Debates of May 1st, 2013

Employment

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

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we are doing in budget 2013.

We are offering young people opportunities to acquire the experience they need for available jobs. One way we are doing that is through internships.

There are many other ways to help young people find work and prepare for the kinds of jobs that are in demand. The NDP should support our efforts to help our young people.

[Rathika Sitsabaiesan, NDP, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, tinkering around the edges will not help today's youth find a job. That is not even a plan.

When we actually look at the number of jobs available, the forecasts are even bleaker. For every job vacancy, there are 6.5 unemployed Canadians competing for it.

Canada's economic struggles are being compounded on the backs of Canada's youth. The Conservatives are simply ignoring this fact. Their failed inaction plans have resulted in the continual increase of the unemployment levels of our young people. What will they do today to mitigate the impacts of a sluggish economy for Canada's youth?

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

Mr. Speaker, Canada does have one of the lowest rates of unemployment for youth in the developed world. However, it is not good enough. That is why we are expanding our programs to help young people get the skills for the jobs that are actually in demand by employers. That is why we introduced the apprenticeship grants, over 400,000 of which have now been distributed to help young people get the skills they need for the jobs of the future.

That and every other program that we have introduced to help young people have strong, progressive, reliable careers has been voted against by the NDP.

Employment Insurance

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

Mr. Speaker, it is not just unemployed young people who are being shut out by this Conservative government. All four Atlantic provinces have stood as one and said no to Conservative EI cuts. They have said no to forcing workers to take a 30% wage cut. They have said no to Conservative contempt for seasonal industries. They have said no to policies that treat unemployed workers like criminals.

When will the Conservatives listen to the premiers and stop their attacks on Atlantic Canada?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member is totally misrepresenting the changes that are there and that are designed to help connect Canadians with jobs. That is what it is all about. In fact, the cornerstone of our economic action plan 2013 is training and job creation, through measures like the Canada job grant that will connect unemployed Canadians with the training they need to fill the jobs employers are having a really tough time finding qualified Canadians to fill. We will help those Canadians get the skills they need for those jobs. The NDP should try doing that for a change too.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

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

Mr. Speaker, what will it take for the minister to finally get the message? Her attacks on Atlantic Canadians are hurting our outports, hurting our communities, and the news only gets worst for the east. The latest victim of Conservative cuts to the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is a regional development agency in Cape Breton that is two decades old. First, it had to lay off half its staff. Now its doors have been shut for good.

The Conservatives are slashing front-line agencies that foster development. How does that help grow Atlantic Canada's economy?

[Gail Shea, Conservative, Minister of National Revenue and Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, the decision to stop contributing to the costs of the daily operations and expenditures of the regional economic development organizations will allow for a more efficient economic development in the Atlantic region by reducing duplication and overlap. This will allow us to focus our efforts and resources on providing directly to entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses and communities, the programs that are aimed at creating jobs for Atlantic Canada.

Search and Rescue

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Auditor General said Canada's search and rescue was at breaking point, with a lack of personnel, aging equipment and no clear policy for search and rescue. Three weeks ago, a sailor died at English Bay of a heart attack. It took more than 48 minutes for the Coast Guard to get paramedics to his ship. If the Kitsilano base were open, it would have taken 10 minutes.

Experts predicted lives will be lost. There are now two fatalities. How many fatalities will it take for the government to reopen the Kitsilano Coast Guard base?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times, there is no way we will put in jeopardy the lives of our mariners and people on the water.

As for the Kitsilano base, the member is wrong. The response time was much quicker than she indicated.

Since the closure of CCG Kitsilano base in February, the Canadian Coast Guard Sea Island station has responded to 38 search and rescue maritime distress incidents in the greater Vancouver area. These incidents involved 48 lives at risk. In all cases, the hovercraft arrived in less than 10 minutes.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General points out that the absence of a replacement search and rescue airplane is putting Canadians at risk. Meanwhile, the Minister of National Defence wants a plane, to heck with the rules. The Minister of Public Works, on the other hand, is all rules and no plane. Meanwhile this Conservative version of Ping-Pong is dangerous to us all.

Let us finish with the Abbott and Costello routine. Will someone over there make a decision and buy us a plane?

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

Mr. Speaker, that decision has already been made, and the funding has been allocated. The procurement process started last year. It is ongoing and it will be very competitive. We have a fairness monitor in place. The process is transparent and ongoing. We have been doing industry engagement over the last few months.

Labour

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the President of the Treasury Board has lost track of $3 billion and now wants to stick his nose into the negotiations of crown corporations. He cannot even do his own job. He should mind his own business.

The Conservatives' track record with VIA Rail is a disaster, and they continue to go after the CBC. Now we have to trust them to conduct negotiations with the employees of crown corporations. Really? Unionized employees are not the only ones who will have their hands tied. The Conservatives are now giving themselves the right to impose working conditions on non-unionized employees.

Why are the Conservatives meddling in these negotiations? Why do they not respect the independence of crown corporations?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, that is completely false because crown corporations' finances are the government's business. We have to ensure that the costs are appropriate. Economic action plan 2013 indicates that the government will look at options to improve the financial viability of crown corporations, including compensation levels.

It is important that we respect the taxpayer and work with the taxpayer. That includes both our responsibilities within government and also the crown corporations that report to government.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, first you should find your $3 billion.

From CBC to Canada Post—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I would remind my hon. colleague to address his comments through the Chair. I do not have $3 billion.

The hon. member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, from CBC to Canada Post to VIA Rail, the Conservatives are now giving themselves brand new powers over collective agreements at crown corporations. One moment the Conservatives say these corporations are independent, and the next they are riding roughshod over collective bargaining. These are just the latest Conservative attacks on labour rights.

Why are the Conservatives using their budget bill to handcuff collective bargaining at crown corporations?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House stand for the taxpayer and stand for accountability of these crown corporations to the taxpayer.

I cannot let it slide that the hon. member stood up just a moment ago and joked about anti-terrorism activity. Those members had a chance last week to vote on a bill that would improve our ability to attack terrorism to make sure we can protect the people of Canada. They voted no. That is their record.

Justice

[Parm Gill, Conservative, Brampton—Springdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to keeping our streets and communities safe. This is why I have introduced Bill C-394. My legislation targets those who attempt to recruit youth into gangs. Parents want gangs off our streets and out of their neighbourhoods. This legislation would help to achieve precisely that.

With the final vote in the House of Commons scheduled for tonight, could the Minister of Justice please inform the House about the government's position on this important piece of legislation?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I want to applaud the member for Brampton—Springdale for all his efforts to protect youth and for bringing forward this important legislation.

I am proud as well to say that the government will continue to support this important legislation because it is consistent with our efforts to crack down on crime and make sure that our communities are safe.

Unfortunately, this approach is ideologically opposed by Liberal members. Members will remember, of course, their efforts to fight our laws to better protect Canadians against drug traffickers. That said, I call on them for once to do the right thing tonight and support this important piece of legislation.

Employment

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, almost a year and a half ago, I wrote to the Minister of Human Resources to alert her that foreign pilots were being used under the temporary foreign worker program to displace Canadian pilots in the off-season. This practice denies Canadian pilots jobs and prevents them from accumulating the flight hours they need to qualify them to fly larger planes.

I never received an answer to my letter. Can the minister take this opportunity to assure Canadian pilots that this practice is now over and that their career opportunities will no longer be constrained by misuse of the temporary foreign worker program?

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

Mr. Speaker, we are indeed concerned about the situation regarding temporary foreign workers. That is why we announced new reforms to the program.

Beyond that, in terms of the airlines, we have been working with the airlines and with the pilots associations to make sure that they make every effort to recruit Canadians and to develop Canadians with the skills required for those jobs so that Canadians always get first interest on every job that is available.

Health

[Djaouida Sellah, NDP, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health continues to abdicate responsibility in the matter of the diluted chemotherapy drugs. The problem is that, as her Ontario counterpart said, this matter falls under federal jurisdiction. Marchese Hospital Solutions even approached her department as early as 2011. Why does the minister continue to deny that drug safety in Canada falls entirely under her jurisdiction? When will a permanent solution be found for this problem?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, as I stated yesterday, a provincial committee is examining the jurisdictional question surrounding the drug service provider.

Marchese has never applied for regulatory approval. We have proposed interim solutions to provide assistance to the province to ensure that drug service providers fall within federal or provincial regulation, and we plan to work closely with the provinces and territories to address this matter.

Veterans Affairs

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this month marks the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. It was with great bravery and courage that Canadian troops fought to defend our values in the longest-running battle of the Second World War.

Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs please highlight for the House the great contributions made by the Canadian air and naval forces in this critical struggle?

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister for La Francophonie]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Oxford for reminding us that Canadians fought in the biggest battle in history against Nazism and totalitarianism. Nearly 4,600 men and women who served in the Royal Canadian Air Force, Canada's merchant navy and the Royal Canadian Navy sacrificed their lives.

Let us take the time to revisit this page in history where Canadians served with distinction so that we can live in a free and democratic country.