Libby Davies

[Questions on the Order Paper, May 3rd, 2013]

With regard to the proposed Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations, published in the Canada Gazette on December 15, 2012 for public consultation: (a) what was the number of responses received by the deadline of February 28, 2013; and (b) of these responses, (i) how many responders indicated they disagreed with all or certain sections of the proposed regulations, (ii) how many responders indicated they agreed with all or certain sections of the proposed regulations, (iii) what were the 3 sections of the new regulations that were most commented on?

[Intergovernmental Relations, May 3rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, they should read the full report.

Conservative members on the Canadian heritage committee have launched a review of history teaching at provincial schools. Conservatives have already intervened politically in the War of 1812 advertisements; they are remaking the Museum of Civilization in their image, and yesterday we saw the first Canadian in space being removed from Canadian space history for political reasons. Surely, Canadians deserve better.

Why are Conservative MPs now intent on telling provincial schools what they should teach?

[Government Expenditures, May 3rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are being selective in quoting the Auditor General, so, yes, let us hear what he had to say. I am sure it is an oversight that they do not give the full story. This is what he stated:

However it’s important for there to be a way for people to understand how this money was spent. And that summary reporting was not done.

The Auditor General is clearly saying Conservatives failed to explain where this money went. Why are they misleading the Canadian public?

[Government Expenditures, May 3rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, when the Auditor General came looking for where the $3 billion actually went, the government had no answer. It could not provide detail because none existed, and yet it claimed that this was all somehow transparent. Did Conservatives not read the Auditor General's report?

The President of the Treasury Board cannot say that this money went to another program or if it was even spent at all. Can the minister now stand and acknowledge that his government has no clue where this money went?

[Search and Rescue, May 2nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, why is it that no minister is ever held to account and there are no consequences for those who mismanage billions?

The Conservatives are also playing catch-up on search and rescue today. Apparently they will be borrowing an idea from the NDP and setting up a 30-minute response time, but this does not make up for their decision to close the Kitsilano Coast Guard station or their failure to replace the Buffalo search and rescue aircraft.

When will they do the right thing and reopen the Kitsilano station?

[Government Expenditures, May 2nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the minister should go check his facts. In reality, the Conservatives simply do not know what happened to billions of dollars in spending, and they are making up new excuses daily to try to explain this mismanagement.

In opposition the Prime Minister once said, “...one would think that there would be some element of shame from the Liberal Party regarding today's report but there is none whatsoever.”

Is the Prime Minister now ready to live up to those words and show some contrition for mishandling $3 billion in security spending?

[Government Expenditures, May 2nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, let us get to the real facts. The Conservatives still cannot tell Canadians where $3.1 billion in security spending actually went. Treasury Board told an iPolitics reporter yesterday that the money could be in a number of places, maybe in other public security programs or maybe even in border infrastructure. We all remember what happened to border infrastructure money the last time the President of the Treasury Board was involved.

Could the Prime Minister now tell us where this money went, or do we need to start searching Huntsville gazebos for it?

[Questions on the Order Paper, May 2nd, 2013]

With regard to the tax subsidies for private health insurance plans under the Income Tax Act in the 2011 fiscal year: (a) what was the total value of the deductions, in terms of foregone tax revenue, provided to corporations for their contributions to employee health insurance plans; (b) what was the value of the deductions, in terms of foregone tax revenue, provided to corporations for their contributions to employee prescription drug plans; (c) what was the total tax expenditure for the Medical Expense Tax Credit; and (d) what amount of the tax expenditure for the Medical Expense Tax Credit was for premiums paid for private drug insurance plans?

[Questions on the Order Paper, May 2nd, 2013]

With regard to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada’s Homelessness Partnering Strategy: (a) what does Homelessness Partnership Strategy define as ‘supported housing’; and (b) is this the definition used for funding supported housing projects within the Homelessness Partnering Strategy?

[Petitions, May 1st, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I am also proud to present more petitions from citizens across Canada who point out that every year hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats are brutally slaughtered for their fur in a number of Asian regions.

The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to support legislation to amend the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act and the Textile Labelling Act based on Bill C-296. They urge us to approve this bill.