Debates of March 25th, 2013

Aboriginal Affairs

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated earlier to the House, and to the hon. member, I will be meeting with these aboriginal youth later today. Of course we acknowledge the courage that they have indicated in this long march. What is important, and I will discuss this with these youth later today, is how we can continue to improve the situation among first nations youth across Canada, which we intend to do.

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to public safety we all know the Conservatives have an aversion to the facts. The Parliamentary Budget Officer was very clear: their agenda has had no effect on Canada's declining crime rate. Worse, when it comes to enforcing their agenda, they walk away from those doing the heavy lifting.

Instead of supporting jurisdictions that want to hire more front-line police officers, Conservatives are abandoning them and sticking the provinces with the bill.

Why is the minister still refusing to renew the police officer recruitment fund?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to announce not too long ago a five-year stable plan for funding for first nations policing. I had the opportunity to meet with these individuals, and we gave them that five-year funding to ensure we get the policing issue right in first nations communities.

We continue to work with the provinces in respect of the various laws they are responsible for enforcing. They are working with us. Unfortunately, that member and his party have opposed every single measure we have taken in terms of toughening up our criminal justice system.

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

Mr. Speaker, their law and order agenda is “talk, talk and talk some more, and pass the bill on to the provinces.”

By abolishing the police officer recruitment fund, the Conservatives are telling Quebec to go it alone in its fight against street gangs and the drug trade. Even proven crime-fighting measures administered by the provinces are not being spared from austerity measures.

Why has the minister turned his back on the provinces rather than tried to find solutions for long-term funding for police officer recruitment?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, as the House is aware, policing is a provincial responsibility. We have contributed to policing through initiatives like the first nations policing program. Providing them with a five-year plan has been met with some great enthusiasm by first nations communities.

That party has opposed tougher sentences for sexual assault and has opposed ending house arrest for serious crimes. That party opposes tougher penalties for those who sell drugs to our children. That is the record of—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore.

Employment

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week the government introduced the Canada job grant as part of economic action plan 2013. Last fall, nearly 250,000 jobs were left unfilled in Canada. Employers are all too aware that too many jobs are not being filled as they cannot find workers with the right skills.

Would the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development please update the House on the feedback she has been receiving about this new initiative?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development]

Mr. Speaker, indeed last fall there were nearly 250,000 unfilled jobs.

Let me tell the House what different organizations had to say on economic action plan 2013. The Certified General Accountants Association of Canada said, “In creating the Job Grant fund, the federal government has shown leadership in addressing the growing skills gap. We encourage provinces to support it”. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce said “The measures...are a significant step” toward the federal government's attack on the skills shortages.

Financial Institutions

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the reason that credit unions and caisse populaires were given a tax break was to create a level playing field by facilitating their capitalization. They provide competition for Canada's big banks and often are the only financial institutions available to people in small town Canada, where too often bank branches do not exist.

In January, the Conservatives said they understood that capitalization is a significant issue for co-op businesses. Why was there a change two months later? Why neglect small town Canada? Why are the Conservatives turning their backs on credit unions and caisse populaires? Why increase their tax rate by 36%? Why kill the level playing field?

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Minister of State (Finance)]

Mr. Speaker, we do continue to support credit unions. They do a great job supporting local communities. In fact, in the last budget, which the NDP voted against by the way, we allowed them the option to help grow their business nationally. They can come under federal regulation. The changes that are being made to credit unions across this country would eliminate an outdated tax subsidy. They would still have access to the lower small business rate.

Canadian Heritage

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, by moving the National Capital Commission's events to Heritage Canada, our public celebrations are now in the hands of a Conservative minister. That is right, events like Canada Day are a chance for Canadians—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. Once again, I will remind members to hold off on their applause until the member for Ottawa Centre is finished asking his question, and then they can applaud away.

The hon. member for Ottawa Centre.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that means events like Canada Day will be under the oversight of ministers in the Conservative government, not an arm's-length institution like the NCC. This is about celebrating Canada, not branding the Conservative government. Have Conservatives even costed this?

The real question here is that as a result of this decision, how much exactly will be cut from the NCC's budget?

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

Mr. Speaker, in the member's question he said that now Canada Day celebrations will be under the auspices of the Department of Canadian Heritage. The Department of Canadian Heritage has managed Canada Day celebrations for over 50 years. There is nothing new about that. I am surprised the member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre does not know anything about the largest public event in his own riding that happens every year on Canada Day. There is nothing new here.

Perhaps the member for Ottawa Centre could learn a little more about Ottawa Centre and then he could actually ask some accurate questions in the House.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Mr. Speaker, no government has done more to create opportunities for aboriginal Canadians to participate in our economy. This includes expanding the first nations land management regime, which is just one way we are empowering first nations with the tools they need to take greater control over their lands, resources and economic futures. This regime has a proven track record. Jobs, investments and greater self-sufficiency are attained by those first nations who participate.

Can the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development please update the House on today's announcement?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, the member is indeed right, on every point. In fact, I was pleased this morning to welcome and approve eight new entrants into the first nations land management regime. In addition to thanking the Government of Canada for a further investment of $9 million in the program, Chief Robert Louie, among other great things, said, “This means that...projects can move forward at the speed of business...”. Increased revenue for first nations provides “significant employment opportunities”.

He was right—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order. The hon. member for London--Fanshawe

Employment Insurance

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are taking a mother with cancer to court, which is yet another example of the government targeting out-of-work Canadians and restricting the EI benefits they have paid into for years. For Jane Kittmer, it gets worse. Not only is she battling cancer, now she has to battle the Conservatives too.

Will the government commit now to dropping this insensitive and unethical attack?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development]

Mr. Speaker, our government passed the Helping Families in Need Act to provide parents who fall ill while collecting EI parental leave with access to employment insurance sickness benefits. The case to which the member refers was actually under the previous Liberal government's rules, and we have made tremendous improvements to that system since then.

Taxation

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

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have accused every one of us of wanting to increase taxes, but they are the ones attacking Quebec's small investors in the 2013 budget.

In addition to eliminating the tax credit for the labour-sponsored funds, which enables people preparing for retirement to save the tax and gives businesses in all regions an economic lever, the Conservatives will now tax the Caisse populaire Desjardins. Every caisse populaire member will be penalized and will have to say goodbye to a portion of their rebate.

How can the Minister of Finance claim to be keeping taxes low when he is piling more and more and more taxes onto the backs of Quebeckers?

[Maxime Bernier, Conservative, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism)]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to respond to that question by reminding my colleague of something. Ms. Hébert, of the Montreal-based Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said that our budget deserved a B, simply because we are not increasing taxes on small businesses, because we are listening to entrepreneurs and because we are ensuring that the tax burden is not being placed on the shoulders of investors.

We are aware that entrepreneurs are the ones who will drive future economic growth. This budget is pro-business and pro-consumer. The Bloc Québécois is out of arguments.

Journey of Nishiyuu

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I was outside as the young people of nishiyuu flooded on to Parliament Hill. A bald eagle circled overhead.

I want to sacrifice my once-a-week question, and rather than be partisan I want to give these young people who have walked all this way, these beautiful Cree and first nations youth, something unique. Let us just give them a huge round of applause so they know that when they go back home to their families, all of us honoured them, saluted them and found them to be an inspiration.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated earlier, we will do better than just applaud them. We will meet with them and listen to them.