House of Commons Hansard #78 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was students.

Topics

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order, please. The question will be answered after the member has finished asking it.

The hon. Leader of the Opposition has the floor.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC

Mr. Speaker, we have learned that the RCMP has now identified more than 1,000 cases of missing or murdered aboriginal women in Canada. Let us look at a another Canadian example in order to better understand the scope of this problem. Ottawa has a population of one million. If 1,000 women went missing or were murdered in Ottawa, would we need to beg for an investigation?

When will there be an investigation into the 1,000 missing or murdered aboriginal women in Canada?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Lévis—Bellechasse Québec

Conservative

Steven Blaney ConservativeMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Mr. Speaker, if the Leader of the Opposition really wants to make change happen, then I urge him to support the Conservative government's 2014 budget, which allocates $25 million for a strategy precisely to address the issue of missing and murdered aboriginal women. Rather than talking, he could be taking action and supporting the Conservative budget.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

NDP

Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC

Mr. Speaker, more than 1,000 aboriginal women are missing or murdered, yet the minister does not seem to appreciate this staggering number. The status quo is not working.

As a member of Parliament, as a Canadian, as a grandmother, as a friend, as an aunt, I ask once again. Will the government shed light on this tragedy by publicly releasing the RCMP report and by calling for a national inquiry?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Lévis—Bellechasse Québec

Conservative

Steven Blaney ConservativeMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Mr. Speaker, as a father, I am very proud to have supported more than 30 measures to keep our streets safer, including tougher sentencing for murder, sexual assault, and kidnapping.

I will stand in this House and support a $25 million strategy for aboriginal missing and murdered women. Again, that is $25 million. Why is the member not doing the right thing and supporting budget 2014?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB

Mr. Speaker, it is not about a budget; it is about 1,000 missing and murdered indigenous women in this country.

This crisis has gone on for far too long. Now we learn that the Native Women's Association of Canada, which raised critical national awareness through Sisters in Spirit, is also waiting for answers. It is waiting to see if its violence prevention funding will go through.

Families want closure. They want justice. They want to be heard, and they want action from the government. When will the federal government call a national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Lévis—Bellechasse Québec

Conservative

Steven Blaney ConservativeMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Mr. Speaker, one missing person in this country is too many. That is why we are acting. That is why we are moving forward regarding the aboriginals. Last year we passed historic legislation that gave aboriginal women living on first nation reserves the same matrimonial rights as all Canadians. We were with them. Where was the NDP?

EmploymentOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal Toronto Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, unemployment is sky high in southwestern Ontario, and manufacturing jobs for Canadians are scarce, but temporary foreign workers are being hired at record levels. Over the past five years, their number has doubled in Windsor and is up 43% in London. There are now more than 16,000 temporary foreign workers in manufacturing, nearly twice the 2005 figure.

Can the minister explain why he is importing temporary foreign workers in a sector and in cities where thousands of Canadians are being laid off?

EmploymentOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Calgary Southeast Alberta

Conservative

Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism

Mr. Speaker, the program runs on a demand basis. When employers are able to demonstrate to Service Canada that they have advertised a position at the prevailing regional wage rate from within Canada for which no qualifying Canadians have applied, they can, in principle, seek to fill that gap by inviting someone from abroad.

However, if employers are cutting corners—if they are not really making the search that they have attested to, if they are not really paying a prevailing regional wage rate—those are offences, and we will investigate and prosecute any employers who do that.

I would suggest that perhaps the member would like to talk to the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters about certain—I will get to it in the next answer.

EmploymentOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Liberal

John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON

Mr. Speaker, the International Experience Canada program is a diplomatic tool whose focus should be our international relations, but Immigration Canada has always favoured economic considerations.

In 2004, 47% of program participants were Canadian. In 2012, that figure dropped to 21%.

How does the government explain that drop?

EmploymentOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Ajax—Pickering Ontario

Conservative

Chris Alexander ConservativeMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, the reason for the drop is quite simply the Canadian economy's superior performance.

During a time of global recession, when there were huge job losses and serious crises in Europe, the United States and Asia, Canada remained strong. We created 1.1 million new jobs, and that attracts foreign students to our country.

We are going to continue promoting different opportunities for young Canadians both here and abroad. We expanded this program, which was created by the Liberals, and it is working quite well.

EmploymentOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Liberal

John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON

No, Mr. Speaker, it is explained by the incompetence of the government.

When the program was transferred from foreign affairs to immigration in 2012, it was clear that the labour market view had won out.

The government only cares if the program provides cheap, LMO-free labour. That is why the employment minister went to Ireland in 2012 to encourage Irish youth to come to Canada and work, while Canada's youth unemployment rate was a staggering 14.6%.

How can the minister of employment justify this action?

EmploymentOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Ajax—Pickering Ontario

Conservative

Chris Alexander ConservativeMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, we will never consider Canadian students and young people entering the job market in this country—where jobs are relatively plentiful and where the labour market is buoyant—as cheap labour. We are proud of the talent of young Canadians. We are proud of the foreign students who are studying in this country and bringing economic benefit to Canada. Those phenomena have grown under this government.

We are proud of the absolutely stronger performance of our job market and the fact that we have created more jobs in this G7 economy than any of our peers since the depths of the recession.

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

NDP

Alexandrine Latendresse NDP Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, in committee, the Conservatives are systematically rejecting amendments to their electoral “deform”. They are rejecting out of hand proposals supported by the Chief Electoral Officer, the commissioner of elections, the former auditor general and hundreds of experts.

The minister has said that he does not want to limit the Chief Electoral Officer's freedom to speak. However, the Conservatives have rejected an amendment that would have enshrined that.

Why is the minister going back on his commitment? Why is he betraying Canadians?

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Nepean—Carleton Ontario

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of State (Democratic Reform)

Mr. Speaker, we oppose amendments from the New Democrats that would allow people to vote without identification. That is the basis of the disagreement between our parties.

We believe that people should have to provide a piece of identification when they vote, and the fair elections act is going to require that. The New Democrats believe that people should be able to vote with no identification at all. We do not agree.

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

NDP

Alexandrine Latendresse NDP Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, that is so much bad faith. The NDP has always said that everyone who votes must identify themselves in advance.

Here is another example of the Conservatives' bad faith. They are insisting that the cabinet have the right of veto when the Chief Electoral Officer communicates with his counterparts around the world. The Conservatives' paranoia is laughable. Despite the minister's promise, the Conservatives are so stubborn as to want to control the Chief Electoral Officer's message.

Why is the government rejecting amendments that make so much sense?

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Nepean—Carleton Ontario

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of State (Democratic Reform)

Actually, Mr. Speaker, the NDP brought forward an amendment that would reinstate identity vouching, allowing people to vote without presenting any ID whatsoever. Our proposal is that every single person who votes should have a piece of ID demonstrating who he or she is. Canadians overwhelmingly agree with us on this point and they overwhelmingly disagree with the NDP, and that is why we are rejecting the NDP's amendments.

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

NDP

Alexandrine Latendresse NDP Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, we do not just want people to identify themselves; we want them to go and vote. For that to happen, the government has to stop muzzling the CEO.

We proposed an amendment that would allow Elections Canada to recruit polling station workers. Surprise, surprise, the Conservatives defeated the amendment. Similarly, the Conservatives insist on imposing unfair rules on independent candidates, who will no longer be able to collect money before the election is called. That will certainly be challenged in court.

Once again, why is the minster rejecting amendments that make so much sense?

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Nepean—Carleton Ontario

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of State (Democratic Reform)

Mr. Speaker, what makes so much sense is to require voters to present a piece of identification when they vote. We believe that everyone who votes should show a piece of identification. The New Democrats think that people can vote as long as someone vouches for who they are. We do not agree.

Canadians agree with us. That is what makes so much sense, and we are going to move forward with it.

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, against all logic and common sense, Conservatives still insist on banning the use of voter information cards as identification at the polls. To prevent the chaos that this new ban will cause, the NDP proposed something simple and helpful: make it clear and prominent to voters on the card that they can no longer use it as ID. However, the government rejected this amendment.

How can the government justify opposing something so sensible?

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Nepean—Carleton Ontario

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of State (Democratic Reform)

Mr. Speaker, the voter information card had errors on it in one in six cases in the last election. The CEO of Elections Canada admits that it continues to have errors that run into the millions, and we do not think it is a good and reliable source of voter identification, so we have eliminated the possibility that it will be used as such.

We also believe that every single voter who casts a ballot should present ID proving who he or she is. The NDP is opposed to that, and that is the real reason why it is fighting so hard against the fair elections act.

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

NDP

David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON

Once again, Mr. Speaker, the facts belie what the government has to say. The Chief Electoral Officer said the voter information card is likely the most accurate government ID that there is.

This so-called perfect bill is facing 344 pages of amendments at committee, and today is the final day the committee can consider amendments. The minister had promised to work with us on amendments to ensure the best possible bill. How many opposition amendments have been accepted? There have been two: one to fix a typo, and another one to make a minor word change.

Will the minister now admit that he has no other credible choice but to withdraw the bill and start from scratch?

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Nepean—Carleton Ontario

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of State (Democratic Reform)

Mr. Speaker, if the New Democrats want us to support their amendments, they should come up with some better ones. So far, their big idea is that people should be allowed to vote without any ID at all. They put forward an amendment saying that individuals should be able to walk in without producing a single shred of identification and have their ID vouched for by someone else. We think that is unreasonable and extreme, and Canadians overwhelmingly agree with us on that point. That is why the fair elections act will require every voter to present ID when he or she casts a ballot.

EmploymentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

NDP

Jinny Sims NDP Newton—North Delta, BC

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that people are coming forward every single day and talking about losing work because of the growth in the temporary worker program. Now it is Canadian helicopter pilots denied work in favour of temporary workers.

Private companies are submitting applications for labour market opinions and claiming there are not enough domestic pilots, while Canadian pilots are sitting unemployed.

Problems with this program are system-wide. Why is the minister refusing to launch an independent audit?

EmploymentOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Calgary Southeast Alberta

Conservative

Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism

Mr. Speaker, I have told the member on a number of occasions that there are independent audits done by the integrity branch of Service Canada of employers who have obtained temporary foreign workers. We have had additional legislative authority since last December to allow for the seizure of documents, unannounced interviews, and site inspections.

If the member is aware of any particular employer she believes has violated the rule, I encourage her to let me know and I will pass that on to the enforcement officials.