Debates of May 22nd, 2013

Government Accountability

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question from my friend from Winnipeg Centre, with whom I work very hard to pass important ethics legislation.

One of the things that we fought for was to have an independent Senate ethics officer that was combined with an independent House ethics officer. The member and I worked very hard to do that, and what was the one thing that stopped us? It was the unelected Liberal senators.

Ethics

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the cheque in question is another piece of critical information that, if released, would shed light on this scandal. If we had the cheque, we would know if the Prime Minister's right-hand man did indeed write it, whom it was made out to and whether it was held in trust until Senator Duffy lived up to his side of the bargain. In fact, we would know whether there was a cheque at all. Perhaps the good senator was handed a $90,000 bag of cash in small, unmarked bills. We do not know.

Therefore, will the government produce the cheque?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, it is the usual question from that corner of the chamber. I can say, though, that I understand that Mr. Wright has taken sole responsibility for the decision he made on the repayment and for his actions. He immediately submitted his resignation, and it was immediately accepted. An independent officer of Parliament will have the opportunity to review this matter, and we look forward to her reporting back to Parliament in short order.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister said that no document exists about the secret payoff between the PMO and Senator Duffy. Let me rephrase that. An email, which in fact does exist, describes the secret agreement. To help the government find it, I will say it was dated February 20, 2013, and it is currently in the possession of the Prime Minister's Office.

Let me cover all the bases here. Will the government commit to releasing this and any other email or document, electronic or otherwise, that relates to the secret deal between the PMO and Senator Duffy?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, obviously the government, as it always does, will co-operate fully with the independent parliamentary ethics officer.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister said that no document exists about the secret pay-off between the PMO and Senator Duffy.

Let me rephrase that. An email, which in fact does exist, describes the secret agreement. It was dated February 20, 2013 and it is currently in the possession of the Prime Minister's Office.

Let me cover all the bases here. Will the government commit to releasing this and any other email or document, electronic or otherwise, that relates to the secret deal between the PMO and their friend, Senator Duffy?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, both the question and the answer are exactly the same as before.

In fact, it was this government that introduced a bill providing for an independent ethics watchdog for the House of Commons. We have always worked hard to strengthen this person's role, and we will continue to do so.

Yesterday, many members of the opposition, and indeed of the party of the hon. member for Papineau, claimed there was some form of legal agreement about this. No one in the government is aware of any legal agreement.

Employment Insurance

[Anne-Marie Day, NDP, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, apparently, it was not enough for the Conservatives to go after just the workers and seasonal industries.

Now they have also ordered Service Canada officials to have no direct communication with the organizations that provide assistance to unemployed workers. The Conservatives require organizations to communicate solely by fax or mail. This is 2013. They need to get with the times.

Why are they trying to muzzle the public servants who follow up on claims with all of the groups of unemployed workers?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, we are consolidating EI processing to make the system more efficient and effective for Canadians. Third-party groups will continue to be able to advocate on behalf of their clients. We are looking at ways to ensure that they would continue to do so on a timely basis. Canadians will continue to receive the same service that they always received and that they should expect from Service Canada.

Government Appointments

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, under the Conservatives, insiders are allowed to play by different rules than the rest of us. The Conservative appointees to EI boards clearly violated government guidelines when they donated money to the Conservative Party.

Now, we learn that the Conservatives are repeating their mistakes. They recently appointed 10 more failed Conservative candidates and party operatives to the new social security tribunal.

When is the minister going to stop these patronage binges and when is the government going to make the Conservative Party return these donations?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, our government has actually taken steps to replace the previous employment insurance boards and they are being replaced with the new social security tribunal.

Now, the members of the social security tribunal are, of course, appointed through a rigorous process, a rigorous selection process that ensures that they have to meet specific experience and competence--

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please.

The hon. government House leader has the floor.

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

They have to meet specific experience criteria and, of course, they have to demonstrate competency criteria. This ensures that appointments are made based upon merit.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is not enough that they are going after unemployed Canadians, Conservatives are also misusing regional economic development agencies to help their Conservative insider friends. Officials at ACOA rigged hiring rules—yes, rigged rules—to ensure that a failed Conservative candidate and former political aides got jobs. The process was so bad that the Public Service Commission revoked two of the appointments.

When will they stop using ACOA as an old boys' club and return to the mandate of providing jobs and economic opportunities for Atlantic Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, the independent investigation by the Public Service Commission did not find any evidence of any wrongdoing or influence on the part of ministers or any political staff in this matter.

I hope that member is listening. The Public Service Commission report clearly states, “No evidence was found to support allegations of political influence in the ACOA investigations.”

ACOA has taken actions on all the recommendations of the Public Service Commission.

Ethics

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in 2005, the Prime Minister said that anyone who abuses the public trust would go to prison. What is his story now? He says that everyone makes mistakes.

Conservative favouritism is running rampant, whether we are talking about ACOA, the Senate or the employment insurance tribunal. It is not surprising that the Conservatives are spending a fortune on ads for programs that do not even exist. They want to sell the public on this illusion, since they have nothing meaningful to propose. That is what this government does.

Why has breaking the rules become the norm with the Conservatives?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, the government has a responsibility to inform Canadians about the programs and benefits available to them. For example, this year, the government is implementing new measures to help Canadians, including the new Canada job grant, in order to help Canadians get training so they can find a job or find a better job. The government is promoting these measures because it wants Canadians to take advantage of them.

Foreign Affairs

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this past Monday, many Canadians and those in my riding of London West took part in Victoria Day celebrations. It is an annual occasion that marks the strong historical ties between Canada and the United Kingdom. The relationship between our two countries is deeply rooted in our common history, our shared values, our tradition of parliamentary democracy, and our strong family and people-to-people ties.

As chair of the Canada-U.K. Parliamentary Group, I would like to ask the Minister of Canadian Heritage to comment on the Canada-U.K. relationship and ways in which it might be strengthened in the near future.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Canada-U.K. relationship is broad and deep and, of course, has survived through profound international change. In recent years, our relationship has grown even stronger with the celebration of Her Majesty's Golden and Diamond Jubilees, as well as successful visits of the Prince of Wales as well as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

On June 13 of this year, for the first time since Prime Minister Mackenzie King had the privilege in 1942, our Prime Minister will be speaking to both Houses of the U.K. Parliament to advance Canada's interests in Europe and work together with the U.K. on our prosperity and security together.

Science and Technology

[Laurin Liu, NDP, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is losing ground to direct competitors in research and development. In 2005, Canada ranked 16th in research investment. In 2011, it ranked 23rd. Prosperity depends on innovation, and innovation means more than just research serving the interests of industry.

My question is simple: Do the Conservatives understand that increasing the percentage of GDP invested in research and development is critical?

[Gary Goodyear, Conservative, Minister of State (Science and Technology) (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario)]

Mr. Speaker, of course, we do. In fact, that is why we have made record investments in science, technology and innovation that the NDP consistently votes against. We have increased support for our granting councils at every single opportunity that we have had. In addition, our government is supporting over 10,000 scientists, researchers and students across the country through the discovery grants program, scholarships and fellowships. Our government is on the right track.

[Laurin Liu, NDP, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the numbers the Conservatives cite are as fictional as the government's job training program. The fact is the government's own advisory panel is telling it that when it comes to science, it is not getting it done. I quote, “With their significant investments in research and higher education, other countries are catching up and overtaking Canada.”

This regressive government has been in power for seven years and every year Canada has fallen further behind. When will the minister admit that there is a problem?

[Gary Goodyear, Conservative, Minister of State (Science and Technology) (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario)]

Mr. Speaker, the problem actually is that every time we provide new funding and investment, the NDP votes against it. We are in fact committed to carrying forward our science, technology and innovation in Canada. In fact that report actually said that Canada's “Substantial investment in research in the higher education sector has reaped significant rewards, as the production and refinement of scientific knowledge in Canada continues to be characterized by vitality and high quality.”

That is our strategy. New Democrats' is to vote no and have a blank page.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, serious allegations of sexual harassment have once again surfaced at the RCMP, demonstrating yet again the failed leadership of the minister and his government to act on this mounting crisis. For too long, women officers have suffered abuse and have been re-victimized as they have come forward. The government introduced a weak bill, criticized by witness after witness for failing to put an end to sexual harassment in the RCMP.

Will the minister commit today to working with the RCMP, with the women officers affected and with stakeholders to put an end to this endemic problem?