Debates of Feb. 3rd, 2014

Quebec Winter Carnival

[Anne-Marie Day, NDP, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to draw everyone's attention to the fact that the Quebec winter carnival night parade will be taking place on February 8 in my riding, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles.

For over 30 years now, this colourful event has brought the families of the greater Quebec City area together, as they join in celebration of what our part of the country is so well-know for—winter and snow. People of all ages are invited to come and delight in the spectacle of floats, dance troupes, marching bands and other entertainers who will no doubt make this a magical event. Of course, Bonhomme Carnaval will be there to greet everyone and warm their hearts, despite the frigid temperatures we have been having this year.

I would like to congratulate the carnival's organizers, as well as all the participants involved in putting on the evening's event, a tradition that we are so proud of. I invite everyone from Charlesbourg and all the Bonhomme fans close by to come out and take part in the largest winter carnival in the world. Greetings, Bonhomme, and see you soon.

Science and Technology Awards

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize 36 pre-eminent Canadian scientists, engineers, and industrial partners from across Canada who are in Ottawa today. Tonight they will be awarded top honours for their achievements.

They have been selected by their peers to receive prestigious prizes from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council for keeping Canada at the forefront of discovery and innovation.

The highest honour, the Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering, Canada's version of the Nobel Prize, is awarded to Dr. W. Ford Doolittle of Dalhousie University, who is one of the world's top molecular geneticists. Dr. Doolittle will receive $1 million in research funding over the next five years.

I invite all members to join me in congratulating these award recipients.

Rail Transportation

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

Mr. Speaker, tourists spend billions of dollars in northern Ontario supporting thousands of jobs. Clearly, that does not matter much to the government, which cannot stop penny-pinching on the backs of small businesses that are the heart of the region's tourism economy.

Last year, a showdown with the province threatened to cancel the season for the Chi-Cheemaun ferry and Manitoulin Island tourism.

This year they are blaming CN after killing a subsidy that offset some of the losses from the Algoma Central Railway's passenger service from Hearst to Sault Ste. Marie.

It is unbelievable. Although the government recently invested in upgrading rail passenger cars, now it is forcing those same cars off the rails.

Most tourist operations in northern Ontario are small and family-run. They work especially hard and do not deserve last minute roadblocks from the Conservatives. Just as they are drumming up business for the summer, they are forced to wonder if they will have a season at all.

Why will the government not sit down with the stakeholders to find a way to ensure a long healthy future for the ACR's passenger service and the communities, including the town of Oba, and the businesses and people who rely on it?

Black History Month

[Roxanne James, Conservative, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in celebration of Black History Month. Over the month of February, events will be held across Canada to commemorate the exceptional contribution of black Canadians to building our great nation.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I and the 75th anniversary of the beginning of World War II. This year, through the theme “Proud of our History”, our government pays tribute to the contributions of black Canadian soldiers during these wars and other military campaigns.

The commemorations will also reflect on two historical communities, Africville in Halifax and Hogan's Alley in Vancouver. Both of these communities played significant roles in black Canadian history.

I encourage all Canadians to visit cic.gc.ca/blackhistorymonth to learn more about these communities and the many inspirational stories of heroism of those who proudly served our country, and to participate in the many celebrations throughout February in honour of Black History Month.

Federal-Provincial Relations

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP's Sherbrooke declaration is in direct conflict with the Clarity Act and a Supreme Court ruling on separation. Roy Romanow said over the weekend that a vote of 50% plus one is not acceptable to break up Canada. He is not the only senior NDP to speak with clarity.

Former NDP leader Ed Broadbent stated:

I believe a majority of 50% plus one, even if clear, is morally insufficient in deciding to break up any established democracy, including Canada.

The NDP member for Winnipeg Centre said this about the Clarity Act:

...let sleeping dogs lie. I voted in favour of it, and I still feel strongly that it was the right thing to do.

The NDP member for Toronto—Danforth has introduced a bill to repeal the Clarity Act. Why will he not put his bill before the House for a full debate and vote? Is it because he and his leader know that their position is opposed by senior members of their own caucus and party?

Canadians deserve better. The NDP leader should listen to Mr. Broadbent, Mr. Romanow, and others and reject the 50% plus one position and put unity first.

Legalization of Marijuana

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Mr. Speaker, this morning the Liberal justice critic told CBC Radio that a survey I sent to my constituents is fearmongering, because it reported the outcome of the Liberal plan to legalize marijuana. I noted that the Liberal leader had smoked weed as an MP while voting for tougher penalties against drug dealers; that the Liberal leader had promoted his plan to school kids in a school; that the Liberal policy is to legalize pot; and that the Liberals plan to sell marijuana in stores.

The Liberals do not want Canadians to know what will happen if pot if legalized, yet I take their leader at face value when he said, “My vision of what the legalization of marijuana would look like is loosely based on how we control alcohol”.

There are only two examples of how government regulates the sale of controlled substances: alcohol and tobacco. What other models are there? Alcohol is sold in stores all over Canada. Under the Liberal plan, pot too will be available in local stores, and if it is not, why legalize it?

Veterans

[Matthew Dubé, NDP, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Veterans Affairs has already earned a spot in the Conservatives' hall of sheer incompetence for his handling of the F-35 fiasco and for believing that Haiti's problem is the garbage in the streets. Even though his incompetence is legendary, he continues to be rewarded by the Prime Minister for who knows what reason.

This minister's most recent exploits are the closure of veterans' service offices and the insults he hurled at the men and women who fought for our country. After shedding crocodile tears last week, the minister still believes that veterans' complaints are all a union ploy. For heaven's sake. He still believes that closing these offices will not result in cuts to services. The reality is that there have been massive cuts in his department.

Veterans deserve better than the minister's wishful thinking. After everything they have done for us, they deserve much better than Conservative MPs who are trying to save money at their expense.

Federal-Provincial Relations

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP's proposed unity bill in fact does the opposite. Our government supports the Clarity Act. The NDP's so-called unity bill supports a lower threshold that would make it easier to break up our country.

Former NDP premier and elder NDP statesman, Roy Romanow, has defied the NDP leader in coming out against the bill. We congratulate him for standing up for Canada. The unity bill would reopen old wounds and make it easier to break up our great country, an objective that, clearly, the NDP is working toward.

All Canadians are pleased to see the Bloc Québécois reduced to three seats, but it is a shame that they can now count on the NDP leader and his caucus to undermine the Clarity Act.

Veterans

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Veterans Affairs was forced to apologize after he insulted veterans. However, over the weekend, he said that he had done nothing wrong and that the whole thing was nothing more than a union plot against him.

If the minister claims to have done nothing wrong, why did he apologize last week?

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

Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that this government has a strong record when it comes to working, defending, providing benefits and services, and investing in our veterans. We have now created an additional 600 points of service. We will continue to work hard on behalf of our veterans.

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Veterans Affairs said that he “[did] nothing wrong” when he told off a group of veterans. He said that he considers demands that he resign over his conduct to be a “badge of honour”. A big strong record indeed.

Why did the minister retract his apology?

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

Mr. Speaker, I think the real question here is, why is it that the NDP has opposed virtually every single initiative that our government has brought forward to help veterans. These are simple benefits, such as cutting their grass, shovelling their snow, cleaning their homes, preparing meals at their homes, or delivering meals to their front doors?

National Defence

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, last Friday, the Minister of National Defence could not confirm that the Communications Security Establishment had never spied on Canadians in our airports. The minister avoided answering by talking about a culture of respect for the law and for the privacy of Canadians. That is not an answer.

Has CSEC collected information on Canadians in our airports?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, that certainly is a mischaracterization of my comments on Friday.

What I did refer to on Friday, which I will refer to again, is the independent commissioner for CSEC who released a statement on Friday that said, “Past commissioners have reviewed CSEC metadata activities and have found them to be in compliance with the law and to be subject to comprehensive and satisfactory measures to protect the privacy of Canadians”.

That should have the support of everyone.

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians deserve honest answers, but instead the minister is once again evading simple questions about the activities and oversight of Canada's national security agency.

On Friday, and again today, the minister refused to say whether CSEC had been conducting domestic operations. Canadians are worried that their government is spying on them.

Will the minister now tell us if Communications Security Establishment Canada has been collecting information on Canadians at our airports, yes or no?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member just does not get it. That is why we have an independent commissioner, to have a look at these activities.

Again, I refer the member to the statement that was issued on Friday by the independent commissioner and what the commissioner has said. He praised CSEC's chiefs who have spared no effort to install within CSEC a culture of respect for the law and for the privacy of Canadians. What is his problem with that?

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

Mr. Speaker, once again, that is evasion, pure and simple.

We are not asking what the commissioner for CSEC has said in the past, or on Friday. We are asking the Minister of National Defence what he knows now. Canadians deserve answers and they are not getting them from the minister or the government.

Was CSEC collecting personal information at Canadian airports, and did it share this information with other foreign countries?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I want to point out that this individual is required to be a former justice, a former judge, or a supernumerary judge. These are respected individuals who have taken on that task. Again, these commissioners have come forward and they have indicated that there is a culture of respect and compliance with the laws of this country.

I would refer the member to the reports of the commissioners over the years, who have all reported favourably on CSEC's activities.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians continue to be shocked and concerned at revelations that CSEC is monitoring Canadians. Just how far will the government go in its surveillance activities? The Minister of National Defence can play with words, as he has just been doing. However, when Canadian citizens transferring through airports and using Wi-Fi have their metadata collected, that, simply put, is spying.

Will the minister just admit to the government's involvement in these illegal activities of monitoring the personal information of Canadians?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

No, Mr. Speaker, because that would be ridiculous.

Again, what I would point out to this individual is the statement put out by the commissioner on Friday. He found that CSEC's metadata activities are in compliance with the law and are subject to comprehensive and satisfactory measures to protect the privacy of all Canadians.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, let us go to the statement of the commissioner in his annual report tabled in June. The commissioner, in that report, stated on page 20, “However, a small number of records suggested the possibility that some activities may have been directed at Canadians, contrary to law”.

Could the minister tell Canadians, did he not know of these activities because he was wilfully blind, or did he or his predecessor actually authorize CSEC activities monitoring Canadians under section 273.65 of the National Defence Act? Which is it?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I would point out that the commissioner, in his 2011-12 report, said that the focus of CSEC activity is foreign intelligence. In that report that the hon. member mentioned, he highlights that all reviewed CSEC activities were authorized and carried out in accordance with the law. Again, what is his problem?

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are not happy to learn that Canada's spy agency is spying on them.

No one has the right to monitor the movements of honest Canadians or to know what they are writing in their emails. Someone needs to monitor the people who are doing the monitoring, which is clearly not happening right now. The Liberal Party has long been calling for the creation of a parliamentary committee to oversee CSEC's activities.

When will the minister take action?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Again, Mr. Speaker, CSEC's foreign intelligence mandate specifically dictates that its activities be directed at foreign entities, not at Canadians or anyone in this country. It is in the business of protecting Canadians, and that should have the support of the Liberal Party.

Elections Canada

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of State for Democratic Reform tell us why he did not consult the Chief Electoral Officer when he was coming up with his plan to reorganize Elections Canada?