House of Commons Hansard #150 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was safety.

Topics

Rail TransportationOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

The hon. member for Parkdale—High Park.

Canada PostOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

NDP

Peggy Nash NDP Parkdale—High Park, ON

Mr. Speaker, while millions of Canadians are losing their home delivery services, Canada Post is on track to post record profits. Seniors, people with disabilities, and many other homeowners are all being left behind.

Conservatives claimed these cuts were needed because Canada Post was going to lose hundreds of millions of dollars. Now that Canada Post is turning a large profit, will the Conservatives join with us and fight these cuts, or are they hell-bent on allowing Canada to become the only G7 country without home mail delivery?

Canada PostOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Essex Ontario

Conservative

Jeff Watson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, that is an overly generous reading the facts. Here are the facts.

Canada Post delivered 1.2 billion fewer letters in 2013 than in 2006. Two-thirds of Canadians currently do not receive mail door to door at their home address. Canada Post must balance its books, which is its responsibility, and taxpayers expect it to do that.

Canada PostOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

NDP

Alexandre Boulerice NDP Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives went on and on about how they had to put an end to home delivery because Canada Post was in the hole.

That is funny, because the corporation just posted a $13 million profit in its third consecutive profitable quarter. Not bad for a company that, according to the Conference Board of Canada and the Conservatives, was supposed to lose $274 million this year.

Will the Conservatives admit that their decision to put an end to home delivery has nothing to do with the crown corporation's finances and everything to do with their ideological attack on our public services?

Canada PostOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Essex Ontario

Conservative

Jeff Watson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the member would like to read the annual reports of Canada Post, which show that for the last three years it has consistently turned major losses. That is because 1.2 billion fewer letters were delivered in 2013 than in 2006.

The crown corporation has taken measures to try to turn that situation around, and the member should get behind the five-point plan.

Official LanguagesOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

NDP

Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Mr. Speaker, if we are to believe the Conservatives and Canada's new French-language Twitter account, all francophones and Quebeckers walk around saying “ouais”. That is completely ridiculous and out of touch with reality. This is yet another advertising campaign designed in English and then translated.

With the Conservatives, it seems as though there are two official languages in Canada: English and translated English.

How could the Minister of Foreign Affairs allow this nonsense?

Official LanguagesOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Ottawa West—Nepean Ontario

Conservative

John Baird ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, the question is—

Official LanguagesOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Official LanguagesOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order. The minister has been asked a question. I see that he is rising to answer the question, and so I will ask members to allow him to do so.

The hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Official LanguagesOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Ottawa West—Nepean Ontario

Conservative

John Baird ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, that is a ridiculous question. The Twitter campaign was designed to promote our values, our country, our culture, our foreign policy and our development strategies. We created two Twitter accounts, one in French and one in English, to reflect Canada's two official languages.

Official LanguagesOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

NDP

Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that this reeks of amateurism. Once again, this proves that French is a second-class language to the Conservatives.

The government cannot simply translate English expressions into French. They need to be drafted in French.

This weekend marks the opening of the 15th Sommet de la Francophonie. Is this really the image of Canada that the Conservatives want to project internationally?

Official LanguagesOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Lévis—Bellechasse Québec

Conservative

Steven Blaney ConservativeMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to say that I am proud to rise in the House to answer one of the first questions about the Francophonie that the opposition has asked since its members were elected.

In Canada, Quebec is an official member of the Francophonie thanks to the Conservative government, and New Brunswick will support the candidacy of Michaëlle Jean in order to promote French around the world. We are all very proud of that.

International TradeOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal Toronto Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, the European Union and Ukraine have signed an association agreement that takes effect January 1, 2016. In the meantime, Europe has already eliminated most tariffs for Ukraine, a form of help equal to $635 million in aid.

Canada and Ukraine are seeking a free trade agreement, but trade negotiations take a long time. Given the strong cross-party support for Ukraine in this House, will the government match the EU's unilateral zero-tariff regime for Ukrainian businesses until our deal is done?

International TradeOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Abbotsford B.C.

Conservative

Ed Fast ConservativeMinister of International Trade

Mr. Speaker, I can assure you that our government is committed to supporting efforts to build a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous Ukraine. Ukraine is a priority market for Canada under Canada's global markets action plan. In fact, this past July, I led a trade mission to Ukraine.

When I compare our record on trade to that of the Liberal Party, I see that over 13 long years, it was able to sign only three trade agreements; this government, over a short eight years, has signed free trade agreements with a total of 38 different countries, and there are many more to come.

TaxationOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

Mr. Speaker, TD Bank's report, “The Case for Leaning Against Income Inequality in Canada”, recommends making our tax system more progressive. TD cites an IMF report that shows that tackling inequality is good for growth.

TD Bank, the IMF, and Mark Carney have all warned against growing income inequality here in Canada. Why will the Conservatives not listen to these experts and cancel the regressive income-splitting scheme that will actually make income inequality worse?

TaxationOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Calgary Southeast Alberta

Conservative

Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism

Mr. Speaker, apparently the member for Kings—Hants does not read The New York Times, because if he did, he would have read the huge benchmark study that celebrated the fact, at least for us Canadians, that Canada's middle class has surpassed that of the United States for the first time ever and that we have the wealthiest middle class in the world.

We also have seen a significant reduction in the number of Canadians living below the low-income line. In fact, thanks to our increase in the basic personal exemption and other progressive changes, we have lifted over 1.2 million low-income Canadians off of the tax rolls altogether.

TaxationOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

Mr. Speaker, apparently, the minister did not listen to the late Jim Flaherty, who questioned whether income splitting would benefit society. Apparently, the minister does not listen to the C.D. Howe Institute, which says that it will do nothing for 86% of Canadian families.

They are all warning that income splitting will increase inequality, and the IMF and the TD Bank have told us that rising inequality is bad for growth. Even if the Conservatives do not care about the unfairness of inequality, why are they going ahead with income splitting when it is bad for jobs and growth?

TaxationOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Calgary Southeast Alberta

Conservative

Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism

Mr. Speaker, first, the member himself supported income splitting in his Tory leadership platform. Second, we did listen to constructive criticism, which is why we capped the benefit for income splitting at $2,000 for families, ensuring that two-thirds of the benefits from the overall package would flow to modest- and low-income families. Third, this change is part of the universal choice in child care benefit enhancement, which will deliver benefits to 100% of families.

If benefiting more people is the criterion for supporting tax cuts, why did the Liberal Party vote against and continue to oppose the only tax cut that 100% of Canadians enjoy, which is the cut in the GST?

LabourOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB

Mr. Speaker, a new survey has found that 33.6% of workers have faced domestic violence and that this violence follows workers to their jobs every day. It can continue throughout the day through abusive texts, e-mails, or phone calls, and it has a devastating impact.

Will the Minister of Labour convene a round table meeting that includes labour, employers, and government officials as a first step in dealing with this widespread problem?

LabourOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Simcoe—Grey Ontario

Conservative

Kellie Leitch ConservativeMinister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women

Mr. Speaker, preventing illness and injury in the workplace, particularly mental health issues, including domestic violence, is an essential component of the health and well-being of all Canadians.

As I said earlier in this place, I have already spoken just this morning with the president of the Canadian Labour Congress, Hassan Yussuff, and his counterparts at FETCO and the chairman there, Steve Bedard, to make sure that we are meeting next week to address this issue and move forward on it.

This is a combined responsibility. Whether it be government, union leadership, or employer leadership, we do have to be in this together, and I would implore the members opposite to please stop voting against the things that we are trying to do to improve the mental health of Canadians.

LabourOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB

Mr. Speaker, the issue of domestic violence requires federal leadership, and that is what we are here calling for.

We cannot continue to sweep the issue of domestic violence under the rug. The numbers speak for themselves. One-third of workers have faced domestic violence, and 35% said that they know at least one colleague who has been a victim of violence.

Will the minister show some leadership and convene a round table to find effective solutions to the problem of domestic violence?

LabourOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Simcoe—Grey Ontario

Conservative

Kellie Leitch ConservativeMinister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women

Mr. Speaker, this government actually has shown leadership, and the opposition continues to vote against those opportunities to support Canadians, both in the workplace and at home.

Whether it be eliminating violence against women and girls, making sure an action plan is in place for murdered and missing aboriginal women, or making sure those things are in place for the mental health of those in the workplace, I encourage the opposition to please get on board and vote for what we are putting forward to make sure Canadians are safe and healthy.

LabourOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Mylène Freeman NDP Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC

Mr. Speaker, the statistics are troubling.

A total of 82% of the workers who reported being victims of domestic violence stated that it affected their work performance. What is more, 40% said that it kept them from going to work and nearly 10% lost their jobs as a result.

Does the minister understand the gravity of the situation and does she really intend to implement effective solutions?

LabourOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Simcoe—Grey Ontario

Conservative

Kellie Leitch ConservativeMinister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to preventing illness and injury in the workplace, it is job number one at the labour program. That is why, just two weeks ago, employees unions, employers, my deputy minister, and I met together in Toronto at a large forum to address these issues: mental health, and making sure that issues of harassment and other things in the workplace are addressed.

We are ahead of the ball on you on this one. We have already done it. I hope you will participate in the future.

LabourOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

I would remind the minister to address her comments to the Chair, not directly at her colleagues.

The hon. member for Halifax