Debates of Dec. 4th, 2014

Political Prisoners

[Irwin Cotler, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow marks the first anniversary of the passing of Nelson Mandela, a historic role model in the struggle for freedom.

Indeed, this morning we held an all-party press conference, together with the Minister of Justice, to raise the cases of three political prisoners, each of whom embodies Mandela's courage and commitment and all of whom are heroic role models in their own right.

They include Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López, imprisoned for his advocacy of democratic reform; Mauritanian anti-slavery leader Biram Dah Abeid, imprisoned in a country that has the largest percentage of enslaved people in the world; and Iranian Shiite cleric Ayatollah Boroujerdi, who has been languishing in prison for eight years for advocating the separation of religion and state.

Mandela's emergence after 28 years in a South African prison is an enduring source of inspiration and hope, demonstrating the transformative impact of freeing political prisoners.

I invite colleagues in the House to join me in calling for the release of these three political prisoners to let them know that they are not alone, that we stand in solidarity with them, and that their cause is our cause: the cause of freedom.

Taxation

[David Yurdiga, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Mr. Speaker, our family tax cut will benefit every family with kids by an average of $1,100 per year. Soon families in my riding of Fort McMurray—Athabasca will receive nearly $2,000 annually per child under age six. When it is added up, a family with five children will receive nearly $60,000 by the time all the children have turned six years old.

However, the Liberal leader announced he wants to take that money away from families. We will never let this happen.

Democratic Reform

[Craig Scott, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the support last night from Green Party MPs and from Independents such as the member for Edmonton—St. Albert for the NDP proposal on mixed proportional representation. We also received the support of 16 members of the Liberal caucus, and I thank them too. I know there are many Liberal supporters across the country who support real electoral reform.

However, it seems they still cannot count on the support of their leader. The member for Papineau has made his dislike of proportional representation known on several occasions. During the Liberal leadership race, he told a number of people attending why he did not support proportional representation, even though a substantial majority of Canadians do. Mischaracterizing proportional representation, he said, “...too many people don't understand the polarization and the micro-issues that come through proportional representation.”

It is not Canadians who are wrong in their support for proportional representation; it is the leader of the Liberal Party who is wrong in his support for the continuation of winner-take-all politics.

Taxation

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, since introducing our family tax cut, an average of $1,100 in savings will be put back into the pockets of every Canadian family with children.

The new family tax cut gives the majority of benefits to low- and middle-income families. A single mother with two kids earning $30,000 would benefit by $1,500 a year. We want families like the Davies, the Crawfords, and the Hughes to benefit and be more prosperous, not government.

Our plan helps 100% of families with kids, but the NDP plan only helps 10%. Only our Conservative government can be trusted to stand up for Canadian families.

Veterans

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, 1,000 professionals responsible for helping our veterans have lost their jobs. That is one of every four employees. Nine regional offices have been closed, and the Prime Minister says that they are just bureaucrats. Such disdain for our public servants and our veterans, who are not getting the services they need.

Instead of laying off the public servants who help our veterans, will the Prime Minister consider getting rid of the minister who has done nothing for veterans?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to ensure that we have the right people in the right locations to assist our veterans and their families. We have invested in new front-line medical facilities for Canadian veterans and their families. We have been opening military family resource centres in seven locations across the country for medically releasing veterans and their families. We will continue to make improvements while the opposition opposes all these measures.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, members of the NDP are fighting for veterans. The Conservatives are fighting against them, even in the courts.

The Conservatives have told the courts that they never promised to look after our injured soldiers. According to the government's lawyer, no formal promises were made; it was just political rhetoric. That is unbelievable. Why are the Conservatives blaming veterans for believing Conservative promises?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the irony of all of this is that I can rhyme off a litany of issues that the party opposite has not supported, all of which have gone to help support our veterans and the programs and services for them and their families. At this point in time it is most unfair for any of us to comment on a case now before the courts.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the irony is that veterans will never believe Conservative promises again, because Canadians expect some contrition and shame from this minister. The case workers who were fired by the minister were front-line workers who were helping veterans.

The Conservative government has closed nine regional offices and has fired a thousand people who helped veterans. It even took a billion dollars out of veterans hands, money that was authorized by Parliament for veterans' needs.

When will this Conservative decade of darkness for veterans end? When will the government start helping veterans instead of hurting veterans?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to state that we on this side of the House know that if veterans have the tools they need to transition to civilian life, the chances of their succeeding are increasingly improved. That is why our government has invested in new research to design more effective treatments for Canadian veterans. We are partnering with mental health organizations, the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and many others to enable us to provide the kinds of services and support that our veterans and their families need, which we are committed to provide, while the opposition votes against all of these.

The Environment

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, our nation-to-nation relationship with first nations means respect and dialogue, but what we have seen so far from the Conservatives is only more of the same confrontational approach. Too many communities have had to resort to the courts to get their voices heard and their rights respected.

Recently, four first nations from Treaty 8 filed a judicial review with the Federal Court against the federal government with respect Site C. When will the government learn to respect and work in collaboration with first nations?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, our government is protecting the environment while supporting economic growth. This project will provide thousands of direct and indirect jobs and provide clean renewable energy for the next 100 years. Of all of the possible ways to generate energy, this project would have the lowest level of greenhouse gas emissions. The project underwent a thorough independent review and extensive consultations with the public and aboriginal groups.

I am amazed to see the member opposite opposed to this project. Maybe that is because the New Democrats would rather see a job-killing carbon tax.

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the first nations that I cited are not alone. The Peace Valley Landowners Association and first nations in Alberta have also recently joined the fight on Site C. These communities are expecting more from the government than the empty rhetoric we are hearing. They want their voices heard and their rights respected. Unfortunately, with the environmental assessment process in shambles, the only way they can get results is to resort to our judicial system. Instead of wasting resources fighting them in court, why is the government simply not addressing their concerns?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, our government is protecting the environment while supporting economic growth. This clean energy project underwent a thorough independent review. This process included meaningful and respectful consultations with 29 aboriginal groups.

BC Hydro must meet 80 legally binding conditions, and failure to do so would be a violation of federal law.

Veterans

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

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives made cuts to funding and to the staff who maintain the graves of our Canadian heros. They did this following an audit that pointed to the deplorable state of these graves.

Today, we learned that half the money for research on veterans that the minister claimed was new funding comes from existing programs. We are talking about a very small amount. How many more reasons does the Prime Minister need to dismiss his incompetent minister?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we have made significant investments in restoring Canadian war graves and sending hundreds of Canadian veterans back to visit the battlefields of Europe. The opposition has voted against these initiatives, and I can cite time after time when it let us down. It let veterans down, and it let our deceased soldiers down.

Our Second World War veterans who returned to Italy last week noted how beautifully maintained our Canadian grave sites are, and we are in fact proud of the work that we are doing at home and abroad.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, they are not proud of this minister, that is for sure.

Major Mark Campbell, a veteran with 33 years of service, was badly wounded in Afghanistan by an IED while rescuing a fellow soldier. Now he is fighting the Conservatives for a pension.

The government has stated in court that providing this pension would violate fundamental principles of democracy.

Could the minister please tell the House which democratic principles would be violated by providing this brave veteran and double amputee with his pension?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we are profoundly proud of and honoured by the service that veterans have rendered to this country in the interests of freedom, democracy, and human rights.

However, in this particular case, the government does not comment on matters before the court, except to say that this matter deals with something that all parties agreed to under the previous government. It was the Liberal government that initiated much of what is in debate today.

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives claim all sorts of new funding for veterans, but it is a sham. Today, we learned that half of the so-called new programs the minister speaks of already exist, and experts say that it is a very meagre amount of money.

Conservatives claim in the House that they honour the sacred obligation, but that is a sham too, because in court they are still fighting Canadian veterans represented by the Equitas Society, claiming that no such obligation exists.

When will the Conservatives realize that “lest we forget” means both commemorating the dead and taking care of our living veterans, like Mark Campbell?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his passion on this issue, but as I indicated earlier, this matter is now before the courts. Out of respect for due process, I think that all of us should let the courts do their work.

I am at a loss for words to explain how it is that the Liberals would vote against earnings loss and supplementary retirement benefits, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Korea transition services, disability awards and allowances, disability and death benefits, and I could go on.

[Sylvain Chicoine, NDP, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

Mr. Speaker, veterans no longer trust this minister who has repeatedly tried to mislead them. A responsible minister would dispense with the underhanded legal tactics, reopen the regional offices and rehire the staff in charge of helping veterans. He would invest in mental health without delay and he would apply the recommendations of the parliamentary committee.

Since the minister is doing absolutely nothing to help veterans, when will the Conservatives do something and dismiss this irresponsible minister?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to report that, consistently, since we have been in power in government, through the leadership of our Prime Minister, veterans have been a primary issue for us. Time and again, we have put forward initiatives and support systems dealing with veterans and their families. However, the party opposite continues to vote against them. The hypocrisy is more than anybody can bear.

[Sylvain Chicoine, NDP, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister tried to have us believe that the staffing cuts would have absolutely no impact on veterans, saying that it was just administrative staff that was cut. That is not true.

The Auditor General's report clearly shows that the wait times have direct consequences on the health and quality of life of our veterans.

Cutting one in four jobs and closing nine regional offices clearly has an impact on the quality of services.

Parliament put $1 billion aside for this purpose. Why was that money not spent?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, in our continued effort to improve veterans benefits and programs, I recommended that the Auditor General should review our mental health program. I fully accept his recommendations and no doubt, am grateful for them.

The Auditor General found that Veterans Affairs spends half a billion dollars each year on mental health strategy and also on valuable mental health supports.

While we have already taken action to improve the service delivery, we will in fact continue to follow the Auditor General's recommendation, which, by the way, also stroked some very positive things in his report.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are failing veterans right across the board. They stand in the House and dismiss the crisis that they created when they gutted departments and fired the staff who helped veterans access the services they so desperately need.

Nine regional offices are now closed and one in four employees has been fired. The Prime Minister has the audacity to call people helping injured soldiers in those regional offices “backroom bureaucrats”.

Instead of making excuses for that failed minister, will the Prime Minister finally just show him the door?