Debates of Oct. 30th, 2014

Public Safety

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, the Security Intelligence Review Committee was established in 1984 as an independent external review body that reports to the Parliament of Canada on the performance of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, CSIS.

I have full confidence in SIRC and its honourable members.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, in a moment of seemingly unscripted candour, the Minister of Justice indicated yesterday that our security services and police already have significant and robust legislative tools in the Criminal Code to combat terrorism.

Is that still his view today? If so, could he assure the House that these robust terrorism provisions are being used in national security investigations?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness also said that he believes our anti-terrorism laws are robust. At least 80 individuals have come back to Canada and violated those very anti-terrorism laws.

Can the minister tell the House if those individuals have been arrested and if not, why not?

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, it is the role of politicians and Parliament to make laws, and it is the role of the police to arrest criminals and terrorists.

That is why it is our duty to put laws in place. As an example, we introduced Bill C-44 on Monday to make it easier for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service to do its job.

Otehr measures will follow to ensure that our approach is balanced and responsible in order to protect Canadians.

National Defence

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Forces ombudsman has called the universality of service rule for the Canadian military “arbitrary and unfair”. Members across the country have also been saying that the rule makes it harder for them to come forward with mental health issues. They fear being discharged.

The number of members who are being forced out for medical reasons before getting enough experience to receive a pension is large and growing. Does the minister still believe that it is a reasonable, fair, and effective policy for the Canadian military?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, our government has made significant investments in the whole area of mental health and reaching out to the men and women in uniform who are suffering from PTSD and other problems. This is why we have approximately 415 full-time medical health care workers. We have one of the highest ratios of mental health professionals to soldiers in NATO. We want to work with the men and women in uniform to make sure they get all the possible care that they need.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last year, 1,190 soldiers, like Louise Groulx, lost their jobs for health reasons.

Ms. Groulx sustained a workplace injury that resulted in a number of complications. When she returned to work a year later, she was able to do 90% of her duties. Nevertheless, she was discharged from the Canadian Forces. Ms. Groulx's case is a perfect example of why the universality of service policy does not make any sense.

Does the minister sincerely believe that the universality of service policy serves the interests of our soldiers and the Canadian public?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, no member of the armed forces is let go until they are ready to move on. This is why our service and the level of care that is provided by our armed forces is unprecedented. This is why this has continued to be a priority for our government. We want to reach out to those men and women in uniform and give them all the help they need.

Citizenship and Immigration

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

Mr. Speaker, the Federal Court found that the changes that were made to the interim federal health program in 2012 were invalid and even cruel.

Rather than admitting that it made a mistake, the government has appealed the decision. This appeal means a lot of time lost on this sensitive issue and needless suffering for refugee claimants and their children.

Rather than cobbling together a contingency plan in case they lose their appeal, why do the Conservatives not simply reinstate the program that was in place in 2012?

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

Mr. Speaker, yes, we were disappointed by the court's decision last summer. That is why we are appealing it. We are going to continue to protect the well-founded interests of refugees and the interests of Canadian taxpayers as well.

[Andrew Cash, NDP, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it has been four months since the federal court told the government that its cuts to refugee health care were cruel and unusual. Now the government is scrambling to come up with a contingency plan just days before the court deadline to reinstate the program.

We have a suggestion for the government. Instead of dragging its feet and coming up with more excuses and trying to circle the rules, why does the government not just reinstate the interim federal health program?

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

Mr. Speaker, the interim federal health program continues to serve refugees extremely well. We were disappointed by the federal court's decision on July 4, and that is why we have gone into appeal. We await the court's decision.

We will continue to uphold and defend the rights of refugees as well as the interests of Canadian taxpayers.

International Trade

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, with one in five jobs in Canada dependent on exports, our government understands the importance of opening new markets. That is why we have launched the most ambitious pro-trade plan in Canadian history.

Before 2006, Canada had free trade agreements with only five countries. Since then, the Conservative government has concluded agreements with 38 countries.

Could the hard-working Minister of International Trade please update the House on the status of the government's pro-trade plan?

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, last night the House passed third reading of Bill C-41 to implement the Canada-Korea free trade agreement. This is an historic agreement that will increase Canada's economic output by close to $2 billion and increase our exports to Korea by 32%

The bill is now in the Senate, where it will be sponsored by my colleague, Senator Yonah Martin. It is my hope that the Senate will pass the bill quickly so that Canadian exporters can take advantage of this remarkable economic opportunity as soon as possible.

The Environment

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, according to a report issued by Germanwatch, Canada has the worst record of all OECD countries when it comes to combatting climate change, ranking just below Australia and Turkey. The Conservative government's failing grade can be attributed to its withdrawal from the Kyoto protocol, its unambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets, and its lack of a plan to reduce the emissions of large emitters.

Speaking of large emitters, when will the government present its plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the oil and gas industry?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, our government's record is clear. We have taken decisive action on the environment while protecting the economy.

Everyone internationally has to do their fair share. Building on our record, I announced a number of actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution from vehicles. Recently I also announced our intent to regulate the HFCs, one of the fastest-growing greenhouse gases in the world. We are accomplishing this without the job-killing carbon tax that the NDP wants.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, surely the government can change its talking notes now that it is ranked last among all OECD nations.

Members of Parliament from all parties have been briefed on the laudatory actions by higher-ranked OECD nations, including Germany and Denmark. Many of those initiatives and investments made to transition to cleaner energy sources are readily available to Canada. What our country needs is a government with the will to act.

What on earth is it going to take to make the government act in the interests of Canadians and invest in a cleaner energy future?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of our record. We are a founding member of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. We have made significant investments to help support green energy and infrastructure. Internationally, we have provided $1.2 billion to developing countries to address climate change.

Recently I announced new regulatory initiatives that will lower pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from cars, trucks, and heavy-duty vehicles. Thanks to these actions, carbon emissions will go down by close to 130 megatonnes from what they would have been under the Liberals, and we are not introducing a carbon tax.

[Robert Chisholm, NDP, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, October 31 is the two-year anniversary of the groundbreaking report from the Cohen commission, which made 75 recommendations to protect B.C.'s sockeye salmon. However, the Conservative government has failed to take this report seriously and has failed to move on any of the key recommendations in the report.

When will the minister finally recognize that something has to be done and implement the key recommendations in this report before it is too late?

[Gail Shea, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure as well to inform the House that the 2014 returns of salmon to the Fraser River are in the area of 20 million healthy fish.

The government has introduced several measures that are consistent with the recommendations from the Cohen commission, including a moratorium on aquaculture development in the Discovery Islands and an investment of $25 million in recreational fisheries conservation partnership.

All revenues from the pacific salmon conservation stamp are now provided directly to the Pacific Salmon Foundation to be invested in the salmon industry.

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this is not complicated. The Conservative government spent over $26 million for the advice in this report.

It should not have taken two years for the Conservatives to understand findings that are so clear. Wild salmon are in trouble, and Justice Cohen's recommendations offer a road map to saving them.

The government does not understand the economic and cultural importance of wild salmon to British Columbia. Will the Conservatives stop ignoring Justice Cohen's report and finally implement his recommendations?

[Gail Shea, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, we are addressing many of Justice Cohen's recommendations through the department's day-to-day work, and we will continue to consider his recommendations as part of our ongoing work.

We have just recently invested $54 million to enhance regulatory certainty for the aquaculture sector and to provide greater support to science directed at aquaculture, part of Justice Cohen's recommendations.

I am happy to report that it is not just the Fraser River. There are many rivers that are reporting record numbers of salmon this year.

Transport

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in May of this year the Minister of Transport told Parliament that Transport Canada was “not aware of an ignition switch issue” prior to receiving notice from GM in February 2014.

It turns out this was not true.

We now know that her department was fully aware of these problems in June 2013, eight months before the minister said she was told about the problem.

Did the minister mislead the House and Canadians on this very serious issue? If she did not, how could she possibly not have known?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, and I will be very clear on this matter, I did not know of a notice of defect from GM until we received it. I did not know about that until just prior to the recall.

I will also say that the officials have indicated the same to me. They were not aware of the notice of defect before then.

The particular incident to which the hon. member is referring is an unfortunate accident that happened in June 2013, an accident that Transport Canada investigated. In the course of its investigation, it took a look at why the air bag did not deploy when the vehicle went off the road. It came to the conclusion that the ignition switch was not part of the reason that the fatal collision occurred.

That said, Transport Canada reopened the case and looked at it again once it heard of the notice of defect to take a look at it in a new light.