Debates of May 2nd, 2013

Second Reading

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

A war on working people, not an attack.

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

It is even a war on working people. I thank the minister for making sure I got my terminology correct.

We were given the role of Her Majesty's official opposition two years ago today, and almost immediately the Conservatives began their assault on working people in this country.

Canada Post locked out its workers, and despite being at arm's length from the government, the government not only legislated them back to work, but that legislation included reducing the workers' wages and attacked their pension plan.

Shortly after that, the government went after the workers at Air Canada, twice, legislating them back to work before a strike or lockout even began, again with conditions unfavourable to workers.

Later, the government legislated another private company back to work: Canadian Pacific Railway, a private company. I remind the House that it was not even a public corporation or a crown corporation.

Air Canada then closed its maintenance bases in Winnipeg, Montreal and Toronto. Despite the government's assurance that those bases and those workers would be protected, the jobs are now performed elsewhere, and the Conservative government sat on its hands and did nothing.

Caterpillar closed its Electro-Motive Diesel plant in London, Ontario, after getting a lovely cheque from the Prime Minister during the election campaign. The workers were tossed out and production moved to the U.S.

The U.S. government then loaned money to Iron Ore Company of Canada in Labrador to buy its locomotives in the United States. The U.S. government is loaning money to a Canadian company to buy American. How ironic is that? Again, the Conservatives did not even raise a finger to help the workers. We do not have a buy Canadian policy. Nothing in the budget suggests we should be buying in Canada.

However, the Conservatives had not finished. They attacked working Canadians again by demanding they work an additional two years before retiring. The Prime Minister announced this broken promise in Davos, Switzerland, I guess because he is afraid of facing Canadians on issues as big as that.

Next, the Conservatives attacked workers unlucky enough to need access to the safety net called employment insurance. They have reduced the number of weeks of payment, raised the premiums and put in place new rules that demand workers take jobs that pay up to 30% less and can be up to an hour's drive away. Of course, that 30% less becomes a vicious circle and a downward spiral, because the next time individuals are laid off, they have to take 30% less, and the next time they are laid off, another 30%, until finally they are paying to work.

While workers were trying to fathom those changes, the government made it easier for employers to not hire Canadian workers by easing rules for importing workers from other countries. A staggering 338,000 such workers are in Canada now, in jobs ranging from food service workers in fast food restaurants to airline pilots. Banks are even so bold as to ask the outgoing laid-off staff to train their foreign replacements.

This is not what we should be doing in this country. This is not what we want in a budget, to have Canadian jobs fleeing as fast as we can get them out the door in favour of cheaper foreign labour. That is not how to run this economy, and the Conservative government is running our economy quickly into the ground.

Bill C-377, a government bill in private member's bill clothing, attacks the unions that help support these workers by subjecting those unions to mountains of red tape. So much for being the party of red tape reduction.

Now we have Bill C-60, the next anti-worker salvo in the government's arsenal of weapons aimed at workers in this country. I notice that, as of today, the government is afraid of debating that bill. It has now limited the ability of this House of Commons to actually bring to this House of Commons issues with regard to this bill, in front of every member of this House. Instead, the Conservatives have given us time allocation, which will force the bill to be voted on in four days, after only four days of debate.

There are 60 separate acts of Parliament that will be discussed in only four days.

How on earth are we, as representatives of the people, going to give the proper accounting of how we looked after their interests over the course of the next four days? I stagger to think how we can do it.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport has mused about eliminating the Rand formula, another attack on working people in our country. The Rand formula is a uniquely Canadian solution to the problem of union membership, which was put forth in the 1940s and is a model around the world of how to protect employers and union members, yet the government would perhaps try to attack it.

The Minister of State for Transport has suggested on a number of occasions that the wages at Canada Post are too high. He would attack wages. That is part of the problem we have with the government. Each time we turn around, the government is trying to lessen Canadian wages and expectations of job and wage. Foreign workers are allowed to be paid 15% less than the prevailing Canadian wage, yet we are supposed to think that is a good thing. The government is driving down wages time after time with its policies and formulas, and even this budget would do it again.

How would it do it specifically? It would do it by attacking, through the Treasury Board, the collective bargaining process in crown corporations. Some 49 crown corporations would now have to face the government, supposedly at arm's length, but the arm is in a stranglehold around the neck of the crown corporations and their workers.

By that arm's length now permitting the Treasury Board to determine how much money these crown corporations get, which the government does already, the crown corporations would be faced with trying to make do with what they have. The government has already lowered the budget for VIA Rail. It has lowered the budget for all of the crown corporations, generally, across the system.

Now the government wants to go in and tell the crown corporations how to do business with their workers. It has not consulted with anyone on these changes.

The Treasury Board can apparently change a crown corporation's bargaining mandate at any time in collective bargaining, which could force the employer to engage in regressive bargaining, going backward. That is what the Conservatives seem to want to do. They want to take Canada backward as fast they can and take wages backward to make us compete with low wages in parts of the world with which we have no business trying to compete.

The Treasury Board could dictate that a crown corporation violate countless rules under the Canada Labour Code. We have the Canada Labour Code for a reason. It is to govern the working relationships between federal employers, including crown corporations, and their workers in a manner that everyone can read and understand. Now we have the Treasury Board saying it is going to set different rules and not pay attention to the Canada Labour Code. I do not know if that would survive a court challenge, but it is scary nonetheless.

The Treasury Board can have one of its employees present at bargaining to ensure that the crown corporations follow its dictates. Not only will the big hand of Big Brother be no longer at arm's length, but it will be right there at the table. Big Brother will be watching as they try to bargain with their employees in a manner that is fair, reasonable and just, which is what we want in this country.

The Treasury Board can also dictate that a crown corporation can change the conditions of employment for a non-union employee at any time. There are laws against that in this country, called the Canada Labour Code, which the members opposite should read one of these times. The Canada Labour Code suggests that it would be tantamount to a constructive dismissal and is illegal. It is illegal here in Canada to constructively dismiss individuals by changing their terms and conditions in a way that they can no longer stand. That would be challengeable under the Canada Labour Code.

The provisions that have come to us in the form of Bill C-60 are, unfortunately for us, just another salvo in the war against the working people in this country.

[Jean-François Larose, NDP, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have Electrolux closing in my riding. I approached the Minister of Human Resources, and she made a promise here in the House, which she did not respect, because all we are getting is silence.

My question to the hon. member is this: am I interpreting this in the correct way when I see that high wages and good conditions in jobs are being attacked because we are trying to encourage low-wage jobs, for corporations to be able to get those jobs?

That is what is happening with Electrolux. It is going to the States. Is it the government's strategy to create cheap jobs to get those corporations back to our country?

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

Mr. Speaker, it would appear that the government's strategy is to lower Canadian wages in any way it can, and lowering Canadian wages is counterintuitive to a government that is expecting growth in the economy. There will not be growth in the economy when, every time we turn around, the majority of working people in this country are told to expect less in the following year, because that will lower tax revenue. That will lower the ability of those individuals to continue to function in society.

In the case of Electrolux in his riding, it is yet another example of the Conservatives having failed to protect Canadian workers in this country through policies and practices, and even a buy Canada policy that would protect Canadian workers.

[Hélène LeBlanc, NDP, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his speech and especially for his commitment and dedication to Canadian workers.

I was struck by what he said about the increasing plant closures that are making medium-sized businesses in Canada disappear. We have already lost a number of small businesses, but this government has not implemented policies that would help our businesses expand, cross the so-called valley of death, and develop into medium-sized businesses that would hire more people, provide better working conditions and put down strong roots in Canada.

Could the hon. member expand on that and explain what the danger is in losing these medium-sized businesses that provide good conditions to our workers?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is exactly what people are facing in southern Ontario. They have watched as industry after industry has closed, and nothing is filling the gap. There is no federal policy to try to encourage small and medium-sized businesses to take the place of those large manufacturing businesses. There is nothing in federal policy that looks at the next wave of technologies that will need to be created in the new energy economy. Where is the Conservative help for the new energy businesses? It does not exist in this budget, and it has not existed in previous budgets. All we get is the same old, same old from the government. It thinks the economy will continue to roll along, but it is failing. It is failing in places like southwestern Ontario and other places in Canada as well.

[Jay Aspin, Conservative, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Prince Albert.

Since the global economic recession, this government has been putting in place vital economic action plans to get Canadians back to work, invest in infrastructure and regional projects, cut taxes and put more money back into the pockets of hard-working Canadian families and of keep us on track to eliminate the deficit by 2015-16.

The results speak for themselves. While the U.S. continues to flounder and European countries teeter on the brink of bankruptcy, Canada stands as a global leader and model for prudent, effective and responsible fiscal management. Canada's fiscal position is envied globally, and all the major credit rating agencies continue to reaffirm our rock-solid Triple-A credit rating.

None of this is by accident; rather, it is by design. Economic action plan 2013 would further strengthen Canada's fiscal position, the best among the G8. Unlike the $21 billion job-killing carbon tax and the $56 billion in spending proposed by the NDP, budget 2013 would keep federal spending in check and Canada on track to balancing the budget by 2015-16, while at the same time putting forward a strategic plan to invest in education and skills training, as well as record investment in infrastructure.

Speaking of our sustained and predictable support of infrastructure, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities said:

By maintaining and extending unprecedented investments in our cities' infrastructure, it will spur growth and job creation while laying the foundation for a more competitive economy.

By renewing critical housing programs, it reaffirms the federal role in addressing the challenges of housing affordability and homelessness.

Speaking of our strategic and innovative approach to skills and job training, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce said:

The skills problem leads our Top Ten list of critical barriers to Canada’s competitiveness...It’s showing up all across the country, in every industry. We are pleased to see the government is moving to confront it, and to include business directly in the solutions.

The Canadian Home Builders' Association, the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters and chambers of commerce from coast to coast, and I could go on, the positive reception of budget 2013 is further indicative of the government's responsible steering of the Canadian economy through this very fragile recovery.

This balanced approach of keeping spending low while maintaining predictable funding for important initiatives has kept the Canadian economy growing. Our budgets have produced growth and 900,000 net new jobs are testimony to this.

I would like to identify and discuss a few measures of the budget implementation bill that are of particular significance to the communities, businesses and peoples of Nipissing—Timiskaming.

The first topic I would like to—

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

I must interrupt at this time. The hon. member for Nipissing—Timiskaming will have six minutes remaining when this matter returns to the floor of the House following question period.

National Youth Arts Week

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to recognize National Youth Arts Week, a series of week-long events happening across Canada from May 1 to May 7.

National Youth Arts Week was initiated by the Arts Network for Children & Youth, a national non-profit community organization that is based in my riding of Oxford. It is partnering with the Michaëlle Jean Foundation to coordinate events in local communities that encourage and display youth artistic talents.

These events are sure to bring out the very best talent among our youth and support local artists in their endeavours. I look forward to seeing their creativity being displayed for all of Oxford to see and enjoy.

I would like to thank all those involved for their hard work and wish all the participants the best as they share their artwork.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Mr. Speaker, demands on today's youth are heavy. Tuition fees are soaring. Many take out sizeable loans to complete even the most basic post-secondary education. Some try to curb their debt by taking on part-time jobs. As a teacher, I applaud them.

Victoria Ordu and Ihuoma Amadi, university students from Nigeria studying in Saskatchewan, were doing just that: looking for work part time as they studied. Unbeknownst to them, a job was in violation of their student visa. Ten months ago, deportation orders were issued against these students for making an honest mistake. These students have now missed an entire academic year while in sanctuary at a church.

I join with my New Democrat colleagues here, the Saskatchewan government and university officials in asking the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism to send these hard-working students back to school.

Charles King

[Gord Brown, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a friend who was also a friend to many in the parliamentary community.

Earlier this week, Ottawa and Canada lost a unique individual when Charles King lost his battle with cancer. He was just 47.

He started as a volunteer here, in a Liberal MP's office, in the early 1980s and served in many roles, eventually moving to the private sector, where he worked for Earnscliffe Strategy Group and Shaw Communications.

Charles had many gifts, including a sharp mind and a wicked sense of humour, and he was a faithful friend. It is a tribute to the ability of Charles to span the political divides that I stand here today, noting his passing.

As well as his work, Charles lent his name and his talents to many charitable causes. He enriched the lives of everyone he knew. I am pleased that I called Charles a friend.

I would like to express our sympathies to his wife Kelly and his family.

Fundraising

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

Mr. Speaker, at the age of five, Joshua Morin-Surette of Dorval, became aware of the effects of drought in Africa, more specific, in Kenya.

After doing research, Joshua began to understand the vital need for access to clean and safe drinking water. This prompted Joshua to set up a lemonade stand from which the funds raised, $240, were given to Suitcases for Africa, a non-profit group in my riding that sponsors development projects in several Kenyan communities.

Encouraged by his success, Joshua resolved to raise enough money to build a well in one of Suitcases for Africa's partner villages.

Joshua's compassion for others living so far away inspired Tom Shadyac, director of the I Am documentary film, who offered to fund half of the cost of the well, enough to awaken Joshua's determination, not only to reach his fundraising target of $2,500, but to surpass it. As of now, a new well is ready to be installed at the medical centre in a remote location in Kenya.

Joshua is a role model not only for young people but for all Canadians.

Cycling4Diversity

[Randy Kamp, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC]

Mr. Speaker, with World Day for Cultural Diversity coming later this month, I am pleased to rise today to commend the efforts of Cycling4Diversity, a team that combines a passion for cycling with spreading the message of cultural diversity and inclusion. Its motto is “Building bridges with dialogue one city at a time”.

Ken Herar from Mission formed this group two years ago with an inaugural ride to Victoria, meeting with groups and community organizations along the way.

Last year, the group made over 40 stops its four-day ride and spoke to thousands of people. The group also met with groups throughout the year to spread the message of inclusion.

This year, from May 21 to May 24, the team will visit 14 cities on its ride from Victoria to Abbotsford, encouraging our communities to be more inclusive in our workplaces, schools and neighbourhoods.

I want to congratulate Ken Herar and Cycling4Diversity on their initiative to foster a spirit of understanding and respect among all Canadians. Their work makes Canada a stronger and better country.

Homer Seguin

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we lost a labour legend last Friday.

I first met Homer Seguin in 1969 when he was president of Local 6500. He was one of the driving forces behind a workers' day memorial held every year on April 28 for workers killed on the job, which is now recognized in over 80 countries. It was highly symbolic that his death coincided with this year's day of mourning celebrations.

In 1986, Homer and other labour leaders wrote a workers' manifesto. In northeastern Ontario, the regional cancer centre in Sudbury and five workers' health and safety centres in Ontario were only two of the fruits of that manifesto.

He fought passionately for health and safety in workplaces. Homer helped improve working conditions and living standards. He helped expose and correct many occupational diseases in the mining industry. He contributed to the re-greening and cleaning up of the environment in Sudbury.

Homer received an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from Laurentian University for outstanding lifetime achievements in the field of health, safety and the environment.

May my friend Homer rest in peace.

Asian Heritage Month

[Chungsen Leung, Conservative, Willowdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, May is Asian Heritage Month, an opportunity for all Canadians to learn about the history and contribution of Asian Canadians through celebration and festivals that include culinary and cultural exhibitions across Canada.

I am proud to say that my riding of Willowdale is home to several vibrant Asian communities that have historic roots and connections.

There are two important anniversaries this year: the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and the Republic of Korea, also known as South Korea; and the 60th anniversary of the Korean War armistice.

With these two important historic milestones, our Prime Minister has designated 2013 the Year of Korea in Canada. This is also the theme of this year's Asian Heritage Month.

I invite all Canadians to take part in Asian Heritage Month and reflect on the important contributions that Canadians of Asian heritage have made throughout Canadian history.

Vision Health Month

[Joy Smith, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, May is Vision Health Month. The CNIB is launching a month-long campaign to educate Canadians about vision health and the importance of caring for our eyes.

As demographics change in Canada, the cost of vision loss is going to rise, taking a toll on Canadians. These costs are not limited to vision health care. Canadians who are living with vision loss are twice as likely to suffer from falls and three times as likely to suffer from depression.

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss, with over one million Canadians having some form of AMD, including individuals within my riding of Kildonan—St. Paul. The number of Canadians who experience vision loss is forecasted to double over the next 20 years.

Congratulations to the CNIB and members who are on Parliament Hill today for making vision health awareness a priority for all Canadians.

Our government supports the CNIB Library, Canada's largest producer of alternative format material.

I encourage all parliamentarians to advocate for this important health issue.

Spring Cleanup in LaSalle—Émard

[Hélène LeBlanc, NDP, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I held my first spring cleanup last Saturday. More than 40 people joined forces to help the environment.

There were students from Sainte-Geneviève school and their parents; youth from the LaSalle Community Comprehensive High School; Raphaël and François-Xavier's mother, father and grandmother, along with many others.

We cleaned up parks, schoolyards, sidewalks and bicycle paths. We talked about the footprint our activities leave on the environment and the need to reduce our consumption.

We saw how the birds and fish are affected by the garbage we leave lying around. My riding runs along the St. Lawrence River.

I would like to thank the Table de développement social de LaSalle, Héritage laurentien, the borough of LaSalle and my team for their invaluable co-operation. It made my first spring cleanup a great success.

Thank you, and here is to the second edition.

Speech and Hearing Month

[Chris Alexander, Conservative, Ajax—Pickering, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Canada's speech-language pathologists, audiologists and support personnel as they honour Speech and Hearing Month.

Each year the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists dedicates the month of May to raising public awareness about speech, language and hearing disorders in Canada and the professionals who can help.

Too often we take our ability to communicate for granted, especially in this place, yet the ability to speak, hear and be heard is much more central to our lives than most of us realize. Alarmingly, one in ten Canadians suffers from such disorders.

Throughout the month of May, the more than 6,000 members of the CASLPA will be highlighting the importance of early identification and intervention to overcome disorders which affect speech, language and hearing. Whether working with a child with autism, an adult with a hearing impairment or an elderly person recovering from a stroke, CASLPA's goal is to help people speak well, hear well and live well.

I invite my colleagues in the House to join Canada's speech-language pathologists and audiologists in celebrating Speech and Hearing Month.

Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean Garage Employees' Union

[Dany Morin, NDP, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for several years now, the number of lockouts occurring across the country has been on the rise and, unfortunately, the situation in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean is no exception.

After the lockout ordered by ALR last year, which affected over 750 employees, car dealerships in the region are now doing the same thing. They have kept 450 people out in the streets for over two months now.

Once again, an employer is refusing to negotiate in good faith with the workers who allow its business to thrive. Car dealerships would have the public believe that the unions are asking for the moon. Meanwhile, they are trying to impose working conditions on garage employees that would undo several decades of progress.

What is more, no negotiations have been scheduled to date. At this rate, the situation could go on for a long while yet. This is completely unacceptable.

That is why I am rising today to express my support for the unionized workers of the Syndicat démocratique des employés de garage Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean, who have been forced out into the streets by their employer.

I will be on the picket lines with you tomorrow to show my support in person.

Conservative Party of Canada

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark a very important anniversary. Two years ago today, Canadians elected a strong, stable, national, majority Conservative government.

Since this time, our government has got the job done for hard-working Canadians. We passed the Safe Streets and Communities Act, making sure our communities are safer and victims are always put first. We amended the wasteful and ineffective long gun registry. We cracked down on immigration fraud. We have abolished the Wheat Board's monopoly.

We made the most ambitious long-term commitment with regard to Canadian infrastructure. We made unprecedented investments in the Coast Guard. We made investments in the Canadian Armed Forces after the Liberal decade of darkness. We strengthened our borders. We announced the construction of a new bridge between Windsor and Detroit and another over the St. Lawrence.

Finally, we have created hundreds of thousands of jobs for Canadians. Unfortunately, the opposition has opposed these measures. Canadians can be proud that two years ago today, they elected a strong, stable, national Conservative majority government.

Asian Heritage Month

[Ted Hsu, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, every year on one Sunday in May, the Chinese community gathers at the Cataraqui Cemetery in Kingston to tend to the Chinese gravesites. These include many where the old tombstones are barely legible, just a stone's throw away from the final resting place of Sir John A. Macdonald.

Immigrants from the world over and their descendants and aboriginal people all helped build Canada. Each contributed in their own way.

The month of May marks Asian Heritage Month, a celebration not only of heritage and history but also of Asian Canadians who have made notable contributions. This month we recall not only the Asian Canadian role in building Canada but also the rich cultural inheritance that has shaped our communities.

Embracing diversity is a cornerstone of Canadian values. Asian Heritage Month invites us to recognize the wide range of Asian cultures, ethnicities and religious traditions present here in Canada.

I encourage everyone to participate in celebrations this month as we honour the contributions of Asian Canadians.

Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this week, the new Liberal leader will be in Edmonton trying to wine and dine Albertans. However, I can assure the new Liberal leader that Albertans have not forgotten the distasteful comments he made in November 2010. The Liberal leader said, “Canada isn't doing well right now because it's Albertans who control our community and socio-democratic agenda. It doesn't work.”

When the Liberal leader was asked whether Canada and Canadians are better off with Quebecers in power or Albertans, he responded, “I'm a Liberal, so of course I think so, yes. Certainly when we look at the great prime ministers of the 20th century, those that really stood the test of time, they were the MPs from Quebec. ... This country, Canada, it belongs to us.”

It is clear to Albertans that he is in over his head.

New Democratic Party of Canada

[Pierre-Luc Dusseault, NDP, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, two years ago today, the now famous orange crush that left its mark on Canadian political history swept across the country.

In its wake, a record number of my NDP colleagues arrived in Ottawa to finally form an opposition and provide an alternative to Conservative policies that all too often backed by the Liberals.

My colleagues and I have been working hard to represent and defend the interests of our constituents each and every day.

On a personal note, although I am the youngest member of Parliament in Canadian history, I was elected chair of an important parliamentary committee, a duty that I take just as seriously and fulfill with the same enthusiasm as my duties as member for Sherbrooke.

This contrasts with the record of the Conservatives who set the stage for the F-35 fiasco. In addition, they have lost track of more than $3 billion for anti-terrorism initiatives and they are also sitting on $29 billion in uncollected taxes.

Canadians deserve better. In 2015, they deserve an experienced leader. They deserve a caucus that will take its work seriously and that will manage public affairs well. In 2015, they deserve the NDP.

Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada

[Rob Anders, Conservative, Calgary West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, today is the second anniversary of our strong, stable, national majority Conservative government. We are two years into our mandate, and I am proud to say that we have kept our promises to cut taxes and have delivered great results. It is clear that we on this side of the House are standing tall for Canadians and their interests.

However, it is unfortunate that we cannot say the same for the leader of the NDP across the way. For example, the leader of the NDP spent his 2011 election campaign advocating for a $20 billion job-killing carbon tax. He said he has a cap and trade program that will produce billions. Most recently, the leader of the NDP introduced another $56 billion in reckless spending.

Hard-working Canadians simply cannot afford the risky socialist tax-and-spend policies of the NDP. Canadians entrusted us with their vote two years ago to fight these socialist policies, and that is exactly what we will continue to do.

Government Expenditures

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, let us get to the real facts. The Conservatives still cannot tell Canadians where $3.1 billion in security spending actually went. Treasury Board told an iPolitics reporter yesterday that the money could be in a number of places, maybe in other public security programs or maybe even in border infrastructure. We all remember what happened to border infrastructure money the last time the President of the Treasury Board was involved.

Could the Prime Minister now tell us where this money went, or do we need to start searching Huntsville gazebos for it?