House of Commons Hansard #93 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was tobacco.
Deepak Obhrai ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and for International Human Rights
Mr. Speaker, I would say first to the member that, yes, we do agree with her that education is very important. Part of our international aid budget is directed toward making education one of the priorities of international development, and more specifically, education for girls, as we have done in Afghanistan and as we continue to do in Nigeria and other countries.
As to the other question, I will advise the member in due course.
Hélène Laverdière NDP Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the question was not really about education. I think we can all agree on that subject. It was about Canada's contribution to the Global Partnership for Education.
It is estimated that if all women were able to complete primary education, there would be 66% fewer maternal deaths. This is one of the best possible investments in terms of development.
Today—not next week—is the deadline for telling the Global Partnership for Education that Canada will participate in the new funding campaign.
Will Canada contribute or not?
Deepak Obhrai ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and for International Human Rights
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canada stood up on the world stage for international development, and we pledged $3.5 billion for child and maternal health for poor people in developing countries.
As far as education is concerned, yes, Canada has contributed and will contribute towards education. It is part of our development budget, and we will continue doing that.
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Mr. Speaker, the government does not need to look much further than the spectacle of the parliamentary secretary pushing past the wife of a veteran with PTSD to know the millions the Conservatives are spending on ads are not helping. These ads are not helping our vets find jobs, and they are not helping vets and their families find services.
Will the minister apologize and appropriately redirect these funds to the veterans and their families who desperately need it?
Parm Gill ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I find it extremely rich coming from that member and that party. Under their government, our men and women in uniform suffered decades of darkness.
Since coming to office, our government has brought forward almost $5 billion in new funding, new benefits, and new services for our veterans. It is that party that has voted against virtually every single initiative we have brought forward. I would encourage them to stop playing partisan games and get on board for the benefit of our veterans.
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Mr. Speaker, after spending $26 million of taxpayers' money on the Cohen commission, the Conservatives have shelved the report and its 75 recommendations.
A recent order paper question has confirmed that recommendations dealing with pollution monitoring and marine spills were rejected. The government has also closed down the important DFO programs that deal with such problems and is getting rid of scientific documents and information.
Why will the Conservatives not listen to evidenced-based scientific research? What are they trying to hide?
Randy Kamp ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, I find the question a little puzzling. In 2004, I brought a motion to do a judicial inquiry on the Fraser River sockeye situation. In fact, it was his party that killed the motion, so we could not go ahead until we had the ability to do so. We are committed to the long-term support of the salmon fishery in British Columbia, and that is exactly why we established the commission in the first place.
The member would know, if he takes a closer look at our economic action plans in recent years, that we have made some significant changes to support that fishery in British Columbia.
Kennedy Stewart NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Speaker, in just three years, Conservatives have cut over $1 billion in research funding, and they have slashed the jobs of over 4,000 government scientists. Conservatives claimed that the cuts would all be to the back rooms, but Statistics Canada confirms that front-line scientists were eliminated by the thousands.
Muzzling scientists, gutting research funding, failing to collect data—this government's poor record and ideological cuts to research are hurting Canada's capacity for innovation.
When will the Conservative war on science ever end?
Mike Lake ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, why do we not just let the experts comment on this?
Referring to our most recent budget, David Barnard, chair of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, said that budget 2014 “recognizes that a vibrant, innovative and competitive Canadian economy needs a world-class research system”.
Paul Davidson, president of the AUCC, said that with the investments in budget 2014 “Canada is signalling to the leading research nations of the world that it intends to compete with the best”.
Stephen Toope, president and vice-chancellor of UBC, said, “I applaud the federal government’s decision to spur greater Canadian leadership in global research and innovation”.
Laurin Liu NDP Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would rather rely on Statistics Canada data than on PMO spin.
According to the latest numbers from Statistics Canada, the Conservatives have cut over $1 billion from funding for science since 2011. The Conservatives' war on science has put 4,000 federal researchers responsible for protecting our safety and our environment out of a job.
When will the Conservatives put an end to their war on science?
Mike Lake ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's Office apparently has some of the most qualified spin doctors in the world, because these are the top universities and researchers in Canada.
Amit Chakma, chair of the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities, thanked “the Government of Canada on its 2014 budget and the significant investment of $1.5 billion over 10 years for the new Canada First Research Excellence Fund”.
Raymond Laflamme, executive director of the Institute for Quantum Computing, apparently another PMO spin doctor, said, “As a result of the partnership established between the Government of Canada—
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
Mr. Speaker, grain farmers on the Prairies had a record harvest this past year, which was great news until the railways left that grain sitting in bins. As a result, our government took direct action.
While the opposition's only answer was to bring back the monopoly of the Canadian Wheat Board, farmers knew better, and we did as well. We know that the Wheat Board used to dribble out sales so slowly that the railways never had to step up their game.
Will the parliamentary secretary to the minister please tell the House what our government has done to improve the logistics system for Canadian farmers and for other people who ship commodities?
Pierre Lemieux ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Peace River for his hard work supporting our western Canadian grain farmers.
The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food is in Fort Saskatchewan today announcing royal assent for the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act. This legislation brings clear and achievable measures to get grain and other commodities to market in a predictable manner. It requires rail companies to move one million tonnes of grain per week and allows shippers to be directly compensated when the railways fail to meet their service obligations.
Lise St-Denis Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, people all across Canada are protesting the cuts announced by Canada Post. In Haute-Mauricie, VIA Rail service has been cut, and now there is an attack on another means of communication that is vital to the survival of municipalities that are far from large centres. The government keeps saying that these cuts are not its responsibility.
Are we to understand that the government is indifferent to small remote communities?
Jeff Watson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, that is nonsense. The member should know that Canada Post is an arm's-length crown corporation. It operates on a day-to-day basis, including its long-range strategic plans. It does have a five-point plan. Why? It is because the Conference Board of Canada has done a study that indicates, as a result of moving a billion fewer letters than it did six years ago, and that trend forecasts to go into the future, it could lose as much as a billion dollars annually. Something needed to be done. Canada Post has taken action. I refer her comments to Canada Post instead.
Matthew Dubé NDP Chambly—Borduas, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, President Barack Obama waded into the debate on concussions by inviting 200 experts, athletes and parents to examine the problem. Meanwhile, in Canada, the Conservatives are twiddling their thumbs and are satisfied with promoting mobile applications that do nothing tangible to address this problem.
When will the government finally show some leadership and realize that concussions in amateur sport are a real problem and that we have to take real action and not just rely on mobile applications? Can we have some real measures, please?
Eve Adams ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, concussions are something I know a little about, having endured one now for a couple of months and continuing to deal daily with a concussion.
Canada is a leader when it comes to investing in health care research. We are the single biggest investor in health care research in the entire country, investing over $1 billion.
I was very pleased earlier this year in Toronto to make a very sizeable announcement investing in acquired brain injuries.
Daryl Kramp Conservative Prince Edward—Hastings, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of International Trade appeared at committee to provide an update on Canada's global markets action plan.
The NDP critic was there. The NDP never misses an opportunity to put its anti-trade diatribe front and centre.
The Liberal critic was MIA—yes, missing. The member for Toronto Centre was absent, like the Liberal record on international trade.
Our government knows that with trade comes prosperity. Could our outstanding Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade please advise the House on our government's positive trade record?
Erin O'Toole ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Prince Edward—Hastings for his long-time support of opening markets for Canadians.
I am proud that this government has signed agreements or concluded agreements with 38 countries. This week, we are expanding the Canada-Israel free trade agreement. Members can compare that with 13 years of Liberal government with only three trade agreements.
The opposition NDP continues its decades-long opposition to trade, but at least its trade critic plays an active role at the trade committee. The Liberal trade critic has missed 69 witnesses—
Jean-François Fortin Bloc Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
Mr. Speaker, when the federal government awarded the largest shipbuilding contract in its history and abandoned the Davie Shipyard in Quebec, it boasted about how rigorous the process was. It was heralded by the NDP as a big day for Canada.
Now we see the results: the Vancouver shipyard cannot do the work, while the icebreaker promised will cost $1.3 billion—two times higher than projected—and will be eight years late. There is an alternative: the Davie shipyard sent a proposal to the federal government to build an icebreaker at the agreed-upon price and deadline.
Why did the government reject the Davie shipyard's proposal?
Bernard Trottier ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, the Irving and Seaspan shipyards were chosen through the most open and transparent military procurement procedure in Canada's history.
The Auditor General agrees with me:
The competitive process for selecting two shipyards resulted in a successful and efficient process independent of political influence, consistent with government regulations and policies, and carried out in an open and transparent manner.
I should add that this strategy is going to add 15,000 jobs over 30 years, including in British Columbia and Halifax.
In the case the member specifically mentioned, Davie was not awarded the bid.
Jean-François Fortin Bloc Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
Mr. Speaker, the 2014 edition of the Coupe-Québec des nations will take place in Montreal in September.
This event will provide a unique opportunity to showcase the sport of track and field and send Canadian athletes to compete against other countries that have already registered for the competition. Athletics Canada, which said that it fully supported the event, has just backed out. Even worse, without any explanation, the organization is now pushing for the Quebec team to withdraw from the competition as well.
Will the Minister of State for Sport intervene and ask Athletics Canada to keep its commitment to promote and participate in Coupe-Québec des nations 2014?
Shelly Glover ConservativeMinister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question. It gives me the opportunity to say how proud we are of our investments in sports both within and outside Canada. We are obviously thinking about the cups we will win in the future.
The World Cup will be an opportunity for all Canadians to celebrate. Everyone will come to Canada to participate, which will contribute to our economy and help us continue serving Canadians properly.
I would also like to say that the Minister of State for Sport is committed to this event and will continue to be. He will be there to celebrate with Canadians.
