Debates of Sept. 29th, 2014

Aboriginal Affairs

[Carol Hughes, NDP, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we will call a national public inquiry into the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women within the first 100 days of a New Democrat government. As Amnesty International and NWAC reminded us today: no more stolen sisters; no more inaction.

What is the government so afraid of? What is it trying to hide this time? Will the government finally listen and put in place a national public inquiry into the missing and murdered indigenous women?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said in this House before, we are acting.

Unlike the NDP, unlike the opposition, which would rather hide behind a bunch of lawyers, this government is taking action to ensure we are focused on what aboriginal women and their families have asked for.

Having toured across the country and spoken to those families in confidence, we are moving forward with a plan that supports them, that puts in place preventative measures, and also that ensures we are protecting them.

Unlike the NDP that votes against matrimonial property rights, against shelters for women who have been the victims of violence, we are acting today because that is what we have been asked to do.

Security Intelligence Review Committee

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have done it again, with conflict of interest and spying.

First, the former chair of SIRC had to resign because he was working for an oil company. Now, SIRC's Yves Fortier, a former pipeline company board member, has been asked to review CSIS' illegal spying on environmentalists concerned about pipelines.

Spying on law-abiding Canadians is very serious. Any investigation by CSIS must be above suspicion.

What will the minister do now to address the conflict of interest that the Conservatives have created at the Security Intelligence Review Committee?

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, the Security Intelligence Review Committee is made up of prominent Canadians who oversee our security services. These Canadians include a former NDP member of a provincial parliament.

We have full confidence that they will impartially review actions taken by our security services to protect Canadians against threats from any activists or radicals.

[Rosane Doré Lefebvre, NDP, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Security Intelligence Review Committee has appointed an oil lobbyist, Yves Fortier, to investigate spying on environmentalists. Spying on law-abiding Canadians is very serious. This requires a rigorous and objective investigation. Mr. Fortier is neither impartial nor credible enough.

The Conservatives have created a conflict of interest. Will they stop making partisan appointments to the CSIS review committee so that investigations can be completely objective?

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, as I just explained to my colleague, the Security Intelligence Review Committee is an independent committee made up of people with impeccable reputations. Even some former NDPers are members of this committee. That is why I have full confidence in their ability to continue to protect Canadians against potential threats from extremists.

Intergovernmental Affairs

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when asked about her refusal to provide scientific evidence concerning the impact of exploratory drilling in Cacouna on the health of belugas to Quebec's minister of sustainable development, the environment and the fight against climate change, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans responded that she does not want to get involved in a provincial process. She is refusing to share scientific information even though the best marine mammal experts work for the federal government.

How can the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, if this government has one, tolerate such bad federalism? This is detrimental to informed decision-making about the environment and the economy. We have had enough of the federal government's silo approach; we want co-operation.

[Gail Shea, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, the authorization that was granted by the federal government was for minor exploratory work only. Any application for the building of a terminal has not even come forward yet, and when it does it will be subject to the full NEB environmental process.

However, the Quebec court decision has nothing to do with the review conducted by DFO. Quebec conducts its own reviews, under its own laws.

DFO conducted its review and delivered an authorization which was based upon scientific expertise, and under the strictest conditions.

Employment

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

Mr. Speaker, when the human resources minister's predecessor boasted that she had loosened regulations on temporary foreign workers, making it quicker and easier to get workers, we knew that decision was based on no information, and it hurt Canadian workers. Now this minister is trying to clean up her mess, using bad information and hurting Canadian businesses. It is like being on an elevator with no numbers on the button; we just keep pushing to see where we land.

When will the Conservative government admit that it has lost this program, turn it over to a committee of the House for study, and fix this program that is important to both workers and business?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism]

Mr. Speaker, follow the bouncing ball of the Liberal position on this.

First, the Liberal leader lobbied that we overturn a decision so that his favourite restaurant could get low-skilled temporary foreign workers. Then the Liberals voted to completely shut down the low-skilled temporary foreign worker program and the leader said we had to dramatically reduce the numbers coming in. Now we have made some fundamental reforms, and the Liberals are saying that those reforms are hurting businesses. The Liberal position on this is completely incoherent.

Our position is that Canadians should come first and the temporary worker program should be a last and limited resort.

Champlain Bridge

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP has been opposed to a toll on the future Champlain Bridge for a long time now. We are talking about a replacement bridge, not a new bridge. The Liberals are not opposed to the toll.

The entire region is against the toll, yet the solution the Minister of Infrastructure comes up with is to impose more tolls. Well done.

Can the minister at least admit that a toll on the Champlain Bridge would cause traffic problems on the other bridges in Montreal?

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the good news is that there is going to be a new bridge.

A new bridge will be built and the project will create 30,000 jobs in Montreal, Quebec and Canada. That is very good for economic prosperity.

In the meantime, we are staying the course and continuing to move forward with the project, including the toll.

[Hoang Mai, NDP, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today, the Minister of Infrastructure said that he was open to imposing tolls on the federal bridges in Montreal. That would mean tolls on the Champlain Bridge, the Jacques-Cartier Bridge and the Honoré-Mercier Bridge. Once again, the government is making things up as it goes along.

Before even thinking about a toll and running the risk of making a complete mess, why does the minister not sit down with provincial and municipal stakeholders in Quebec and develop a coordinated transportation plan?

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is working closely with the Government of Quebec and all the stakeholders from the south shore and Montreal.

We are staying the course. A new bridge will be built and 30,000 new jobs will be created. All of this will be done on time, and things are even ahead of schedule.

Employment Insurance

[Earl Dreeshen, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, our government recently announced its plan to reduce premiums for small businesses that pay less than $15,000 in total EI payments, with the goal in mind to help stimulate job creation. The Liberals opposing this have come out with their own plan, which is scarce on details.

Can the Minister of Employment and Social Development update this House on what the Liberal plan for employment insurance would mean for Canadian workers and businesses?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question and for supporting lower taxes for small businesses.

The small business job credit recently announced by this government will reduce payroll taxes for over 90% of Canadian businesses by some $550 million over the next couple of years. According to the CFIB, this will help create over 20,000 new jobs.

However, the Liberal plan is to massively increase the cost of the EI program. They have announced a 45-day work year, if members can believe it. Cumulatively, that is $6 billion, or a 33% increase in payroll taxes, a job-killing—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Saint-Maurice—Champlain.

Forestry Industry

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the closure of the Resolute Forest Products mill in Grand-Mère is yet another devastating blow to the industry in Canada.

The Mauricie resource region, which is losing its niche market in the forestry industry, is entitled to expect solutions from the federal government.

Does the minister have any concrete proposals for communities in the Mauricie region that remain powerless as their industrial heritage is destroyed?

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions is working closely with all communities and players to help forestry companies. I can assure members that any suggestions that come in will be assessed on merit.

The Environment

[François Lapointe, NDP, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, scientists who study belugas are worried. They think that we are on the verge of a catastrophe.

This summer alone, biologists in Tadoussac found nine dead belugas, including five babies and pregnant females. This is a big deal for an endangered species with a population under 1,000. As a result, before disturbing the beluga habitat with an oil port project, the government should be cautious and should seek the advice of marine mammal experts. That is the only appropriate approach. The only one.

Why does the minister refuse to let scientists at her own department's science branch speak? Does she have something to hide?

[Gail Shea, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, this decision was made by scientists and was based on science. After DFO conducted its review and delivered the authorization based on scientific expertise, under the strictest conditions, this minor exploratory work was granted. Authorization was granted.

As far as scientists speaking, the House should know that over the last two years, DFO scientists have done over 600 interviews with the media.

Citizenship and Immigration

[John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Komagata Maru arrived in Vancouver harbour in 1914 carrying 376 passengers of Indian descent, most of whom were not allowed to land. After two months under difficult conditions, the ship and most of its passengers were forced to return to India, where in a subsequent clash with British soldiers, 19 passengers died.

Would the Minister of State for Multiculturalism please inform the House about what our government is doing to commemorate and educate Canadians about this tragic event?

[Tim Uppal, Conservative, Minister of State (Multiculturalism)]

Mr. Speaker, the tragic events of the Komagata Maru truly are a regrettable chapter in Canada's immigration history. Our Prime Minister is the first prime minister in Canadian history to apologize on behalf of Canadians for that tragedy.

Further to that, Canada Post released an historic stamp earlier this year. We funded multimedia education materials. We funded a permanent monument in Vancouver, a museum to further educate Canadians, and a great exhibit, called “Lions of the Sea”, which will be going right across the country. I encourage Canadians to visit it when it is in their part of the country.

While the opposition plays politics with this issue, we are working to educate Canadians.

Northern Economic Development

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Northwest Territories, NT]

Mr. Speaker, the call for the expression of interest for the northern greenhouse initiative opened less than a month ago. Projects to increase food security in the north should be a priority, but many communities, farmers, and individuals are not aware of the program or that the call for the expression of interest is open, let alone that it closes tomorrow.

Will the minister consider extending the deadline and ensuring that all those concerned, northerners included, are aware of this program?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, the program was announced in the Northwest Territories over the summer tour. The information is available online. Information is available through the NRCan website.