Debates of May 26th, 2014

Status of Women

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that too many women are dying around the world from easily preventable causes of death. Every year, 47,000 women die from and five million more are permanently damaged by unsafe abortions. Women who have access to the full range of reproductive services are healthier, better educated, and contribute more to their economies.

Will the upcoming summit address women's equality and reproductive choice as a key part of reducing the deaths of women and girls around the world?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Minister of International Development and Minister for La Francophonie]

Mr. Speaker, there will be a very important summit in Toronto from May 28-30 under the leadership of the Prime Minister. We can be proud of this, because our G8 Muskoka initiative on maternal, newborn, and child health will save the lives of 1.3 million children and newborns as well as more than 60,000 young mothers.

We have to continue to keep on track. With this summit, we will make sure that Canada says loud and clear that this is a top, main priority for years to come.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the World Health Organization has identified five solutions needed to save more lives, including access to safe abortion services. Experts say that unsafe abortion is the most easily preventable and treatable cause of maternal death.

Will Canada ensure that the next phase of the maternal health initiative is based on sound scientific evidence and not ideology? Will it include reducing the number of unsafe abortions that are putting women's lives at risk around the world?

[Christian Paradis, Conservative, Minister of International Development and Minister for La Francophonie]

Mr. Speaker, each Canadian can be proud, because we have reached a lot of good results. Globally, over 700,000 more children lived to their fifth birthdays in 2011 than in 2010. In over 125 countries, maternal death rates have declined sharply in the past five years. Between 2010 and 2013, an estimated two million deaths from disease were prevented and five million children were treated with vitamin A. Thousands of women have received antenatal care.

We can be proud of this, and under the leadership of the Prime Minister, we will keep on track on this.

Human Rights

[Craig Scott, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Speaker, nine LGBTQ activists from Uganda want to participate in the WorldPride Human Rights Conference being co-hosted by the University of Toronto and Pride Toronto, but so far, they have been denied visas.

Would the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration confirm that assessments of new applications will be expedited so that these brave human rights advocates can share their experience and their knowledge at the world conference?

[Chris Alexander, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, our government is proud of our record of standing up for those facing oppression around the world. We have resettled refugees from countries like Uganda, from Russia, from Iran, and many other countries around the world.

We have also spoken out when there has been state-sponsored oppression of LGBT communities in Russia and many countries of Africa. We have worked tirelessly with the organizers of this conference from the beginning. We are grateful to the member for Toronto—Danforth for his collaboration on this issue, and we will do everything we can to make this conference a success under Canada's immigration laws.

Air Transportation

[Joe Daniel, Conservative, Don Valley East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we have all been in situations when we have been told to shut off our electronic devices while travelling. We all know that the use of these devices has not been allowed during critical phases of flight. This has caused a major inconvenience to travellers.

Our government has listened to Canadians, and today our government announced the exciting change to air travel that is coming.

Can the Minister of Transport please update this House on the announcement she made today with respect to the use of portable electronic devices on aircraft?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Don Valley East for a very pertinent question because—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. I cannot tell who is calling out from across the way, but I am going to ask members to—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please.

The hon. Minister of Transport has the floor.

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Halton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I think I have something everybody in the House is going to want to hear, and I think they are going to like it, too.

I was able to announce today that we have lifted the exemption for the use of personal electronic devices from gate to gate using Canadian airlines. This is very similar to what is happening in the U.S. and in Europe right now. It is great for Canadian families. It is great for Canadian business. I am very pleased to be able to announce it today.

Ethics

[Ève Péclet, NDP, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Charbonneau commission revealed that the McGill University Health Centre was secretly paying for Arthur Porter's Bentley. Mr. Porter is still a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. His pay was inflated and he even received a $500,000 loan for his residence. All of this was approved by the chairman of the board of directors, none other than Conservative Senator David Angus, who, at the time, was in charge of ethics at the Senate.

Is the Conservative government aware of these questionable transactions?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, none of these problems concern the federal government. This question concerns contracts at the municipal and provincial level. What is more, it is very important for the commission to continue its work. Anyone found guilty should face the full force of the law.

[Ève Péclet, NDP, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Arthur Porter, who, again, is still a member of the Privy Council, and former Senator Angus were wearing two hats: director of the MUHC and lobbyist for SNC-Lavalin. Both were lobbying for SNC-Lavalin. The senator was even harassing the Premier of Quebec to ensure that the contract was awarded to SNC-Lavalin, while Arthur Porter was working on torpedoing the candidacy of the other bidder.

Can the Minister of Public Works and Government Services tell us whether the former senator or the former chair of the Security Intelligence Review Committee, Arthur Porter, ever lobbied for SNC-Lavalin to obtain federal contracts?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Again, Mr. Speaker, this question concerns contracts at the municipal and provincial level.

As members know, one of the first things we did when taking power in 2006 was eliminate big money and big unions from the political process by banning contributions. At the same time, we also know that, of course, the Leader of the Opposition held back information for 17 years, which would have really been of assistance to the commission.

We will continue to support Canadian taxpayers moving forward with good policies that tackle corruption.

Veterans

[Sylvain Chicoine, NDP, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are eliminating health care services for our veterans across Canada. The Conservatives are now refusing to cover costs for veterans who served after the Korean War. That is why there are fewer and fewer long-term care beds available. All veterans, whether they served in World War II or Afghanistan, deserve the same treatment.

Why do the Conservatives not give all veterans the respect they deserve?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, all veterans, whether modern day or those who served before Korea, have access to long-term care facilities if their service condition indicates that they need one. Canadians expect that a veteran who is injured while in service to Canada and who is in need of long-term care as a result should have this benefit available.

While I am on my feet, will that member commit to voting for veterans' long-term care funding at the next opportunity?

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Well, Mr. Speaker, as long as he makes long-term veteran care funding an independent government bill, we may look at that, but the reality is that what is going to happen when the last Korean overseas veteran dies is that all those modern-day veterans, from '54 onwards, an awful lot of them, will be downloaded to the provinces.

The Perley, Camp Hill, the Parkwood, in which beds are already closed, the Ste. Anne's transfer, and many other contract beds across the country will not be available for modern-day veterans, which means a massive financial download to the provinces for the long-term care of veterans.

Will the government reverse its policy and ensure that every single veteran gets the long-term care they desperately need?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians can be confident that some 8,000 veterans currently reside in long-term care facilities across Canada. All veterans, whether modern-day or those who served before Korea, have in fact access to a long-term care facility if their service condition indicates that they need one.

This is what Canadians expect, and I am proud that we are in fact delivering on that commitment.

Government Appointments

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner's investigation into ECBC's John Lynn is complete, and the verdict reads “guilty”. He found that Mr. Lynn committed serious wrongdoing in making four blatant patronage appointments of people with strong Conservative ties. ECBC is being wound down, and Mr. Lynn, who has not been to work in a year, is in line to receive an embarrassingly large severance.

In light of this damning report, will the minister ensure that Mr. Lynn is not rewarded with taxpayers' dollars for committing “... a serious breach of a code of conduct....”

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)]

Mr. Speaker, of course our government's expectation is that ECBC conduct its business with integrity, accountability, and respect for Canadian taxpayers. I can confirm that the CEO of ECBC is presently on a personal leave.

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the minister knows that the commissioner found that Mr. Lynn seriously breached the code of conduct when he hired Nancy Baker, Allan Murphy, Ken Langley, and Robert MacLean based solely on political ties to the Conservative Party. All were hired to executive positions and all were appointed without a competitive, merit-based process. These tainted political appointments will become permanent in a matter of weeks when Bill C-31 makes them part of the public service.

In 2012, the Public Service Commissioner revoked two rigged appointments at ACOA P.E.I. Will the minister show leadership and do the same with these rigged appointments at Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation?

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)]

Mr. Speaker, the member is referring to a report that has not been tabled yet.

I do find it ironic that the member for Cape Breton—Canso claims to take a great deal of pride in having a professional, independent, non-partisan public service, given that in 2006, the Public Service Commission reported that the Liberals gave ministerial aides free rides into the public service.