Dean Del Mastro

[Government Programs, May 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to supporting culture, our Conservative government has done more than any other government in the history of Canada. We are supporting culture more than ever before.

Do members want some examples? I have a couple.

I think the Liberals are acquainted with FrancoFolies in Westmount—Ville-Marie. That was $175,000 for each of two years. The POP Montreal Music Festival received $7,300 in Laurier—Sainte-Marie. FestiVoix received $36,000 in Trois Rivières. I could go on all day. I hope I get more questions.

[Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, May 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we saw a typical Liberal hypocrisy being practised by the chair of the ethics committee, who only wants to follow the rules when they suit him.

Under the concept of ministerial accountability, the Minister of Human Resources voluntarily and willingly appeared at the ethics committee to answer questions related to her department. Shockingly, and perhaps a first for a Westminster Parliament, the chair refused to allow the minister to be accountable and--

[Human Rights, May 4th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) I am pleased to table, in both official languages, on behalf of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, Canada's outcome for the Universal Periodic Review exercise of the United Nations.

These documents consist of: Canada's national report of the United Nations working group on the Universal Periodic Review of Canada; Canada's response to the recommendations that we received during the review; and an excerpt from the report of the Human Rights Council on its 11th session, which includes the decision adopted by the council on the outcome of Canada's UPR.

[Constitution Act, 2010 (Senate Term Limits), April 30th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, we are economic managers who are leading the G8 in growth, economic managers who have just produced six consecutive month of economic growth, and economic managers who are creating jobs while other countries are still losing them.

Canadians see what this government is doing on the economy and they are impressed by it. I am very proud of this government's record on the economy. The Liberal Party has no record on the economy recently at all because the Leader of the Opposition has not asked a single question on it in at least a month.

Let us go back to the issue at hand. We have a bill before us for democratic reform, something that would put more power back in the hands of the people we serve. That is what we are here for. This is not just some place of process, just some place of patronage, some place that is removed from the people. We are the representatives of the people.

It is time to move the Senate forward to make it more accountable. The member mentioned senators that we have appointed recently. Those senators are committed to Senate change, committed to Canadians, committed to the initiatives that this party has undertaken to bring the Senate into the 21st century. The Senate offers great value to Canadians, of that I have no question.

We can do much better when we can bring democratic reform that each and every Canadian will appreciate. That member has that opportunity. He should support the bill.

[Constitution Act, 2010 (Senate Term Limits), April 30th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, just to be clear because I want to take the answer the member has just provided to the next step.

I gather from his comments that the member agrees that there should be Senate reform. He thinks it is a good time right now in Canada, when the primary concern of most Canadians is the economy, although judging by the questions for the last month from the Leader of the Opposition we would not know that, to open up a constitutional debate in Canada. Would that not be wonderful?

Why not just move with simple democratic reform measures for the Senate now? He has the ability. He was elected in the last general election. He has the ability to be a proponent of change, to bring democracy, and to bring the Senate into the 21st century to represent the views of his constituents.

He is saying no. Here is a can of worms. Let us open this up right now while Canadians are concerned about the economy. Nonsense. This is a good bill and the member should support it.

[Constitution Act, 2010 (Senate Term Limits), April 30th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I listened to the member's speech and frankly, I cannot understand why the member does not get it.

Confederation in this country occurred in 1867. The Senate is still stuck there. A lot has changed but not the Senate. It is still a place where political patronage extends for life.

What possible objection can the member have to Senate term limits? I just do not understand.

I can tell the House that in my riding my constituents want more democracy in this country. They want change in the Senate. Senate change must occur. Frankly, the member knows well why it has not occurred. He knows that for years and years, and decade after decade, the Liberal Party used the Senate as nothing more than a house of political patronage.

It is time to change. It is time to get into 2010. It is time for the member to stand for his constituents. It is time to stand for accountability. It is time to stand for democracy. It is time to stand for the Senate reform bill that is before the House.

[April 28th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, of course, we look forward to working with artists and companies like Google to seek out the opportunities that are there for Canadian artists expanding into new markets. We know that new platforms are emerging. The way that Canadians and people around the world wish to enjoy and take in the arts, appreciate music, programs, shows, books, and other things is changing. Those platforms are changing. They are emerging. One of the great potentials for this country is to get on the front side of that curve. To meet that challenge, we are going to need a number of things to happen.

The participation and support of the opposition would go a long way in assisting us. Also, we need to ensure that whenever possible we are providing the support through initiatives like the Canada music fund, like the Canada media fund, like our support of the Canada Council for the Arts. This is what our government is doing to ensure that we are meeting this new emerging platform.

[April 28th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to be here this evening to speak to this issue.

I would like to join the member in wishing the Montreal Canadiens and the entire Montreal Canadiens' fan base well this evening. Obviously, I would love to see another Canadian team continue in its drive toward the Stanley Cup championship. So, for everybody watching in Quebec and elsewhere, in places like Peterborough, where there are strong connections to the Montreal Canadiens, I wish them well this evening.

In response to the issues brought forward by the hon. member, there are a couple of things that we need to note.

First, the CRTC is responsible for regulating and supervising all aspects of the Canadian broadcasting system. It is the CRTC's responsibility to establish Canadian broadcast regulations, such as Canadian content thresholds, for all broadcast distribution undertakings.

Canadians are increasingly seeking content on multiple platforms.

The CRTC's new approach is designed to give broadcasters greater flexibility to offer high-quality programs that are of interest to Canadians and seeks to emphasize the creation of Canadian programs rather than prescribing where and when they should be shown.

The group licensing approach that the member spoke to applies only to the large English language private conventional and discretionary television stations, namely, CTVglobemedia, Canwest television and Rogers, or Citytv.

While the lowering of Canadian content from 60% to 55% of the broadcast year applies to all conventional television stations, the CRTC has maintained the current requirement that stations devote at least 50% of the evening broadcast, from 6 p.m. to midnight each night, to the broadcast of Canadian programs.

In 2011, however, the CRTC will turn its full attention to the French language market when it reviews the licences and the obligations of TVA and V, formerly TQS.

The interests of Canadians, including Quebeckers, are well served by the existing legislative and regulatory framework. It enables French language communities in Quebec and elsewhere in the country to participate in and contribute to the development of a broadcasting system that reflects their needs, circumstances and expectations.

On other issues brought forward by the member, in addition to this question, she talked about support for the arts more broadly and whether or not the minister appreciates the arts. I do not think there is any question about that, given the minister's record and this government's record in fighting for the arts, in fact, in devoting record spending and record investment in the arts. That is what it really is, investment in one of the country's largest drivers of the economy.

The arts sector is a massive driver of the economy. It is also a big part of our soul as a nation. That is why we have stepped up and have provided record funding for things like the Canada Council. That is why we have provided record funding for the Canada music fund and, by the way, made a five year commitment to that fund. It is also why we have created the new Canada media fund.

In these things and other things we have just continued to emphasize our government's commitment to the arts here in Canada. It is a big part of our culture, a big part of who we are as Canadians. That is why we support it.

[Rail Transportation, April 22nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, over the past 40 years, Earth Day has grown into a global movement that mobilizes more than 1 billion people in more than 190 countries working to advance climate policy, energy efficiency, renewable energy and green jobs in a global green economy.

As the chair of the all party rail caucus, I am pleased to say that rail is doing its part. In fact, Canadian rail is increasingly becoming the 21st century's green transportation leader for passengers and freight. Canadian railways are an economic engine for the economy, moving 75% of all freight while transporting 72 million passengers just last year.

While transportation accounts for 26.8% of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, rail accounts for only 3% of GHG emissions for the transportation sector.

How efficient is rail? One train can haul 1 tonne of goods 180 kilometres on just a single litre of fuel and, in doing so, remove 280 trucks from our congested highways. Moving to rail unclogs our highways, eliminates destructive emissions and creates jobs.

When Canadians choose rail, they choose to go green.

[April 14th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, the member had an opportunity to apologize for an outrageous allegation, suggesting that the Minister of Industry has stolen music, but she did not. That is outrageous and I wish she had taken the opportunity to apologize.

In fact, her party did not support Bill C-61 and neither did the other opposition parties. If they had, we would have had a new copyright regime in this Parliament instead of using it as a wedge issue.

With respect to my not understanding the file, I understand consumers. I understand people at home are working hard and paying a lot of money in taxes. I think they pay too much tax, but all the opposition members see is opportunities to tax: here a tax, there a tax, everywhere a tax, tax. I understand that, and I will not be party to a regime that thinks we can tax people as much as it wants and there will not be implications. It is nonsense.