Debates of April 27th, 2015

Public Safety

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there is a new member of the growing coalition of Canadians telling Conservatives and Liberals not to pass Bill C-51. That is the high-tech business community. This is an absolutely critical sector of our economy, and now high-tech entrepreneurs and CEOs say this dangerously vague legislation would make it harder to attract and grow businesses like theirs in Canada.

After so many concerns from so many people, how can the Minister of Public Safety still claim that passing Bill C-51 is a good idea?

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, the member seems to forget that Canada has been targeted by the international jihadi movement, that on October 20 there was a terrorist attack in Quebec, and there was a terrorist attack here on October 22. The least that Canadians are expecting from their politicians is to take action. That is what this government is doing.

That is why is I am so proud of being a Conservative member. Conservatives are not only investing in our police forces to keep Canadians safe but are also giving them the tools. Canadians can count on us to keep on doing so.

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

Mr. Speaker, Christianne Boudreau, whose son died in Syria and who is now trying to prevent the radicalization of young people, believes that Bill C-51 will only make matters worse.

Business leaders in the high tech industry also fear the disastrous consequences of this bill. Bill C-51 undermines Canada's global reputation as an open, tolerant business environment

Why, then, is the minister going ahead with a bill that nobody wants?

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, the New Democrats have opposed every measure our government has introduced to combat terrorism. They even opposed our counterterrorism strategy.

Raheel Raza, president of the Council for Muslims Facing Tomorrow, has said that this legislation is important in the fight against radicalization.

We need tools to track terrorists who travel abroad, and that is what Bill C-51 does.

I hope the NDP will finally wake up and support this bill.

The Environment

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's chairmanship of the Arctic Council will certainly not be fondly remembered. That is unfortunate because the Conservatives lost another opportunity to show leadership on the world stage and on environmental issues.

For his part, the U.S. Secretary of State, who will be the chair for two years, did not waste any time and stated that the fight against climate change is his priority.

Will the minister actively support the U.S. agenda?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, under Canada's leadership, we held a mental wellness symposium, the first of its kind, and we also promoted aboriginal traditional knowledge and the traditional way of life. We created an action plan to prevent marine oil pollution in the Arctic. We also developed a framework to fight and reduce climate pollutants, like black carbon and methane.

Under Canada's leadership, we also established the Arctic Economic Council, which is promoting business opportunities, trade, and investment in the north.

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Northwest Territories, NT]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, Canada's out-of-step business agenda in the Arctic Council was an international embarrassment. The very moment the United States took over the council chairmanship, the agenda shifted, rightly, back to the urgent issue of climate change. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said, “This is not a future challenge. This is happening right now.”

Why did the government waste a critical opportunity to work with the Arctic nations to address climate change for the whole two years of its chairmanship?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, under Canada's chairmanship, we consulted with northerners from Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut to establish the priorities under our chairmanship for two years.

Clearly, the member does not understand how the Arctic Council functions. It is a consensus-based organization. We built consensus across the Arctic nations to build Canada's agenda.

The member had two years to ask a question about the Arctic in the House and failed to do so.

[Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to the environment, the Prime Minister said that “this government's position has been...that we want to see...regulations on a continental basis”.

However, when President Obama announced the new U.S. target, well, the Prime Minister bailed, saying that Canada would announce its targets separately. Yes, but when? Will it be anytime soon?

There is no mention of climate change in a 600-page budget.

Does the Prime Minister really want to bequeath these problems to our grandchildren?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, we have always said that to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, all major emitters must be on board. We have aligned regulations with the United States in several areas, and we are working closely on developing clean energy. Canada has one of the cleanest electricity supplies, with 80% of our energy coming from sources that emit no greenhouse gas emissions. The United States has only 30%.

At home, our government is reducing emissions while growing the economy, without a job-killing carbon tax.

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for years the Prime Minister has maintained the fiction that Canada would be in lockstep with the U.S. GHG targets.

When President Obama announced his country's latest goal, the Prime Minister bailed and said that Canada would announce its own targets. Apparently these targets will be announced without a plan, without talking to the premiers, and without pricing carbon.

Why embarrass Canada again at the G7 and in the lead-up to Paris with fictional and delusional targets? Why even bother with the pretence? Why humiliate Canada internationally once again?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, let me just read a quote. The United States just took over the chairmanship, and let me tell the House what U.S. Secretary Kerry had to say about our actions related to reducing pollutants, like black carbon and methane, and other initiatives.

He thanked Canada for our work and said that he would continue to work with Canada on the work we started. He also said, “it has given all of us a strong platform on which to build”.

That is a quote from Secretary Kerry, who has now taken over the Arctic Council chairmanship from Canada.

Government Advertising

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is supposed to be there to serve all Canadians, so why do we see Conservative Party candidates, like Tim Laidler, being promoted all over official government websites and social media feeds? He is there for a photo op with a foreign dignitary. He is standing there with the minister for an official policy announcement in Vancouver. He is even there with the minister on the Veterans Affairs website.

Why can the Conservatives not seem to understand that public resources are there to promote the public interest? Why is the Government of Canada promoting Conservative candidates?

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

Mr. Speaker, that is kind of rich coming from a member opposite, when 68 members of his own party illegally used resources of this House to fund an illegal office, a partisan NDP office, in Montreal.

It was 68 members, and that does not even include the 23 other members who actually illegally used resources to fund advertising, in the middle of a by-election campaign, for another $1 million.

Between the NDP and the Liberals, some $45 million of taxpayer money is outstanding. It would be nice if they paid it back.

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Conservative ministers seem to be using events paid for out the public purse to boost the visibility of their party's candidates. We saw a Conservative candidate from British Columbia on hand to greet a foreign dignitary at the airport. The Minister of National Defence even played photographer. This same candidate attended official events with the Minister of State for Social Development and the Minister of Veterans Affairs.

Why is the government using public money to promote Conservative candidates?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, it really is unfortunate to see the NDP making a personal attack against a Canadian veteran.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Tim Laidler is still the president. They are attacking a Canadian citizen. He is still the president of the Veterans Transition Network. He has been recognized across this country for his work with veterans. He reaches out and supports Canadians who are veterans who are impacted by PTSD. He has won awards from the province of British Columbia for his great work. He continues to work with veterans.

Of course, New Democrats take every opportunity to take a potshot at this individual. He is a great Canadian doing great things for Canadian veterans.

Taxation

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week the Minister of Finance delivered our government's plan for trade, training, and tax cuts. While the opposition is focused on raising taxes, the Conservative government is focused on giving more money back to hard-working Canadian families. I do not want a single Canadian family to miss out on these cuts and benefits.

Would the Minister of State for Social Development please update this House and all Canadians on the important deadline that is coming up for Canadian families?

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

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians with children will benefit from our expanded universal child care benefit, but about 200,000 families in Canada need to register. There is a deadline coming up. That is this Friday.

If Canadians are wondering if they are going to receive that benefit, they can go to Canada.ca/taxsavings, or they can talk to a Conservative member of Parliament, because Conservatives want to help Canadians get their benefits, so 200,000 of them need to register by this coming Friday.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians believe and expect that when Parliament passes legislation or motions, the government will see to it that such laws are implemented. One such motion, carried by a strong majority in this place, was put forward by the member for Wascana calling for a national public safety officer compensation benefit for first responders.

Why has the government failed first responders by not providing funding in the budget for the public safety compensation benefit, as duly passed by this House with a strong majority?

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, our government just invested $200 million to help communities cope with disasters, and we will continue to work with the provinces.

We are working with the provinces, but we also respect their areas of jurisdiction, unlike the Liberals with their centralizing vision. We will continue in this direction and ensure that we provide support for first responders and communities when a disaster occurs.

Veterans Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, the Duchess of Kent Legion is an important part of my community for cadets, wounded and homeless warriors, seniors, and veterans. However, it has faced tough times, and earlier this month, the members sold the building. The Legion is proposing that the officers' mess at Wolseley Barracks, which is slated for demolition, be sold to the Duchess so that it can be converted into a new home for the Legion.

Will the Minister of National Defence consider the Legion's proposal so that it can continue to provide support and services for veterans in London?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of National Defence and Minister for Multiculturalism]

Mr. Speaker, I will take the member's intervention under advisement.

Of course, the Canadian Armed Forces only maintains those facilities that serve a valuable purpose. I understand that this facility is over 60 years old and is not providing value for money for the Canadian Armed Forces, but I will review the matter.

Health

[John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is deeply disturbing that the City of Vancouver is looking to legitimize the illegal marijuana drug trade. This irresponsible scheme to sell marijuana in stores just like alcohol and cigarettes can have only one effect: increasing marijuana use and addiction. That is exactly the plan the Liberal leader has been peddling for months.

Can the Minister of Labour, a practising physician, please update the House on our government's approach to actually discourage kids from smoking marijuana?