Debates of March 25th, 2013

Journey of Nishiyuu

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today it is with great pride that I rise to welcome the walkers of the journey of nishiyuu to Parliament Hill.

The journey began in Whapmagoostui, in the depths of the winter, with seven youths and their guide. Today, they arrive here on Parliament Hill, after walking 1,600 kilometres and growing to more than 400 youths, as others joined along the way.

With the message of unity, the journey of nishiyuu has captured the imagination of people from all across Canada, from all walks of life, and has inspired aboriginal youth from across the country to think big and take pride in who they are.

I especially want to acknowledge the original seven walkers who started it all: Stanley George Jr., Johnny Abraham, David Kawapit, Raymond Kawapit, Jordan Masty, Gordie Rupert, Travis George and guide Isaac Kawapit. It was their vision and their dedication that made this journey a success.

On behalf of the people of my riding, and on behalf of all Canadians for that matter, we thank them for their inspiration, for inspiring young and old, for an extended hand of reconciliation.

Public Safety

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Brampton West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the final debate before Liberal members, supporters and Facebook friends decide who will lead the third party, there was a new focus on keeping Canadians safe and standing up for victims.

On this side of the House we welcome any reversal of the Liberal soft-on-crime position, which goes back to Pierre Trudeau-era solicitor general Jean-Pierre Goyer, who said it was time to take the focus off public safety and put it on the rights of convicted criminals.

It is important to remind Canadians that it was the Liberal Party that opposed enshrining in law the rights of victims to receive information on their attacker. The Liberals opposed giving victims the right to participate fully in parole hearings, and they opposed funding for the National Crime Prevention Centre, including the youth gang prevention fund. That is on top of their continued opposition to tougher sentences for serious and violent criminals.

Canadians know they can always count on the Liberal Party to put the rights of convicted criminals before the rights of victims.

Promoting Education and Community Health

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it has been said that the ripest peach is highest on the tree and, if I can expand on that metaphor, York West is a tall tree with a unique harvest.

Promoting Education and Community Health, also known as PEACH, is a local, non-profit, charitable agency that has been rooted in the Jane-Finch community since 1993. Its mandate includes working with marginalized youth in a resiliency-promoting framework and, in my experience, it is exceptional at what it does.

For 20 years, PEACH has helped young people become productive members of our society. It empowers marginalized youth to re-imagine their future, allowing them to overcome setbacks, reconnect to education, experience strong support, improve their skills and become engaged in community activities, express themselves, and feel connected.

In short, PEACH is another word for hope to many who had forgotten the meaning of that word, and for that we are all very thankful.

We thank PEACH and every volunteer who works there.

Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada

[Ted Opitz, Conservative, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for the NDP leader, it has been a year to forget.

Since winning his party's leadership, the NDP leader has advocated for a $20 billion carbon tax that would increase the cost of everything; shamefully attacked Canadian interests and jobs on the world stage; called the growth of our resource sector a disease; called Canada's premiers messengers; advocated for more than $56 billion in new spending; met with a convicted cop shooter and advocated for him to immigrate to Canada; lost three MPs, including one to the separatist Bloc québécois; placed a higher priority on placating separatists than defending Canadian unity; and was forced to repay the illegal donations he took from his union bosses.

I think I speak for all members on this side of the House when I wish the NDP leader many more years to come.

Byelection in Labrador

[Ryan Cleary, NDP, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the votes are in and I am proud to report that Labrador New Democrats have chosen Harry Borlase to represent them in the upcoming byelection.

Harry was raised in Goose Bay. He is expert in polar law. Best of all, he has never had to resign due to massive election law violations.

New Democrats believe it is up to Labradorians to exercise their democratic choice, but we also believe in letting the rule of law run its course.

That is why Peter Penashue, after resigning in disgrace, should bow out of this campaign until Elections Canada and possibly the RCMP complete their investigations into the dozens of illegal campaign donations he accepted.

While the Conservatives field a self-admitted lawbreaker and a divided Liberal Party squabbles over its candidate, New Democrats are proud to offer a positive alternative whom Labradorians can trust, and a candidate who will put Labrador first.

The Economy

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week our government introduced economic action plan 2013, our Conservative government's plan to continue to keep taxes low for families, seniors and businesses.

Our government's record is second to none. We have reduced taxes more than 150 times, and thanks to our Conservative government the average family of four pays over $3,000 less in federal taxes each year.

While our government is standing up for Canadian families and businesses by keeping their taxes low, the Leader of the Opposition has a different plan in mind. The Leader of the Opposition's plan includes more than $56 billion in new spending, which means he is going to need to find a way to pay for it.

That is where the Leader of the Opposition's $20 billion carbon tax comes in. The new tax on everything would raise the price of everything, including gas, groceries and electricity.

Canadians know that our Conservative record on the economy is one that protects their interests and is helping the Canadian economy grow. We will vigorously oppose the Leader of the Opposition's plan to impose a job-killing $20 billion carbon tax on Canadians.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, for the past three months, six young people from a Cree community in northern Quebec have been trekking 1,600 km through snow and ice to come to Ottawa in the hope that a new relationship can be forged between Canada and the first nations. Today, spring has arrived, together with hundreds of walkers. The problem is that instead of giving them hope, the new Conservative budget will crush them with paternalistic programs.

The Prime Minister promised equality in education. Why is Canada still spending 30% less on education for aboriginal youth than for other Canadians?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the priority of budget 2013 is jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity for all Canadians.

We have brought forward a number of concrete measures to help first nations communities. These include significant investments in first nations infrastructure, the first nations policing program, the aboriginal justice strategy and enhancing health and mental health services for first nations and Inuit.

The question is this. Will the leader of the NDP do the right thing and stand up and support all these meaningful investments for our first nations?

The Budget

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it is nice to see the minister default to his talking points. He did not listen to the question: Why do we pay 30% less for education for first nations youth than for other Canadians?

The Conservatives' budget is a shell game. There is a billion dollars less for infrastructure next year, then funding is frozen for 10 years, so 10 years of darkness for the communities and 10 years of crumbling infrastructure.

Do the Conservatives not understand that the costs of government programs have to be adjusted for inflation? Is it incompetence or just dishonesty?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP wants more taxes, higher deficits and more government spending.

On this side of the House, we want to ensure that every single dollar of taxpayer money is spent wisely and well and that we get real value. That is exactly what we are doing. We are focused on economic growth, on job creation and measures like the Canada jobs grant.

We want to know this. Will the NDP stand up and do the right thing and support the Canada jobs credit, something that will help create many jobs right across our country?

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, when we hear malarkey like that, we know why the Conservatives want to destroy the PBO.

This weekend, outgoing Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page said that the Conservatives are trying to “unwind” the PBO. Page slammed the Conservatives for refusing to come clean about the details of $14 billion in cuts included in this budget.

Without a full-time budget watchdog, Canadians are being kept in the dark. Why are the Conservatives continuing to hide the truth from Canadian taxpayers?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, let me tell the House about someone who is trying to hide the truth.

The leader of the NDP went to Washington and said he would not talk about Keystone and would not take a position. Then, behind closed doors with top American congressional leaders, he trash-talked the Canadian economy and lobbied against a Canadian project, one that would create literally thousands and thousands of jobs.

Will the leader of the NDP do the right thing: stand in his place, apologize and stop trash-talking Canada?

Status of Women

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, last Friday, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans said: “Grace, you're a great cook; you're going to make a wonderful wife for somebody.”

Can the minister confirm the comments he made while promoting the budget?

[Keith Ashfield, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad the member opposite is following the newscasts and our talk about the federal budget.

It was indeed a great day to promote our budget on Friday. We had significant interest in it.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, leave it to the Conservatives to encourage young women to get married as part of their economic action plan.

When the member said, “Grace, you're a great cook; you're going to make a wonderful wife for somebody”, his comments were disrespectful. In other words, “there, there, stop planning for your future”.

Is this the kind of response women can expect from the Conservatives with their economic action plan?

[Keith Ashfield, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, obviously the opposition members have little fault to find in our budget if this is the only type of question they can ask in this House.

Search and Rescue

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on wasteful advertising while depriving Canadians of the services they pay for and need. They are standing behind disgraced cheater Peter Penashue in Labrador who stood for wasteful Conservative advertising and stood against protecting search and rescue. His indifference to Labrador and his failure to stand up for search and rescue had tragic results for 14-year-old Burton Winters.

Why are the Conservatives willing to spend millions of dollars on self-promotion while failing to fund search and rescue in Labrador?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, Peter Penashue was a great representative for Labrador, a strong voice for economic development and job creation. He was instrumental in getting support for the Muskrat Falls development, something that will transform the economy of Labrador. He fought to get increased Internet speed in Labrador. He fought against the wasteful long gun registry. All three of these things are something that could never be done by the third party. He delivered for the good people of Labrador.

Employment Insurance

[Scott Andrews, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on wasteful advertising while starving Canadians of the services they need. The Prime Minister is standing behind electoral fraudster Peter Penashue in Labrador because he stood for wasteful Conservative advertising and stood against extending an extra five weeks of EI for the people of Labrador who face seasonal employment.

Instead of standing up for seasonal workers in Labrador, Peter Penashue stood up for Conservative propaganda. Why are the Conservatives willing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on self-promotion while failing to support the people of Labrador?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, let me tell members what this individual did. He worked hard for job creation and for economic growth. He was part of a team that saw the Canadian economy create hundreds of thousands of jobs since the bottom of the economic recession, someone who was working to transform the economy of Labrador to make it one of the economic engines of this country. We need strong leadership. We need people who can get the job done, like this individual did over the past two years.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have absolutely no problem spending hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money on partisan propaganda while they cut funding to fisheries. With Peter Penashue looking on as part of that “team” the minister refers to, Newfoundland and Labrador's cabinet observers saw fisheries science being cut to the bone, the EI left without marketing support, crumbling infrastructure, slashes to EI and fisheries EI, and inadequate habitat and conservation protection.

With Peter Penashue looking on with his team aboard, the government said to the fishermen, “You've got what you had coming to you”. Now what do they—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please.

The hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs.

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, it has long been a tradition that when we present a comprehensive budget and economic action plan it would get the focus of attention in the House. All the Liberals are doing is following scandals. We can look at the advertising spending of this government. This government spends $20 million less on advertising than the Liberal government did. We are focused on the priorities of Canadians: 950,000 net new jobs and more hope and more opportunity for the people of Labrador and all Canadians.

Infrastructure

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are just playing a shell game when it comes to infrastructure spending. They are renaming some programs. They are cutting others. However, the net result is clear: over $1 billion taken out of infrastructure spending in each of the next two years. With crumbling bridges, gridlocked roads and transit being starved, it is a shell game that will cost our cities dearly.

Why the deception? Why are the Conservatives claiming that their budget increases infrastructure when their own budget numbers contradict them?

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the FCM president, Karen Leibovici, said:

[The] budget delivers significant gains for Canada's cities and communities. We applaud the government for choosing to continue moving our communities forward even as it meets its immediate fiscal challenges.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the vast majority of cities across Canada congratulated our government for the new infrastructure plan. The opposition does not understand this.