Debates of June 16th, 2014

Social Development

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Minister of State (Social Development)]

Mr. Speaker, the colleagues who should be hanging their heads in shame are every single one of the NDP who owe $1.17 million for the—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

The Social Security Tribunal is giving top priority to these legacy cases. It has committed to providing fair, credible, and impartial appeal processes in a timely manner.

If New Democrats want to hang their heads in shame, I think now is the time.

National Defence

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for Conservatives, $32 million to National Defence commemorating military history is a priority, while hiring additional mental health workers and acting on a backlog of investigations into suicides is not. For Conservatives, $50 million from Veterans Affairs on commemorations is a priority, but $5 million on regional offices and programs for veterans is not.

Has the minister not heard them? Veterans are pleading for more services, not more ceremonies. Why will the Conservative government not listen to them?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, all of the needs of the members of our armed forces and our veterans are our concern and priority. This is in complete contrast to the Liberals. Their idea of a major military expenditure was the $500 million that they paid in penalties when they cancelled the helicopter contract. We will continue to make this a priority. That is the difference between us and them.

Justice

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, earlier in question period, the Minister of Justice was asked a question with respect to the appointment of Justice Mainville. He said that he believes his wealth of legal knowledge will be welcome at the Supreme Court and will be of significant benefit to the Quebec Court of Appeal.

Will the Minister of Justice confirm that the government intends to appoint Justice Mainville to fill the upcoming Quebec vacancy on the Supreme Court, and thereby do indirectly what it cannot do directly?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I did not follow those mental gymnastics because the Superior Court of Quebec is a Supreme Court in the province. I would ask the member to go back and maybe read Hansard.

The reality is that we have a very capable individual here, who applied for and has now been appointed to the appeal court of the Superior Court of Quebec. I know he will provide tremendous service to our country, as he has through the Federal Court. I do not know why the opposition members spend so much time attacking the judiciary these days.

Tourism

[Annick Papillon, NDP, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the price of gas has reached a record high as we head into Tourism Week in Canada. This is another factor that has a negative impact on tourism. The Tourism Industry Association of Canada is calling for stable funding over three years to monitor the U.S. tourism market. More than 600,000 Canadian jobs depend on this market. Will the minister stop making budget cuts to the Canadian Tourism Commission and take meaningful action to attract visitors to Canada?

[Maxime Bernier, Conservative, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question. The tourism industry appears to be important to the NDP, but what really disappoints me is that the New Democrats want to impose a $21 billion tax that will hurt the tourism industry. Their words are not consistent with their actions.

We will not impose additional taxes on the tourism industry. We will welcome tourists across Canada. This is an $84 billion industry that creates more than 608,000 jobs in Canada. This industry is important to us, unlike the NDP.

[Glenn Thibeault, NDP, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Tourism Week is off to a difficult start, with record high gas prices adding to the many challenges that the industry is already facing, like falling numbers of American visitors. Maybe the minister should learn that. There are radical Conservative cuts to the Canadian Tourism Commission as well.

The Tourism Industry Association of Canada is demanding that the government stop cutting and start investing in a strategy to attract tourists back to Canada. Tourism generates $84 billion in communities across the country, but due to neglect, this industry is suffering under the Conservatives.

Will the minister act now to help revitalize tourism in this country?

[Maxime Bernier, Conservative, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, as everybody knows, the Canadian tourism industry is on the right track. This year is one of the best. That is a fact. Visitors coming from outside the country are spending more money this year than they did last year.

We have created more jobs in this industry. When I say “we”, I mean that the industry and the small entrepreneurs—the real entrepreneurs—are creating jobs.

We continue to have more travellers coming from China, India, Brazil, and America to visit our country. It is a great year for the tourism industry.

[Joyce Bateman, Conservative, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, June 16 to 20 is Tourism Week in Canada. This week we will take a moment to honour the hard work of entrepreneurs who help make the tourism industry successful by creating jobs and spurring economic growth. Can the Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism, and Agriculture tells us about Canada's commitment to the tourism sector?

[Maxime Bernier, Conservative, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say that we have a federal tourism strategy. The opposition did not support this strategy, even though it was well received by the tourism industry. It is a major industry, worth $84 billion. We are not like the NDP, who want to impose a $21 billion carbon tax that will harm the tourism industry. We will not do that. We will continue to support this industry.

Foreign Affairs

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I was a member of the first parliamentary delegation to visit Madagascar after the 2013 presidential elections. In 2009, most countries suspended their relations to and programs in this country. However, they have now reestablished them. That is also the case for the International Monetary Fund.

Can the Minister of Foreign Affairs confirm that Canada also intends to fully restore its ties to Madagascar in order to help the Malagasy people?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member opposite for the question and for his interest in African issues.

Obviously, we think the time has come to review the status of our relationship with Madagascar, with a view to normalizing relations. We do think it is important to have some consultations before we do so, and I would be very pleased to take the member's suggestion under advisement.

Aboriginal Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, the community of Marten Falls has been on a boiled water advisory for 10 years. This past winter, a filter broke at the plant so that the water in the taps is not even safe to bathe babies. The reserve does not have the $70,000 to replace the filter, nor the expertise.

Bathing children in contaminated water would not be tolerated in any non-native community. Will the minister work with the community, recognize that this is an emergency, and ensure that the people of Marten Falls have what every other Canadian citizen takes for granted, which is safe water for their children?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the hon. member that indeed we are working with the first nation to address the problem of safe drinking water on this reserve.

I want to point out to the House that we take action for first nations across Canada so that they have the same quality of drinking water as all Canadians. It is surprising that the hon. member questions this. In the last budget, we planned on investing over $300 million for safe water on reserves, and he voted against it.

Social Development

[Phil McColeman, Conservative, Brant, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our government has done more to support persons with disabilities than any previous government.

I was pleased when the House unanimously supported my motion, Motion No. 430, which called for continued and increased support for employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Would the Minister of State for Social Development please update this House on how our government is supporting the lives of persons with disabilities?

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Minister of State (Social Development)]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the great work he has done on behalf of persons with disabilities.

The legacy of the late Jim Flaherty lives on through the programs we have created to help persons with disabilities, whether it is the registered disabilities savings plan, the first of its kind, and the only one in the world, and which helps parents save for their children who have disabilities; our enabling accessibility fund, which has helped over 1,400 projects across Canada; or our opportunities fund, which helps Canadians with disabilities to get back to work.

We are proud of what we have done.

Infrastructure

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, construction of Quebec City's ice oval has been delayed.

The federal government promised to pay one third of the cost of this infrastructure, but the promised money from the building Canada fund may no longer be available. Last Friday, in response to our question, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services responded by talking about shipbuilding.

Can the Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs take this more seriously and clearly indicate whether the federal government will keep its promise even if there are delays?

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for that question, the second time.

I am very pleased to take this opportunity to confirm that the federal government's commitment to the ice oval rink in Quebec City remains firm and is absolutely crystal clear. We await the municipality of Quebec City and the Province of Quebec with respect to the construction of this project. That is clear.

What is less clear is whether the NDP will pay back taxpayers the money it owes for inappropriate mailings and office expenses.

Natural Resources

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the British Columbia government testified that Enbridge had not fulfilled its responsibilities in evidence to make it acceptable to British Columbians to build the risky pipeline and tanker scheme. The Union of British Columbia Municipalities opposes the project. Every first nation along the pipeline and tanker routes opposes the project. The majority of British Columbians oppose the project, including the residents of Kitimat, who rejected it in a plebiscite.

The Prime Minister once urged the province of Alberta to resist heavy-handed tactics from a hostile federal government. Will he ensure that the project does not go ahead unless British Columbians accept it?

[Greg Rickford, Conservative, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, the joint review panel has submitted its recommendation to the government. Projects will only be approved if they are safe for Canadians and safe for the environment. We are carefully reviewing this recommendation and a response will be forthcoming.

Justice

[Maria Mourani, Independent, Ahuntsic, QC]

Mr. Speaker, people are saying that Bill C-36, as it stands, will not make prostitution illegal. This is an important aspect because the legal nature of prostitution was a fundamental element that, for the Supreme Court justices, justified their ruling in the Bedford case.

Will the Minister of Justice clearly state in Bill C-36 that prostitution is illegal in Canada?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her long-standing interest in this subject, to protect vulnerable Canadians and to protect communities. Those are the two goals, certainly among others, found in Bill C-36.

We intend to meet the deadlines that have been set by the Supreme Court in the Bedford decision and to do so in a way that we believe will improve the lives of those who choose to leave prostitution. We have put parameters in place designed specifically to protect the community, children in particular.

We hope that all members will support this effort, which will make Canadians safer.