Debates of May 13th, 2015

Aboriginal Affairs

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, the highest form of aboriginal and treaty rights, acknowledgement and protection is constitutional protection, and section 35 of the Constitution of Canada achieves that. Furthermore, the human rights of all Canadians, including aboriginals, are protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Again, every time we bring forward new measures to give rights to people on reserve, such as matrimonial property rights on reserve, human rights on reserve, that party and that member vote against them.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the refusal of the minister to join the RCMP in apologizing for an unacceptable report that termed Idle No More activists as bacteria is another indication of a broken relationship. Instead of taking the opportunity to tell indigenous communities that they are respected and that the government wants to work with them, the parliamentary secretary accused me of not supporting law enforcement. Let me be clear. The RCMP did the right thing by apologizing. The minister, on the other hand, did not.

Will he stand in the House today and say he is sorry?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have to say that I agree with my colleague.

Like her, I can confirm that the RCMP apologized and that that was the right thing to do.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, we want to hear an apology from the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.

He will not apologize even though the RCMP called first nations bacteria. He blamed aboriginal men for violence against aboriginal women instead of standing with the rest of us and supporting a national inquiry. He accused first nations youth in New Brunswick, who are growing up in abject poverty, of being lazy. He told Yukon first nations that they are not “real governments”. Enough is enough.

Does the minister recognize that his words are deeply disrespectful and his actions damaging to the relationship with indigenous peoples?

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, since taking office in 2006, our government has given women living on reserves the same matrimonial rights as all Canadians. We have taken concrete action to ensure that first nations have the same drinking water standards as those off reserve. We have invested in jobs and skills training, which lead to greater first nations participation in the economy. We have taken action to strengthen the on-reserve election system and increased the level of accountability and transparency required of first nations government.

Every time we work to improve the lives of first nations living on reserve, that party votes against it. Why do New Democrats not get on board with us in making things better for first nations in Canada?

National Defence

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Deschamps external review into sexual harassment in the Canadian Armed Forces had 10 recommendations to address these serious problems. The government fully accepted only two of them. In fact, the Chief of the Defence Staff issued an explicit order ruling out key recommendations of the Deschamps report before it was released. The defence minister has been completely silent for two weeks, sitting on the sidelines.

Why has the minister not ordered the Chief of the Defence Staff to rescind this order and fully implement all 10 recommendations; not in principle, but fully and in practice?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member does herself and this place a disservice by asking such a misleading question, filled with inaccurate premises.

Of course, we reject any form of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces, which is why the Chief of the Defence Staff commissioned the independent inquiry from Madam Justice Deschamps. It is why he, two months ago, appointed Major General Christine Whitecross to lead a team to address this issue. It is why the Canadian Armed Forces has accepted not two, but, once again, all 10 of the recommendations made by Madam Justice Deschamps.

It is true that the military has not been able to implement all 10 of those recommendations in the last week, but will. It will do so.

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

Mr. Speaker, in her report, Ms. Deschamps made 10 recommendations to deal with the serious problem of sexual harassment in the armed forces.

However, we have just learned that, in February, before the report was even published, General Lawson gave explicit orders rejecting important recommendations in the report. Meanwhile, the Minister of National Defence remained silent.

Why did the minister not order General Lawson to rescind the directive and implement all 10 recommendations?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows the answer to that question. He was in the House and heard me answer it here on numerous occasions. I said that the government and the Canadian Armed Forces have accepted all 10 recommendations. Not just 2, but all 10.

The orders that he is referring to were issued two months ago, before the report was published. The Canadian Armed Forces have been clear: they are going to implement the recommendations in the report. We will never condone sexual harassment in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Public Service of Canada

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Supreme Court has ruled that free and fair collective bargaining is protected by the charter, yet Conservatives are trying to use their budget bill to undermine this fundamental right. The government wants to give itself unprecedented powers to dictate the outcome of negotiations with the public service.

The question, then, is this: why are Conservatives attacking the rights of public servants to free and fair collective bargaining? After all, these are the women and men who provide public services to all Canadians, even to the current government.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, we have had close to 200 meetings with various union bargaining agents to date, at which time none of the bargaining agents were even willing to discuss the issue of a better, fairer, more equitable, more accountable sick leave system.

It is at that point that we had the budget. However, I have said to union leadership that I am willing to continue with these discussions, and certainly I will continue to be fair and reasonable: fair and reasonable for the employees, and fair and reasonable for the taxpayer.

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when the minister's mind is already made up, we do not call that collective bargaining.

The Conservatives have no respect for workers or the right to collective bargaining. The Supreme Court was clear. This is a charter right. However, the government is doing whatever it wants. In an unconstitutional move, the government is tossing out this right that is guaranteed to thousands of public sector workers.

Why is the government attacking public sector workers' right to free collective bargaining?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to sick leave, it is important to have a system that is fair to both taxpayers and employees, of course. There were around 200 meetings, but we need to have a solution that is fair to taxpayers and, at the same time, fair to employees.

Taxation

[Joyce Bateman, Conservative, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government's universal child care benefit and family tax cut are going to help every single Canadian family with children. That includes each and every family in my riding of Winnipeg South Centre.

Could the Minister of Employment and Social Development please update this House on our government's plan for all families?

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

Mr. Speaker, we disagree with the Liberal leader, who says that benefiting every single family is not what is fair. He is very wrong.

In fact, our family tax cut and benefits deliver for every family, regardless of their child care choice or income. Through income splitting, families can save up to $2,000. The universal child care benefit grows to almost $2,000 per child under six and to $720 for kids aged six through 17. In July, a first lump sum payment in that increased universal child care benefit will arrive, and I encourage all members to inform their constituents to make sure that deserving families get the cheque.

Canadian Heritage

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let me say also that 90% of families would receive more with the Liberal plan.

Neglected by the current government, the copyright board cannot fulfill its mission. The average time to render a decision is between two and three years. Only two out of five board seats are filled, and the chair's position has been vacant for a year. It seems hard for the minister to find a chair who is competent and Conservative enough.

When will the minister give the board resources so that it can render sound and timely decisions?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, our government takes great care to ensure that our appointments are of a high quality and have high merit. This is another example of where we will be doing that.

We have been focused on reforming our intellectual property regime. Our recent budget includes changes to extend intellectual property rights for those in the creative classes in Canada. They are very appreciative of those changes, and we are going to ensure they have the fullest protection possible to allow our creative classes to flourish.

National Defence

[Robert Chisholm, NDP, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, last week Major Marcus Brauer was informed that his claim for home equity assistance benefits has been rejected. It is devastating news to Major Brauer and his family.

This Canadian Forces member lost $88,000 on the sale of his home when he was ordered to relocate. The Conservatives have spent almost as much money fighting with Major Brauer as it would have cost to simply honour the commitment.

Why do the men and women in uniform in our country have to fight the government tooth and nail for the benefits they deserve?

[Tony Clement, Conservative, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, what I can tell the House is that in compliance with the Federal Court's May 2014 order, there was an independent, impartial review that was conducted. Of course we relied on the advice of that independent third party expert in the conclusion that in fact the market was not depressed.

Mining Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate National Mining Week, I would like to reflect on how important the mining industry is to the Canadian economy. In fact, nearly 400,000 men and women are employed in the mining sector, which contributes close to $60 billion to Canada's GDP and one-fifth of Canada's merchandise exports.

Could the Minister of Natural Resources share with the House what our government is doing to support this vital sector of our economy?

[Greg Rickford, Conservative, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question.

Tomorrow, as part of National Mining Week, I will open the Toronto Stock Exchange and celebrate our government's support for the mining sector.

In our recently tabled balanced budget, we are extending the mineral export tax credit as well as making new investments in geoscience, in geomapping innovation, and in the separation technology needed to develop such metals as chromite and rare earth elements located in the Ring of Fire. These measures reduce taxes and lower costs for the mining sector, and the sector appreciates that.

Sadly, the opposition votes against creating jobs, growth, and economic prosperity for our mining communities. Why?

Employment

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Maraîchers du coeur is a program in Rimouski that provides young dropouts with work experience creating a community garden. They consistently received federal funding from 2000 to 2013.

However, Service Canada's Skills Link program is undermining this project for the second year in a row because the funding is being held up. Last year, the project was approved in September. Vegetables are planted in spring. This is the eleventh hour. I informed the minister of the situation three weeks ago.

Can he make sure he provides a response by the weekend, so that the young people can start their work?

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

Mr. Speaker, our non-partisan officials look at every application for funding with objectivity and this file will be no different. I assure the hon. member that a fair and equitable decision will be made.

Justice

[Brent Rathgeber, Independent, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the cornerstone of any democracy is an effective, reliable, and fair legal system that promotes the rule of law and timely access to an independent and properly resourced court. However, for some time now Alberta has had the lowest number of Court of Queen's Bench justices per capita in Canada, and senior Alberta federal prosecutors have been warning for three years that increasingly complex cases and a shortage of senior lawyers jeopardizes those cases, as delays violate the right to be tried within a reasonable time.

With voluminous vacancies both in the Public Prosecution Service and on the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, the government's so-called tough-on-crime agenda is impeded. When will the government stop taking Albertans for granted?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will know, coming from the province of Alberta, that the Public Prosecution Service is an arm's-length organization.

When it comes to the staffing of the Public Prosecution Service, let me quote their spokesman, Mr. Dan Brien, who recently said, “The Public Prosecution Service has sufficient resources to fulfill its mandate.” He added that no cases have been lost as a result of workload.

The reality is that almost all of the positions are filled. We have recently hired more, with plans to hire more. The reality is that the Public Prosecution Service is doing great work on behalf of all Canadians.