to talk down the Canadian economy.

Can the government confirm how we will continue to stand up for jobs and strengthen the competitiveness of our manufacturers and processors?

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his very relevant question and I congratulate him on the great work he does for the people of Ottawa-Orléans.

Our government will continue to support Canadian manufacturers and processors through initiatives that will enable them to work to their full potential, innovate and remain competitive in the global economy, which will benefit Canadian families for years to come.

Our economic action plan 2013 demonstrates once again that while our government is working to ensure Canada's prosperity, the NDP would rather go traipsing around the world and sabotage our economic development while they are at it.

Taxation

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what verbiage.

By cutting the tax credit for the labour-sponsored funds, the disciples across the way have decided to attack one of the jewels of Quebec's economy. These funds are a unique model of prosperity in the Americas. Tens of thousands of Quebeckers count on a stable job because of these funds. The Conservatives do not want to preserve these jobs. With their budget choices, they are clearly showing their ignorance of the reality in Quebec. Fortunately, the people of Quebec voted NDP in the last election.

What gives the government the right to assault the drivers of economic development in Quebec in the middle of a period of economic instability?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I will repeat what I said previously. The tax credit did not favour economic growth and job creation, as indicated by independent experts, including the OECD, during our consultations.

We are replacing this credit through the government's new strategy for venture capital by investing $400 million. Ontario has also eliminated this tax credit. The provinces are free to choose their own investments. For our part, we are listening to the experts.

Intergovernmental Relations

[Jean-François Fortin, Bloc, Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the 2013 budget is a direct attack on the way Quebec does things. Ottawa will take away millions of dollars from Quebec that would help the unemployed find jobs. In its place, the federal government is pushing a program that will force workers and the Quebec government to provide more money if they want the federal government to contribute. In order to hand out cheques with the maple leaf on them, the federal government is ready to axe initiatives that are working well.

Will the Minister of Finance listen to his Quebec counterpart, who has condemned this full-on attack against Quebec, and will he stop the federal government's interference in manpower training?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's economic action plan 2013 is focused on fixing our country's skill shortage by giving Canadians new or better jobs. We want to work with the provinces and take training from governments and provide that opportunity to employers and employees.

Our government is taking decisive action to create good jobs and see a higher quality of life for hard-working Canadians. We encourage the opposition members to support this initiative.

Taxation

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the elimination of the labour-sponsored funds tax credit is another frontal attack on Quebec and its workers.

In addition to impoverishing people who are trying to save for their retirement, the federal government is also going to deprive Quebec SMEs of a key economic lever.

Labour-sponsored funds are an integral part of Quebec's economic organization, as demonstrated by the fact that $312 million of the $355 million Ottawa plans to take away from workers will be from Quebec.

How can the Minister of Finance eliminate a program that encourages workers to save and an economic development tool that works? Why did the government table an anti-Quebec, anti-worker, anti-union budget?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, once again, I have already answered this question: the tax credit was not working.

However, the real question is this: will the opposition support economic action plan 2013, which supports skills development, persons with disabilities, youth, aboriginal people and newcomers to Canada?

Will they support help for manufacturers and their employees? Will they help small businesses to create jobs by supporting our budget? I hope they will, because Quebeckers are counting on them to give us their support.

Conflict of Interest Code

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Pursuant to section 15(3) of the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons, it is my duty to lay upon the table the list of all sponsored travel by members for the year 2012, as provided by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.

Government Response to Petitions

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36.8 I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to six petitions.

Business of the House

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, there has been discussion among the parties and I think you would find agreement for the following motion. I move:

That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, following oral questions on Wednesday, March 27, 2013, a member from each recognized party, as well as the member for Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour and the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands may make a brief statement and the time taken for these statements shall be added to the time provided for government orders.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Does the hon. member for Winnipeg North have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

(Motion agreed to)

Public Safety and National Security

[Gordon O'Connor, Conservative, Minister of State and Chief Government Whip]

Mr. Speaker, there have been consultations and I believe you would find agreement for the following travel motions. I move:

That, in relation to its study on the economics of policing, six members of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security be authorized to travel to San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, United States of America, in the winter-spring of 2013, and that the necessary staff accompany the committee.