Debates of March 26th, 2013

Aboriginal Affairs

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we welcomed young Cree walkers and heard their call for reconciliation. The Conservatives are failing to forge new respectful relationships with aboriginal peoples. Now we learn Conservatives are also letting down the front-line officers in aboriginal communities. Like in so many communities, police in NAN territory are chronically underfunded, housed in shacks and facing extreme levels of trauma and stress.

Conservatives had an opportunity in the budget to close this funding gap, so why are they turning their backs on northern communities?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to announce that our Conservative government will be providing stable, long-term funding for first nations policing. Spending on first nations policing has increased substantially under this government.

This important initiative is part of our government's plan for safe streets and communities and we are pleased with the reception it is receiving from the first nations community leaders that I met with.

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the walkers from Eeyou Istchee showed how determined and courageous aboriginal youth are. Although the minister had some nice things to say, there was nothing in the Conservative budget for them. Funding for education is 30% lower on reserve than off reserve. Nothing has been proposed for access to drinking water or housing. We are not going to build respectful and lasting relationships by asking for a hasty meeting with these youth.

I have an easy question for the Minister. When will he put words into action?

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

Mr. Speaker, maybe if the hon. member opened his eyes, he would be able to see the actions the government is taking.

In this year's budget, we are once again investing hundreds of millions of dollars to improve conditions in aboriginal communities across the country. We are investing in education, investment in infrastructure, and funding for the education and training of aboriginal youth.

I invite the NDP members to stop spinning their wheels and support this budget.

Status of Women

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans said that the following remarks were taken out of context: “Grace, you're a great cook. You're going to make a wonderful wife for somebody.”

In what context are those remarks acceptable?

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

Mr. Speaker, of course we have already dealt with that situation. What we are concentrating on is economic action plan 2013, jobs, growth and long-term prosperity. We are doing all of that without increasing taxes, without reducing transfer payments to the provinces, unlike the NDP, who would raise taxes with a $21 billion carbon tax.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the next time, the minister should stick to his knitting instead of offering unsolicited marriage advice. From childcare to EI—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Kick her out.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. member for Halifax.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

I am sorry I did not cite my source.

From childcare to EI, the government has gutted services designed to help and protect women. Instead of encouraging young women to have a future of their own making, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans simply suggests that one day, we will make great wives.

Will the Minister for Status of Women—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

No, actually, I will not stop.

Will she stand up for Canadian women and apologize for her colleague's comments?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand up and share with the House that on Friday, I was with an organization called Women Building Futures. I was with a graduating class of young women, exclusively young women, who are going to become heavy equipment operators in the oil sands. They were thrilled to hear about our Canada job grant, which would support thousands of other young women who want to get into high-paying trades jobs.

We will continue to focus on what matters to all Canadians, including women, and that is creating jobs.

Employment

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK]

Mr. Speaker, since the recession, we have seen over 950,000 net new jobs created. Budget 2013 announced an exciting new job creation initiative, the Canada job grant.

Would the Minister of Canadian Heritage please update the House on how the initiative is being received across the country?

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

Mr. Speaker, we have 950,000 net new jobs and better than that. Canada's job records since the worst point in the recession are the best job numbers in all of the G7. Budget 2013, our economic action plan, will build on that further with our Canada job plan. As was said today by the National Association of Career Colleges, this job grant will “benefit Canadian job-seekers as well [as] employers seeking qualified and skilled employees”.

Canadians have said time and again that they want Parliament focused on creating prosperity and jobs for Canadians. That is what budget 2013, our economic action plan, will do with this important piece of it.

Search and Rescue

[Annick Papillon, NDP, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, training exercises at the Halifax centre revealed some major shortcomings in the coordination of rescue services in both official languages. Despite those shortcomings, some activities of the Quebec City marine rescue sub-centre will be transferred to Halifax in three weeks. In light of the Conservatives' contempt, we have asked the Commissioner of Official Languages to conduct an urgent investigation to determine the current linguistic status of that service.

Do the Conservatives realize that closing the Quebec City centre will endanger the safety of francophones on the water?

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

Mr. Speaker, the Coast Guard intends to maintain its excellent record of safety and service to mariners. As we have said all along, consolidation will be based on operational needs, public safety and taking the time needed to complete the work properly. Of course, we will maintain bilingual services.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that the Conservatives' decision is not the right one. Experts in marine safety, the Corporation of Mid St. Lawrence Pilots and rescue coordinators all agree that this is a bad decision. They are saying that closing the Quebec City rescue sub-centre will jeopardize marine safety.

What is the minister waiting for? Is he waiting for someone to be hurt or die in a marine accident because the dispatcher did not understand the distress call? The minister will have to bear the responsibility if an accident happens because of a language barrier.

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

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, consolidation will be based on operational needs, public safety and taking the time needed to complete the job properly. Of course, we will provide bilingual service.

Workplace Safety

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, in Newfoundland they expect fishermen to speak Italian.

In Labrador West, the prevalence of silicosis is unusually high among workers at iron ore mines. Retired workers and their spouses are being made sick and even dying from chronic exposure to silica dust. They are looking to the government for help. The government has been aware for years of the dangers of silica dust.

What are the Conservatives doing to ensure the health of workers in Labrador?

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

Mr. Speaker, the health and safety of workers across the country is an important part of the work that is done by the Department of HRSDC, and the Minister of Labour takes all these matters very seriously. We would be pleased to be work with the member opposite to continue to advance the safety of workers across this country.

Mining Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, New Democrats will always oppose budgets that hurt Newfoundland and Labrador, like this budget. Tucked away on the corner of page 151 of the budget, we learned that the accelerated capital cost allowance is being cut for the mining sector. This decision comes as a blow to Labrador companies just at a time when they are discovering new mineral wealth in iron ore and rare earth minerals.

Why are Conservatives pouring cold water over Labrador's mining industry just as it is gaining momentum?

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

Mr. Speaker, that is a surprising question about resource development coming from the NDP, which spends most of its time on a trash can tour, going down to the United States and trashing Canada. The leader of the NDP has consistently called the resource sector in this country a disease. We find that very offensive and so do Canadians.

We are working on what is important to Canadians, which is finding jobs for Canadians, protecting the economy and growing the long-term prosperity of all Canadians.

Intergovernmental Relations

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we heard the Prime Minister. The government is unilaterally intervening, without consultation, in a provincial jurisdiction—job training—without increasing its own funding, and instead requiring that the provinces chip in the money. Not surprisingly, this does not sit well with them and there has been an outcry.

This government finally has a Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, so he should rise and tell us how he plans to clean up the mess the latest budget has made of our federation, especially in terms of job training, an area in which collaboration is essential to success.