Debates of May 29th, 2015

Science and Technology

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Conservative muzzling and reckless cuts to science are damaging Canada's research capacity. The Conservatives have cut one billion science dollars and fired 4,000 federal scientists since coming to power, and now a ridiculous federal funding condition requiring old grants to expire before scientists can access new funding is sapping lab capacity and threatening more jobs. That is precisely what is happening right now with the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute in Toronto.

Will the minister immediately put an end to this unnecessary rule?

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, our record on science is unparalleled in this country's history. We have increased funding to the granting councils by $5.4 billion, including $1.5 billion for the Canada first research excellence fund; $3 billion in cumulative increases to the granting councils; and nearly $900 million in funding increases for the research support fund. Again, I ask the opposition parties to just once support us in these endeavours.

Infrastructure

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Conservative mismanagement has also made a mess of the Canada 150 community infrastructure program. Ontario is warning that the program rollout has been so rushed, and the funding allocation so politically motivated, that the provinces will not be able to participate in the program or match funds. The $150 million fund was announced on May 15, and the deadline for projects is June 9, three weeks. That is ridiculous. Why are Conservatives playing politics with the infrastructure funding that our communities so badly need?

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

Mr. Speaker, that question is ridiculous. Our Conservative government is very proud to have established the Canada 150 community infrastructure plan. Had that member and the provincial government in Ontario read our budget, they would have known this program was coming. We are very proud to have the opportunity to celebrate not only the 150th birthday of our country, but to preserve and promote recreational infrastructure facilities in communities across Ontario and throughout the country.

[Annick Papillon, NDP, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a little cheque here, a little cheque there; the government keeps improvising. That is how the Conservatives are funding Quebec's infrastructure for Canada's 150th anniversary. Millions of dollars will be disbursed without any consultation, and the June 26 deadline does leave a lot of time to build the major projects people are hoping for. We have known for some time now that the 150th anniversary will be in 2017. This government has been in power for nine years.

I am trying to figure out whether we are dealing with improvisation or incompetence, or a bit of column A and a bit of column B.

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

Mr. Speaker, I know I speak on behalf of all members on this side of the House when I say we always appreciate the dramatic flare with which that member asks her questions.

The Canada 150 infrastructure program would help to preserve and improve treasured cultural and community locations, allowing Canadians and their families to enjoy moments of sports and recreation for many years to come.

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

Mr. Speaker, we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of Confederation, but Canada existed long before.

For over a year now, we have been asking the Minister of Canadian Heritage for a plan for the celebration of this 150th anniversary. Instead, the government throws together a disparate and haphazard Canada 150 program that has everyone so pressed for time that neither the municipalities in Quebec nor the Province of Ontario will be able to participate.

Will the Conservatives admit that this mad rush is just a way for them to hand out goodies before the election?

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

Mr. Speaker, we are seeing significant interest and demand from municipalities and not-for-profit organizations in our Canada 150 infrastructure program in communities across Quebec and across Canada.

Under the leadership of this Prime Minister, Canada has led all G7 countries with respect to investments in infrastructure as a percentage of GDP. Under the Liberals, they did not get it done.

[Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Confederation is supposed to bring Canadians together in a happy way. Instead, the government has confused provinces and angered municipalities. An infrastructure fund that was announced has different rules for different regions, different criteria for different provinces, different rules for different municipalities, and there is no funding formula.

The Province of Ontario is furious. It was never consulted. The provincial minister in charge of infrastructure has said that this is just a public relations exercise, a glorified gazebo fund.

Will the government finally admit that is actually a slush fund for Conservative MPs who are facing defeat in this fall's election?

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

Mr. Speaker, that is really rich coming from that member. For months that member has been standing in his place, claiming that this government has not been moving quickly enough with respect to our infrastructure programs, and today, apparently, we are moving too quickly. There appears to be significant confusion over on that side.

As I mentioned earlier, had that member and his provincial friend read our budget, they would have known that the Canada 150 infrastructure program was coming. We look forward to delivering on our commitment to support communities in Ontario and across the country.

[Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I was asking for an infrastructure program. This is a joke.

Canada's celebration and Confederation do not belong to the Conservative Party. The funds that were announced a few days ago have a deadline to apply in just a few days from now. I could not find that in the budget, nor could I find a dollar amount.

What is worse is that the member for Chatham-Kent—Essex says to apply to his office for help, not to the government's offices and not to city hall. That is disgraceful. What sort of an inside track is being discussed here? Why is this pork barrelling not described as such?

The Conservative government is playing politics with Confederation, hurting cities in this country, and this fund is a disgrace.

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

Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government's Canada 150 community infrastructure program will achieve two very important objectives: one, it will help all Canadians celebrate the 150th anniversary of our country's Confederation; and, two, it will help communities across the country renovate or expand existing recreational infrastructure. If that member wishes to forego both of those opportunities, that is his prerogative.

National Defence

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, as NATO considers whether to establish a permanent presence in the Baltics to counter Russian threats, the Minister of National Defence has already mused that Canada may be ready to send troops there. The minister did not do that here in the House, just like he did not bring the deployment of military trainers to Ukraine to Parliament either.

Does the minister really believe that consulting Parliament on military deployments, as his party promised to do, means discussing these requests here first?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member is quite right. It is this government that, for the first time, brought forward the responsibility to consult Parliament with respect to military deployments, and we have done that on a number of occasions.

Of course, we are very proud of the work that the Canadian Armed Forces are doing both at home and abroad, including in the Ukraine and in the Baltic states. We are very proud of the role of the Royal Canadian Air Force in the Baltic states. We have been at the forefront of providing assistance to the Ukraine, and we will continue to do that.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada should certainly consider requests for deployment, but those discussions should take place here in the House. Canadians expect better from the Minister of National Defence, who keeps getting himself into trouble.

After he falsely claimed that Canada was the only country with smart bomb technology and tweeted misleading photos, the minster's incompetence seems to know no bounds.

Will he at least have the decency to keep his promise and debate military deployments in the House?

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

Mr. Speaker, we have done just that. When serious deployments have been considered, our government has done so. Of course, we had a great debate with respect to the deployment of Canadian Forces in the fight against the jihadist terrorist regime, ISIL. We know that both opposition parties voted against that deployment.

We know that when it comes to protecting Canadian interests at home and abroad, the opposition will consistently vote against it. That is why they voted against the increases we have had to military funding. That is why they voted against the new equipment that we bought for the Canadian Armed Forces.

Canadians understand that when it comes to providing assistance and security, it is our government that they can rely upon.

Public Works and Government Services

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have completely bungled another file: military procurement.

From the F-35s to the Cyclone helicopters and the close-combat vehicles, the Conservatives' incompetence keeps reaching new heights. Wait times continue to grow and equipment is not up to standard and is costing too much. Now, we have learned that the joint support ships will apparently not be ready until 2020.

Does the government really think that creating a new committee will solve this problem?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, the member has her questions all wrong. She has her facts all wrong. In fact, we have been living up to our commitment to provide our men and women in uniform with the equipment they need to do the job we ask of them. We have delivered the new Globemasters, five of them, the C-17 tactical lift transporters; new battle tanks; LAVs; and new heavy artillery. We have been doing the refit and modernization of the Halifax-class frigate.

Next month, we are also expecting to take delivery of the Cyclones, the new helicopters that will allow us to finally start retiring the Sea Kings.

Sadly, one thing that is consistent is that the member and her party voted against every one of these acquisitions.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' disastrous management of military procurement is having a major impact on our navy.

It will be years before the new ships are ready. The Davie Shipyard proposed a solution to meet our needs in the short term, but it has still not heard back from the government about it. Now, the government is telling us that it needs more time.

Can the government explain the reason for this delay, which is jeopardizing hundreds of jobs and putting our country in a difficult position?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, we are dealing with the Halifax-class frigates. What is more, we are cutting steel on both coasts this year.

In Vancouver, we have cut the steel for the offshore fishery science vessel, and, in Halifax, we will be cutting steel later this year on the new AOPS.

We are supporting our men and women in uniform by providing the equipment they need, and in a responsible way to taxpayers.

However, I have to point out, the hon. member and his party have voted against every one of these initiatives.

Canada Border Services Agency

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Speaker, members in my riding of Oxford are concerned with foreign criminals abusing the generosity of Canadians. They want to be assured that action is being taken to address profiteers.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety update the House on what is being done to ensure that the integrity of Canada's immigration regime is protected?

[Roxanne James, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Oxford for the question. I would also like to commend the CBSA, the Canada Border Services Agency, on arresting two more individuals who were on the “wanted by the CBSA” list.

Today, as a result of the wanted by the CBSA program, Canadians have assisted in locating 62 individuals in Canada, of which 53 have been removed. Additionally, 18 other individuals have been located abroad. These are concrete and real results.

Canadians know that they can count on our Conservative government to ensure their generosity is not abused by foreign criminals.

Science and Technology

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

Mr. Speaker, hundreds of our most brilliant francophone researchers are attending the last day of the 83rd ACFAS annual conference in Rimouski.

However, the president of ACFAS, Louise Dandurand, is worried about the Conservatives cutting research and muzzling federal scientists.

She had this to say:

The federal government's unenlightened approach is unfortunate and dangerous, and the consequences for the advancement of science will be felt in the long term in Canada.

When will the Conservatives recognize the major contributions of our researchers and scientists?

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, again, I wish that the hon. member would support some of the measures that we have taken to support world-leading research in this country.

Here is a quote from the president and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation about this year's budget:

This is the largest single investment ever made to support research infrastructure in Canada.

With this new funding, Canadian universities, colleges and research hospitals will be able to continue to undertake globally competitive research that is essential to the health, prosperity and quality of life of Canadians.

I want to know why the hon. member voted against that.

Canada Post

[Matthew Dubé, NDP, Chambly—Borduas, QC]

Mr. Speaker, eight municipalities in my riding, Chambly—Borduas, have adopted resolutions calling for a moratorium on the installation of mailboxes. The municipalities are tired of this government making decisions that affect them without even consulting them. A certain minister's big initiative of just asking Canada Post questions is clearly not enough.

Will the government finally listen to the municipalities, like those in my riding of Chambly—Borduas, and require that Canada Post consult them and place a moratorium on community mailboxes?