Debates of Feb. 19th, 2015

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, I do not think the majority of Canadians are going to take the word of the NDP that these measures will not work. In fact, some of these important and practical measures, including the ability of our security forces, include authorities to take these practical actions to prevent radicalization. By that, I mean the ability to take material down, to take material off the websites and off the Internet that can be very instrumental in radicalization.

Those steps, along with many others included in this array of security measures, including the outreach necessary, are there to see that Canadians understand that this government and this Parliament are working in their best interests.

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

Mr. Speaker, the scope of Bill C-51 is far too broad and provides far too many new powers for CSIS.

The Minister of Public Safety has yet to give a single example of the types of activities CSIS could carry out in order to disrupt threats. Experts believe that this could include activities such as spreading incorrect information about a group or individual.

Could the minister tell us whether this is actually the case?

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

Mr. Speaker, I can confirm what the Minister of Public Safety has said, along with the Prime Minister and others, that throughout this process there will be ample opportunity to go into the details. What I can confirm is that our security forces will have better ability to protect Canadians in targeted and practical ways, with oversight and the ability of judges to examine the types of activities that take place, as well as the oversight of the civilian SIRC, which is also there to ensure they that are complying with the law. Throughout this process we will continue to reach out and speak to Canadians and seek their input.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is getting increasingly difficult for us to believe that the government will properly oversee security agencies.

When the RCMP produces a report referring to activists as people who claim that climate change is the main threat to the environment and that it is apparently connected to fossil fuels, it is really difficult to take them seriously.

Does the minister think that it is the RCMP's job to play with etymology to look into the causes of climate change?

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

Mr. Speaker, that is where the hon. member is missing the important element of judicial oversight and judicial input into decisions when they are seeking warrants and certain detentions. As I have already explained to the leader of her party, there are exemptions with respect to the activity of Canada's security forces, which will not target lawful advocacy, protest, dissent, or artistic expression. Those types of activities will not be the target of RCMP or CSIS activities.

Social Development

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

Mr. Speaker, the Social Security Tribunal of Canada still has a backlog of 14,000 files. Yes, you heard me correctly. I said 14,000.

Some of those files concern Canadians who are seriously ill or are having financial difficulties. They are desperately waiting for their files to be processed. There is a fast-track procedure for them, but most of the time the Conservatives refuse to process those claims.

Is the minister counting on complainants giving up or dying in order to shorten his waiting list?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Not at all, Mr. Speaker.

The plan that my predecessor put in place encourages departmental staff to review each of the appeals and settle them so that they do not need to go before the tribunal. That will help us reduce and eliminate the long-term waiting list before the end of the summer.

We will therefore continue working with our departmental employees to complete this task.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

More delays, Mr. Speaker, while more than 14,000 Canadians are currently waiting for a Social Security Tribunal hearing. Wait times for some cases are more than seven years. We can only assume that the Conservatives are hoping that people will give up before they ever get benefits. The tribunal has refused the vast majority of requests for an expedited hearing. This is blatant incompetence, and Canadians are paying the price.

Why did the Conservatives set up such a bad process for this tribunal?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, the member does not accurately describe the plan that we are implementing to eliminate the backlog. The plan is for experts within the department to take a second look at the cases that are currently under appeal to ascertain if there is new information that might help us settle those cases. When these are settled, then they will not need to go before the tribunal, which would save time. Our goal is to eliminate that backlog by the summer. I spoke to my officials this week on this very subject and they confirmed that we are on track to achieve that goal.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we have seen how the Conservatives deal with backlogs, by wiping them out while ignoring the rights of the people affected by the backlogs.

The Conservatives have done everything they can to delay, deny, and discourage Canadians who are waiting to get benefits. How do we know this new process would not be another Conservative whitewash so they can deny people's benefits even faster?

What assurances can the minister give Canadians that they will get due process and a fair decision at these tribunals?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, the hope is that many of them would not have to get to the tribunal at all, because they could be settled before they even go there.

However, for those whom we fail to reach a settlement with, they would continue to have the right to go through the general, and, if necessary, the appeal, division of this quasi-judicial body that is the tribunal. All the rights they currently have would be upheld; the only difference is that we are working with experts in the department to settle these cases as quickly as possible, where possible.

Employment

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

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives create a massive backlog and then want credit for pretending to even help clean up the mess they created.

It is also like this when it comes to the economy, an economy that is hemorrhaging jobs in the energy sector, the service sector, and the retail sector.

It has been weeks since the current finance minister even answered a single question in the House of Commons, and the Conservatives' answer to a struggling economy is to deny there is a problem; delay any action by not bringing in a budget; and desperately hope the problem will simply go away on its own. Trying to change the channel on this issue will not help the almost 1.3 million Canadians who are out of a job.

When are we finally going to see the current finance minister get off the bench and bring in a plan to help Canadians get back to work?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, we have a plan. It is called the low-tax plan for jobs and growth. The facts are in: it is working. We have 1.2 million net new jobs. I hear the Liberals claim that they are part-time jobs. In fact, 80% of them are full-time jobs; 80% of them are in the private sector; and 60% of them are in high-wage industries.

The reality is that on this side, we know that when we cut taxes and give job creators a chance to move ahead, they hire more people and create more jobs. The NDP and the Liberals would raise taxes, destabilize our economy, and kill jobs. We will not let them.

Taxation

[Pierre Dionne Labelle, NDP, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are saying that they do not have any money for the middle class. If everyone did his or her part, there would be money. The money is there.

Just before Christmas, the Royal Bank of Canada was caught red-handed by the Americans for orchestrating a transfer of funds to tax havens. The American government recovered $35 million.

Did the minister at least even try to recover the amounts that are owed to the Crown? How does she explain the fact that the white-collar criminal who devised this strategy is still working for the Royal Bank of Canada?

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, our government has a strong record of combatting tax evasion and getting tough on tax cheats, including obtaining information from our international partners on Canadians with offshore assets. Since forming government, we have introduced over 85 measures to improve the integrity of the tax system. Shamefully, the NDP and Liberals have voted against every single one of those measures.

This government stands up for taxpayers. We have zero tolerance for tax evasion. We are actively working on all of these files.

National Defence

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today the respected Conference of Defence Associations released a damning report on the Conservative government's mismanagement and budget cuts to National Defence. The report states:

The reality is that we are entering a period of continued decline, diminished [Canadian Armed Forces'] capabilities and capacities, less training and lower output, with consequently reduced influence on the world stage and weakened contribution to our own security, domestic and international.

Why are the Conservatives so undermining the Canadian Armed Forces? Why are they still pretending they support them?

[James Bezan, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, it is very rich for the Liberals to try to preach that we have not spent enough on our Armed Forces when they oversaw a decade of darkness that gutted our armed forces. They could not make one single purchase. All they ever did was cancel helicopter contracts.

We are replacing all of our equipment. We have upgraded. We have new C-17s. We have new Chinook helicopters. We have new, upgraded frigates. We have the national shipbuilding program. We are giving the tools, the equipment, and the resources to our members of the Canadian Armed Forces they need to do the job.

Foreign Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, for three years, the former minister of foreign affairs quietly postponed the approved plan to invest in embassy security. It is disturbing to learn that improvements to ensure the security of official residences in Islamabad, Kabul and Port-au-Prince were not made, thus endangering our diplomatic staff. It looks like that spending was postponed to help the government show a budget surplus for this election year.

Why is the government jeopardizing the security of our Canadian diplomats?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. The safety and security of our diplomats abroad is my foremost priority as foreign minister.

To suggest that we are compromising security at our missions in order to cut costs is, quite frankly, false and offensive. Every single cent allocated by cabinet and Parliament is available to meet the security needs of our diplomats, and we will continue to spend whatever is necessary to keep them safe.

Public Safety

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice said earlier that SIRC provides oversight in this new bill. He knows that is not accurate. The members on the Security Intelligence Review Committee themselves said they do not provide oversight, but review.

Yet, the Minister of Justice, in 2004 signed onto an all-party report calling for parliamentary oversight, like our democratic partners have, the U.K., United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Whatever happened to the minister's interest in balancing security and civil liberties with strong parliamentary oversight? Why is he not with us on that today?

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

Mr. Speaker, through the hyperventilation and rhetoric of the member, I heard a question that pertained to the oversight and work of SIRC.

Yes, indeed, there were recommendations that came from a Parliament over 10 years ago. If memory serves me right, there was a period of time, albeit a difficult time for the country, when the member himself was the solicitor general of Canada. If I am correct in saying so, he and his government rejected that recommendation for further parliamentary oversight, and so hypocrisy knows no bounds with the member opposite.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the safety of first nations is at stake. First nations like Makwa Sahgaiehcan were left with no fire protection services, which cost the lives of two children. First nations and Canadians across this country have been moved by this tragedy and want action from the federal government. However, instead of stepping up, the minister chooses to blame everyone else.

This cannot happen again. What will the minister do to ensure that this kind of tragedy not only does not happen but that first nations will have the kind of services and equipment they need and deserve in their communities?

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

Mr. Speaker, these deaths are a tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family of the victims. As we speak, the RCMP is investigating the events that led to this tragedy.

I want to assure the House and Canadians that this particular band has received consistent funding for fire protection services over the years. As a matter of fact, the Government of Canada provides first nations across the country with funds every year for fire protection. Each band council is responsible for fire management and protection on reserve.

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is the responsibility of the government to protect and ensure the safety of all its citizens, no matter where they live.

People who live on reserves in Canada are 10 times more likely to die in a fire, but what is the irresponsible minister doing? He is avoiding our questions.

Does he think it is okay for children to be dying in fires in Canada in 2015 while adults argue over a bill?

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

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member that it is not okay at all, especially considering that first nations get money every year to look after fire protection.

As I said earlier, the RCMP is investigating what happened in that particular case, and we will see what conclusions it draws. However, one thing is for sure: that community, like all others in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and across the country, receives adequate funding every year to look after fire protection.