House of Commons Hansard #43 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was voting.
Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we found out that the Conservatives have signed an agreement with the Americans that would implement a U.S. law, the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.
This will lead to the disclosure of the confidential financial information of thousands of Canadians to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
Can the minister tell us why she was unable to ensure the protection of Canadians' privacy?
Kevin Sorenson ConservativeMinister of State (Finance)
Mr. Speaker, we had the honour yesterday of being able to announce that after lengthy negotiations, we have reached an agreement with the United States in regard to FATCA.
FATCA has raised a number of concerns in Canada, both among dual citizens, Canadian-U.S. citizens, and Canadian financial institutions. The agreement addresses those concerns.
The agreement relies on the existing framework under the Canada-U.S. tax treaty. Under the agreement, Canadian banks will not report information directly to the IRS. In our negotiations, we obtained a number of concessions, including exempting certain accounts like RRSPs, TFSAs, et cetera.
Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC
Frankly, Mr. Speaker, the minister failed to mention that this agreement was negotiated entirely in the backrooms with absolutely no transparency.
Conservatives refuse to even listen to the Canadians affected. They have also failed to heed the advice of many constitutional experts. As a result, what they released yesterday may not stand up to a charter challenge.
Can the minister guarantee that this agreement is even constitutional?
Kevin Sorenson ConservativeMinister of State (Finance)
Mr. Speaker, what I can tell the hon. member is that the agreement that was negotiated over a great period of time is much better than having no agreement at all.
To be clear, the agreement will not impose any new or higher taxes, and the CRA will not assist the IRS in the collection of United States' tax penalties.
Wladyslaw Lizon Conservative Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Speech from the Throne highlighted that citizenship is not simply a passport of convenience. Citizenship should promote attachment to Canada and Canadian values, as well as a responsibility to participate in the life of our communities and institutions.
Currently, our citizenship program remains vulnerable to fraud, with no authority to revoke the citizenship of dual nationals who become traitors, terrorists, or spies against Canada.
Can the parliamentary secretary inform the House of what our government is doing to strengthen the value of Canadian citizenship?
Costas Menegakis ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, Canadians take pride in their Canadian citizenship. We are taking action to further strengthen that pride and the value of citizenship in this country with the first comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act since 1977. This delivers on our government's commitment to reduce backlogs and improve processing times, while strengthening the integrity of Canadian citizenship.
Under this Prime Minister and our Conservative government, over 1.4 million people have become Canadian citizens. We want newcomers to be welcomed as full members of the Canadian family and as citizens fully contributing to our economy and communities from coast to coast to coast.
We hope the opposition will support us in that and support the strengthening of the Citizenship Act.
Malcolm Allen NDP Welland, ON
Mr. Speaker, last night, we had an emergency debate on the crisis of grain transportation. There seemed to be a wide consensus that we really need to get tough with railways, but the government's sole suggestion last night was “let us have another study”.
There is an old story about a donkey, a carrot, and a stick. We can wave the carrot in front of the donkey and see if it moves. If it does not, hit it with the stick. It seems it is time for the minister to get out his big stick.
When are farmers going to see more than a study, and when is the minister going to take action on the crisis for Prairie grain farmers?
Gerry Ritz ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, we continue to work with Prairie grain farmers on all aspects of the supply chain in working on a way forward to come up with a plan to do just that.
As the member opposite has alluded to, the debate last night was very fulsome. It was great that members had the chance to air a lot of their ideas. We have moved forward on some of those. We will continue to do that. We continue to work with the players and the grain farmers themselves.
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, ships sit half empty in Vancouver harbours. Millions of dollars in demurrage fees are being applied. All the government does is talk about studies, yet it continues to loudly howl about delays in getting bitumen to markets. The government is spending literally hundreds of millions of dollars supporting bitumen exports.
When can we expect equal enthusiasm on getting tough with the railways to get Canadian grains to market?
Gerry Ritz ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, we have been doing exactly that. Of course, through the winter months, the railways shorten their trains due to safety concerns on getting the air brakes to operate that far back. Having said that, they are coming forward in the next couple of weeks with a plan, as are the grain industry and farmers themselves, as to how we work our way through this.
We have got the largest crop in history. We continue to look for efficiencies throughout the whole system, as I have said all along. It will take a holistic approach to do this. The railways play a major part, and we are looking for them to step up their game, as they did last fall. However, they have dropped the ball. Going forward on this, through the winter season, we look to them to take up the slack.
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Mr. Speaker, the defence ombudsman's findings on medically released troops are quite alarming. Not only did the military fail to use the $11 million that was made available to hire more mental health staff to try to get to a 2002 goal, but national defence is so stubborn about keeping universality of services as it is.
He found that thousands of armed forces members are afraid to seek assistance when they are suffering from PTSD or operational stress injury. The question is: When will the government follow the recommendations of the ombudsman and prevent injured veterans from getting fired from the military?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, we created the JPSU, the joint personnel support unit, for the purpose of reaching out to these individuals, making sure they get the help they need. This government has made unprecedented investments in this area. We have almost 400 full-time mental health professionals, and we are hiring more.
We have made this a priority, and I am proud of that.
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Mr. Speaker, under the universality of service policy, a soldier must be employable and deployable for general operational duties.
Soldiers with post-traumatic stress refrain from seeking help out of fear of losing their jobs and their pensions. What is more, if they seek help and are sent back to civilian life before completing their 10-year term, they are not entitled to the services provided by Veterans Affairs Canada, which the ombudsman has strongly condemned.
How can the Conservatives justify such a lack of consistency?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, I would also point out that there are now 29 clinics across Canada from Esquimalt to Halifax. These are to support men and women in uniform and veterans. We have made unprecedented investments. Yes, we are hiring more full-time professionals to help our men and women in uniform.
The leadership of the armed forces is reaching out to these individuals to let them know that they are supported. Of course, they have the support of this government.
Mark Eyking Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS
Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers across this country are concerned about their livelihood. They are concerned about the future of supply management. They feel taken for granted by the Conservative government.
What assurances can the government give to the dairy farmers here today that the government is listening to their concerns and will not undermine their livelihood?
Gerry Ritz ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, I spent 45 minutes this morning doing just that, directly with the dairy farmers.
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, the Prairie grain transportation industry is in chaos, and it is the farmers who are paying the costs. There are piles of grain throughout the Prairies and empty ships in the Pacific Ocean. Action is what is needed.
The Fair Rail Freight Service Act needs the following changes: one, create a strong definition of what service levels are; and two, require that railways pay actual damages directly to farmers when services fail.
My question to the minister is this. Will he bring in needed legislative changes today in order to support our Prairie farmers?
Gerry Ritz ConservativeMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, over the last years under my ministry we brought in a number of changes to benefit farmers. Those members voted against every one, so I would not hold my breath on anything moving forward in that regard.
I am not sure that the member from Winnipeg would know a pile of wheat if he stumbled over it.
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Mr. Speaker, a new poll has confirmed what previous polls have said and what those of us who have listened to British Columbians already know, that people in British Columbia do not want the northern gateway pipeline. The risk it poses to our rivers, our lakes, our coast, and our economy is simply too high, and it threatens good jobs that depend on a clean environment.
Therefore, I have to ask this question. What is it about “no” that the government does not understand? Why does the minister want to ram through a project that British Columbians clearly oppose?
Joe Oliver ConservativeMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite should know, the Government of Canada has six months from the time the favourable joint review panel gave its report, and we will not comment until then.
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I had the honour to attend the memorial feast of Chief Gisday’wa, a first nations leader who fought for the simple recognition of something that we always knew to be true, that first nations rights and title are real, present, and must be accounted for by the government.
When will the government finally listen to the voices of first nations across British Columbia, who have told it no on Enbridge gateway, and stand with the people of British Columbia?
Joe Oliver ConservativeMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, again, our government cannot comment on this report and will not until we make a final decision.
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to responsible resource development that creates jobs and economic growth in northern Ontario. Can the minister responsible for the Ring of Fire and northern Ontario please update the House on the important work that our government is doing on this file?
Greg Rickford ConservativeMinister of State (Science and Technology
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Sault Ste. Marie for his important work in northern Ontario.
The Ring of Fire is a legacy resource development project with the potential to contribute significantly to the economic future of northern Ontario. We know that the NDP opposes responsible resource development. We are making progress on what matters to Canadians and northern Ontarians, jobs and economic growth.
We will continue to work collaboratively with first nations, all levels of government, and industry to ensure that the Ring of Fire offers long-term sustainability for communities across our vast and beautiful region of northern Ontario.
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Mr. Speaker, the government has clearly demonstrated its disdain for development aid and poverty alleviation. Year after year, projects remain in limbo, awaiting approval on the minister's desk.
In 2012, the government cut $380 million, or 7.5%, from the foreign aid budget and last year let $300 million lapse. In next week's budget, will the minister commit to protect aid and commit to not cutting it further?