Debates of June 11th, 2013

175th Anniversary of Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean

[Claude Patry, Bloc, Jonquière—Alma, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the first settlers arrived in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean on June 11, 1838. Today, the region is celebrating its 175th anniversary. On this occasion, I want to tell the people living in that part of the country that it is a privilege to be one of their own. I have always felt a strong sense of belonging to my region.

I am very proud to tell everyone I meet that ours is the only region with a flag that truly represents us. The silvery cross in the centre of our region's flag symbolizes the strength and determination of our workers, who developed prosperous industries in such sectors as pulp and paper and aluminum smelting.

I am proud of where I come from because I am aware of our ancestors' efforts to settle the area and make our natural resources available to all Quebeckers. Happy 175th anniversary to everyone.

Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour

[Bruce Stanton, Conservative, Simcoe North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last Saturday night, Orillia's literary community gathered at the Geneva Park Conference Centre to award the 2013 Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour. As members may know, Leacock, Canada's most famous author of humour, made his summer home on Lake Couchiching near Orillia, the fictional town he called Mariposa.

This year, the Leacock Associates have awarded the medal for humour to Cassie Stocks of Edmonton for her novel Dance, Gladys, Dance. She joins a distinguished group of Leacock medal winners, including W. O. Mitchell, Farley Mowat, Mordecai Richler and Stuart McLean, but even more remarkable is that this is Cassie's first novel.

I would like to thank the Leacock Associates and TD Financial Group for recognizing these outstanding contributions to Canadian literature each year. I invite all hon. members to join me in congratulating the 2013 winner of the Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, Cassie Stocks.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I was honoured to be one of the MPs in attendance five years ago, when the residential school apology was made in this chamber. Every seat in the gallery was filled, and thousands more people watched this historic event on the front lawn of Parliament. Even more watched it in their homes and communities. It was a good day.

As the late Elijah Harper once said, the apology lifted people’s hearts and opened the doors to reconciliation. From the thousands of Canadians who have already attended events arranged by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, to the many young voices, some on the Hill today, who are part of the Our Dreams Matter Too campaign to bring equal funding to all schools in Canada, to the many workers participating in national Aboriginal History Month events, people want the apology to mean something tangible. They want it to bring a change in perspective and a new relationship between First Nations, Inuit and Metis and other peoples of Canada.

As Jack Layton said that day:

...reconciliation must be built through positive steps that show respect and restore trust. This apology must not be an end; it must be a beginning.

New Democrats want to build on those words.

Robert Cottingham

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I pay tribute to Robert Cottingham, whose funeral service is this afternoon. Bob Cottingham epitomizes what makes a great Canadian. He bravely fought for his country and dedicated himself to building a better nation through community service.

Bob served as a bomber pilot during the Second World War, flying the four-engine Stirling bomber. Captain Cottingham flew an astounding 41 missions during the Battle of Britain, when the average tour of duty was only 24. Bob continued to fly missions until the war was over.

After the war, Bob returned to Manitoba to farm and raise his family, and he continued to serve. He was an active lifelong member of the Teulon and District Agricultural Society, the Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Canadian Legion. Bob always had a smile and a kind word. He never complained, even though his feet had been frozen numerous times as a bomber pilot and pained him greatly in his latter years.

As a sign of my admiration and our country's appreciation, I presented Bob with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal last year. Captain Robert Cottingham was a Canadian hero who will be dearly missed and fondly remembered.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this morning, the member for Papineau and I were proud to attend the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada event, Our Dreams Matter Too, at Victoria Island.

I would like to read to the House the poignant words of Raiyah Patel, a young student from Pierre Elliott Trudeau High School in Gatineau, who welcomed us there. She said:

Welcome elders, community leaders, teachers and fellow students to Our Dreams Matter Too.

We meet here today on traditional Algonquin territory to remember, to dream, and to walk.

June 11th has special meaning because it marks the anniversary of the Canadian government's apology for residential schools, and their terrible effects on First Nations children.

If we forget our history, we will never be able to correct our mistakes.

So on this day we remember the apology, but this apology has meaning only if First Nations children have opportunities, can grow up happily in their homes, have a good education, be healthy and have pride in their culture.

Shannen Koostachin had dreams and hopes, and only wanted what many Canadian children take for granted: a good education and a nice school.

Shannen's dream still inspires us, and today we walk in her memory and with her hopes in our heart—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please.

The hon. member for Barrie.

Telus Walk to Cure Diabetes

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this weekend I participated in the Telus Walk to Cure Diabetes, hosted each year by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Along with 45,000 other people across Canada, I walked to help raise funds for research to cure, better treat and prevent type 1 diabetes. To date, this annual walk has raised $90,000 in Simcoe County alone. This year's walk had 800 participants just in Barrie.

As chair of the all-party juvenile diabetes caucus, I have had the privilege of meeting hundreds of Canadians affected by type 1 diabetes. Currently, there are more than 3 million Canadians living with some form of diabetes and more than 300,000 Canadians living with type 1 diabetes.

Although a cure has not yet been found, Canada has long been a world leader in diabetes breakthroughs in the realm of science, including the discovery of insulin and the Edmonton protocol.

I would like to recognize Simcoe County's JDRF youth ambassadors: Noah Stock, Sydney Grace, Carson, Rebecca, Michael and Olivia for all their hard work in making this past weekend's fundraising walk a big success.

Relay For Life

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last Saturday, I had the opportunity to walk alongside thousands of my constituents as part of the Relay For Life. There were over 4,000 participants, divided into 88 teams, in Rimouski, and there were over 350 participants, divided into 36 teams, in the Cabano sector of Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac. They walked all night. I participated with them in this walk, which is a show of solidarity, to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Thanks to the volunteers and people in my riding, nearly $289,000 will stay in the Lower St. Lawrence region and will help people affected by cancer. The money will go to research, prevention, the purchase of wigs and prosthetics, and other forms of direct support for patients going through difficult times.

I am proud that the dreary weather and even the rain that we had in the middle of the night did not dampen the enthusiasm or the spirits of the people of Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques. The Relay For Life in Rimouski even beat its own record.

Cancer is a terrible disease that can attack us or someone we love. I want to thank and congratulate those who participated in the Relay For Life events in Rimouski and Témiscouata. In the face of this terrible disease, you chose to take action and celebrate life.

High School Graduation

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Wetaskiwin, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in the House today to honour all of the students who are graduating this year.

It is no small accomplishment to complete high school, and one of my constituents, Claire Ritchey, is a shining example of how hard work and perseverance pays off. Claire had just completed the 11th grade when she left Kelowna, British Columbia, to attend school in Lacombe, Alberta. She expected that she would automatically go to grade 12, but not all of her grades were transferrable and she had to take grade 11 classes again. When Claire left school she was just a few courses short of her diploma.

A year and a half ago, she returned to school at the Parkview Adventist Academy in Lacombe, and this year Claire was one of 37 graduates who were rewarded for their hard work.

What makes this story so amazing to me is that Claire Ritchey has 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Ms. Claire Ritchey is 85 years old, and I am proud to have her as one of my constituents.

Maria Robinson once said: “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning but anyone can start today and make a new ending”.

We congratulate Claire. Her friends, family and community are very proud of her.

Working Parents

[Eve Adams, Conservative, Mississauga—Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of all working parents who face the challenge of maintaining a work-life balance. We live in a society where the fact is that in many families both parents must work. All parents, whether working or staying at home, make the right and sometimes difficult decisions that are best for their families.

I am a proud, hard-working mother of a young son and I am the daughter of a working mom.

Whether one is a nurse, a waiter or even an astronaut like Chris Hadfield, with three kids, our work often takes us away for days, or months in some cases, from our family and our kids. However, our kids are always at the heart of everything we do.

The most recent figures from Statistics Canada indicate that 72.9% of women with children under the age of 16 living at home are currently employed. Today, I join all Canadians to recognize and take a moment to appreciate the difficult choices that accompany this reality.

Parenting is a full-time, tough yet rewarding job and being a mom or a dad is truly the best job.

The Environment

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government has developed a bad habit of gutting environmental protection in my riding of Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca and across Canada. Last year, in Bill C-38, it eliminated protection for all streams, rivers and lakes on Vancouver Island under the Navigable Waters Protection Act.

In response to the concerns of my constituents, I have introduced Bill C-509 to restore federal environmental protection to the Goldstream River. It is the Goldstream River where local salmon begin their life and return to spawn. Thousands of visitors come to Goldstream Provincial Park each year to watch the spawning and to learn about salmon in the many outdoor education programs that take place in the park.

A tragic accident on April 18, 2011, demonstrated how fragile the river is and the extent of the impact that accidents such as oil spills impose on iconic rivers like the Goldstream.

I am asking the Conservative government to reconsider its short-sighted plan to cut federal protection to our rivers and lakes on Vancouver Island and to support my bill to protect the Goldstream River and the salmon and other wildlife that rely on the river.

Member for Jeanne-Le Ber

[Joyce Bateman, Conservative, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that unpaid taxes hurt all honest workers and taxpayers. The Auditor General was clear: we are collectively missing out on billions of dollars in unpaid taxes.

To combat this problem, our government has taken strong action to improve the integrity of the tax system. Last year, $40 billion in debt was recovered.

The hon. member for Jeanne-Le Ber can attest to the effectiveness of these measures. That member is teaming up with the Leader of the Opposition to impose a $21-billion carbon tax. How hypocritical.

Our government is disappointed in the NDP's attitude. We have a message for them. Before imposing new taxes, they should start by paying their own.

69th Anniversary of D-Day

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

Mr. Speaker, last Sunday I attended the service in remembrance of the 69th anniversary of D-Day. In attendance were members of the Mount Dennis and Silverthorn branches of the Legion, veterans, politicians of all stripes and air cadets from the 700 David Hornell VC Squadron.

In a very moving and poignant service, the Reverend Canon Allan Budzin remarked that we, as Canadians, ask a lot of our soldiers. He said we give our young men and women rifles and ask them to go to foreign lands and fight our enemies. Then when they return, we give them pencils and ask them to go and fight our bureaucracy.

It is a shame that we, as parliamentarians, cannot put aside our partisan bickering for a few moments and begin fixing the bureaucratic nightmare that awaits our veterans and their families as they grow old.

For some, it will be a minefield of government lawyers to fight, as it was for disabled vet Dennis Manuge. For others, it will be discovering too late that they fought in the wrong war to be given all the rights and privileges they deserve as our protectors.

Let us fix it now, lest we forget.

Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

[Rob Anders, Conservative, Calgary West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after weeks of defending the status quo in the Senate, the Liberal leader is now coming to the defence of Liberal Senator Mac Harb, who even the Toronto Star has called disgraced.

Speaking to Global News recently, the Liberal leader said he would absolutely welcome the senator back to the Liberal caucus.

Senator Mac Harb is refusing to repay more than $50,000 in inappropriately claimed housing allowances and, instead, is trying to stick taxpayers with the bill.

Defending Senator Mac Harb is not the only lapse in judgment on the Liberal leader's part in recent weeks. The Liberal leader continues to allow Liberal Senator Pana Merchant to sit in the Liberal caucus despite uncertainty over the status of a $1.7-million offshore bank account that media have reported she has not declared publicly, as required by Senate rules.

The Liberal leader's defence of Senator Mac Harb and Pana Merchant is just more proof—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Vancouver Quadra.

World Oceans Day

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am fortunate to live just a short walk from the Pacific Ocean in my riding of Vancouver Quadra, and some days I can hear and even smell the ocean from home, so I am pleased to highlight June 8, World Oceans Day, as a chance to celebrate our oceans and to thank all who help us understand and protect them.

With every breath we take, every drop of water we drink, they are our human life support system. Oceans generate more than half of the oxygen we breathe, regulate climate, provide invaluable resources, support businesses, trade and commerce and, most important, offer an endless source of inspiration for the human spirit.

Eight out of ten human beings live within 100 kilometres of an ocean, and billions depend on oceans for food. Yet too many commercial fisheries are overfished. Climate change is making our oceans warmer and more acidic, and a mere one-half of 1% of global marine habitats are protected.

World Oceans Day is an important reminder to each of us to protect the health of our oceans every day, literally as a way of life.

Tax Evasion

[Mark Adler, Conservative, York Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this government is proud of its record when it comes to cracking down on tax cheats. However, let me take a moment to point out the NDP's blatant hypocrisy on tax evasion.

This government has introduced 75 measures to improve tax fairness, and the NDP has voted against each and every one of them.

This government recently proposed measures that would give the Canada Revenue Agency unprecedented powers to crack down on tax evaders. The NDP voted against these measures.

When the NDP became the official opposition, NDP members picked an MP with tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes to be their revenue critic.

If that is not enough, they allow the member for Jeanne-Le Ber to continue to sit in their caucus despite hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax debt.

While the NDP supports tax delinquents in its caucus, our government has taken concrete steps to combat tax evasion, both at home and abroad.

Conservative Party of Canada Fund

[Glenn Thibeault, NDP, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, whether it is the SS Duffy sailing the Caribbean claiming per diem amounts or the Liberal leader defending Mac Harb and Patrick Brazeau for their “honest mistakes”, whether it is a secret payment to Mike Duffy or the duelling parliamentary secretaries making up contradictory stories about a secret Conservative Party fund controlled out of the PMO, the member from Nepean was flatly denying the very existence of the fund.

However, on CBC, the member from Ajax was singing a different tune. When asked whether there was a special fund controlled by the Prime Minister's chief of staff, the parliamentary secretary replied, “No one is denying that”—no one, that is, except his colleague, the member from Nepean.

Therefore, as we start another question period, I urge my Conservative friends to turn away from the PMO gutter politics, show some contrition and finally answer some questions.

Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

[Ted Opitz, Conservative, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Liberal Party is in way over his head. While we know that Liberal senator Mac Harb owes taxpayers $50,000 for inappropriately claimed housing expenses, media in fact are now reporting that he will owe taxpayers up to $200,000 in inappropriate expenses.

The Liberal senator is refusing to pay back to taxpayers the money they are owed. How does the Liberal leader respond? He responds by telling Global News that he will absolutely welcome the senator back into the Liberal caucus.

What is worse is that the Liberal leader has come out and championed the status quo in the Senate, because according to him, it benefits his home province of Quebec.

To top it all off, the Liberal leader has known for months about Liberal Senator Pana Merchant and her $1.7-million offshore bank account, which the media are also reporting. The Liberal leader has said nothing.

Does the Liberal leader not understand what meaningful reform in the Senate looks like, or is he just simply in over his head?

Ethics

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, before resigning, did Nigel Wright speak to any Conservative Party officials about the Senate expense scandal? In particular, did he speak to Jenni Byrne, the party's director of political operations?

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

Mr. Speaker, we do not have any information to suggest that he did. Mr. Wright himself said that he acted alone in the case of Mr. Duffy, and that is why he resigned. He acted alone.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a correction. Nigel Wright never said that he acted alone. He said that he took responsibility for his actions. That is an important distinction.

When he was the Prime Minister's chief of staff, Nigel Wright controlled partisan political polls carried out for and on behalf of the Conservative Party and paid for by the party.

PMO employees are paid by taxpayers. PMO activities are paid for by taxpayers.

Why were this office and the people who work there used to carry out partisan activities?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party has a single fund for partisan expenses, including the party leader's partisan expenses.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we know that Nigel Wright controlled funds in the Prime Minister's Office. We know he controlled funds at the Conservative Party.

Has the Prime Minister ordered that these funds be audited to make sure that Nigel Wright did not make any other illegal or unethical payments to either himself or Conservative senators?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Fund of Canada is audited every year.