House of Commons Hansard #181 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was statistics.
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Mr. Speaker, just when Alberta and Canada could use an economic boost, the Prime Minister cancels a meeting with the president because he knows that the president will ask him about our ever-increasing GHG emissions. He should know that the president is also a serious basketball player. The PM lined up with a dysfunctional team of climate change deniers in Congress and the president dunked them both.
Is that what the Conservative Party means by an economic action plan?
Colin Carrie ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons from the Liberal Party as far as greenhouse gases. Under its watch, greenhouse gas emissions increased over 30%, 130 megatonnes.
Our government's record is clear. We have taken decisive action on the environment while protecting our economy. Under our watch since 2005, we have seen that greenhouse gases have decreased 5.1% while the economy has grown 10.6%.
On that side of the House, that member and his party are supporting the NDP climate change bill that would decrease greenhouse gas emissions 80%, which means it would shut down the oil and gas sector, the transportation sector, the—
Matthew Kellway NDP Beaches—East York, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative plan for ending door-to-door mail delivery has been a disaster. Residents are plagued by thefts and snow-covered and frozen community mailboxes. Cities are stuck with the costs. Hundreds of cities right across this country, big and small, including my own City of Toronto, have called upon the government to abandon this plan, and now postal workers have launched a court challenge. Montreal says it will join that lawsuit.
When will the Conservatives abandon this plan and restore door-to-door mail delivery?
Jeff Watson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, the plan is Canada Post's five-point plan. It is an independent crown corporation. It is dealing with a situation where it delivered 1.2 billion fewer pieces of mail in 2013 than it did just in 2006. The member also well knows that two-thirds of Canadians currently do not receive door-to-door delivery.
We expect Canada Post to operate on a financially self-sustaining basis, as is the law. We expect nothing less than that.
Denis Blanchette NDP Louis-Hébert, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Union des municipalités du Québec, which represents 300 municipalities, is considering going to court to contest the end of door-to-door mail delivery and the installation of community mailboxes. Mayors are sick and tired of the government cavalierly taking action without consulting them.
Will the government listen to reason and restore door-to-door mail delivery?
Jeff Watson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, Canada Post delivered 1.2 billion fewer pieces of mail in 2013 than it did in 2006. Two-thirds of Canadians do not receive their mail at home. Canada Post has to balance its budget without burdening taxpayers. We expect nothing less than that.
Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet NDP Hochelaga, QC
Mr. Speaker, the end of door-to-door mail delivery and the installation of community mailboxes is a real nightmare for municipalities.
The mayor of Montreal is even getting ready to challenge Canada Post's plans in court. He is condemning the crown corporation's cavalier and ludicrous attitude and is demanding that the Conservative government impose a moratorium immediately.
Will the government finally listen to citizens and local elected representatives and restore door-to-door mail delivery?
Jeff Watson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, Canada Post, an independent crown corporation, is responsible for its own operations, which include its commercial and financial decisions. Canadians are choosing means other than letters to communicate with each other. Because of the drop in demand, the volume of mail has plunged by nearly 25% since 2008, and the trend is steady.
The Conference Board of Canada expects Canada Post to lose about $1 billion per year between now and 2020.
Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet NDP Hochelaga, QC
Mr. Speaker, if the Conservatives had taken the time to consult people and municipalities beforehand, we would not be where we are today. Deployment of community mailboxes is really being messed up, and Canada Post is not keeping its promises. Nobody is clearing snow off the boxes, they are being covered in graffiti, and papers are lying around all over the place.
People are not happy, businesses are not happy, and municipalities are not happy.
What will it take for the government to put an end to Canada Post's nonsense?
Jeff Watson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, Canada Post has a responsibility, obviously, in the conversion of community mailboxes, to be doing its consultations with communities as well as to be taking the important measures to ensure that the areas in front of community mailboxes are kept clear. We expect it to hold to its responsibilities.
David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
Mr. Speaker, following the tragic attacks here in Ottawa last year as well as in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, we are reminded of the magnitude of the threat that terrorism poses to us and all Canadians. Today the international Financial Action Task Force that combats terrorist financing has announced that it will be pressuring governments that are failing to combat the flow of cash to the ISIL death cult.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance please update the House on the steps the government has taken to combat terrorist financing in Canada?
Andrew Saxton ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, since elected, our government has taken numerous steps to combat terrorist financing. This includes strengthening FINTRAC's ability to disclose threats to Canadian law enforcement agencies. We are pleased that the international Financial Action Task Force has endorsed our government's anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing regime. Canadians should remain vigilant and always report any suspicious activities to police immediately.
The NDP and the Liberals have voted against our efforts to combat terrorist financing. We call on them to start supporting our efforts to protect Canadians.
Ruth Ellen Brosseau NDP Berthier—Maskinongé, QC
Mr. Speaker, since 2002, Mauricie's manufacturing sector has lost 50% of its workforce. That means 12,000 fewer jobs in Mauricie. In 2014, Trois-Rivières was Canada's only metropolitan area whose GDP dropped.
Mauricie needs investments and economic diversification, but instead, this government cut EDC's budget for the Quebec economic development program by 27%.
Why is this government abandoning the people in my riding?
Jacques Gourde ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec is working with economic players from Quebec and every region to diversity the economy in all regions of Quebec. We are there. The agency receives applications from many regions and they are all examined based on merit. We invite the Mauricie region to send its own applications to the regional office.
Dany Morin NDP Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC
Mr. Speaker, over the past nine years, 400,000 well-paying jobs have been lost in the manufacturing sector. That is the reality.
The Conservatives have abandoned middle-class families and instead are helping the richest 15% in Canada.
The Quebec economic development program has been cut by $13 million. That is the number: $13 million less to invest in developing our communities.
Will the minister do something besides pose for photo ops and really work on diversifying Quebec's economy?
Jacques Gourde ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, since 2006, the Economic Development Agency of Canada has invested more than $1 billion in all regions of Quebec. We are present throughout Quebec, with 14 regional offices, and we will continue working on developing Quebec's economy as a whole.
François Lapointe NDP Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Mr. Speaker, enough with the completely lame answers. That makes no sense.
Not only has the Quebec economic development program lost 27% of its funding, but the business development program of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario has lost 15% of its funding.
The government must understand that it has a very poor economic track record. Last year the Lower St. Lawrence lost 14,000 jobs in the retail sector alone. It seems that the government wants to make things worse with these cuts.
Does the minister realize that our regions need help and that these cuts will result in job losses for families and the middle class?
Jacques Gourde ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the Economic Development Agency of Canada has a presence in every Quebec region. I invite the opposition member to work on the economic development of his own region. That would perhaps improve his region's situation.
Anne-Marie Day NDP Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Canadian Heritage was delighted with the progress made on official languages. The reality is that French television programming outside Quebec is steadily disappearing.
Even the Montreal Canadiens hockey games are no longer available to francophones across Canada. That is a source of concern for the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne.
Will the minister support our request that a committee study Canada's television programming and respect the rights of francophone minorities?
Jacques Gourde ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Standing Committee on Official Languages received a request from the NDP to study this situation, and we will study the request in order to determine whether we will proceed.
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
Mr. Speaker, we know that Marine Atlantic's 2015 corporate plan has not yet been approved by cabinet, but until then, the crown corporation's operating budget is very uncertain. The company has said that there is absolutely no doubt that cabinet will approve its five-year plan before the delivery of the Minister of Finance's budget, and full details of their funding will be available this spring.
Will the finance minister confirm that the five-year corporate plan will indeed be approved in this time frame, that more money will be in the budget for Marine Atlantic, and that this funding will be no less than last year's allocation?
Jeff Watson ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, obviously, budgets wait until budgets are actually revealed, but what I can tell the member is that this government has made substantial investments in Marine Atlantic. It has done so on a major capital program, which is just winding up, and we continue to ensure that it has the operational funding it needs to deliver its quality service to Atlantic Canadians.
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Mr. Speaker, why is the government treating the regions in Quebec however it pleases instead of according to fair criteria?
It is funding a natural gas network in Thetford Mines, which is good, but it is refusing to do the same in Lévis-Bellechasse. The Coalition gaz naturel Bellechasse did a good job bringing together the municipalities, chambers of commerce, local development centres and RCMs around an exciting project.
Why are the Conservatives taking such an arbitrary approach to our regions?
Kelly Block ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, liquefied natural gas has the potential to diversify our markets, an energy product offering in energy markets, creating jobs and economic growth for Canadians.
Our responsible resource development plan includes a world-class independent regulatory process that makes decisions based on science and facts, provides for clearer timelines, and reduces duplication to strengthen investor confidence in energy projects. That said, decisions respecting the development of liquefied natural gas rest primarily with the province, and we respect its jurisdiction.
