Debates of Jan. 30th, 2014

Veterans Affairs

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, clearly the Conservatives believe that all their ministers should have access to perks.

Last year, to help their travelling ministers, the Conservatives spent $264,000 on an office in St. John's, $821,000 in Yellowknife, $187,000 in Whitehorse, and a shocking $589,965 on an office in Fredericton. They already have offices here and they have huge bureaucracies at their fingertips. Their sense of entitlement knows no bounds.

Why are these ministers helping themselves while telling veterans and seniors that the cupboard is bare?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, the opposition members have been clamouring for more services for Canadians and more convenience, and that is what we are offering. However, we are ensuring, unlike the previous government, that the access is available to Canadians right across this country. That is why we invested in regional offices for the ministers in the far north and indeed in other parts of Canada, so that all Canadians would have access to ministers' offices wherever they are in this great country.

Consumer Protection

[Rick Norlock, Conservative, Northumberland—Quinte West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, families in eastern and northern Ontario are worried about the availability and high prices of propane. This winter has been especially difficult on residents who rely on propane to heat their homes. While some provinces regulate the pricing of propane, Ontario does not.

Can the Minister of Natural Resources update this House on the action our government is taking to ensure families are not left out in the cold?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, I understand how important this issue is to families who rely on affordable propane to heat their homes. This is especially true, since Ontario families have already been hit by higher energy prices. It is within the jurisdiction of the Government of Ontario to regulate the distribution and pricing of propane.

Our government cares about fairness for homeowners, so we will be asking the National Energy Board and the Competition Bureau to review propane market issues, including high prices and scarcity.

Employment

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian families are struggling. In December alone, 67,000 more Canadians became unemployed because of this government's inaction. Despite that, it looks like there will be nothing very concrete in this budget. This is outrageous, because we know that 1.4 million Canadians are unemployed. Why is the government refusing to help Canadians find employment?

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure why the opposition members are so concerned about what is in the budget; history has proven that they are going to vote against it anyway. All they want to do is engage in reckless spending and impose higher taxes on Canadians.

Our Conservative government is focused on what matters to Canadians: helping create jobs and supporting economic growth. That is why economic action plan 2014 will help grow Canada's economy and create jobs, while keeping taxes low and returning to balanced budgets.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there is lots of boasting but there is nothing to vote for: the highest unemployment and lowest job creation since the great recession. They are not doing enough.

Times are tough for all Canadians, but our youth who are trying to get a start in life are being hit hardest of all. Over 21,000 full-time youth jobs disappeared in December. Youth unemployment is double the national average. Will the government help young Canadians? Will it help them get back to work by adopting the NDP's youth tax hiring credit?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism]

Mr. Speaker, we will absolutely not adopt the disastrous economic policies of the NDP, which would put hundreds of thousands of Canadians out of work by raising taxes on just about everything.

Their EI policy and their 45-day work year would impose multi-billion dollar, job-killing payroll taxes on EI premiums. The New Democrats want to raise job-killing CPP payroll taxes, and they were opposed to our GST cut.

We will continue to lead the developed world in job growth and economic growth, and we will continue to oppose the job-killing, high-tax, fiscally irresponsible policies of the NDP.

Consumer Protection

[Glenn Thibeault, NDP, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the minister seems to confuse tax credits and tax cuts, but maybe he knows who he is.

Canadians are struggling to make ends meet. While the Conservative government ignores them, they are forced to rely on credit cards to help pay the bills, cover emergency expenses, and put food on the table.

On average, Canadians carry a $3,500 balance on a credit card each month, but the Conservatives have allowed banks to charge excessive interest rates, some as high as a whopping 29.9%. Canadians deserve better.

When are the Conservatives going to stop the gouging and protect Canadian consumers?

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian consumers deserve access to credit on fair and transparent terms. That is why we have taken action to protect Canadians using credit cards by banning unsolicited credit card cheques, requiring simple and clear information that provides timely advance notice of rates and fee changes, limiting anti-consumer business practices, and ensuring prepaid cards never expire.

Our Conservative government believes that with better information, Canadian consumers can make informed decisions in their best interests.

[Annick Papillon, NDP, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are going deeper and deeper into debt, and they are being gouged by excessive credit card interest rates. In the meantime, the banks collected more than $30 billion last year. By refusing to crack down on the banks, the Minister of Finance is choosing to defend the banks' interests over consumers' interests, even though the Conservatives claim to stand up for consumers. What tangible things will the Conservatives do to reduce credit card interest rates?

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the socialist NDP may not understand how the economy works. I know they hate business and would like to tax business out of the country, but we need strong businesses in Canada and we need strong banks. Strong businesses employ Canadians and pay billions in taxes, which is revenue we need to pay for health care and other social services that Canadians depend on.

Veterans Affairs

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Mr. Speaker, veterans caseworker Michelle Bradley stated “You walk away from the office every day feeling defeated and ashamed because you cannot help the veteran, which is now my job to do”.

Yesterday I spoke with Stephen Cruickshank, a veteran who was basically told that the only thing they could offer him was a 1-800 number. He feels the government's changes are a slap in the face to all those who have served.

Will the government reverse these devastating closures to veterans' services offices across this country and fix this disgrace?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, it is not a disgrace at all. This is the right thing to do to ensure that our veterans and their families are properly served.

I just illustrated the fact that veterans in the areas where the offices are being closed will have to travel practically zero distance, and if they cannot travel, we will continue to visit them at their homes or whatever place of their choosing, as we have been doing and will continue to do.

Citizenship and Immigration

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, processing times for visitor visas have tripled since the Conservative government came to power. That means red tape instead of little red envelopes at this time of Chinese New Year.

New Year is a time for family, yet our outdated bureaucratic visa system means that many families will not get to see their relatives during this holiday season.

Will the minister commit to fix this broken system?

[Chris Alexander, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the system was broken and outdated when we came into office in 2006. We have done a huge amount to make it better and faster by slashing backlogs by over 50% and reuniting families, parents, and grandparents for holidays and all around the year. Just last year we welcomed well over one million visitors to Canada, 30% to 40% more than in the last full year of the Liberal government.

We are committed to getting those processing times down and to bringing business people, tourists, and students to Canada in record numbers, and we are getting that job done.

The Environment

[Malcolm Allen, NDP, Welland, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is well known that neonicotinoids have a harmful impact on bees. Even a small dose of this pesticide can reduce the amount of pollen collected by over 50%. Canadians are truly concerned.

Bee health has a serious impact on our economy and our environment. The European Union restricted the use of this pesticide last year. When will the Conservative government take action on this harmful pesticide?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his question. He knows that we are committed to the health and safety of Canadians. Health Canada makes it decisions on pesticide risks based on science and applies strict standards to protect the health of Canadians and their environment.

Over 200 types of scientific studies must be submitted before a pesticide is approved, and the department continuously monitors the most recent science. We are doing it on this as well, to ensure that actions taken are as needed.

[Ruth Ellen Brosseau, NDP, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the scientific community unanimously agrees that this pesticide affects pollination and bee health.

By putting bees at risk, we are putting our entire ecosystem at risk. This is not the first time we have broached this subject, but the Conservatives continue to ignore the problem. The European Union has imposed a moratorium.

In addition to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency study, what else will the federal government do to protect bees?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the member knows that we do take this issue very seriously. When concerns about this issue were identified, the department, along with its international partners, re-evaluated these insecticides. Using the best science available, the department has proposed new rules for the 2014 growing season to better protect bee populations.

Health Canada will continue to review new scientific information as it becomes available and will take action as needed to further protect the bee population.

Sealing Industry

[Tilly O'Neill-Gordon, Conservative, Miramichi, NB]

Mr. Speaker, today is Seal Day on the Hill. The sealing industry plays a crucial role in the economies and the cultures of Inuit and Canadian coastal communities. The European Union's decision to ban seal imports is based on misplaced emotion, not on science or fact.

Canadians stand behind our government's decision to appeal the WTO ruling. In fact, a poll today showed that the clear majority of Canadians support the seal hunt.

Will the minister tell us what our government is doing to protect sealers?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for that question. The European Union ban on seal has had a devastating impact on northerners and coastal communities. Sealing is a part of our heritage and our livelihood.

I am proud to restate our government's support for sealers. That is why our government submitted its appeal this month to the WTO on its ruling to uphold the ban. It is encouraging to see that the majority of Canadians support our approach to defend Canadian sealers. I just wish that the NDP and Liberals would get on side.

International Co-operation

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, a new transitional government has taken power in the Central African Republic with the hopes of ending the brutal violence plaguing the country. The UN lists the Central African Republic as one of its top three global humanitarian emergencies. Half of the population is in need of humanitarian aid.

It is clear that $5 million is not enough to tackle this conflict. What is the government doing to reduce the risk to civilians and aid the international efforts?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Minister of International Development and Minister for La Francophonie]

Mr. Speaker, it is true that the Central African Republic is in the midst of a serious crisis, which unfortunately is deemed to be a forgotten crisis. However, I can confirm that Canada is there.

As recently as December 2013, my colleague, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced that the Government of Canada would give $5 million in aid to the Central African Republic, in addition to amounts previously announced. Therefore, more than $6.9 million in aid was announced by our government in 2013. We continue to monitor the situation very closely.

The Environment

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Saskatchewan community pastures delivered a model partnership for over 80 years, sustaining small ranches and critical habitat for threatened species. Incredibly, the Conservative government responded by shutting them down. Farmers, conservationists, ranches, and communities are demanding the government act to save the key pastures.

Will the Minister of the Environment commit today to intervene and establish a national wildlife area as a model for sustainable farming and wildlife protection?