Jim Prentice

[Copyright Act, June 19th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I think it is only fair for the hon. member to point out that in terms of protecting consumers, this government is protecting consumers. For the first time in Canadian law, format shifting, time shifting and the private copying of music will be permitted. All of that favours the consumers, contrary to what my friend said.

[Copyright Act, June 19th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth than the assertions my friend makes. If he took the time to read the bill he would see that the educational exemptions, the format shifting exemptions, the time shifting exemptions, the private copying of music exemptions and the provisions relating to statutory damages are all made in Canada.

All of these provisions of the bill are uniquely Canadian. My friend's comments about the U.S.A. DMCA are NDP BS.

[Canadian Space Industry, June 17th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I will act and I have been acting. The Canadian Space Agency continues to be something that all Canadians and the government are extremely proud of.

If one wants a dose of pessimism, however, it always seems to come from the NDP. When I speak to Canadians who are working at the Canadian Space Agency or Canadians who are working in the industry at companies such as MDA, they are proud of what they have achieved. They are proud, for example, of the recent mission and the Canadian weather station on Mars. One only needs to look to the NDP to find depression.

[Canadian Space Industry, June 17th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, in the time since the MDA decision there has been a significant contract that was let specifically to MDA. It was a contract that related to the maintenance on the international space station, particularly the sliding arm, the Canadarm, and the apparatus on which it functions.

We will continue to work with MDA. MDA has been an extraordinary Canadian success story and we will continue to work with it in building this industry.

[Copyright, June 12th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, as has been promised previously, this bill seeks to strike a balance between consumers and their rights on the one hand, and on the other hand those who are creators in our society. It is an important bill.

I would point out that it has been well received. There is positive commentary that has been extensive at this point about the introduction of the bill. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Entertainment Software Association of Canada, the Business Software Alliance, ACTRA, the Canadian Film and Television Production Association, the Canadian Publishers' Council, the Canadian Intellectual Property Council have all welcomed the introduction of the bill.

[Copyright Act, June 12th, 2008]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-61, An Act to amend the Copyright Act.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Copyright, June 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, there is a fair bit of shrill rhetoric in there.

The government will deal with the balancing of the rights of consumers, on the one hand, and creators, on the other. It is a difficult job. It is well in hand. The bill will be introduced in due course. In the meantime, if the NDP wishes to lead its members along by their own noses, it can do so.

[Copyright, June 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member simply has all of his facts wrong. The key issue on copyright is, of course, striking the appropriate balance; a balance between, on the one hand, consumers and, on the other hand, creators. Attempts by the previous Liberal government to do so, not surprisingly, have failed.

The bill will be introduced when the Minister of Canadian Heritage and I believe that the appropriate balance has been struck. I would encourage my friend to try to be constructive and patient.

[Tourism, June 2nd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the member is not correct in his facts. Tourism continues to be a thriving industry in this country. The secretary of state continues to work on this file. We will continue to make progress.

Throughout the country, we will continue to welcome people from overseas and from the United States, and that will be the success of the industry.

[Aerospace Industry, May 26th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander did indeed land last night, carrying Canada's meteorological station successfully onto the red planet. This is great news for Canadians. Canada is making great strides. We will be on the horizon in space for many years, first with scientific and robotic instruments.

I sense from the Liberals some excitement about the mission, knowing that they could perhaps find someone, anyone, on the red planet who would support their Liberal gas tax.