Debates of June 14th, 2013

Elmira Maple Syrup Festival

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the year 2000, the Guinness Book of World Records recognized the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival as the largest of its kind when the crowd surpassed 66,000. That record is testament to the community spirit of Elmira, from volunteers, sponsors, local groups and the township of Woolwich.

This year, though, organizers and media estimated a crowd of 75,000 enjoyed Waterloo region's hospitality.

I salute chair Ken Jessop and the entire team for their accomplishment and for raising $60,000 for local groups: schools, sports clubs, the local library and not-for-profits of which 29 in total shared this year's proceeds. It is great fun for a great cause.

On April 5, 2014, next year, we will celebrate the 50th Elmira Maple Syrup Festival.

I operated a dental practice for almost three decades, but this retired dentist invites all hon. members of the House and, indeed, all Canadians to join us in Elmira next year to indulge their sweet tooth, but do not forget to brush and floss.

Tourism Industry

[François Lapointe, NDP, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Tourism Week in Canada is coming to a close. The Tourism Industry Association used this opportunity to make elected officials aware of public policies that are preventing Canada from capitalizing on the economic opportunities in the tourism sector.

The industry is worried. Two major issues are a threat to the future of our industry. The budget to promote Canada abroad does not allow us to compete against other international destinations. Furthermore, our airport charges are among the highest in the world, which puts us at a disadvantage compared to other North American destinations. The industry really does have good reason to be concerned.

The Minister of Transport considers questions about airport charges as an attack on the user-pay principle, and the Minister for Tourism publicly boasts about having reduced the Canadian Tourism Commission's budget by $14 million, which is more than what he was asked to cut according to the minister.

The NDP will continue to fight the government's inaction because an industry that injects $84 billion into our economy deserves to have its problems addressed.

2013 Calgary Stampede

[Joan Crockatt, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, today I want to laud a very special Canadian who captured the world's attention by going boldly where no man has gone before. He captivated all of us with his stunning pictures, his live interviews and even his impressive musical ability, and he did this all from space, the final frontier.

Of course, I am talking about Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian to walk in space and the first Canadian to command the International Space Station. Commander Hadfield has been named the 2013 Calgary Stampede's parade marshal. Not surprisingly, Commander Hadfield accepted the stampede's invitation from space, on Twitter. Those six tweets garnered over six million hits.

Today, I want to invite all my hon. colleagues and Canadians to join in the excitement by coming to the Calgary Stampede in my riding of Calgary Centre, from July 5-14. Join the excitement, see Alberta and meet a true Canadian hero.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today in support of the Conservative member of Parliament for Calgary Northeast and his bill, an act to amend the Citizenship Act, honouring the Canadian Armed Forces.

This bill would strip citizenship from dual nationals who commit acts of war against Canada, while also offering faster immigration to courageous and patriotic newcomers who serve in our military. It would amend section 9 of the Citizenship Act to provide that individuals would be deemed to have made an application for the renunciation of their citizenship if they had engaged in an act of war against the Canadian Armed Forces.

Once the bill is passed, it will strengthen the integrity of our Canadian immigration and citizenship system and bring Canada back in line with the rest of the free world. It will also send a clear message that those who commit terrorism or attack our armed forces are not welcome in Canada.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

[Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe, NDP, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today the NDP team is joining Canada's provinces and territories, as well as other countries, in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

Unfortunately, elder abuse is a scourge that affects seniors in many ways—financially, physically and intellectually. I would like to acknowledge the commendable efforts being made by various organizations that fight against elder abuse and neglect.

Today I remember CARP founder Lillian Morgenthau, who died last Thursday. Her vision helped raise awareness of the challenges faced by seniors and encouraged social progress so that they can live better lives without fear of discrimination.

We must build on these efforts and do even more to ensure that seniors are not placed in at-risk situations.

Let us remember that an adequate response to elder abuse requires four things: a broad basic public awareness campaign; prevention programs; adequate intervention; and advocacy services and adequate juridical measures.

We should keep in mind that the welfare and safety of seniors is a social responsibility. The NDP will continue proposing meaningful solutions to ensure that seniors can age with dignity and peace of mind.

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is the eighth World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, bringing global attention to the abuse and neglect that some older adults experience. Sadly, this is a serious problem that continues to happen in communities all across Canada. Elder abuse robs older people of their dignity and peace at a time when they ought to feel secure.

While our government is focused on standing up for victims of elder abuse, the leader of the Liberal Party actually takes money from charities that specifically help the elderly. In fact, one charity that supports senior citizens and is in need is asking the Liberal leader for the $20,000 that he took from it. It, like many charities, are cash-strapped and he has not even given it the decency of a response to its request.

As part of budget 2013, this government will better safeguard the well-being of seniors in a variety of areas, including financial services. In my riding of Simcoe—Grey, local volunteers, like Janette McIntosh, myself and the OPP, are educating seniors and ensuring that they are safe in their community.

We all have a role to play in preventing elder abuse and I encourage the Liberal leader to get on board.

Conservative Party of Canada

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

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are abusing parliamentary process to pass government legislation under the guise of private member's business.

Ministers should bring forward government bills with all of the checks and balances that affords, including a charter analysis, not try to sneak them in through the back door.

Canadians deserve an open and transparent process, a process that allows proper oversight and proper study, not a shortcut so the minister can hide his plans.

Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we learned that the leader of the NDP completely ignored security regulations on Parliament Hill. The leader of the NDP drove through a number of stop signs and ignored a police chase.

When he finally decided to stop his car, the leader of the NDP said to the officer, “Don’t you know who I am?” The leader of the NDP forgot who he was, and that is why he had to ask the police officer.

The leader of the NDP also forgot to stop at a stop sign, which is not surprising. After all, for 17 years he forgot that former Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt had offered him an envelope stuffed with cash.

Roger Bider

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay homage to Dr. Roger Bider, who passed away this past April. Dr. Bider was a visionary who left a profound and lasting impact on our appreciation of the natural world around us.

For more than three decades, Dr. Bider taught wildlife biology at McGill University. In 1981, he founded the St. Lawrence Valley Natural History Society to promote research on, and conservation of, amphibians, reptiles, birds and other animals native to the St. Lawrence region. In 1988, as the public education component of its mission, the society created the Ecomuseum Zoo. Few are the children from the Montreal region who have not visited the Ecomuseum on a school field trip.

Dr. Bider's daughter, Jeanette, has best captured the essence of the man:

He would take us all camping and fishing all the time. He had such an incredible passion for nature and wildlife and was so happy to share it with us.

I offer our deepest condolences to Dr. Bider's wife, Marjorie, his children, Tim, Steve, Donna, Keith, Jeanette and Marc, as well as his many grandchildren.

New Democratic Party of Canada

[Bryan Hayes, Conservative, Sault Ste. Marie, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadians saw the true colours of the NDP. The leader of the NDP did his best Reese Witherspoon impression, shouting, “Don't you know who I am?”

A female RCMP member was forced to chase him around Parliament Hill after he decided security measures did not apply to him. Once he was confronted and given a warning not to repeat this stunt, he moved on to intimidation, threatening that this front-line officer would get “in a lot of trouble”.

Not to be outdone, the member for Timmins—James Bay flippantly referred to our RCMP members as “meter maids”.

This champagne socialist above-the-law attitude is disrespectful to those who put their lives on the line to keep Canadians safe. It shows a lack of judgment and it shows why the NDP is not fit to govern.

Conservative Party of Canada

[Jamie Nicholls, NDP, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

Mr. Speaker, although the Conservatives are trying to divert our attention, Canadians remain focused on what matters—and what matters is not being popular, but rather getting answers in order to understand how the Senate expense scandal unfolded and who is involved.

It is the Prime Minister's Office that really runs this country, and that very same office is where Nigel Wright and Mike Duffy's shenanigans took place. The PMO is still happy, however, because the Conservative caucus continues to serve at its beck and call, as we saw yesterday. Their caucus is full of trained seals who are happy to sit back and blindly applaud while the head seal spins a ball on his nose.

Canadians deserve better. They deserve a party that will think of them instead of rewarding its party cronies by appointing them as senators for life.

Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last year the Liberal leader, as a member of Parliament, was paid a generous $160,000 by Canadian taxpayers. However, that was not enough for the millionaire Liberal leader. He went and stuck Canadian charities with hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees to line his pockets.

Now these charities are fighting back. A Saint John's charity that looks after seniors is asking the Liberal leader to return the $20,000 he ripped it off for. Why? His appearance was a total flop, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in debt for the charity.

Instead of conning money from seniors, the Liberal leader should do the honourable thing and return the hundreds of thousands of dollars he has taken from Canadian charities.

Ethics

[Philip Toone, NDP, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when was the Prime Minister informed that his former right-hand man, Nigel Wright, was the subject of a criminal investigation?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP has not contacted the government about this. The real question is, where is the NDP leader? Is he still busy disrespecting the RCMP?

Yesterday, the Leader of the Opposition asked a female RCMP officer, “Do you know who I am?”

That is the kind of temper the Leader of the Opposition has, getting in the way of his judgment. That is why he does not have the calibre to be the prime minister of this country.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I remind members that it is unparliamentary to point out the presence or absence of other members.

The hon. member for Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine.

[Philip Toone, NDP, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's Office is under criminal investigation. It is time to take this seriously and answer questions.

Has the Prime Minister spoken to a criminal investigator about this file?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is no.

However, Canadians want to know why the NDP leader rolled right through four stop signs here on Parliament Hill. Why did he insult an RCMP officer? Why does the NDP leader think he is above the law? He demonstrated disrespect for police officers.

[Philip Toone, NDP, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I will repeat that the Prime Minister's Office is currently under criminal investigation. The Conservative Party and its ministers have to start answering questions seriously.

Has another PMO staffer, such as current chief of staff Ray Novak or anyone else, talked to an investigator about the criminal investigation into the $90,000 cheque that Nigel Wright gave to Senator Mike Duffy?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the RCMP has not contacted anyone in government or in the Prime Minister's Office about this matter.

Yesterday, however, the Leader of the Opposition, the NDP leader, was contacted by the RCMP here on Parliament Hill because he broke the law. Despite the fact that there are so many tourists around Parliament Hill, many of them children, he ignored the rules of the road and then insulted an RCMP officer.

Why did the NDP leader fail to respect the RCMP when it contacted him?

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's Office is under criminal investigation. Canadians are taking that very seriously, and the minister should too. It is time to answer questions.

When was the Prime Minister informed of the criminal investigation, and did the Prime Minister or his office proactively contact the police about the possible criminal wrongdoing in his office?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Again, Mr. Speaker, the answer is the same in English as it is in French, which is that the office of the Prime Minister and government has not been contacted by the RCMP with respect to this matter.

The real question, though, is why was the leader of the NDP contacted by the RCMP here on Parliament Hill yesterday. We have kids and tourists walking all around the Hill, but he does not seem to think that matters as he speeds through five stop signs. Then when he is stopped finally by the police and asked what is going on, he says, “Do you know who I am?”

That is the kind of arrogance that Canadians do not appreciate in their political representatives.

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the real question is about the criminal investigation in the Prime Minister's Office.

Last night, Senator Wallin said in an interview that she always kept Nigel Wright in the loop about problems in the Senate.

Who else in the PMO was kept in the loop, and did Nigel Wright ever speak with the Prime Minister about his conversations with Senator Wallin?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, that question has been answered.

It is quite remarkable that the members of the NDP are so embarrassed by the conduct of their leader, they are not even prepared to defend it on the floor of the House of Commons. What I really find strange is that the NDP leader suggests that it was all just a misunderstanding. He implies that he co-operated and there was nothing wrong.

When an individual speeds through five stop signs and then insults an RCMP officer, would the individual have the arrogance to say, “Do you know who I am?” That reflects the kind of poor judgment that we sadly know is characteristic of the leader of the New Democratic Party.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, according to the Prime Minister, Nigel Wright was acting in his capacity of chief of staff. However, it is illegal to make a payment or provide a gift to a senator for anything relating to their official functions.

Furthermore, Senator Duffy stonewalled the review of his expenditures immediately after his agreement with the chief of staff.

Why does the Prime Minister continue to describe this transaction as private?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship]

Mr. Speaker, because it was private.

Let us talk about financial donations. We just learned that the leader of the Liberal Party accepted $20,000 from a charitable organization for seniors in New Brunswick for a fundraising campaign, which lost money.

The Grace Foundation in New Brunswick asked the Liberal leader, who is a millionaire, to give back the money. We are talking about seniors living on low incomes. It is unbelievable that the Liberal leader took $20,000 from those seniors.

Will he pay that money back to the seniors?