Debates of April 26th, 2013

Foreign Affairs

[Bob Dechert, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as that member knows well, and as I mentioned earlier, our government was among the first nations in the world to raise the issue of the use of chemical weapons in Syria and to speak out strongly against it.

In fact, our government went the extra mile to provide $2 million to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to do an investigation, at the UN's request, in Syria. We met in the Netherlands two weeks ago with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on just that topic. We are supporting that mission. We hope it proceeds as soon as possible.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Mr. Speaker, an internal letter on fleet separation from Conservative Senator Stephen Greene is absolutely shocking. The Conservative Senator says that fleet separation is responsible for a culture of dependence in Atlantic Canada and the acceptance of massive EI fraud as part and parcel of a way of life.

This is absolutely offensive to everyone involved in the fisheries and to all Atlantic Canadians. Will the Prime Minister apologize for his Senator's shameful statements?

[Randy Kamp, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and for the Asia-Pacific Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague will know that our government has been very clear on this issue. We are in support of our program to preserve the independence of the inshore fishermen of Atlantic Canada, primarily through the owner-operator and fleet separation policies.

On September 21, the minister made it very clear that those policies are not going to change.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Mr. Speaker, fleet separation provides over 30,000 jobs in the Atlantic inshore fishery and keeps hundreds of coastal communities alive. If Senator Greene got his way, these jobs would disappear, and we would be left with ghost towns all across Atlantic Canada. It would be a disaster for the east coast of this country.

I ask again, will the Prime Minister condemn, and apologize to Atlantic Canadians for, his Senator's shameful statements?

[Randy Kamp, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and for the Asia-Pacific Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, we do not always agree, this member and I, but we often do, and on this issue, we agree that these are important policies, and they are not going to change.

Public Safety

[Alain Giguère, NDP, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, communities across Canada are concerned about smuggled firearms that are fuelling daily violence. Instead of increasing border security, the Conservatives have cut hundreds of jobs at the Canada Border Services Agency. They are cutting the number of sniffer dog units and intelligence units responsible for monitoring organized crime.

Why are the Conservatives making cuts that jeopardize public safety? Is that their definition of being tough on crime?

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the opposition is completely wrong. They think if they keep repeating an inaccurate statement that it will stick. It is not true. In fact, our government has increased front-line border officers by 26% since we came into office.

As well, we are giving not only front-line officers at the border but those around the country the tools they need, whether it is to enhance RCMP accountability so that it can be modernized and have more funds or when, the other day, we supported and passed Bill S-7, which gives law enforcement the ability to fight terrorist activity. The NDP voted against every one of those initiatives.

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is, last year's budget did cut our front-line agents at the border, and we are all paying the price in community safety. Last Sunday, armed robbers shot two people in a bank robbery in my riding. Last night, another man was killed by gunfire in Scarborough.

Seventy per cent of the guns Toronto police seize are smuggled in from the United States. When will the Conservatives realize that cutting border services and failing to address gun smuggling is putting public safety at risk?

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, that member is wrong. We have increased front-line officers. We did cut the $1 million slush fund the border security union had. That is something we are very proud of. We cut a million dollars.

When we have introduced legislation, whether it is to make it an offence to smuggle arms into this country or mandatory minimum sentences for gun crimes or any tools we give the police and law enforcement, whether it is financial or legislative, the NDP have voted against it.

Justice

[Rick Norlock, Conservative, Northumberland—Quinte West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are concerned about crime, particularly violent and brutal murders that involve sexual assault and kidnapping. The justice system should do all it can to specifically denounce society's worst crimes.

Yesterday, the member for Selkirk—Interlake received the government's support for his legislation, which would ensure that victims are not re-victimized by the justice system with repeat parole hearings. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice please inform the House how Bill C-478, the respecting families of murdered and brutalized persons act, would further complement our government's support for victims?

[Robert Goguen, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice]

Mr. Speaker, permit me to thank the hon. member for Northumberland—Quinte West for his great question and for his great contribution and work on the public safety committee.

This legislation will give the judges discretion to increase parole ineligibility periods for the most violent and brutal murders in Canada. We think judges should have this discretion. Unfortunately, the NDP do not. Last night, the NDP indicated that it would oppose this bill. This is very disappointing but not surprising. After all, this is the same party that voted against repealing the faint hope clause. We will vote in favour of this bill because it is the right thing to do for victims of these horrible crimes. The NDP should do the same.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, processing times for citizenship have been an absolute and total disaster under the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. Having said that, we have been challenging the government and the minister to take action on this front. Finally, in committee yesterday, we got a commitment from the minister. He has now established the Liberal idea of a 12-month target in terms of processing citizenship.

Could the minister give us an indication as to when he is going to implement this good, sound Liberal idea of 12 months?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the member for Winnipeg North, because the first question he has asked on immigration in weeks he managed to get in at the end of question period on a Friday. That just shows how much the Liberals regard immigration matters.

The Liberals never achieved a 12-month processing time for citizenship applications. They left behind a massive backlog, just like they left behind a backlog of nearly 900,000 applications for permanent residency—people were waiting for seven to eight years—just like they imposed a $1,000 right-of-landing fee and froze settlement funding for newcomers. Their record was one of abysmal failure on immigration.

Ontario-Quebec Continental Gateway and Trade Corridor

[Sana Hassainia, NDP, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to trade, we have no idea where this government is headed.

In 2007, the Conservatives signed a memorandum of understanding with the governments of Quebec and Ontario to develop a strategy for the Ontario-Quebec continental gateway and trade corridor.

Six years later, we are still waiting for this great strategy.

The Prime Minister was to make an announcement about it on a number of occasions, but each time he put it off.

How much longer will we have to wait before we find out what the Conservatives really have in mind? When will they ratify the agreement.

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, we would be happy to have support from the NDP on trade. We would be happy to have their support on any portion of our trade policy.

Our gateway policy has allowed for gateways in central Canada, on the west coast and on the east coast that are helping to pursue Canadian trade opportunities abroad. That member and that party vote against those opportunities every time.

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, we all watched yesterday as the two opposition parties seemed to debate whose environmental policies were worse for our government and our country. The Liberals' plan actually increased GHG emissions by 30% over their 13 years in government, and the NDP plan of a $21 billion carbon tax would actually ruin our economy.

Could the Minister of the Environment please tell the House just how many megatonnes of emissions these failed schemes would actually reduce?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Prince George—Peace River for an excellent question, and the answer is very simple: absolutely none, not a single megatonne of greenhouse gases.

He is quite right. The previous Liberal government paid mere lip service to climate change while greenhouse gases increased during their term by fully 30%. The only thing the NDP leader's plan would reduce is jobs and economic prosperity.

We are the first Canadian government to actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Tyrone Benskin, NDP, Jeanne-Le Ber, QC]

Mr. Speaker, immigration is an important issue for the vitality of our French-speaking and Acadian communities outside Quebec.

It is essential that the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism consult with those communities.

The Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada has been trying to have a meeting with the minister for over a year, but the minister has put it off three times.

Can the Minister commit to meeting with the federation as soon as possible?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Employment Insurance

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

Mr. Speaker, last February, the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development refused to acknowledge the flaws in her employment insurance reform and simply said, “We're going to monitor the progress of the program and if there is a need for changes, we will make adjustments.”

However, each time workers and employers have protested—in Sherbrooke, Rimouski, Saguenay, Trois-Rivières, Thetford Mines or elsewhere—no Conservative MP has shown up to take note of the devastating effects this reform is having on Quebec communities.

Will the minister attend tomorrow's protest in Montreal, or will she realize that her reform is in need of major, not minor, adjustments?

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

Mr. Speaker, the changes made to the program are helping people find work. People are better off when they are working.

There is a shortage of workers in many parts of the country and in many sectors, even in regions with very high unemployment.

We are offering Canadians access to training so that they are qualified for jobs that are in high demand.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Mike Nixon, Minister of Justice, Minister of Tourism and Culture, and Attorney General for Yukon.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I would also like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Daniel Shewchuk, Minister of Justice for Nunavut and Minister Responsible for Nunavut Arctic College.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!