Debates of April 20th, 2015

Ethics

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I am very surprised to be getting a question about expenses from that particular member of Parliament. Really? Honestly, this is coming from a party that has $40 million outstanding. Some of those members there I know had some issues with respect to their living allowances and were ordered to pay back hundreds of thousands of dollars. I am not sure what member that might have been over there, but I am sure he will investigate that.

Of course, we do not comment on things before the court. Taxpayers did not pay any of these expenses.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Malpeque. I know that he will want his supplementary question to touch on the administrative areas of government, so I will give him the floor now.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I guess that we are not getting any answers on whether or not the Prime Minister and the government are paying for the makeup of the Prime Minister, but this goes to the Prime Minister's judgement.

First, he appointed Mike Duffy, calling him “one of my best, hardest working appointments ever”. Under the Prime Minister's watch, his closest staff paid $90,000 in hush money to a sitting senator and then covered it up, but only after the Prime Minister said that they were good to go.

The crown attorney has said that this man should not have been appointed from P.E.I. Why was he—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. parliamentary secretary.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the constitutional practice on this has been clear for over 150 years.

Back to the topic, of course, of expenses and makeup, I would suggest that he turn around and look at the Liberal member of Parliament for, I think it is Mississauga—Brampton South, who was accused of charging taxpayers for makeup expenses during a campaign. Of course, that party is littered with individuals who have been forced to repay. There are still members in that caucus who have not even paid their campaign debt.

They are given—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. We seem to have drifted a little way off from the administrative area of government, but I see the hon. member for Northwest Territories rising. I am quite confident that he will bring us back to what question period is about.

National Defence

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Northwest Territories, NT]

Mr. Speaker, a report by the chaplain for Joint Task Force North shows that there have been a significant number of deaths of Rangers and junior rangers over the past three years.

The Rangers shoulder the important burden of protecting our north, carrying out their duty in Canada's harshest environment. Can the minister tell us how many of our brave Rangers have died and what Canadian Forces mental health services are available to our eyes and ears in the north?

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

Mr. Speaker, the government has led efforts in support of the Canadian Rangers, our eyes and ears in the north. The Rangers demographic faces the same health challenges faced by the northern communities they represent. Our government has taken action to provide additional medical resources for Rangers deployed in the north.

Canadian Rangers who are injured during active duty have access to a suite of benefits and services provided by the Canadian Armed Forces, and any other health care needs are the responsibility of the provinces or the territories where they reside. We will continue to support our Rangers in all of their needs.

Northern Development

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Northwest Territories, NT]

Mr. Speaker, the Rangers need action, not words.

During the Conservatives' turn at the helm of the Arctic Council, they moved away from its mandate of research, environmental protection, and co-operation to one of resource exploitation and confrontation with our Arctic neighbours. The Conservatives' failed domestic northern strategy has resulted in less food security, a higher cost of living, and the trampling of aboriginal rights.

When is the government going to bring in policies that actually support northerners and not just make a few large southern companies rich?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to hosting the Arctic Council ministerial meeting this Friday in Iqaluit.

The member opposite issued a statement that misrepresents the economic situation in the north. Each year between 2010 and 2013, both the economy and the number of jobs across the north increased, and growth was supported by the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency in more than 900 projects that created jobs and opportunities for northerners.

In the meantime, the member opposite, from the Northwest Territories, has rejected important projects that would benefit northerners, not just the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway, which supports economic development and opportunities for northerners. This just once again shows how disconnected the member—

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. member for Don Valley East.

Child Care

[Joe Daniel, Conservative, Don Valley East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our government knows that all families have different needs and different dynamics. That is why our universal child care benefit provides support for every single family with a child. Incredibly, the opposition members have attacked the universal child care benefit and have pledged to take it away from families. They just do not get it. They just do not understand how the UCCB is helping families.

To help the opposition members come to their senses, can the Minister of State for Social Development please inform this House how the universal child care benefit is helping families?

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Minister of State (Social Development)]

Mr. Speaker, our government has been listening to Canadian families from every walk of life. As the member for Don Valley East just said, Canadian families have a variety of needs when it comes to child care. That includes families with older children, because older children also bear costs to their families, and it is a cost that we want to help those families with. That is why we have increased and expanded the universal child care benefit to include children between the ages of seven and 17.

We have also doubled the fitness tax credit and have introduced income splitting for families, all the while putting money back into the pockets of Canadian hard-working families.

National Defence

[Yvonne Jones, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Mr. Speaker, through access to information, the media have uncovered a significant number of deaths of members of both Canadian Rangers and Junior Canadian Rangers, who are the eyes and ears of Canada's military in the north.

While the Prime Minister continues to boast about his trips to the Arctic, he refuses to disclose information on these deaths, to answer critical questions about a lack of instructors on patrol, or even to allow the Canadian Ranger Patrol Groups to speak out. I ask the government, why the gag order on those critical issues surrounding Canada's Rangers?

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

Mr. Speaker, we are in fact the only party in this House that takes our responsibility to the Rangers and our north seriously, and we are acting on it full bore.

Canadian Rangers injured in the line of duty are eligible for benefits and services from the Canadian military. Canadians expect no less.

Of course, we will continue to take action so that the Canadian Armed Forces can defend our territorial sovereignty in the north and count on the Rangers to continue doing the great job they are in fact carrying out for Canadians.

Canadian Heritage

[Annick Papillon, NDP, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Quebec City's files clearly do not move quickly when they are on Conservative ministers' desks. The clock is ticking for the organizers of the 2017 Tall Ships Regatta in Quebec City. If federal funding is not confirmed by the end of the week, this project will sink. There is no way to improvise and extend the deadline once again, as they did for the armoury.

Will the Conservatives finally listen to the demands of the people of Quebec City? Will Quebec City finally see funding for the Tall Ships Regatta in tomorrow's budget?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in the House, our country's 150th anniversary will include all Canadians, including Quebeckers. We have already had discussions with them. As I have already said, we already provided funding for a pilot project for the tall ships in road to 2017.

We will continue to enjoy planning our 2017 celebrations with all Canadians in all provinces and territories.

Health

[David Wilks, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse released findings from its upcoming report on marijuana use. This timely release confirms once again that smoking pot is directly linked to lower IQs and dependency and harms the developing brain. Stats Canada also confirms that our approach to keeping pot out of the hands of kids is working. Over the past decade, usage by teens has dropped by nearly a third.

Can the parliamentary secretary please update the House on our Conservative government's efforts to stop kids from smoking marijuana?

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and for Western Economic Diversification]

Mr. Speaker, marijuana is an illegal drug, and we are learning more and more about the serious and long-term health consequences, so certainly we do not support making access to illegal drugs easier.

The Liberal plan wants to make smoking marijuana an everyday, normalized activity, with it available in stores, like alcohol and cigarettes. That would only have one effect, and that would be to increase the use of marijuana.

Our Conservative government will continue to work to stop kids from smoking marijuana and the associated long-lasting effects it will have.

Marine Transportation

[Bruce Hyer, Green, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, changes to pilotage requirements on the Great Lakes are overdue. Thunder Bay welcomes salties that come thousands of kilometres from around the world, waiting and waiting for a local pilot to go that last kilometre to our grain terminals. Let us facilitate trade not impede it.

My constituents are asking, “Can we get some common sense about pilotage requirements in Thunder Bay and throughout the Great Lakes?”

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, marine pilots are a very important part of our supply chain. They are uniquely qualified to be able to take vessels in Canada through those areas of specific water conditions and ensure they can avoid hazards. As a result, they play an important part.

The Canadian Transportation Act is currently being reviewed by a pre-eminent panel, chaired by David Emerson. It will be looking at the future of transportation in Canada, and I am sure this issue will come to its attention.

Canadian Coast Guard

[Scott Andrews, Independent, Avalon, NL]

Mr. Speaker, recent studies have shown that oil spills are going to happen, even under the best conditions, especially in Placentia Bay.

Last week's tardy response to the oil spill in British Columbia illustrates the serious gaps in Canadian Coast Guard oil response protocols. As the minister is aware, increased oil tankers and low visibility in Placentia Bay makes this region particularly sensitive and high risk from an oil spill, with Coast Guard equipment days away.

Could the minister assure residents of Placentia Bay, Newfoundland that the Coast Guard can ensure a timely and effective response time if an oil spill should occur?

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

Mr. Speaker, the Coast Guard works closely with emergency response companies, which are certified by Transport Canada and they are part of the response regime in Canada both on the west coast and on the east coast. They do have the equipment and the expertise to respond. Response plans encompass many partners and these emergency response organizations are part of that plan.

Consumer Protection

[André Bellavance, Independent, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, an oil cartel ripped off more than a million drivers, most of them in central Quebec and the Eastern Townships, to the tune of $200 million, and now an oil company has been fined $1 million. If not for a complaint from a Victoriaville retailer that refused to participate in price fixing, the Competition Bureau would not have investigated, and charges would not have been laid because the government is refusing to amend the Competition Act.

Will the government finally take action by enabling the competition commissioner to open investigations, by creating a petroleum monitoring agency and, most importantly, by no longer sabotaging the people who are now launching a class action against the oil companies?

[Ed Holder, Conservative, Minister of State (Science and Technology)]

Mr. Speaker, our government took action by passing a new law that makes gas pump inspections mandatory. When Canadian families fill up their tanks, they expect to get what they paid for.

That is the answer to the question.