Debates of May 21st, 2013

Natural Resources—Main Estimates, 2013-14

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, he has taken more time than should have been allotted, but I thank him for at least for answering that.

The question I want to ask now is, how much of an increase in advertising spending does that represent over 2012-13?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, these numbers, of course, are in the main estimates of 2012-13, and as the member opposite fully knows, it is $9 million.

The issue here, as I mentioned a moment ago, is that this is a critical moment in the development of our natural resources because we are awaiting a decision from the U.S. administration in respect to the Keystone XL pipeline.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, now that the minister has given us the math, does he agree that the department has now increased spending on advertising by almost 7,000% since 2010-11? That is 7,000% since that year.

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, the point I made before seems to be difficult for the member opposite to understand. This campaign will raise awareness of Canada's environmental record and U.S.-Canada shared energy interests. It will challenge and correct misinformation.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, so that is a 7,000% increase since 2010-11.

My next question is very simple. How much money is the department spending on media training for the minister in 2013-14?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, no money has been allocated. I have not taken any of the training and I do not intend to.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, obviously the minister is in error. Is it not true that half a million dollars has been allocated for media training for the minister and senior staff for 2013-14?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, if the member opposite does not want to listen to the answer, at the very least he should listen to his own questions. He was asking the question, as I understood it, about myself as minister, and I gave him that answer.

All the details regarding the advertisements will be published by the government in the annual report on government advertising activities.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, I have now asked the question three times and I am going to ask it again. I would hope that this time the minister will actually answer.

What are the expected outcomes of the projected cost of half a million dollars in media training?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, this is actually a new question. Now we are talking about the outcomes.

The training program for people other than me is designed to help them communicate with the public. Part of that will be training for scientists and staff, not for me. We want our scientists to communicate with the public and to do so in a way that is accessible to the public.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, given the minister's lack of credibility in the media, I think it is fair to say that there are some real problems there.

My next question is, how many communications staff does the department employ and how many of them were hired in the last two years?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, I am surprised that the member opposite is engaged in such short questions, given his affinity to filibuster. Apparently his 226,000 words of anti-development rhetoric spoken in this House last year were not enough. Not once in that garrulous verbosity did he ever praise the 300—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Order. The hon. member for Burnaby—New Westminster.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, it appears the minister is engaging in a filibuster. However, more importantly for taxpayers, he is not answering direct questions on the estimates, which is appalling.

I will now ask the next question, and I hope that he answers.

How many complaints has the department received about increases in advertising expenditures, that 7,000% increase in advertising—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The hon. Minister of Natural Resources.

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, sorry, could he repeat the question?

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, could the minister tell me how many complaints the department has received about the 7,000% increase in advertising expenditures?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, the premise is wrong. The government is strongly advocating for Canadian jobs and economic growth, and we will continue to defend and promote Canada's interests. Our two nations shared commitment to democracy, free markets and the rule of law underpin why Canada and the United States have the world's most successful relationship. This campaign will raise awareness of Canada's environmental record.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, could the minister tell us how much of the 7,000% increase, the $16.5 million advertising budget, will be spent in the United States this year?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, this advertising campaign is ongoing, and extensions will be assessed as the campaign continues. Once the campaign is complete, full costs will be available.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, the minister is not answering that question either. He does not have a very good track record, so I will give him another question. How much of the $16.5 million advertising budget for this year will be spent in Europe?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chair, the details of this ongoing advertising campaign will be made available at the appropriate time.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, that is not very respectful to taxpayers.

When the minister held his March 18 media event on tanker safety, was he aware that an oil spill recovery vessel had run aground on the way to the announcement, that his media event on safety had resulted in an accident?

[Leon Benoit, Conservative, Vegreville—Wainwright, AB]

That does not even warrant an answer.

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

No, it does not, but I will give the answer, and the answer is no.

Mr. Chair, we have taken significant measures to protect against a spill. This includes requiring trained experts with knowledge of the coast to accompany tanker captains while they navigate to open waters. We have introduced tough new fines for companies that break our environmental laws. Canada has never had a major tanker spill off our coasts. In the unlikely event of a spill—