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.
Tony Clement ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, the members of the NDP caucus do not want to disclose their expenses to the people and taxpayers. However, we do. I can tell you once again that we have cut these costs by 48%. We are therefore on the side of taxpayers, not of the NDP.
Alexandre Boulerice NDP Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, perhaps the Conservatives thought that no one would notice that they spent $2.5 million to advertise a program that exists only in the Minister of Employment and Social Development's overactive imagination, but people did notice.
That is why the Conservatives were the big winners at the gala put on by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, an organization that not so long ago was headed by the Minister of Employment and Social Development. What a blow. Are the Conservatives beginning to understand that receiving booby prizes from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation means that their transformation to Liberals is now complete?
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Order. The hon. President of the Treasury Board has the floor.
Tony Clement Conservative Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON
Mr. Speaker, the government is responsible for informing Canadians about the important programs and services available to them. Advertising is an essential way for the government to inform Canadians about important issues.
The Canada job grant program will help connect Canadians with available jobs, unlike what the Liberals and New Democrats are doing. They voted against this program.
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, while Canadians are having to chew down on the fact that the Prime Minister charged them $7,000 for a pizza party in his office, it is little wonder that the Canadian Taxpayers Federation came out with its highest pork award today. Guess who the award went to? It went to the Conservatives sitting right across the way, for billions spent advertising a program that does not exist and millions spent on their cronies in the Senate.
Canadians know New Democrats will defend the taxpayer, but they want to know what happened to the Reformers across the way who spend all their days defending their entitlements.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Order. We need a little more order during both the question and the answer.
The hon. President of the Treasury Board is rising to answer, and I hope his colleagues will allow him to answer the question.
The hon. President of the Treasury Board.
Tony Clement ConservativePresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, it is Yuk Yuk's comedy hour in question period.
Of course, the NDP was quite happy to accept union donations to do the union line on all these issues, and now its members cloak themselves in the taxpayer mantle. It is to laugh.
However, I can say to hon. members that, of course, we have a responsibility to communicate to Canadians about services that are available—and this Canada job grant is going to be so important to connect Canadians to available jobs—unlike the Liberals and the NDP, who continue to vote against these responsible programs for taxpayers and job creation.
Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadians learned that my colleague, the member for Mount Royal, was barred from a reception in Israel during the Prime Minister's trip. We can thank the member for York Centre for the shabby treatment of a man who deserves greater respect.
Today, the Minister of Foreign Affairs is heading for Ukraine. However, the Canadian delegation does not include MPs from other parties, even though all parties share the same concerns about Ukraine.
What message are we sending Ukrainians about multi-party democracy when our government excludes members from other parties?
David Anderson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's decision to send a Canadian delegation to Ukraine is yet another example of Canada's leadership on this issue, but the NDP members wanted to wait and see. They did not want to take sides. In fact, they criticized us for taking sides. The Liberals actually thought this whole thing was a joke. That is why we are sending people there who have been engaged in this issue, who treat it seriously, and they are standing with the Ukrainian people.
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Mr. Speaker, this is indeed a tragedy, so why are Conservative colleagues laughing?
According to the United Nations, the largest population—
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Mr. Speaker, according to the United Nations, the crisis in Syria could create the world's largest refugee population, with the number of refugees expected to reach 4 million by year's end.
Canada has committed to resettling only 1,300 refugees, and barely 200 of those will be resettled through a government assistance program. Meanwhile, Sweden, a country with one-third of our population, has already welcomed 15,000.
Why are the Conservatives behaving so pathetically in the face of this humanitarian disaster, and how many of these 1,300 refugees have arrived in Canada? Will the minister give us the exact number or not?
Chris Alexander ConservativeMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should get his facts straight before rising in the House.
It is true that Sweden and Germany are welcoming thousands of Syrian refugees but only on a temporary basis. Meanwhile, Canada is once again at the top of the list with its commitment to welcome 1,300 refugees this year. We are following that plan. That is why the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has said that Canada has the most generous refugee system in the world.
Annick Papillon NDP Québec, QC
Mr. Speaker, March break is coming up, and as usual, oil companies will take the opportunity to hike gas prices.
In Montreal yesterday, the average gas price was $1.40 per litre. In 2006, when the Conservatives came to power, the average annual price of gas in Montreal was just $1 per litre. Under this Conservative government, the price of gas has risen by 40%.
My question is simple: will the Conservatives introduce measures to prevent oil company collusion so that consumers will no longer get ripped off at the pump?
James Moore ConservativeMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, with respect to gas prices, our government introduced a bill.
It is our government that put in place the Fairness at the Pumps Act in order to protect consumers. It was the NDP that did nothing to promote and push that bill forward; but since when is it the NDP's position to have lower prices for consumers? Since when is it the NDP's position?
The New Democrats have always advocated for carbon taxes, always advocated for higher prices against consumers, and now they pretend to be in favour of consumers when it comes to gas prices. It is ridiculous. It is our government, our party, that has lowered taxes consistently by over $3,000 for every Canadian family. It is we who stand with consumers, never the NDP.
John Rafferty NDP Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON
Mr. Speaker, in my riding, across northern Ontario, and in communities coast to coast to coast, ever increasing gas prices are a top concern for financially squeezed families. The government refuses to act to ensure a competitive marketplace with fair pricing. Gas prices have jumped 20¢ a litre in just the past three years, an 18% hike, while wages just have not kept up.
When will the Prime Minister finally support the NDP's call for a gas price watchdog?
James Moore ConservativeMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, through our legislation we have empowered the Competition Bureau in order to protect Canadian consumers, and the Competition Bureau has in fact put in place fines and protected Canadian consumers. We did that. It was not the New Democrats. It was this Prime Minister, this Conservative government, through our legislation that has protected Canadian consumers. It is New Democrats who want to go after consumers and hurt them with carbon taxes and higher taxes across the board.
It is our government that has lowered taxes, protected consumers, put in place the Fairness at the Pumps Act. It is this Conservative government that protects consumers day in and day out.
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
Mr. Speaker, this Conservative government, since taking office, has delivered a lot for Canadian municipalities. Thousands of infrastructure projects have received federal funding.
Can the minister please explain how the government is planning to support recreational infrastructure going forward?
Denis Lebel ConservativeMinister of Infrastructure
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague.
Amateur sport infrastructure projects are still eligible under the new building Canada fund. We have doubled the funds available for this kind of project through the gas tax.
Mayors asked us for more flexibility with the gas tax fund, the most generous portion of the plan, and we delivered. With the new building Canada fund, we will support projects to make our economy more competitive, create jobs, and promote long-term growth and prosperity by supporting Canadian municipalities.
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
Mr. Speaker, two cooks are working side by side for the summer at New Glasgow Lobster Suppers. Like many Islanders working seasonally, they require access to EI. One lives in Hunter River, the other lives less than three kilometres away in the rural community of Rennies Road. Before last week's announced changes, they both qualified for EI. Now just one qualifies and it is not the one from the smaller community.
They do the same job, but gerrymandering will force one to welfare. This advances the political interest of the minister, but how is it fair?
Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism
Mr. Speaker, as the member should know, the employment insurance system has always been based on different regions, which dictates when people qualify for benefits and for how long they will receive them.
In every province there was a distinction made between urban and rural areas. In rural P.E.I., for example, the unemployment rate in some areas is twice what it is in Charlottetown. Finally, we have ended that aberration, that fundamental unfairness in the system. Now we have created regions in P.E.I. that recognize the radically different labour market realities between the rural and urban areas.
Prince Edward Islanders will benefit from these changes.
Djaouida Sellah NDP Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Mr. Speaker, we learned this morning that pharmacies might face a shortage of drugs, including Ritalin. Parents and the Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec are concerned about the situation.
The NDP put forward a real solution to address drug shortages by forcing companies to report any upcoming shortages. However, the government stubbornly relies on the goodwill of the industry, while shortages continue to increase.
Will the minister realize that action is urgently needed?
Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, in fact it was several months ago that I stood with the provinces and territories to announce a pan-Canadian strategy to manage and prevent shortages to reduce their impact.
It does exactly what the member is suggesting. Companies have to provide advance notices of shortages online, and they also have to include information for physicians on alternative treatments.
We continue to monitor all of these issues very closely, and we are open to also considering a mandatory approach if necessary.