John Baird

[Health, March 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, this government will fight people who want to sell drugs to our children in Canada. We will fight drug violence anywhere in the world to try and support families. If the Liberal Party wants to legalize marijuana, wants to legalize drugs, the leader of the Liberal Party should be honest, stand in this place and tell Canadians this is its big priority.

Our priority is jobs, hope and opportunity, the long-term economic prosperity of our country. That is where this government is focused, that is our mandate, and we are pleased with the 400 new jobs at Toyota that were announced just today.

[Health, March 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, this government has taken substantial efforts to try to curb smoking. One of the things we will not do is try to legalize marijuana. We think that is not in the best interests of middle-class families across the country. We believe we should get tough on drug dealers, people who sell drugs to our children. We believe this is very important.

If the Liberal Party saw this as a huge priority, why did it not campaign on it in the last election campaign?

[Government Services, March 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, this is the member of this House of Commons who, when he was minister of the environment of Quebec, cut spending, slashed spending by more than 15%. Now he is going to lecture this government.

Let me say this. Members will be pleased to learn this. The Minister of Finance will present a budget tomorrow. That budget will help create jobs for Canadians. It will help the middle class by ensuring the long-term prosperity of this great country. It will support the priorities of working families, creating an environment for job creation, supporting health care, supporting education. It is going to do great things over the next year on this plan.

[Government Services, March 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, this Prime Minister has been very clear when it comes to middle-class families. They can count on this government to support their key priorities, whether that be health care, which is so important to middle-class families; whether that be education, which is so important to middle-class families.

This government is not only holding the line on low spending, we are actually providing more support to the provinces on those key areas. That is what middle-class families voted for in the last election. That is why this government will continue to pursue a low tax, low debt plan that will create jobs, hope and opportunity.

[Government Services, March 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, this government, every year since taking office, has increased support for the provinces for health care, which is a huge priority for middle-class families. Every single time we have stood in this House to raise funding for health care, the NDP has voted against it.

We are not doing what the previous Liberal government did. We are increasing support for health care. In fact, those increases this year will be higher than most provinces are making. That is the priority this Prime Minister is making to health care, honouring our commitments to Canadian families.

[Foreign Affairs, March 16th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, we are concerned when Canadians travel abroad, for their health and safety. We will certainly look at that. We have already done the advisory with respect to St. Petersburg.

One of the core responsibilities that I have as Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs is to promote Canadian values around the world and I will continue to do this.

[Foreign Affairs, March 16th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, we are all deeply concerned by this legislation that runs contrary to core Canadian values of freedom of speech, of human rights and the rule of law.

Canada's ambassador has written to the Russian government to express our deep concern, and yes we have, at his request, put a travel advisory on our website.

[National Defence, March 16th, 2012]

Kick him out.

[National Defence, March 16th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, obviously, I have not seen the report in question. It would be inappropriate to speculate on such a report. I think the normal practice is that we respect a new officer of Parliament. The report will be tabled in Parliament before it is commented on.

Canada has been a partner in the F-35 program for almost 15 years. Our plan is to continue in the program. As we have not signed a contract for purchase, we retain the flexibility to remain within our budget. Ultimately, however, the government will ensure that the Royal Canadian Air Force has the equipment it needs to do the job we ask of it.

[Syria, March 15th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly have, in my eight or nine months as Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with a good number of Syrian Canadians, people with family in Syria and people who have immigrated from Syria. I met with four representatives just this past week. Last year, I met with our former colleague from Mississauga, Omar Alghabra, to get his perspective on things.

I will keep in close contact with them.