House of Commons Hansard #126 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was project.
Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, both the Minister of the Environment and I, as the Minister of Health, work with municipalities and provinces on drinking water standards. Canada is not only working hard with our counterparts on cross-border issues related to water quality, but we will continue to do work with the municipalities.
Ryan Cleary NDP St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Mr. Speaker, news broke today that Canada Post plans to discontinue door-to-door delivery to 29,000 homes in the St. John's South—Mount Pearl area next fall. Many of the people in those 29,000 homes are seniors. They are people with physical disabilities and mobility issues. They are Canadians who view home mail delivery as a treasured Canadian service.
What does the Conservative government have to say to the people of the St. John's South—Mount Pearl area who will be directly impacted by this massive cut in service?
Jeff Watson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, obviously Canada Post not only has a five-point plan to respond to its challenges, but it has certain commitments it has made to Canadians in terms of the implementation. If there are any service questions, I would ask the member to direct them to Canada Post.
Daryl Kramp Conservative Prince Edward—Hastings, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday American media reported that Islamic State sympathizers were planning an attack on the American embassy in Ottawa and on a shopping mall. Once more, the Commissioner of the RCMP confirmed that they have active ongoing investigations on nearly 100 individuals who have travelled overseas to engage in terrorism.
Canadians are concerned about these threats posed by radical Islamic extremists. Could the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness please give the House an update on this real terrorist threat to Canada?
Steven Blaney ConservativeMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair of the public safety and national security committee for this important question. He has done great work on this issue.
Our national security agencies are constantly reviewing the threat to our country and taking action to keep Canadians safe.
Although I cannot comment on issues related to national security, it is clear that the Islamist terrorist threat is serious and that we need to remain vigilant.
That is why I count on the support of all parties when our Conservative government brings action to provide tools so that law enforcement and national security agencies can keep our country safe.
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
Mr. Speaker, a number of Canadian families, including my constituents Fred and Shelley Muntau, are dealing with heartbreaking separation from their children because of the Conservative government's ineptitude. Their children were legally adopted in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but Canada will not issue them visas.
The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration said that he would look into the matter several months ago. Nothing has happened.
Other countries, such as Italy and the United States, have taken proactive action and have fought for the families. Why will the minister not fight for Canadian families?
Costas Menegakis ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows, privacy laws prevent me from speaking about specific individual cases without written consent. We recognize that this is extremely difficult for adoptive parents.
On September 25, 2013, the DRC expressed concerns about the integrity of the inter-country adoption system and was putting a hold on moving forward on international adoptions while it conducted a review of the process.
Our priority is the safety and security of the Congolese children. We will respect the laws of the DRC, and our government will continue to monitor the situation very closely.
Jean-François Fortin Independent Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
Mr. Speaker, more and more megatankers are travelling down the St. Lawrence River. At the same time, the government is moving full steam ahead with promoting oil development. The risks are increasing and spills can happen. As the risks increase, municipalities in eastern Quebec are concerned.
Matane and municipalities in the Magdalen Islands have expressed an interest in opening an oil spill emergency centre. Can the government commit to considering the requests from Matane and the Magdalen Islands and supporting them in this process?
Jeff Watson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I will take this specific question under advisement to the minister.
This government has put in place a very important oil tanker safety system. We have done a number of measures to ensure the safe transit of oil through our Canadian waters, such as increasing the national aerial surveillance program and adopting area response planning, as the member mentioned, which is to ensure that risks and environmental sensitivities are included in all response planning.
Most importantly, consistent with the polluter pays principle, we have removed the liability limit of the ship-source oil pollution fund so that 100% of the costs—
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Kevin Doherty, Minister of Advanced Education and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Telecommunications.
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Mr. Speaker, today we are debating the NDP opposition motion that is based on the notion that it is not good for the economy or the environment to build a big oil terminal with raw unprocessed oil right smack on top of a beluga nursery. We are saying that is not a good idea for the Canadian economy. What we are saying is good for the Canadian economy is green energy.
We are talking about a $1 trillion investment globally in the boom we are seeing in green energy. In the next few years, that number will go up to $3 trillion. This translates into hundreds of thousands of jobs. Unfortunately, because of this government and its lack of knowledge on the subject, we are missing the boat when it comes to green energy. That is what we are debating today.
Obviously, I will ask my colleague, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, what the government is planning for the period following Thanksgiving.
I would like to wish all my colleagues in the House and all Canadians a happy Thanksgiving weekend. We hope everyone will share this time with family.
Peter Van Loan ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon we will continue with today’s NDP opposition day.
Tomorrow, we will debate Bill C-13, the Protecting Canadians from Online Crime Act, aimed at combating cyberbullying at third reading.
When we come back from our constituency week, on Monday, October 20, we will consider a motion to refer Bill S-4, the Digital Privacy Act, to the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology prior to second reading. If we have extra time available that day, we will return to the second reading debate on Bill C-21, the Red Tape Reduction Act.
Tuesday, October 21, shall be the fifth allotted day. The Liberals will offer the day’s topic of discussion.
Starting on Wednesday, October 22, the House will consider Bill C-42, the common sense firearms licensing act at second reading. This bill would cut red tape for law-abiding firearms owners and provide safe and simple firearms policies. I would note that this legislation has already been endorsed by a number of key groups, such as the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, the New Brunswick Wildlife Federation, the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, la Fédération québécoise des chasseurs et pêcheurs, the Manitoba Wildlife Federation, and the Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters, among others.
Mr. Speaker, I do want to wish you and all members a happy Thanksgiving, and I hope that all will share that with their families.
Peter Van Loan ConservativeLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 83(1), I have the honour to table a notice of ways and means motion to amend the Income Tax Act and the income tax regulations.
Pursuant to Standing Order 83(2), I ask that an order of the day be designated for consideration of this motion.
The House resumed consideration of the motion.
Opposition Motion—Gros-Cacouna Oil TerminalBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
The hon. member for Kitchener Centre has five minutes left to conclude his remarks.
Opposition Motion—Gros-Cacouna Oil TerminalBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have been describing the many scientific assessments of this project that will help us better understand the potential and the risks. If the project goes ahead, the assessments will inform the design and operation of this proposed project to minimize any future risks. They will also ensure the protection of the beluga whale.
I would also like to stress that under the government's responsible resource development plan, rigorous environmental protection measures are being implemented to ensure the sustainable development of our natural resources all across the country, including for the proposed energy east pipeline project. The government has already undertaken many major steps to enhance an already robust oil tanker safety system regime and to create a world-class regime that protects both coastal communities and our environment.
As members know, Environment Canada has a mandate to protect water and air from pollutants, and it takes that responsibility very seriously. The department implements strong environmental laws, such as the Fisheries Act. The government will enforce all laws or regulations that are violated as a result of any spill and will ensure that the responsible parties are prosecuted to remedy any damage.
The department will continue to work in close partnership with other federal departments and other levels of government as well as with the private sector and international organizations to reduce the frequency and consequences of any violations in the marine environment. It will strive to prevent incidents. It will place emphasis on preparedness. It will provide response and recovery advice, and the department will work to advance emergencies science and technology.
To this end, Environment Canada's National Environmental Emergencies Centre is ready 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to provide scientific and technical advice and to identify environmental protection priorities when required. It is in a position to tailor its advice to the unique conditions of each emergency.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada is responsible for ensuring that the critical habitat of the beluga and other aquatic species is protected under the Species at Risk Act. In addition, I am very pleased that the environment department, through its marine program, has prepared a best practice guide to aid operators of vessels in avoiding collisions with large aquatic mammals. This very useful guide will be available as part of the process led by the National Energy Board to inform its decision and to inform any potential conditions that could be placed on the proponent, especially regarding the protection of the beluga whale.
At the end of the day, should environmental decisions not be evidence based and science based, rather than ideologically or politically based? By proposing a political decision today to block development before appropriate scientific study has been completed, the NDP has once again revealed its absolute determination to block Canadian resource development without any regard whatsoever for science-based evidence.
Needless to say, I urge my NDP colleagues to insist on the historic right of members to vote freely on non-government business and to defeat this motion. I am confident that the proposed Gros-Cacouna port terminal project will be rigorously and scientifically assessed in a manner consistent with the principle of sustainable development.
François Choquette NDP Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Kitchener Centre for his speech and his comments. He and I are members of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, so we regularly have the opportunity to discuss this subject.
Here is my question for him. He mentioned several times that it is important to make science-based decisions. The Government of Quebec asked the federal government a number of scientific questions about drilling at Cacouna this summer. Every time the Quebec government asked the federal government these questions, the latter asked the former why it wanted to know. The Quebec government wanted to know so that it could make a science-based decision.
It has been shown in court that the federal government was asked multiple times but did not share the necessary scientific opinions. That is why there was an injunction. It was shown in court that there were no scientific opinions. Why did they systematically refuse to share scientific opinions about drilling off the coast of Cacouna?
Opposition Motion—Gros-Cacouna Oil TerminalBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am holding in my hand the scientific study produced by Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the impact of the very geophysical surveys at Cacouna Harbour on the St. Lawrence beluga that my friend is asking about. I am surprised that he has not been able to get a copy, because I was able to find it readily on the Internet. It contains a detailed scientific analysis of the risks of those geophysical surveys. It includes a number of conclusions, which I mentioned in my remarks earlier, and imposes a number of restrictions on those surveys.
Now that I am aware that the New Democrats did not have access to this, it makes it a little easier for me to understand why they brought this motion. Therefore, I will provide it to my colleague when the debate concludes.
Opposition Motion—Gros-Cacouna Oil TerminalBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB
Mr. Speaker, earlier in this debate, it was noted that the refineries in eastern Canada are supplied by many countries, some in the Middle East that have very questionable human rights records. The energy east program and the development of these pipelines to eastern Canada would displace this offshore oil with Canadian feedstock.
Could my hon. friend, who is from the legal profession and understands the notion of human rights extremely well, talk about the importance of replacing this kind of oil with oil from domestic sources?
Opposition Motion—Gros-Cacouna Oil TerminalBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank my colleague for that question. He and I served together on the environment committee. He is an extremely diligent and hard-working member who knows his science on environmental issues.
The member is quite right that at the moment, there is feedstock that comes to North America from countries around the world that are guilty of human rights practices that we would not contemplate in Canada. In fact, the ISIL group that is operating in the Middle East right now has access to oil resources, which it is selling on the black market. It is not entirely impossible that some of that oil will find its way to our shores.
On the other hand, Canadian oil is the most ethically produced oil in the world, and we should be using nothing but that throughout North America.
Jamie Nicholls NDP Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
I would like to ask this, through you, Mr. Speaker. In 2008, the Prime Minister said, “We will not permit the export of bitumen to any country that does not have the same greenhouse gas regulations that we are imposing”. It was a campaign promise.
Can the member across defend the decision to export raw bitumen? Can he assure the House that raw bitumen will not end up in countries that have lesser standards than we do?
Opposition Motion—Gros-Cacouna Oil TerminalBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, I regret that my colleague's question is a bit premature, because we have not even had the assessment completed for this terminal, much less had it built or had it able to start exporting any products. I want him to hang on to that question, and in due course, when we reach that point, I expect that he will ask it again.
However, I would say this to the member. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been one of the most faithful—
Opposition Motion—Gros-Cacouna Oil TerminalBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Some hon. members
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