Debates of Feb. 4th, 2015

Public Safety

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs for being such a great resource. They make sure that, on the advisory council associated with the transportation of dangerous goods, they give the input that is needed.

We work very closely with firefighters and fire chiefs to ensure that they have the information and the ability to inform the people they work with of the dangers associated with the transportation of dangerous goods. We will continue to work with them, we value their advice, and we will make sure that we keep them as safe as we can.

Transport

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as a city councillor and MP, I have been advocating for a new border crossing for the Windsor-Detroit corridor. This is crucial for the economy and prosperity of both Canada and the united States, but the current government has negotiated such a poor deal, Canada has to front nearly $1 billion and pay for both countries. Despite a U.S. federal budget of roughly $3.5 trillion, the Conservatives could not even get the United States to pay for their own customs plaza, leaving it all up to Canadians.

This is more ongoing infrastructure incompetence. How did it come to this?

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, if the member actually wants to support the Detroit River International Crossing, he should try voting for it for once in the house. We have put forward appropriation after appropriation to make this project a reality, to create 10,000 construction jobs, to use Canadian steel in this project, and the member has stood every time to oppose it.

He should get on board and should be ashamed of his record.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud of my record, because I voted against bad budgets that left Canadians behind.

The government is making it up as it goes along. The member said, “We're not building a U.S. customs plaza”. Those are his own words—he can eat them now.

The Prime Minister's press release said that the U.S. plaza is “...the responsibility of the U.S. government.”

Since Canadians have become the sole financier of the project, will the minister come clean and tell Canadians how this will affect tolls. Will Canadians get their money back with interest, and how long will that take?

[Jeff Watson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the member knows that discussions continue with our American partners on their investment in this border crossing.

But make no mistake about it. In response to every single budget we have put forward with investments to create 10,000 construction jobs, to move the auto industry forward, to ensure that the steel industry gets its steel used in this particular project, everything supporting support jobs and growth in Windsor, that member has voted against. He should be ashamed and voters will tell him so in the next election.

Foreign Affairs

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister responsible for foreign affairs.

Ukraine is currently facing significant challenges and requires continued international support. Has the government discussed with the United States or our allies about whether further military support for Ukraine is in fact required?

[David Anderson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, Canada supports the ambitions of Ukrainians for a free, democratic and prosperous country. We have been supporting them in these efforts.

We have imposed a broad range of political and economic sanctions, pledging support to help Ukraine stabilize its economy and to promote economic and social development. We have been providing non-lethal security assistance and training for members of the Ukrainian military.

Canadian Heritage

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, whether flying over a school or a town hall, an embassy abroad or a Canadian Forces base, Canada's flag and the maple leaf are recognized worldwide as the distinctive symbols of Canada's sovereignty and are a source of pride to Canadians.

As we prepare for the upcoming 50th anniversary of our flag, I stand among numerous members who have been active in promoting, in a non-partisan manner, the fundamental role the maple leaf plays in our history.

Would the government inform members of the House of its plans for the promotion of our pennant's upcoming 50th anniversary?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, please allow me to thank the member for his devotion to this very important event.

The 50th anniversary of the national flag of Canada will be celebrated across the country. We will have flag-raising ceremonies in schools in municipalities across the country. The Royal Canadian Mint will be introducing a collectible coin and Canada Post will be introducing special stamps.

We have also partnered with great organizations, like the Girl Guides of Canada, Scouts Canada and the Royal Canadian Legion, to promote this milestone to thousands of Canadians. There is a CFL partnership coming. There is more to come.

I hope everyone will celebrate the flag and celebrate who we are as Canadians.

Canada Post

[Marc-André Morin, NDP, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, is there anyone responsible for Canada Post in the House?

In mid-December, the municipality of Lac-Saint-Paul lost its post office. A municipal councillor has to travel 16 kilometres back and forth every day to get the municipal mail. His neighbour gets his mail from a community mailbox located at the end of a logging road. Every time he gets out of his vehicle in his wheelchair, he is worried that a loaded truck will come by.

Does the minister believe that the mail delivers itself, just like the Liberals believe that budgets balance themselves?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in the House, Canada Post is an arm's-length independent crown corporation, with the responsibility to ensure it operates on a self-sufficiency basis. In doing so, it needs to ensure that it makes up for the loss of revenues associated with simply fewer letters being delivered in Canada.

As a result, it has a five-point plan. In this five-point plan, it is taking action to ensure that, in the future, Canada Post will be there to serve our needs.

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

Mr. Speaker, Canada Post informed my office of a so-called information campaign for the people of my riding who will be getting the new community mailboxes on their property.

However, Canada Post refuses to provide the list of chosen locations and, worse yet, is not taking the time to consult the property owners. This lack of transparency and real consultation is Canada Post's trademark.

Why is the minister allowing Canada Post to act without consulting the people who are being forced to accommodate a community mailbox on their property?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, my understanding from Canada Post is that, indeed, it is consulting with Canadians across Canada.

However, I would like to take the rest of this opportunity to point out that perhaps the NDP members should consult with taxpayers about whether they plan on paying back the money that they used in their budgets.

National Defence

[Corneliu Chisu, Conservative, Pickering—Scarborough East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, on the occasion of the 71st anniversary of the Devil's Brigade joining the allied offensive during the Second World War in Anzio, Italy, the legendary joint Canadian-American special elite unit was honoured by our neighbours in Washington, D.C.

Could the Minister of Veterans Affairs please comment on this important event?

[Erin O'Toole, Minister of Veterans Affairs, CPC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from the Durham region for his service in the Canadian Forces. He is the only Afghan veteran in the House.

Two years ago, the Minister of Justice, the then minister of national defence, presented the award for operational excellence to veterans of the Devil's Brigade. He was joined by the Prime Minister in that ceremony.

Yesterday, I was honoured to join Canadian veterans from the Devil's Brigade, and their families, when they received the Congressional Gold Medal for their brave service to democracy and freedom.

While only a few MPs could attend the ceremony, I know all MPs join me in thanking Canada's legendary Devil's Brigade.

Canadian Coast Guard

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Mr. Speaker, recently there was a large public protest in the town in the Twillingate in my riding, demanding the removal of oil from the sunken ship known as the Manolis L.

Currently, the Coast Guard has a temporary measure in place called a cofferdam. It is calling it, so far, effective, and that is all it plans to do.

However, in 2013, the Coast Guard removed oil from a sunken ship off the coast of British Columbia, and here is what it said at the time, “paying the lump sum to be rid of the problem was a better solution than paying for multiple temporary fixes over time”.

Would the minister finally, please, pay the lump sum, get rid of that oil and save our shores off the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland?

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

Mr. Speaker, the top priority of the Canadian Coast Guard is protection of our marine environment, and also the safety of those at sea.

In December, the Coast Guard did its planned maintenance on the cofferdam of the Manolis L. It inspected the hull, which is in good condition. No oil has been detected since that time.

Further, I have instructed our officials to review long-term options for the Manolis L.

Health

[Raymond Côté, NDP, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the so-called mitigation measures at the Port of Québec are not working.

A new sample analysis to measure the quantity of nickel in the air in Limoilou was released in January. This analysis shows that air quality has deteriorated. The standard was exceeded one out of every five days. That is unacceptable.

What does the Minister of Transport plan to do to protect the people of Quebec City and ensure that Quebec Stevedoring complies with air quality standards?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that the port of Quebec, which is arm's-length from the government, is working with its tenants to ensure that it is operating in a way that is sensitive to the environment around it.

I know it meets with its tenants. I know it meets with the community on these issues. I encourage it to continue to do so.

Regional Development

[Ryan Leef, Conservative, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, my constituents have been clear that they cannot afford another tax hike.

Recently we heard from the minister about the impact that carbon tax would have on the live of northerners, who already have a high cost of living.

Could the Minister of the Environment update the House on any strategic investments that we will make in the north that will help improve the quality of life for northerners?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, every year our government has made important investments in the north that have improved infrastructure, health care services and broadband services, and the NDP has voted against all these measures.

The Liberal leader recently told northern media that our government had focused too much on improving infrastructure in the north.

I am proud to be part of a government that stands up for northerners and would not impose a carbon tax that would raise the price of things like food, hunting supplies, fuel and so on.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, processing times for sponsorship applications made from inside Canada continue to increase. A woman from Hull—Aylmer submitted an application to sponsor her husband in September 2013.

We have been contacting the minister's office since April 2014. Every time we get the same response: “Next month, madam”. The problem is that the next month the processing time is pushed forward again.

What explanation does the minister have for the fact that it takes three times longer to process an inland application than an outland application?

[Chris Alexander, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, since coming to power in 2006, our government has made a great deal of progress in clearing up all our backlogs, including the backlog in the sponsorship program.

In December, our government announced a new initiative to expedite the processing of work permits. We have already issued 3,000 this year. That is a lot. Applications are processed much more quickly. People who are waiting for their application to be processed can work in Canada. The satisfaction rate among parents and spouses is rising.

Infrastructure

[Jean-François Fortin, Forces et Démocratie, Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when the provincial premiers met in Ottawa last week, they reiterated that it is critically important for the federal government to invest in infrastructure. They described this issue as key to economic growth.

I had the opportunity to meet with the Minister of Infrastructure several times regarding extending the runway at the Mont-Joli regional airport. Quite frankly, the minister always demonstrated a good understanding of this issue and its strategic importance for the region.

Is the government preparing to make a good-news announcement?

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

Mr. Speaker, our government has made record investments in infrastructure. The new building Canada plan was open for business just last March. In less than a year, projects representing approximately $5 billion have already been identified for funding under the new building Canada plan.

We look forward to working with municipal, provincial and territorial partners, as we continue to renew infrastructure and create jobs and prosperity in our country.