House of Commons Hansard #108 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was rights.
Jeff Watson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, to the specifics of the member's request to this government, I will take it under advisement and report back to the House.
However, when it comes to making investments in airport infrastructure through programs like the airport capital assistance program, I would remind the member that she and her colleagues continue to vote against those substantial investments to provide safe airport infrastructure for small communities.
Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC
Mr. Speaker, every time I ask a question about pyrrhotite, which is destroying thousands of homes in Trois-Rivières, the Conservative government refuses to take responsibility. Every time the government tells me to talk to the Government of Quebec.
A recent court ruling—specifically about the CSA A23.1 standard, which determines the amount of pyrrhotite that can be contained in concrete before causing a disaster—contradicts the Conservatives' argument. That is a federal standard. I repeat: that is a federal standard.
Will the government commit to amending the federal CSA A23.1 standard to protect the public?
Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism
Mr. Speaker, the use of pyrrhotite is a provincial jurisdiction. It is up to the provincial government to resolve. In this case, it is Quebec that needs to resolve this issue for Quebeckers. This is not a federal jurisdiction.
Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC
Mr. Speaker, no one uses pyrrhotite, since it can cause concrete cancer. The government said that it would help victims, but, based on what it is telling us now, we can see that that was a joke.
Pyrrhotite victims are demanding answers. It is our duty to prevent any further victims in Trois-Rivières or elsewhere in Canada.
Can the Conservatives explain how the federal standard that regulates the tolerances of concrete structures can be a provincial jurisdiction? Will they continue to make up excuses to avoid helping pyrrhotite victims back home?
Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately for the member, his question about the use of pyrrhotite is a provincial jurisdiction. The provincial governments, including the Government of Quebec, are responsible for this issue.
Blake Richards Conservative Wild Rose, AB
Mr. Speaker, due to the efforts of our government and based on our tremendous respect for their service to our country, Canada's injured veterans may receive an average monthly benefit of between $4,000 to $6,000. These are supports that our injured veterans need and deserve.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs please update this House on the benefits that our government provides to injured veterans and their families?
Parm Gill ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Wild Rose for the question and his hard work on this file.
Indeed, the average monthly financial benefit that an injured veteran may be eligible for is between $4,000 to $6,000 a month, and in some cases injured veterans are receiving a total income that exceeds $10,000 a month.
Our government is committed to ensuring that our injured veterans and their families have the support they need and deserve. Unfortunately, the members opposite have voted virtually against every single initiative that our government has brought forward to help Canada's veterans.
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims that record out-migration from Prince Edward Island is not caused by his EI changes, when nothing could be further from the truth. We know that because of the Conservative government, thousands of people are being forced to leave Prince Edward Island to go west. EI changes have devastated our seasonal industries, and Conservative cuts have taken tens of millions of dollars out of the Island's economy.
Will the Conservative government admit to the devastation it has caused to Prince Edward Island and reverse these changes?
Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism
Mr. Speaker, what changes? What complete balderdash. There is no rule, and there never has been. I doubt that there ever will be a rule that requires people to leave their province in order to receive EI benefits if they have lost their jobs in their province due to no fault of their own. That is completely ridiculous.
The statistics are clear. The member may want to invent political arguments, but one cannot invent the statistics. They indicate that fewer than a fraction of a percent of Islanders did not receive EI benefits because of the new program, to ensure that they were actively seeking available work in their communities.
However, at the same time that the member wants easier EI rules, he wants more temporary foreign workers in P.E.I. We think unemployed Islanders should come first for the available jobs.
Ryan Cleary NDP St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was in Atlantic Canada yesterday, and showed again his disrespect for the region. He failed again to make a commitment to the gulf ferry.
The federal government has an obligation to ensure Newfoundlanders have access to ferry services, but Marine Atlantic will be laying off employees and reducing crossings.
Instead of dodging responsibility, instead of denying their own mismanagement, instead of letting down those who depend on this vital service, Conservatives need to step up and act.
What will the government do to ensure Newfoundland ferry service is protected?
Jeff Watson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, as the member would know, Marine Atlantic is an independent crown corporation responsible for its operational decisions. That corporation has the responsibility to ensure investments by Canadian taxpayers are used in the best interests of Newfoundland and Labrador to serve the needs of its citizens.
In like fashion, that member is responsible for getting on his feet and explaining his part, with 22 other NDP MPs, in bogus mailings for partisan flyers that ripped off the taxpayers, and when he and his colleagues plan to pay them back.
David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Pacific Alliance is a forum that gives Canada an important opportunity to shape the future prosperity of the Americas.
Opening new markets and increasing Canadian exports is a key part of our government's plan to create jobs, growth and long-term prosperity.
Can the very auspicious Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister please give this House an update on Canada's engagement with the Pacific Alliance?
Paul Calandra ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the extraordinary member for Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale is such a hard-working member.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is at the Pacific Alliance meetings in Mexico where he will be announcing a new $25 million Canadian trade and development facility.
This facility is to unleash the potential of the private sector in the Americas, while at the same time helping them understand better the opportunities that exist in Canada. That is good for jobs and good for economic growth here in Canada.
We know that the NDP are opposed to every single trade deal. The Liberals can never decide which ones they want to oppose; they can never close them. We will continue to open new markets for Canadian small, medium and large business producers and job creators, because it is good for the economy and it is good for Canada.
Government Response to PetitionsRoutine Proceedings
Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 10 petitions.
Anne Minh-Thu Quach NDP Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC
Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today.
The first is from citizens in the rural region of Havelock and surrounding area. They want SBA Canada ULC to conduct public consultations about its proposal to build a telecommunications tower in the municipality on Covey Hill. As stipulated in Industry Canada regulations, there is supposed to be a formal public consultation. They are also asking for a moratorium. They want environmental and health impact studies, among other things.
Anne Minh-Thu Quach NDP Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC
Mr. Speaker, the second petition I am presenting was also signed by people in my riding. They are petitioning in support of jobs at Canada Post, postal workers and the public service. They want the government to overturn the decision to eliminate home mail delivery.
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to present petitions from people from Pembroke, Petawawa, Deep River, and Ottawa. These citizens call on the Canadian government to have a national strategy for dementia and the health care of persons afflicted with Alzheimer's disease and other dementia-related diseases.
Recently the United Kingdom held a G8 summit on dementia. The people of England in the United Kingdom are getting leadership from David Cameron of 10 Downing Street. Unfortunately, here in Canada, 24 Sussex Drive is leaderless.
The Acting Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton
I would encourage all members to present petitions in a way that does not express an editorial commentary.
The hon. member for Burnaby—New Westminster.
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to table petitions from hundreds of residents of the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, both in NDP-held ridings and in Conservative-held ridings. They are joining their voices together to say “no” to the cuts to home delivery service to five million Canadian households. They say that eventually this reduction in service will result in the privatization of Canada Post. We are talking about thousands of jobs lost. The petitioners are saying that the government is breaking its promise by cutting back on home service delivery. Hundreds of people in Conservative and NDP ridings in British Columbia are saying “no” to the cuts and the elimination of home delivery service in Canada.
Mylène Freeman NDP Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, today, I am presenting a petition on behalf of the people of Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel.
They are asking the government, which gutted the Navigable Waters Protection Act, to put the lakes and rivers that it removed from the list of protected waterways back under federal protection. I am presenting this petition today because, yesterday, I was in my riding at the Musée régional d'Argenteuil, which was unveiling a new permanent exhibit on the lakes and rivers in Argenteuil. These rivers and lakes have all been removed from the list of protected waterways, with the exception of the Ottawa River, of course.
Given how important Argenteuil's lakes and rivers are to my riding, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage anyone who is passing through Saint-André-d'Argenteuil to visit this wonderful new exhibit.
Ryan Cleary NDP St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL
Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition on behalf of hundreds of citizens of Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, as pretty a Newfoundland and Labrador outport as one could find. The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to reinstate the hours of operation, from 24 hours a week to 32 hours a week, at the community post office.
Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings
Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre Saskatchewan
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.
Peter Van Loan Conservative York—Simcoe, ON
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and I believe that if you seek it, you will find agreement and consent to see the clock at 1:15 p.m.