Debates of Nov. 21st, 2014

Veterans Affairs

[Tarik Brahmi, NDP, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the public accounts show that the money that was meant for veterans was diverted. Money that should have been spent on programs to help our veterans was returned to the public treasury. That is scandalous. As if that were not bad enough, the Conservatives are cutting services for veterans and reducing the staff responsible for helping them.

When will this government stop trying to save money at our veterans' expense?

[Parm Gill, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, that is the same question, and it is the same answer. The assertion made in that question is absolutely false. All governments always ensure that statutory funding is fully funded to ensure there is no shortfall. This is a completely normal practice, as was proven in the last year that the Liberal government was in power, when $111 million was lapsed from a much smaller budget.

Passport Canada

[Rosane Doré Lefebvre, NDP, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, passports are the Conservatives' new cash cow. Canadians paid more than $460 million in passport fees last year, but we have learned that it cost the government less than $257 million to produce those passports. Canadians are basically paying a $200 million tax just to be able to travel.

When will the Conservatives stop taxing travellers?

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, our government introduced a 10-year Canadian e-passport, which is more secure and gives Canadians more value for their money. Canadians purchasing the new 10-year passport will save money. They are paying $160 for the 10-year passport, compared to $174 in the previous system for two five-year passports. When revenues exceed expenditures in the passport program, they are kept in the reserve fund for years when revenues do not cover expenditures.

[Rosane Doré Lefebvre, NDP, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this is not a new problem. In 2008, the Auditor General said that the government was charging significantly more for consular fees on passports than it was spending on these services. In six years, this has not changed. Will the minister tell Canadians how much was spent on actual consular services from the consular fees on passports last year, and where the rest was spent?

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the take-up on passports by Canadians has been very strong in recent years. However, for far too long the costs of delivering the program were greater than the fees collected. The new 10-year Canadian passport is more secure and gives Canadians more value for their money. When revenues exceed expenditures in the passport program, as I previously said, the funds are kept in reserve for years for when revenues do not cover expenditures.

Ethics

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the more things change, the more they stay the same. The Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages is trying to get off the hook and suggesting that she did not know that her team was approaching lobbyists who do business with her department. That is a fine excuse.

The Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner clearly said that the minister should have given her staff proper training.

Does the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages think it is ethical to solicit donations from organizations that get funding from her department?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as the House is aware, the commissioner found that there was no wrongdoing by the minister. The minister herself referred the matter to the commissioner when she discovered that there could be something that was inappropriate. However, as I said, the commissioner has found no wrongdoing by the minister.

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it was obvious to the ethics commissioner, as it was to everyone else, that this fundraiser was totally inappropriate. The minister is claiming ignorance, saying that she did not know what her fundraisers were doing. Why is it that in scandal after scandal, the Conservatives refuse to take these problems seriously, and do not even bother to explain the rules to their fundraisers, until they get caught, that is? When will the minister take personal responsibility and apologize?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, it was the minister herself who referred this matter to the ethics commissioner, and the ethics commissioner has indicated that there was no wrongdoing on the minister's part.

That is unlike the NDP, which has been found guilty of using funds of this House for partisan political purposes and supporting offices in places where it has no members of Parliament. In addition, the NDP was found guilty of using some $300,000 of union donations for partisan political purposes, which is against the law.

When it comes to ethics, it is this side of the House that takes it very seriously. As I said, the minister herself referred this matter, and the commissioner has found that the minister acted appropriately.

[Chris Charlton, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I guess I will take that as a no. The minister will not be taking any responsibility for this.

Do the Conservatives really have no problem with the minister's riding association approaching the very people who rely on her department for funding and hitting them up for cash in return for a chance to talk to her?

Clearly it is time for the rules to change. When will the President of the Treasury Board bring forward legislation to fix this egregious loophole?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the NDP, this minister did the right thing. The minister herself actually referred this matter to the commissioner. The commissioner investigated and found that the minister did not in fact contravene the act, unlike the NDP, which has been found guilty of using House of Commons resources for partisan purposes to fund partisan political offices in parts of the country where it has no members of Parliament. It has been found guilty of using some $300,000 worth of union money for partisan political purposes, in contravention of the Accountability Act.

We will certainly take no lessons from New Democrats on—

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Joe Comartin]

The hon. member for Winnipeg Centre.

Justice

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, most Canadians know that Louis Riel was a hero, not a traitor. Now even the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court acknowledges that his trial was a sham and a travesty and did not meet any of the standards of fairness, either then or now.

Will the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages and her government agree with a growing number of Canadians that Parliament should reverse the conviction of Louis Riel so that our history books can accurately reflect that he was never guilty of treason and that his execution was a historic miscarriage of justice?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, we know that this member has, on a regular basis, brought this to the attention of all those in his riding and all those in the country, so we will let him have his day. He has done it again this morning, and certainly I am sure they will appreciate it.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I do not understand the government's reluctance to deal with this issue. The Prime Minister stood right there and apologized to the survivors of residential schools because it was the right thing to do. Louis Riel was wrongfully tried, wrongfully convicted, and wrongfully executed in a case of both justice and mercy denied. What possible rationale could the government have to fail to refuse to consider the simple, symbolic gesture to remedy this long-standing historic injustice?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, it was this Prime Minister and this government that actually moved on the residential school issue after decades of neglect and decades of not wanting to take action. It was this government that made that apology, and the member is right that it was made on the floor of the House of Commons here.

Any time that member would like to support the justice system that we are working on implementing over the last nine years and for the next number of years, he is welcome to get on side with it. We would love to have his support.

Veterans Affairs

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Mr. Speaker, since 2006 the current government government has deprived veterans of $1.13 billion, all in the name of concocting a surplus and spending $750 million in self-promoting ads. Conservatives claim that veterans got what they deserve and are entitled to nothing more. However, the Conservatives did not ask the veterans they are forcing to drive hours from Brandon because of veterans offices closures or who are fighting for proper compensation or mental health support. They could have helped.

Veterans did Canada an incredible service. Why do Conservatives just pretend to support them? Why are Conservatives making our veterans beg?

[Parm Gill, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we have a strong record when it comes to standing up for Canada's veterans. The member opposite knows full well that since taking office, we have spent over $30 billion. That is over $5 billion in new, additional dollars. I would like to remind the member, if he cares about Canada's veterans, to please get on board with our government and our initiatives and help Canada's veterans.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, our veterans had every reason to be furious when the government announced that it was closing nine service centres in order to save a few million dollars.

Now we have learned that Veterans Affairs has returned over $1 billion in unspent funding to the public treasury since 2006. What is the government doing with that money? It is spending $743 million on ads to get re-elected.

If the government really wants to save money, why not make cuts to propaganda instead of veterans' service centres?

[Parm Gill, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the assertion made in that question is absolutely false.

All governments always ensure statutory funding is fully funded to ensure there is no shortfall. This is a completely normal practice, as was proven in the last year the Liberal government was in power, when veterans affairs lapsed $111 million. That was $111 million of a much smaller budget for veterans affairs.

The Budget

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

Mr. Speaker, Kevin Page, a former senior Department of Finance official, said that he “disagree[s] vehemently with the Minister of Finance statement that Finance does not examine every new expenditure.”

He went on to say, “They have to. It would be fiscally irresponsible not to.”

Can the government explain why it killed Canada's long-standing policy to examine every new government expenditure?

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

Mr. Speaker, since the depths of the global recession, over $1.2 million net new jobs have been created in Canada. We have one of the best job-creation records in the G7. Small businesses have been clear that payroll taxes are the number one killer of jobs. Our plan lowers premiums for small businesses so that they can invest in priorities and create jobs.

At the same time, Canadians know that the Liberals would hurt jobs by increasing taxes with their high-tax-and-spend schemes.

Science and Technology

[Hélène LeBlanc, NDP, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a new OECD report paints a pathetic picture of Canada's standing in research and development.

We can really have a meaningful impact in the field of innovation, but Ottawa's commitments are disjointed and its investments are non-existent. We are falling behind in scientific and technological development.

Will the government invest to make Canada a model of innovative and creative entrepreneurship?

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, here is what the experts in Canada have to say about our investments in research.

David Barnard, chair of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, said that budget 2014:

...recognizes that a vibrant, innovative and competitive Canadian economy needs a world-class research system.

Paul Davidson, president of AUCC, said that with the investments in budget 2014:

...Canada is signalling to the leading research nations of the world that it intends to compete with the best....