Debates of Feb. 14th, 2014

Ethics

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as soon as these allegations were brought to the minister's attention, he asked the deputy minister to investigate. These are serious allegations against a former president of Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated.

In closing, I want to point out that Mr. Fournier was appointed by the previous Liberal government.

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

Mr. Speaker, one would have to be naive to think that there is no link between the $1.5 million paid by an SNC-Lavalin associate into a secret Swiss bank account belonging to the Liberal president of the Federal Bridge Corporation and a $127 million contract that was awarded at the exact same time. Friends of the Liberal Party stuffed their pockets, profiting from the collusion and corruption that was running rampant at the time.

Will the government launch an investigation to ensure that federal money was properly awarded in this contract?

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as soon as these allegations were brought to the minister's attention, he asked the deputy minister to look into them. These are troubling allegations against a former president of The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated.

In conclusion, I want to point out that Mr. Fournier was appointed by the previous Liberal government.

The Budget

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the government whether it planned to maintain at least the current level of funding for the Canada book fund and the Canada music fund, which are due to expire in 2015. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage said that the two funds will remain intact for 2014. My question was about 2015, so I will ask again.

Will the government commit to maintaining at least the current level of funding for the Canada book fund and the Canada music fund beyond 2015, when they are due to expire?

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

Mr. Speaker, I was waiting for this supplementary.

We have invested an additional, actually permanent funding of $9 million for a $37 million total for the Canada book fund, an additional $9 million for the Canada music fund, and we have actually added $25 million for the Canadian Council for the Arts.

Now, to the person from the Liberal Party who asked this, twice in a row, he must be so concerned about it, that I want to see him, on budget day, support culture and heritage in this country.

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the 2014 federal budget contains nothing tangible for women. It contains no incentives for social housing and nothing for universal child care. With respect to access to justice, countless women have fallen through the cracks. Can the finance minister provide any assurance that women will be a priority in the implementation of his budget?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, our government has been focused on making sure women have access to jobs and that they can enjoy the prosperity of Canada.

Whether that be young women who now have access to the apprenticeship loan program or whether that be the young women I have met who are out learning skilled professional trades and will benefit from the Canada job grant, we are focused on making sure women have jobs and have a high quality of life for their families.

We encourage the Liberals on the opposite side to get with the program, and let us get Canadians jobs.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is telling the media that the DFO library collections are being digitized and blaming library closures on public walk-ins, when it is the government scientists who actually need the information.

In a written response to me, the minister said that the department does not have the ability to determine what has to be digitized and there is no record of what happened to most of the library materials.

What is it? Was the response to me correct, or is the minister misleading Canadians?

[Randy Kamp, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, this member does not seem to realize that our library clients are doing their work in a different way. In fact, they are asking for digital material, which is why in several of our libraries they get 5 to 12 visits a year. Sometimes they can go a month before they get another in-person visit.

We are consolidating our libraries, investing in making sure our holdings are digitized, and doing the best for taxpayers.

The Budget

[Jonathan Genest-Jourdain, NDP, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there is a gathering on Parliament Hill today to commemorate Shannen's Dream, the dream that all first nations children can have access to decent educational facilities, no matter where they live.

We wholeheartedly welcome the end of the spending caps on first nations education, but we are wondering why our children will have to wait until 2015 to see any results. Why should first nations children, who have suffered from chronic underfunding for years now, have to wait another year?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, I thought the hon. member was simply going to congratulate the government for making the decision to work with the Assembly of First Nations to finally, for the first time, give first nations all across the country an education system that works. However, we must not put the cart before the horse. We will continue our work with the Assembly of First Nations to draft a bill to be introduced and debated here. After that, of course, the regulations will have to be developed, and all this will take until next year.

[Carol Hughes, NDP, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after years of denial, the government is finally admitting to underfunding of first nations schools.

Now it is time for action. The Liberals and Conservatives have repeatedly promised adequate funding, but always for later, after the next election. It is a date that never comes.

Today is Have a Heart Day, so will the minister show that he has a heart, announce that he is going to realize Shannen's dream and start providing adequate funding for first nations schools today?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, we shall soon see the commitment of the NDP to education on reserves, because this budget has committed $1.9 billion in supplementary funding.

I will watch to see if the NDP will support this budget because never before have so many resources been put in Shannen's dream.

Veterans

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

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have become masters at the art of saying one thing and doing another.

They promised veterans that their budget cuts would have no impact on the services provided. However, internal documents show that employees were wondering two years ago already how they would be able to provide the same services with nine fewer offices and 800 fewer employees.

Why did the Conservatives ignore these alarm bells as to the consequences of their cuts to veterans' services?

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

Mr. Speaker, I understand that math is not necessarily the NDP's thing. Let me explain it for him. Our government has created 600 additional points of service across this great nation. There are now approximately 650 points of service in communities, in neighbourhoods, where a district office did not exist. We are putting points of service where veterans need them the most in the communities.

In the event that a veteran is unable to travel to a district office or is seriously injured, we will send a registered nurse or a case manager to the comfort of his or her home.

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

Mr. Speaker, what these documents reveal is a government so obsessed with its image that it failed to heed warnings from inside its own department, warnings that government cuts would impact services available.

Our Armed Forces personnel and veterans knew this. Staff at Veterans Affairs knew this. Conservatives knew this. Yet the government has spent two years denying the truth.

Would the minister now acknowledge that these cuts do, in fact, hurt veterans and reverse them immediately?

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

Mr. Speaker, since coming to office in 2006, our government has invested over $4 billion in additional funding to help Canada's veterans, to provide them the services and the benefits that they deserve.

Every single time we have brought forward initiatives to help our veterans, the NDP and the Liberals have both voted against every single measure.

We on this side of the House will continue to stand up for Canada's veterans.

The Budget

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, if there is one thing our Conservative government prides itself on, it is keeping taxes low for Canadians and their families. In fact, since coming into office, we have reduced taxes over 160 times, which will save the average Canadian family nearly $3,400 in 2014.

In addition to helping families keep more money in their pockets, our government also takes pride in recognizing those who help keep our families and communities safe. Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance tell this House what economic action plan 2014 does to recognize the contributions of these brave Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for that excellent question.

Search and rescue volunteers are everyday Canadians, our friends and neighbours, who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe. In recognition of their commitment and dedication, economic action plan 2014 introduced the search and rescue volunteers tax credit. Today in my riding of North Vancouver, the finance minister is highlighting this measure, accompanied by family members of the late Tim Jones, a man who dedicated his life to others, a giant of the North Shore Rescue team, and someone I was honoured to call a friend.

I am very proud that our government is recognizing the contributions of people like Tim Jones.

Canada Post

[Rathika Sitsabaiesan, NDP, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after the ice storm, Toronto experienced widespread mail delivery delays. It took Canada Post weeks to respond. Constituents from across my riding are still reporting mail delays. I am not alone. MPs from all over Toronto are fielding complaints. When a two-day delivery turns into a six-day delivery, cheques arrive late and bills do not get paid.

What is the minister doing to fix the mail delivery delays in Toronto?

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I would simply point out that Canada Post Corporation is an independent crown corporation. It operates at arm's length from the government and is responsible for its day-to-day operational decisions, including these. If she has a service complaint, she may want to direct it to Canada Post.

Science and Technology

[Laurin Liu, NDP, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, behind the fine speeches, the Conservatives are waging war against science.

According to an internal survey, two out of three National Research Council employees are frustrated by the centre's new mandate. According to them, the Conservatives are wrong to give up public scientific research in order to focus strictly on meeting the commercial needs of industry.

Why are the Conservatives refusing to listen to their own scientists, who just want to keep protecting the public and the environment?

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

Mr. Speaker, I welcome this question from the hon. member. Obviously the NDP members do not agree with our government's support of science, research, and technology to power Canada's economy, but let me point out some quotes from some people who do.

The chair of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, David Barnard, says:

This is a pivotal moment for research excellence and innovation in Canada.... [Budget 2014] recognizes that a vibrant, innovative and competitive Canadian economy needs a world-class research system.

The president of the AUCC, Paul Davidson says:

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

I hope the hon. member will recognize that and vote with us on the budget.

Infrastructure

[Mylène Freeman, NDP, Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, budget 2014 promises $391 million over five years to Parks Canada to make improvements to highways, bridges and dams. Then why does the government not want to invest in the Grenville Canal?

Built after the War of 1812, this very important heritage site is quickly deteriorating and needs government funding to be revitalized.

Will the Conservatives commit to showcasing this site? If not, was all the commotion around the War of 1812 just an advertising campaign for them?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to protecting our environment as well as keeping our economy strong, building on our record of protecting historic lands. Budget 2014 is investing a significant amount of money in urgent areas, including nearly $400 million to fix dams, bridges, and highways through national parks that are in urgent need of repair.

When the Liberals were in government, they did nothing to maintain the parks and the infrastructure in the parks. Our government is committed to ensuring that our parks, bridges, and highways in our park areas are protected.