House of Commons Hansard #52 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was ukrainian.
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, as I just said, there are 39 pieces of ID that voters can use. Naturally, it is vital that we give everyone the opportunity to vote in order to ensure that the voting is valid.
Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, Section 18 of the unfair elections act says, “The Chief Electoral Officer may provide the public...with information on the following topics only....” There are only five topics listed, none of which is voter fraud. I am sure the Prime Minister understands the meaning of the word “only”.
Why ban the Chief Electoral Officer from speaking about electoral fraud?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Once again, Mr. Speaker, in terms of fraud or other violations of the act, what is established here is a fully independent commissioner of elections who would have all of the powers of the law to enable him or her to pursue any necessary investigations. It will be done under the Director of Public Prosecutions, absolutely at arm's-length from the government. Obviously we expect Elections Canada to focus its efforts on the good conduct of elections.
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
Mr. Speaker, old habits being the way they are, today the PMO chief of staff and some of the highest paid employees of the ministers' offices, some earning up to $170,000 a year, just tucked into a big taxpayer-funded free lunch, all in full violation of the rules. Yesterday the President of the Treasury Board tried to blame the PCO bureaucrats, but we know that is just not true. These $67,000 in lunches are part of the PMO disclosure, and the only person who could have approved them is the Prime Minister himself.
Therefore, to the Prime Minister, what was on today's menu, compliments of taxpayers?
Tony Clement ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that since the Liberals, who kind of mainlined their hospitality expenses, were in power, we have actually been able to cut hospitality expenses by the Government of Canada by 48%. We are proud of that number. We are going to continue to respect the taxpayer and do the exact opposite of what they did when they were in power.
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives were roundly criticized in a respected defence association report for their abject failure on procurement. Instead of creating thousands of skilled jobs and delivering the planes, ships, and trucks that our troops need, Conservatives have betrayed them.
Last night, aerospace leaders from the west were in Ottawa begging for a better and faster process. Our troops, our industry, and Canadians are paying the price. Could the minister please tell us the price tag for all of their procurement failures, delays, resets, and cancellations over eight lost years?
Diane Finley ConservativeMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, in fact, our government is very proud of the many successful military procurements that we have been able to achieve over the last several years, including new LAVs, heavy-lift aircraft, tactical-lift transporters, main battle tanks, and new heavy artillery.
The military lived under a decade of darkness under the Liberals prior to us forming government. We are delivering, as a priority, the equipment that our men and women in uniform need to do their jobs, and we will be doing it in a way that is responsible to taxpayers.
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
Mr. Speaker, referring to income splitting, two weeks ago the Minister of Finance said: “...I'm not sure that overall, it benefits our society”. Then only yesterday, the Prime Minister said: “...it will be a good policy for Canadian families”.
Given these radically different opinions, who speaks for the government on fiscal policy, and with the finance minister practically handing out his resumé at the G20, does it no longer matter what he thinks?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, as I said in Stouffville a couple of weeks ago, and as I said during the election campaign, we think income splitting would be an excellent policy for Canadian families, just as it has been an excellent policy for Canadian seniors.
I know how strongly the Liberal Party opposes income splitting. I know how strongly it opposes it for seniors. I know that it wants to take away that policy for senior citizens. We on this side of the House will never permit that to happen.
Matthew Kellway NDP Beaches—East York, ON
Mr. Speaker, Toronto City Council has passed a resolution demanding that Canada Post maintain home delivery. Still, Conservatives are cutting it with no plan. With proposed mega-boxes in neighbourhoods of 10,000 people per square kilometre, whose lawns? What about the traffic, our kids' safety, and seniors?
Canada's big city mayors are meeting in Ottawa today. The government should be investing in, not cutting from, our cities. Why are the Conservatives ignoring Toronto?
Lisa Raitt ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, Canada Post is facing, in the future, an incredible loss in its revenue as a result of the mail not being utilized as much. People are making their choices, but in order to deal with that, it has put out a five-point plan. One of the points in its plan is that door-to-door service be phased out for the remaining one-third of mail boxes or mail deliveries in Canada. That has been in place for two-thirds of Canadian addresses since the 1980s.
It has dealt with these matters in the past. I am sure it will continue to deal with these matters in the future.
Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet NDP Hochelaga, QC
Mr. Speaker, our cities need federal support to prosper, but the Conservatives do not seem to realize that. While the mayors of Canada's largest cities are meeting today to talk about the pressing issues affecting our communities, the Conservatives' response is to continue to reduce essential services, leaving the people of Rosemère, Lorraine, Bois-des-Filion, Repentigny and Charlemagne without home mail delivery.
Why does the government continue to ignore the needs of our municipalities?
Lisa Raitt ConservativeMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, let us get one thing straight. We are not stopping the delivery of mail in general. What is happening is that we are converting, or rather, Canada Post is converting one-third—
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Order, please. The hon. Minister of Transport still has the floor.
Lisa Raitt Conservative Halton, ON
Mr. Speaker, the reality is something that they do not want to face, and it is this: already in two-thirds of Canadian households, the mail is not delivered to the door. Over the next five years, Canada Post plans to phase it out in the other one-third of Canadian households.
Why is it doing that? It is because of something the NDP does not understand. We are trying to make sure the taxpayer is not burdened in the future.
Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet NDP Hochelaga, QC
Mr. Speaker, that was telling.
If the Conservatives got out of their Ottawa bubble and tried to find affordable housing in Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal, they would see that the housing crisis in Canada is very real.
Housing prices keep going up, just like household debt. Worse still, cuts of over $1.5 billion are expected over the next few years.
Will the minister review his plans and work with the municipalities to find solutions to the crisis affecting thousands of families?
Candice Bergen ConservativeMinister of State (Social Development)
Mr. Speaker, the opposition is mistaken. Our government provides assistance and support to Canada's most vulnerable citizens.
We are providing support to vulnerable Canadians to the tune of $14.5 billion. What has that resulted in? It has resulted in more than 880,000 individuals and families being supported through things like our renewal investment in affordable housing, as well as our homelessness partnering strategy.
We are working with our partners. We are providing funding. The taxpayers are doing their job to help vulnerable Canadians.
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Mr. Speaker, anyone waiting forever for affordable housing knows that answer is pure nonsense. Infrastructure money is so bogged down in red tape and absurd rules that little money is getting out the door, and there is no dedicated money for public transit either.
Conservatives are silent on renewing housing agreements and are slowly withdrawing funds. When will the minister drop the red tape and allow local governments to start their work?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Infrastructure
Mr. Speaker, under all of the categories of the new building Canada plan, transit is accepted. That is under all categories.
Never in Canadian history has a government invested more than our government in public transit. We will continue to do so.
Ted Opitz Conservative Etobicoke Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, Ukraine has been on a pivotal point in its history in this past week, since the Ukrainian parliament ousted Yanukovych and legitimately named Speaker Turchynov as acting president, pending the upcoming elections on May 25.
We welcome the end of months of violent oppression at the hands of the Yanukovych regime. These developments mark progress on Ukraine's path toward democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs please comment on the situation in Ukraine?
David Anderson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, our government has spoken out many times regarding the violence committed by the Yanukovych regime. Last month, we imposed travel bans on those responsible for the violence in Ukraine. Over the past weeks, Canada has provided medical assistance to those in the Maidan. Yesterday, the Prime Minister announced that a Canadian delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, along with senior members of the Ukrainian community in Canada, will meet with members of the transitional government and with civil society.
It was this side of the House that requested a debate this evening to discuss the ongoing situation in Ukraine. Canadians can count on our government to support the Ukrainian people's aspirations for unity, for freedom, and for democracy.
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the high spending President of the Treasury Board seemed pretty cavalier about the fact that the Prime Minister's staffers have been charging taxpayers for huge meal bills, in violation of the department's guidelines. That was when we thought the bill was $68,000. Now we find that it is $130,000, and he is still not blushing.
It cost $7,000 for one pizza party in the Prime Minister's Office. Would they put the chicken brochette platter aside for one minute and tell us why they think it is okay for the Prime Minister's staff to break rules that are in place to protect the taxpayers?
Tony Clement ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, I find it curious that the opposition members will not even disclose any of their expenses, yet they stand in their places and criticize a government that has cut hospitality expenses by 48%.
That kind of hypocrisy is not tolerated by taxpayers. We are on the side of the taxpayers. We are not on the side of the tax hiking, carbon hiking people on the other side.
Alexandre Boulerice NDP Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, while staff of the Prime Minister's Office stuff their faces with pizza at the taxpayers' expense, every day over 18,000 children in Quebec have to rely on breakfast clubs so they do not start the day on an empty stomach.
In his bubble, the President of the Treasury Board thinks that the rules do not apply to the Conservatives and that it is completely normal to spend $130,000 on lunches for the Prime Minister's staff. However, Canadians expect a government that will not throw their money out the window. How many awards do the Conservatives have to get from the pig in a tux before they stop wasting taxpayers' money?