Debates of Jan. 28th, 2015

Employment

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, again the Conservatives are in denial, but the New Democrats have a plan to help Canadian families. The Conservatives' low-wage strategy has meant not only the loss of 400,000 good manufacturing jobs but lost opportunities to create thousands of new ones. Billions of dollars in new product-line investments have just passed us by.

The New Democrats have proposed a concrete plan to attract investments in innovation and create good jobs for Canadians. When will the Conservatives get on board, stop the decline, and invest in the next generation of good middle-class jobs?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, when firms have announced that they are expanding their growth in Canada, like Pratt & Whitney, like Ford, like Chrysler, and like Honda just last week, when it announced that it is expanding its footprint in Canada, they have pointed specifically to the fact that this government has lowered taxes and has made Canada a good place for businesses to come and grow.

It is true that the New Democrats have announced policies. They did once back in September. They did again yesterday. Here is what Dan Kelly of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business said. He said it pointedly, but he said this about the NDP policies. The NDP leader's plan for the economy is “dumb” and “anti-small business”.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there is question after question from the official opposition about when the budget is coming, and we have a Minister of Finance who is riding the bench. With 400,000 lost manufacturing jobs, the Conservatives' response is to deny there is even a problem. With anemic job growth in Canada, the Conservatives' response is to delay their budget, just hoping things get better on their own.

In communities like Thunder Bay, Chicoutimi, London, Toronto, and Montreal, Canadians are losing their jobs, and the response of the Conservatives is to dither away the opportunity to act and to help these families. Delaying, denying, and dithering away their jobs is not helping Canadians. The NDP leader has put forward progressive, concrete proposals. When are the Conservatives going to get on board or get out of the way?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, we believe in ensuring that the Canadian economy is growing. The unemployment rate in this country has gone down from 7.2% to 6.6% from last year to this. Close to 1.2 million net new jobs have been created since the recession. We are partnering and ensuring that we are growing businesses all across this country.

The reality is that the NDP's approach is anti-small business, anti-investment, and it hurts Canadian families. Our approach is going to get results for the Canadian economy, as it has so far, with the best job numbers since the recession. We will continue to go in the right direction in partnership, working to create prosperity for all Canadians.

Foreign Affairs

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is united in support of democratic Ukraine, but Canada's actions must match our rhetoric. Sergey Chemezov is a close friend of Putin's from their days in the KGB and he is now the chief of a leading Russian defence company. He has been sanctioned by the U.S. and Europe, but he is not on Canada's list. Igor Sechin, another member of Putin's inner circle sanctioned by the U.S., is still welcome in Canada too.

Could the Minister of Foreign Affairs explain why these two close Putin comrades are banned by our allies, but not by Canada?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, no government in the world has stood up stronger than Canada in our support of the Ukrainian people. Canadians can be very proud of that leadership.

I will give the facts to the member. In terms of sanctions, Canada has implemented 199 separate sanctions, while the United States has only 127. There is no government in the western world that is standing up against Putin and against his war in Ukraine more than this government and this Prime Minister.

The Economy

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, with plummeting oil prices and stagnant growth, Canadians deserve leadership and certainty. Instead they have a Minister of Finance who dithers and delays the budget.

Yesterday the Parliamentary Budget Office warned, “There is...uncertainty right now...and not having a budget may actually add to that uncertainty.”

Will the government take the PBO's advice and table a budget in February to provide economic certainty to Canadians during this difficult time?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I am so proud of what our government has achieved: lower taxes for four million Canadian families, job creation for almost 1.2 million Canadians, a small business rebate for over 90% of businesses, the largest infrastructure program in Canadian history, growth superior to that of most G7 countries, half the debt compared to G7 countries, and a AAA credit rating.

What does the opposition promise? A 45-day workweek, a $21 billion carbon tax, and a bureaucratic daycare program for less than one-third of Canadians. There is a stark choice for Canadians—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Trinity—Spadina.

Infrastructure

[Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian municipalities are tabling their budgets. The do not have the luxury to duck and cover. Budget time for them is budget time.

Municipalities also do not have something else: they do not have the real infrastructure dollars that were announced by the Minister of Finance. This dithering is causing chaos in town halls across the country. As the government hoards away $2.4 billion for wealthy families and hoards away infrastructure money for five years, cities are left wondering what is coming this year.

The finance minister needs to stop hiding under his desk. He needs to come forward and talk to cities. Will the minister table a budget with infrastructure money for cities today?

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

Mr. Speaker, that is absolutely ridiculous. This Conservative government is making record investments in infrastructure. The new Building Canada plan is the longest and largest infrastructure investment in Canada's history. In addition, over and above that, the Prime Minister announced investments for federally owned infrastructure.

These record investments are creating jobs and prosperity and renewing infrastructure. The opposition will hike taxes, run deficits, and leave a burden of debt to our children and our grandchildren. That is not our approach.

National Defence

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, according to local Kurdish news sources, Canada's Chief of the Defence Staff met with Kurdish military commanders in Erbil this week. The Kurds pressed General Lawson for Canadian armoured fighting vehicles and for closer Canadian involvement in attacks.

Would the Minister of National Defence confirm that this is what happened at the meeting? Also, why are we hearing about this from Kurdish news sources instead of from the minister?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that according to the NDP's security requirements, it wants us to pinpoint exactly where and when our men and women are located and give an update immediately.

In fact, we are in close consultation. We have special forces on the ground. We have provided lethal equipment on behalf of other countries to Iraq and we have provided non-lethal equipment ourselves. We are very much a part of this fight and we are going to continue.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure that the minister understood my colleague's question, which was actually quite simple. Have the Kurds asked for armoured vehicles, yes or no?

Why are we hearing about this from Kurdish news sources instead of from the Prime Minister here, in the House?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we have made it a priority to assist the Kurds and the Iraqis. This is why we are there and this is why the Chief of the Defence Staff was there.

I can indicate to the hon. member that we have sent over non-lethal equipment over the last couple of months. We have sent equipment such as helmets, body armour, logistical support, and vehicles, and we are part of the air strikes that are being conducted out of Kuwait. We are doing our part.

Privacy

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we all support having the Communications Security Establishment closely monitor downloads connected to terrorist activities. However, 10 million to 15 million downloads a day being monitored sounds like an awful lot to me.

Is the government ensuring that Canadians' personal activities are not being monitored—or should I say spied on? How is the government ensuring that Canadians are safe but that their privacy is respected?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, having spent over 40 years on the front lines combatting criminals and terrorists, I am honoured to use my experience to help Canadians who are working hard to safeguard not only our country but also our people.

CSE's foreign signals intelligence plays a vital role in revealing the efforts of foreign terrorists to carry out attacks against Canadians here and abroad. These CSE actions have been sanctioned by the commissioner, who has indicated that its actions are lawful.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, what we are actually expecting is some real oversight of intelligence operations by this Parliament, the kind that the Minister of Justice was in favour of when he was in opposition.

No one is questioning the need to go after those who download terrorism-related material. However, what we are concerned about is the potential that the Communications Security Establishment may again be going beyond its mandate and monitoring Canadians.

Can the Minister of National Defence say categorically that the CSE is not monitoring the domestic activities of Canadians?

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, this government will track all foreign-based threats that pose a risk to Canadians. In accordance with the law, data collection is focused on foreign entities to protect Canadians against terrorism and cyberattacks.

The CSE commissioner has found that all of CSE's activities are within the confines of the law and within the authorities provided to it. Canadians expect us to do no less, and we will continue doing so.

Foreign Affairs

[Ted Opitz, Conservative, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, since the onset of the crisis in Ukraine, Canada has stood proudly and firmly with the Ukrainian people. Our Conservative government has implemented tough economic sanctions against those responsible, we have sent record numbers of observers to recent elections in Ukraine, and we are participating in NATO's reassurance mission.

Would the Prime Minister please update this House on Canada's latest efforts to support Ukraine?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Etobicoke Centre for his question and for his ongoing interest in and commitment to this particular issue.

Today the government announced additional support to assist Ukraine as it works to rebuild itself into a prosperous country, free from Russian aggression.

This additional support will assist Ukraine's newly elected government to stabilize the economy and stimulate sustainable growth.

We will continue to condemn the ongoing military aggression by the Putin regime, which is solely responsible for the violence and disruption.

Public Works and Government Services

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, last week a federal panel ruled that for tax purposes the Halifax Citadel was worth $41.2 million. Well, that is $37 million more than what the Minister of Public Works and Government Services proposed, and get this: she also argued that the Citadel site itself was worth $10.

This whole situation is absurd. Halifax has been waiting for decades. The Conservatives have stalled and delayed and made incredible claims and started expensive court battles.

Will the Minister of Public Works and Government Services finally give up the games and pay Halifax a fair price, the price it deserves?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to ensuring that municipalities do receive fair compensation for federal properties in their jurisdiction.

In this particular case, the dispute advisory panel has examined the situation. The panel is in place to provide unbiased advice to the government over the calculation of the payment. I have just recently received its report; I will be looking at it, and a decision will be made in due course.

[Matthew Dubé, NDP, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

Mr. Speaker, municipalities have had enough. For decades, they have been up against a brick wall known as the federal government. The federal government assesses its own property, and the allegedly independent group of experts, who answer directly to the minister, is made up of officials from the minister's own department.

The federal government underestimates the value of Fort Chambly and the canal by $16 million. The people of Chambly are losing out on $270,000 a year.

Will the government finally acknowledge that the process has become cumbersome after 20 or 30 years? It makes no sense for the government to be judge and jury. We need to improve this process.

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that municipalities receive fair compensation for federal government properties in their jurisdiction.

An independent advisory panel is examining each case and advising us. It is still up to us to look at what is proposed and to make a good decision.