House of Commons Hansard #272 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was victims.
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
Mr. Speaker, at Blue Water Bridge Canada, former managers were paid over $650,000 in severance and the CEO who approved this move was reappointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Integrity Commissioner found this affair to be “...misuse of public funds and...breach of the code of conduct”. Now we learn the people who blew the whistle have been fired.
Why is the minister allowing this abuse of public funds, and will he give these brave whistle-blowers their jobs back?
Andrew Saxton ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board and for Western Economic Diversification
Mr. Speaker, we want employees to feel safe bringing forward concerns about wrongdoing in the public service. We put in place tough rules following 13 years of Liberal scandals and mismanagement. That is precisely why we put in place this legislation, which gives employees options to report their concerns and imposes consequences for individuals who fail to play by the rules.
Jay Aspin Conservative Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
Mr. Speaker, while the leader of the NDP drives recklessly around the Hill and tries to intimidate RCMP members, and the member for Timmins—James Bay refers to female RCMP members as “meter maids”, our government is standing up for front-line law enforcement.
Our Conservative government has consistently taken steps to ensure that our front-line police officers have the tools they need to do the job. Could the Minister of Public Safety please update this House on our government's policies with respect to law enforcement?
Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, the NDP leader's true colours were all on display last week. In a stunning display of elitism, he demanded special treatment from law enforcement based on his position, and when he did not receive it he made threats to the female RCMP member who had confronted him.
Not to be outdone, the member for Timmins—James Bay dismissively said that this female RCMP member was nothing more than a meter maid.
Our government has listened to law enforcement and has passed numerous laws to keep our streets and communities safe. The New Democrats seem to have opposed these measures simply due to their own lack of respect for those who daily put their lives on the line to keep us safe.
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
Mr. Speaker, the previous member who asked a question maybe should concentrate on issues in his riding.
Francophone minority communities in Canada receive assistance from the federal government. The roadmap for official languages is meant to support minority communities across the country. The problem is that the money allocated for training francophone immigrants outside Quebec is being used to provide English courses.
Can the minister assure us that the money will help francophones outside Quebec achieve their potential?
James Moore ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
Mr. Speaker, one of the goals of our roadmap for official languages is to protect and promote French outside Quebec, in every region of the country, as well as English. The roadmap supports Canada's two official languages. We want to ensure that training and investments are there to help francophones outside Quebec and in my region of British Columbia.
My hon. colleague should know as well that the road map for Canada's official languages is about supporting and encouraging Canadians to understand and better speak both of Canada's official languages. It is true that a lot of new Canadians, for example, in the city of Vancouver, are struggling to learn either of Canada's official languages, so we do have funding available if they wish to learn to speak French or English. We want to support both of Canada's official languages being taught and understood better by Canada's new immigrants.
Brent Rathgeber Independent Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Alberta economy is the engine of economic growth for Canada. With an unemployment rate of less than 4.4%, temporary foreign workers are simply a reality for many Alberta employers.
The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration knows, and in fact he has said publicly, that when the Royal Bank attempted to use the TFW program to outsource 45 information technology positions, it was doing so illegally and outside the existing rules of the program.
Why did the government overreact by changing the rules, making the program more expensive and difficult to access, rather than simply enforcing the rules against outsourcing?
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Order, please.
The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources would like to answer the question. Order, please.
Kellie Leitch ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, our government has introduced reforms to the temporary foreign worker program so that Canadians always come first in line for every available job. That is what we are focused on and will continue to be focused on.
Our reforms strengthen compliance and oversight to ensure that the program is being used as it is intended, to make sure that Canadians are first in line and that when there are absolute shortages, temporary foreign workers are available. Inspections will be conducted when necessary, with businesses taken into account.
It is no surprise that the opposition does not think that greater oversight is actually required and does not support this, because the opposition members continue to ask for temporary foreign workers in their own ridings.
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Mr. Speaker, I raised this point of order some time ago. The tradition and the principles behind the Standing Order 31 rule are that it allows members of Parliament to raise issues of concern to their constituents. I raised the point many months ago that they were now being used increasingly for crass partisan purposes, and now they are increasingly being used for personal attacks.
You said, Mr. Speaker, that you might consider at some point ruling on it. Perhaps over the summer you could give it some thought, and we could start in the fall with some guidance on this point.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I thank the hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands. I will take a look at today's S. O. 31s and come back to the House if necessary.
The hon. member for Prince Edward—Hastings is rising on a point of order.
Daryl Kramp Conservative Prince Edward—Hastings, ON
Mr. Speaker, I heard the comment from the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands and I take offence to it.
The reason I take offence is that when I stand in this place, I am typical of any member of my party or another member of Parliament. It is offensive to suggest that I am not doing it because it does not matter to my riding when $15,000 came from my riding to a person it should not have. That is wrong.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
We are certainly not going to get into debate on points of order on an S. O. 31 that I have yet to review.
We will move on to the vote now.
The House resumed from June 17 consideration of Bill C-49, An Act to amend the Museums Act in order to establish the Canadian Museum of History and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, as reported (without amendment) from the committee, and of the motions in Group No. 1.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Pursuant to order made on Wednesday, May 22, 2013, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded divisions on the motions at report stage of Bill C-49.
Call in the members.
The question is on Motion No. 1. The vote on this motion also applies to Motions Nos. 2 to 15.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I declare Motion No. 1 defeated. I therefore declare Motions Nos. 2 to 15 defeated.
Canadian Museum of History ActGovernment Orders
Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam B.C.
Conservative
James Moore ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
moved that the bill be concurred in.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
The question is on the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?