Debates of June 18th, 2015

Kitchener Multicultural Festival

[Stephen Woodworth, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this weekend Kitchener will host our annual multicultural festival, a celebration of the customs that Canadians bring from all around the globe.

This is similar to the multi-faith prayer breakfast held every year in Waterloo region. In contrast to the recent court decision on prayer, Waterloo embraces pluralism, inviting each faith to offer its own prayer.

When we approach our diversity most closely, we learn how much we are alike. When we learn not to fear our differences, we discover our common humanity.

As a free society, we let everyone live the way they choose, absent some compelling need. We do not tell people how to pray or what to eat or even how to dress, unless there is a strong reason to limit freedom.

If we disagree about limits to freedom, we disagree with respect and judicial process.

Let every parliamentarian join Kitchener-Waterloo in affirming these principles.

The Environment

[Ted Hsu, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, 10 years in power and the Conservatives have never been honest about climate change, instead dismantling environmental protection and cutting research.

In 2008, the Conservatives promised cap and trade. Now several provinces are on board, but the Conservatives are campaigning against it. In 2006, they pledged to regulate the oil and gas sector. In 2011, they said regulation was near. Ten years of Conservative rule, five environment ministers later, and we are still waiting.

The Conservatives blocked world climate negotiations. Canada earned five straight fossil of the year awards, withdrew from Kyoto, and was the only country to lower its emissions target prior to Copenhagen.

Canada placed dead last in the climate change performance index of industrialized nations and was censured by the UN for withdrawing “entirely from constructive international engagement”.

The Conservative government is a disgrace, and I will work to see that it is thrown out this fall.

Baldur Regals

[Larry Maguire, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr Speaker, it is my honour to rise today and pay tribute to the Baldur Regals senior baseball team, which earlier this month was inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame.

As the member of Parliament for Brandon—Souris, I wish to congratulate all of the players, coaches, and supporters on being bestowed this worthy distinction.

The Baldur Regals have been on a tear and won the Border West Senior AA Baseball League championship in six consecutive seasons, from 2007 to 2012, and they recently captured three Manitoba provincial Senior AA crowns, and in 2009, they won the Western Canadian Senior AA championship.

As in many small rural communities, baseball is a rite of passage, and in Baldur, Manitoba, and indeed all of Westman, it is no different.

So it is with great pride that we are able to celebrate the players' accomplishments in the House of Commons and to wish them success as participants and hosts of the Western Canadian Senior AA Baseball League championships this August 21 to 23 in Baldur, Manitoba.

Westman is proud of them, and I know all members of this House wish them all the best in the years to come.

Nicole LaViolette

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

Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today to recognize the passing of my aunt, Nicole LaViolette, at the young age of 52. She passed away on May 22, 2015, surrounded by her family, including her partner, Lisa, after a long battle with cancer.

A law professor at the University of Ottawa, she won many awards and earned international recognition for her research on sexual minority refugees, which even inspired some of the work done by the United Nations Refugee Agency. She was also a founding member of the Capital Rainbow Refuge, an organization that sponsors and welcomes LGBT refugees in Ottawa.

I will always remember my aunt Nicole for her warm smile, her love of dogs and her passion for politics. She knew everything there was to know about the Hill, since she worked as a page here during university and later as a parliamentary assistant to Svend Robinson.

Like me, she was a staunch New Democrat, so we shared the same vision of a fairer, more united country and the same hope for a better world.

Nicole, you are an inspiration to me and to everyone who ever knew you. You will be sadly missed.

15th Annual International Folklore Avalanche

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Mr. Speaker, next month, Clinton, British Columbia, will be on the world stage as the Mill Girl Follies represent Canada at the 15th Annual International Folklore Avalanche festival in Germany.

The Mill Girl Follies is a troupe of dancers that began in 2011 doing the cancan in celebration of the gold rush era that has contributed to the history and development of the Cariboo region. They have since expanded their repertoire to include other skits, songs, and dances, such as the Charleston. The troupe prides itself on its inclusivity, featuring dancers of all ages and talents, and has been a great source of fun and exercise for everyone involved.

From July 2 to 5, the troupe will be accompanied by 100 Mile House singer-songwriter Katie Kidwell in Germany. There they will join ensembles from 13 other countries in 3 days of performances in what festival organizers call a cheerful meeting of cultures.

Special thanks for all those who contributed to their fundraising efforts. Congratulations to the Mill Girl Follies on the success so far, and we will all be backing them as they represent Clinton, and Canada, in Germany.

Member for Cariboo—Prince George

[Dick Harris, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, that is what we get when we leave this place, a nice hug from the minister.

After 7 elections and 22 years, all I can say is that it has been quite a ride and an experience that not every Canadian gets a chance to do, but those who do are very fortunate indeed.

I want to thank my wife Annie for her constant companionship throughout these many years. She is amazing.

I thank my constituents of Prince George—Bulkley Valley and Cariboo—Prince George for their support and those beautiful margins they always gave me.

I want to thank Jeanne, Theresa, Soraya, and Victoria. I call them my wonder women, and they made me look good, and even better when I could not be in the riding.

I thank my colleagues in the House, my Conservative colleagues and my colleagues across the way. I have just been accused of being a tiny bit partisan, but we know how this is played.

I thank the incredible House of Commons staff and all the friends I have made.

I head to Osoyoos, B.C., where the snow never falls, the sun always shines, and the golf season is 10 months long. I thank everyone very much.

National Public Service Week

[Nycole Turmel, NDP, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this week we are celebrating National Public Service Week. After 10 years under the Conservative government, we can safely say that public servants do not feel like celebrating.

Instead of recognizing the exceptional work that public servants do, the government is disrespectful towards them, muzzles them, and refuses to negotiate their working conditions in good faith. It is time for that to change and that starts with rebuilding a relationship of trust.

That is why I am moving a motion today to force the government to review the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. It is unacceptable that despite all the fine promises from the Conservatives and Liberals, whistleblowers still have to sacrifice their professional and personal lives. Through their courage, they are protecting the integrity of our public service. The least we can do is to protect them in return.

Leader of the Liberal Party

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, budgets balance themselves. Do members know who said that? It was the leader of the Liberal Party. We on this side of the House can assure the Liberal leader that balancing budgets requires sound economic stewardship and a focus on creating jobs and supporting economic growth.

Supporting every Canadian family is not fair. Do members know who said that? It was the leader of the Liberal Party. He wants to take away the family tax cut, take away the universal child care benefit, introduce new taxes, and raise payroll taxes. We on this side of the House know that raising taxes and raising spending is not fair to all Canadians. We are focused on putting more money back into the pockets of hard-working families.

Budgets do not balance themselves, and supporting all Canadians is indeed fair. The Liberal leader simply is just not ready.

Member for Scarborough—Rouge River

[Rathika Sitsabaiesan, NDP, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as my first term draws to an end, I take this time to thank the constituents of Scarborough—Rouge River for giving me the honour of representing them in Parliament. They took a leap of faith in electing the first ever woman and person of colour to represent the constituency federally, Canada's first ever member of Parliament of Tamil heritage.

At this point, I would like to recognize the members of the Islamic faith who are observing Ramadan, a month dedicated to spiritual reflection; zakat, giving to those in need; and sawm, fasting during the Holy month.

In the face of many challenges over the four short years, I always strove to do my best in the interest of my constituents and all Canadians by working together with members of my community and parliamentarians alike. I have championed initiatives and conversations about the elimination of poverty, the promotion of women's rights, affordable housing, access to education, employment equity, and the preservation and celebration of our diverse cultures. I have worked tirelessly to improve the immigration system and the lives of our seniors and veterans as well as to increase youth engagement and opportunities for leadership.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank all of my staff and volunteers for everything they have done and continue to do, and I look forward to coming back here as the MP for Scarborough North, with an NDP government.

Leader of the Liberal Party

[Parm Gill, Conservative, Brampton—Springdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, being a prime minister is not an entry level job. It requires someone who is able to focus on what matters to Canadians: creating jobs, ensuring economic growth, and keeping communities safe. We already have the right guy for the job, and that is our Prime Minister.

The Liberal leader thinks budgets balance themselves and tax cuts that benefit every family are not what is fair. When given the opportunity to comment on world affairs, he blamed Putin's aggression toward Ukraine on a hockey game. That is not leadership. That is the Liberal leader showing time and time again that he is just not ready for the job.

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, Pope Francis has just released his encyclical on climate change.

Over the centuries, great prophets have denounced injustice and spoken truth to power, often at great personal risk. In more modern times, Wilberforce denounced the scourge of slavery in the British Empire. Bishop Desmond Tutu fearlessly led the fight against apartheid. Reverend Tommy Douglas denounced the injustice of tying health care to the size of one's bank account. Pope John Paul II is best remembered as the spiritual godfather of the demise of communism.

Into this prophetic role stepped Pope Francis this week. In a comprehensive, well-researched, and penetrating account of climate change, the Pope zeroed in on the injustice that allows the rich to get richer on the backs of those least able to adapt. Like the prophets of old, he denounced the cavalier indifference of the smug and the affluent.

If the Conservative government does not get the science and chooses to ignore the economics, surely it will listen to Pope Francis. To ignore faith, science, and economics is to define smug indifference.

Taxation

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK]

Mr. Speaker, our government's record in office speaks for itself: 1.2 million net new jobs since the end of the recession, overwhelmingly full-time, high-paying, and in the private sector, the best record in the G7 by a considerable stretch.

However, we should not expect the leader of the NDP to know his facts, because yesterday he was out there saying businesses need to pay higher taxes. When asked what the tax rate is exactly, he did not know and stated that it was three points lower than it is. That is typical of the NDP. It does not know what the taxes are. It just knows everyone's taxes have to be higher.

On this side of the House, we lower taxes, while the NDP and the Liberals are trying their best to raise them.

New Democratic Party of Canada

[Murray Rankin, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, decades of Liberal and Conservative governments, decades of waste and unethical spending, millions squandered defending bad legislation, hundreds of millions more wasted on propaganda, and Liberals threw away almost $1 billion before that.

Conservatives dingwalled taxpayers at the Mint, and more than 30 senators are now under police watch. Decades of a revolving door, with well-connected Liberal insiders trading places with well-connected Conservative insiders, a culture of entitlement.

However, the times they are a-changing. The NDP showed how to end 43 years of entitlement and brought real change to Alberta. Gather 'round people. Brimming with confidence and optimism, Canadians young and old are ready for change. Conservatives and Liberals,

...don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is rapidly agin'...
...get out the new
one if you can't lend your hand

For come October, the times they are a-changing.

Leader of the Liberal Party

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

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Liberal Party's 32-point plan shows very clearly why he is just not ready to be Prime Minister. It really looks like a plan written on the back of a napkin, not one item of which corresponds to anything he or his party has ever done in the past on these or other issues.

On top of that, he accepted 94 recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report without even reading them.

It is clear that the Liberal leader is just not ready to be Prime Minister.

The Environment

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, today Pope Francis issued a wake-up call. Climate change is a threat, and the world's poorest people will suffer the most. This is not just an environmental issue; it is a moral issue. Canada must cut emissions and ensure that less-developed countries have the financing they need to tackle climate change. Only the NDP has a plan to tackle climate change and put a price on carbon.

Did the Prime Minister's short 10 minutes with the Pope make it obvious that nobody believes the current government's talking points?

[Leona Aglukkaq, Conservative, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, we are taking a leadership role on the international stage. We have helped more than 65 developing countries reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. Also, our party was the founding member of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. We are also doing our part by contributing to the green climate fund.

We are also addressing short-lived climate pollutants during Canada's Arctic Council chairmanship and will continue to do that and do our part to protect our environment while keeping our economy strong.

National Defence

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, all members of the House are condemning General Lawson's unacceptable remarks. However, just condemning these remarks is not enough for the countless victims of sexual assault and harassment in the Canadian Armed Forces. A change in culture is absolutely necessary.

When will this government show some leadership and ensure that Justice Deschamps' recommendations are implemented immediately?

[James Bezan, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, the comments by the CDS were offensive and totally inappropriate. General Lawson has retracted and apologized for these offensive comments. We expect the leadership of the Canadian Armed Forces to clearly and consistently convey a message of zero tolerance for sexual misconduct.

General Lawson has announced his retirement, and the wheels are in motion for a change of command.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Megan Leslie, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the facts are well known, and women across Canada live the reality of gender-based violence every single day. However, indigenous women face the starkest reality. They are more than three times more likely to be victims of violence and seven times more likely to be murdered.

In order to end this violence, we need to come to grips with the factors that cause it. Why is the government refusing to listen to indigenous women who are calling for an inquiry to do just that?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said before, these are terrible crimes against innocent people, and the best way of dealing with these issues is to make sure that we are taking action. This has been studied many times over, but what aboriginal women have told me across this country is that we need action. That is why we tabled in this House an action plan in September 2014 to move forward on preventative projects to make sure that there is support for the victims of these terrible crimes as well as to make sure that they are protected.

I still do not understand why the opposition members refuse to support that action plan.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, what indigenous peoples are saying and what we are saying is that it is time for the toxic current government to go.

The Aboriginal Economic Progress Report was released yesterday. We see that equality of aboriginal and non-aboriginal people will not be achieved even by 2022. First nations on reserve had the worst results for almost all indicators, including employment and education.

How does the minister explain such a disastrous record?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, we welcome this report and we thank the committee for its work.

Our government understands that economic development is essential to improving the living conditions of aboriginal peoples. Since the beginning of our mandate, we have taken steps to improve the living conditions of first nations by giving them the means to fully benefit from Canada's economic prosperity. We also created the first nations job fund and made investments to improve the education system, and we will continue in that vein.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the question is this. When will the government step up and put an end to the third-world living conditions that first nations face across this country?

Today the Manitoba government is making a historic apology for the Sixties Scoop, a file that has been long ignored by the federal government. While Manitoba is demonstrating a commitment to reconciliation, the Conservative government still significantly underfunds child welfare services on reserve, and the results are devastating. In fact, there are more children in care today than there were at the height of the residential school system.

The question is this: How in good conscience can the Conservative government continue to discriminate against first nations children?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, we remain committed to the health, safety and well-being of first nation children. The hon. member ought to know that child welfare services are delivered throughout the country according to provincial law and standards. We will continue to take action to ensure that children and families have the support they need to lead healthy lives.

The Economy

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of grinding mediocrity under the Conservative government, Canadians are saddled with $157 billion in new Conservative debt; $4,400 in new debt for every man, woman and child in the country. The Conservatives have increased the net tax burden in five of its last six budgets; they have reported 53 monthly trade deficits, including the worst in Canadian history; and they have the worst economic growth record in eight decades.

If that is the best the Conservatives can do, why do they not just get out of the way?