Debates of June 13th, 2014

Forestry Industry

[Christine Moore, NDP, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian forestry industry employs about 600,000 people across the country and is the most important business sector to the economies of many communities, including many aboriginal communities. In my riding, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, more than 5,000 families make a living from the forestry industry

In Quebec and the rest of Canada, people count on the government to take the necessary measures to ensure the sustainability and development of the forestry industry.

That is why I recently moved a motion that proposes that the government work with the provinces, territories and first nations to develop a national strategy to advance Canada’s forestry sector. The purpose of Motion No. 518 is to create good jobs and develop our forests in a responsible and sustainable way.

We must also find ways of diversifying and promoting wood-based products, developing building systems and expanding markets for Canadian wood products.

That is why I hope that all members of this House will support my motion and the Canadian forestry industry.

Très-Sainte-Trinité de Rockland Parish

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to congratulate the Très-Sainte-Trinité de Rockland parish on its 125th anniversary.

I am also lucky to be joining the clergy and the parishioners for a mass and consecration this weekend.

I also want to acknowledge the important historical presence of this community of believers in the Rockland region. Founded in 1889 as a francophone Catholic parish, the church is a spiritual home and an important gathering place for the region's faithful.

I know that generations of believers and clergy in Rockland have worked hard and made lots of sacrifices to build this sacred place. We are blessed to be able to see the fruits of their labour now, 125 years later.

Once again, I would like to congratulate the Très-Sainte-Trinité parishioners and their priest.

Birthday Congratulations

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure to offer my heartfelt congratulations to a great Canadian World War II hero, my constituent, Mr. Anthony Bartoszewicz, who is celebrating a milestone on Sunday when he will become 100 years young.

Born in Siemiany, Poland, on June 15, 1914, he experienced the Bolshevik war as a young boy. As a young man, Tony served active duty during the Second World War and rose to the level of colonel. Coming to Canada in 1947, Tony worked hard in the prairies before moving his family to Ontario. He still cuts the grass and manages his own home.

This evening there is a special celebration at the Cooksville Legion where Mr. Bartoszewicz regularly attends the Friday evening dinners.

As Mr. Bartoszewicz shares this incredible milestone with his wife, Loretta, along with his three children, nine grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren, may he find happiness in the many memories of these moments spent together.

Congratulations, Tony. Sto Lat.

Father's Day

[Alexandrine Latendresse, NDP, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this Sunday is Father's Day, so I would like to take a moment today to wish a happy Father's Day to all of the fathers in our lives.

I am thinking about all my colleagues in the House who have to balance their work as an MP and being a father. We know that it is not always easy.

I am thinking about my staff in Louis-Saint-Laurent: Yves has five beautiful children and many grandchildren already, and Boris is a new dad who could not be more proud of his beautiful little girl.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that you will be able to celebrate with George and Molly on Sunday.

Of course, I am especially thinking about my father, Germain, who has always been a positive force in my life. My father was there for my sister, brother and me, but he was also there for hundreds of children in need at the youth centres where he worked as a psychoeducator during his career.

Mr. Speaker, my father taught me to be a better person and to do the right thing. Even more importantly, he taught me never to judge others and to always have an open heart and acknowledge the kindness of those around me.

Dad, I love you. When I dream about angels tonight, you will be in the front row.

Happy Father's Day.

Infrastructure

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK]

Mr. Speaker, this past Monday, my colleagues the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and the member of Parliament for Saskatoon—Humboldt made an important announcement for the city of Saskatoon and surrounding area. The Government of Canada will invest $66 million through the P3 Canada fund for the replacement of Saskatoon's 107-year-old traffic bridge and the development of a new bridge crossing in Saskatoon's north end. Once the parkway and two bridges are opened, traffic congestion will be reduced, making travel times shorter and resulting in reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved air quality.

This project is a great example of how our government is working with municipalities and the private sector, not only in Saskatchewan but all across Canada, to reduce procurement and overhead costs, to the benefit of all taxpayers.

I would like to congratulate His Worship, Don Atchison, Saskatoon City Council, and the staff at city hall who all worked diligently on this proposal.

Grand Chief Stan Louttit

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart I rise today to pay tribute to a personal friend and a great leader, Grand Chief Stan Louttit of the Mushkegowuk Cree.

He was tireless in his dedication to transforming the lives of the James Bay people, indeed all first nation people across Canada. He was passionate about issues like education, health care, economic development, and above all, treaty rights.

Stan was born on his family's hunting territory out at Lake River, north of Attawapiskat. His grandfather signed Treaty 9. He was rooted in the culture and the history of the people there, and he was a relentless advocate for holding Canada to account to live up to the commitments it made when it signed the treaty. Even as he was becoming increasingly sick, he was still active on so many files.

Stan loved music, storytelling, and yes, even the Montreal Canadiens. I even cheered for the Habs one season, just to make him happy.

I was deeply honoured to know Stan Louttit. Go to the angels, Stan. You served your people and this country with honour and dignity and vision.

Veterans Affairs

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Mr. Speaker, our government works very hard to ensure that Canada's veterans have access to the benefits they deserve and need.

I would like to share a recent example that a member of the Canadian Air Force shared with us. He had been receiving veteran's benefits for over 13 years. He used the toll-free number to access the benefits and services. While he did that, he received instant approval for counselling, no questions asked. He then went on and was provided with a list of counsellors. This particular veteran was very impressed and satisfied with the ease with which he was able to access these services in this particular request.

I am very proud of the services our government is delivering for veterans. I also want to congratulate the veterans affairs committee on a recent unanimous report with recommendations to help us move forward to continue to do the work we must do for our veterans.

Ontario Election

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it turns out that reports of the death of liberalism in Canada have been greatly exaggerated. Yesterday, Ontarians went to the polls and voted for the Ontario Liberal Party's plan for investment in much-needed transportation infrastructure and more accessible education for Ontario's children, from full-day kindergarten to assistance for college and university students.

They voted for jobs, not cuts, a robust health care system, and filling the gap to ensure that Ontarians across the province are better prepared for retirement, something this federal government refuses to do. It is a win-win, and while some did not think Kathleen Wynne would be elected Ontario's first female premier, we never had a doubt.

Running for office is not an easy task, so I want to take a moment to not only congratulate those who won their races yesterday but to also congratulate every Ontarian who was courageous enough to put their name on the ballot for what they believe in.

I am sure this whole House will join me today in welcoming Ontario's strong, stable, majority Liberal government.

Agriculture

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

Mr. Speaker, earlier today Canadians were once again forced to witness another New Democratic Party filibuster on Bill C-18, the agricultural growth act. In the many times our government has brought this bill forward, the NDP has used every trick in the book to block its passage.

What benefits are the NDP preventing farmers from receiving? One, the NDP is preventing the explicit right to save seed on the farm, a right farmers currently do not have. Second, the NDP is preventing access to new and innovative seeds that will allow farmers to plant and harvest better-yielding crops. Third, the NDP is preventing modern farm inputs, like fertilizers and feeds, that will increase farm profitability. Fourth, the NDP is standing in the way of an expanded advance payments program with less red tape and bureaucracy, which will save farmers time and money.

The NDP do not have to take my word for it. Let this bill get to committee and let us hear from farmers. What is the NDP afraid of?

Conservative Party of Canada

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the history, with a capital “H” of the Conservative Party is fraught with corruption and dirty money. These revelations were made by Jean-Yves Lortie, the “man with the briefcase”, who spent at least $20 million to corrupt Conservative politicians. At a Conservative convention, he spent no less than $500,000 in cash, in part provided by none other than Karlheinz Schreiber, to promote Brian Mulroney's leadership bid.

This man who invented turnkey elections, that famous strategy scrutinized by the Charbonneau commission, proudly served the former Conservative leader.

We can see who the Conservatives hang around with. Yesterday, it was suitcases filled with cash, charter flights and all-expenses-paid trips to go to vote at a convention. In 2011, it was robocalls, to prevent people from voting, or tricks like the in-and-out scandal to circumvent the laws and election spending limits.

Today, we have the reform of the Elections Act, which will give their party an edge in the next elections, and a kangaroo court to unfairly attack the NDP. The years come and go and the methods change, but the Conservatives are just as crooked. Canadians deserve better.

Ethics

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, a former senior Liberal cabinet minister and member of Parliament, and mayor of London, Ontario, Joe Fontana, has been found guilty of several serious offences in relation to his time in office. Former Liberal cabinet minister Fontana has been found guilty of breach of trust by a public official, fraud under $5,000, and forging documents. All of these charges stem from a $1,700 expense he filed with a doctored wedding contract for his son's wedding while serving as a federal Liberal MP and cabinet minister. Fontana admitted at the trial that he altered a Marconi Club contract that he had helped negotiate for his son's wedding reception. He then submitted it as an expense to cover a political reception in February 2005 for the member for Wascana, who was supposed to visit London.

These types of actions by an elected official are completely disgusting and disturbing and have no place at any level of government. We hope the former Liberal cabinet minister will apologize to the taxpayers of London and those across Canada whose tax dollars he gravely misused.

Natural Resources

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there are only a few days left for the Conservative government to make a decision on the Enbridge northern gateway pipeline. First nations have not been properly consulted. Community after community along the route have rejected this proposal, and two-thirds of all British Columbians say they do not want it.

B.C. Conservative MPs have an opportunity to side with British Columbians, listen to the people who elected them and who say “no” to this project. Will Conservatives do the right thing and say “no” to this pipeline that is risky for the environment and for the economy? Will they say “no” to northern gateway?

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times this week, we are carefully reviewing this report and a decision will be forthcoming.

What I wonder is if that member and his party will say “yes” to paying back the $1.7 million they owe taxpayers.

Privacy

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Conservative incompetence has reached a new high. This morning, the Supreme Court ruled what the NDP and privacy experts had been warning all along, that allowing police to pull private information from telephone companies without warrant was unconstitutional. Yet the Conservatives are steamrolling ahead with Bill C-13, which also allows unconstitutional spying on Canadians.

With yet another bill struck down by the Supreme Court, when will the Conservatives finally take a balanced approach that keeps Canadians secure without infringing on constitutional rights?

[Bob Dechert, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice]

Mr. Speaker, we have just received the decision and we will review it. In addition, we will continue to crack down on cyberbullies and online criminals who work against and make our children and all Canadians unsafe. We will keep Canadians safe.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Supreme Court unanimously reminded the Conservatives yet again that they cannot circumvent the law and do whatever they want with Canadians' privacy.

The police need a warrant to obtain personal information from telecommunications companies. This latest defeat is yet more evidence of the Conservatives' unconstitutional approach.

Will the Conservatives amend their electronic surveillance bills to comply with the ruling from the Supreme Court of Canada?

[Bob Dechert, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice]

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, we just received the decision and we will review it. We always respect the work of the court. We will continue to crack down on cyberbullies and online criminals to keep children and vulnerable communities safe in Canada.

Social Development

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadians do not have access to disability benefits because of the Conservatives' mismanagement. Some people have been waiting over a year to appear before the Social Security Tribunal because there are not enough umpires.

At this rate, even if the tribunal did not receive any new cases, it would take nine years for it to catch up. That is unacceptable.

Does the minister think it is acceptable for people to die before they receive the benefits they are entitled to?

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment and Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, the Social Security Tribunal started its operations on April 1, 2013, and received higher than anticipated caseloads from the legacy tribunals. These income security legacy cases are all deemed ready to proceed as of April 1, 2014, according to the regulations. The SST is giving top priority to these legacy cases.

[Sadia Groguhé, NDP, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Income Security Section has just 35 umpires and has a backlog of 3,700 cases. When the Conservative government phased out the 1,000 part-time umpires, the crisis worsened. The least fortunate are once again the first victims of this government's negligence and mismanagement.

What emergency measures will this government take to fix this massive boondoggle at the Social Security Tribunal?

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment and Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, the Social Security Tribunal is dealing with these legacy cases that were left over from previous tribunals. We have taken steps to ensure that we are aligned in this process from coast to coast to coast so we can have consistency in the decisions that are made.

However, when it comes to bungling and incompetence, why do the New Democrats not pay back the money they took from Canadian taxpayers to fund their campaign offices across the country and also for flyers sent to many ridings, illegally using taxpayer money for partisan purposes.

Public Works and Government Services

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

Mr. Speaker, the government is trying to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse by telling us that its F-35 panel of four has blessed the DND evaluation process. The problem is that it is still the same old DND evaluation process based on the same mission requirements that were written so that only the F-35 could be chosen. Therefore, nothing has really changed.

When will the government initiate a proper procurement on behalf of all Canadians?

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, several reports have been received by the government, including that from the independent panel of experts. The government is reviewing these reports in terms of the overall defence capabilities and the benefits to Canadian industry, and, importantly, the total life cycle costs.

When that analysis is completed, an announcement will be made to the Canadian public.

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

Mr. Speaker, in other words, nothing has changed. This situation is still a fiasco. The Conservatives are announcing that the process was impartial to hide the fact that it is just as biased as it was before.

The specifications for the replacement of the CF-18 are such that there could be only one winner, the F-35. The matter was over before it even began.

When will the government do its job in a competent, transparent and impartial manner?

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, as I just said, the government has received several reports, including that from the independent panel of experts. The government is reviewing these reports in terms of the defence capabilities, the total life cycle costs and the benefits to Canadian industry.

When the government has assessed the options, an announcement will be made. We will ensure that our air force has the equipment it needs to do its job.