Steven Blaney

[Business of Supply, May 31st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the question that I would like to ask the hon. member for Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup is very simple.

First, a bill makes it possible to connect workers with available jobs. Then, a program allows our workers to have more money in their pockets during the off-season, before returning to their seasonal jobs. Finally, there is a measure designed to give available jobs to Canadians before offering them to foreign workers.

So, my question is very simple. Why oppose a measure that is of benefit to workers in every region, particularly the regions of Quebec?

[Business of Supply, May 31st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question.

I would first like to assure the member that the proposed measures would affect about 1% of claimants who are looking for work. So, clearly, the impact of this measure would be relatively minimal.

I am glad my colleague mentioned the regions, because I have the privilege of representing a region with an extraordinary entrepreneurial spirit. Last week, I visited Rotobec, a company that exports equipment around the world for the forestry industry and for the recovery of waste materials. Just last week, the head of the company was supposed to go to Chile. The company is based in Sainte-Justine, in Les Etchemins. These businesses need skilled workers—engineers, welders and workers who build state-of-the-art equipment and who are world leaders in the industry.

We need to ensure that the people of Bellechasse who are looking for work will know that jobs are available and that they can earn more money, be better off and contribute to the wealth of our regions.

[Business of Supply, May 31st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question.

I would remind her that, every day, millions of Canadians go to work and contribute to our economic prosperity. Of course, some regions or areas are less fortunate, but I would also remind my colleague that, in Quebec, we need workers for harvesting. This is spring, a time of year when there is a significant need for workers.

As we are speaking, some EI recipients could make some extra money by filling those jobs. Our goal is very simple: we want available jobs to be filled by people from here, by Canadians, so that they can earn some extra income.

I am sure the hon. member agrees that Quebec workers would have more money in their pockets by taking a job than by collecting EI benefits.

[Business of Supply, May 31st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege for me to address this House today in support of an initiative that will allow our workers to find jobs more quickly.

I would first like to congratulate the hon. member for Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley. The hon. member is from New Brunswick and I am from Quebec, of course. He clearly showed that the program is beneficial for his region. It is a win-win situation.

It is certainly a win for our employers in Bellechasse and Les Etchemins who need people. We are hiring in Bellechasse and Les Etchemins. People are coming from Quebec City and Montreal. We even have people from outside the country. One of the companies I am thinking of is Exceldor, where most of the workers in one of the production facilities come from every corner of the world.

We need workers. We need an active workforce in Bellechasse and Les Etchemins right now, and in Lévis too. That is why we want to create tools so that workers in search of jobs, people who are temporarily out of work or out of the labour market, can have access to the jobs that are available.

Is it not bizarre that the New Democrats, who say they want to help working people, want to stop them from finding jobs? Have you thought about how illogical their position is, today, when they oppose the idea of job seekers finding a job?

Fortunately, here on the government side, we have created 750,000 jobs. Why? Because we have companies that are not suffocated by taxes and operate in a context of prosperity that benefits all of us here in Canada. This country is the envy of many others in the OECD. That means that our Minister of Finance is praised both in Europe and by all the big economic decision-makers.

So the measure we are proposing today is a win-win measure. I would like to explain why. First, it enables working people who are looking for jobs to have easier access to the pool of jobs available in their immediate environment. There are tools like the Internet, for example, or various communication tools. That is why we are investing. In fact, we are investing $21 million. Today, we need only look to the extensive use being made of communication tools by the new generation, in particular, whether that be the Internet, social networking or the various communication systems available to us.

Essentially, with what is called Job Alert, we will be able to inform people who are looking for work about jobs available in their area. That is the first measure. It must be remembered that the employment insurance system is in fact Canada’s largest labour market access program. It is therefore important to ensure that it is on the leading edge of the technology. That is one of the first things our program does. It connects workers with the jobs available. That will apply everywhere, throughout Canada.

It means that Canadians who are receiving employment insurance benefits will receive daily notices of job postings from a variety of sources, so they are aware of jobs that are available in their region. So far, this is a measure that should gain the unanimous approval of the parliamentarians who are here today.

The second measure is also sensible and intelligent. It aims to ensure that if there are jobs available in regions, workers who have the skills to fill those jobs will be able to access them. That means that instead of receiving employment insurance benefits, which provide only a fraction of the income they were making, workers will be able to earn additional income.

Because of this measure, workers who are looking for a job will be able to temporarily, or, you never know, perhaps over the longer term, work at jobs that will put more money in their pockets. It is another measure that is very sensible and warrants the approval of all parliamentarians. The purpose of the measure is to enable workers to connect with jobs that are available and to tell people seeking work that there are opportunities for them in their area that will enable them to obtain additional income besides employment insurance benefits.

So I think that it is important to tell those who are watching us today that it is a reasonable measure, one that is beneficial to workers because it enables them to earn additional income and thereby have more money in their pockets. For example, during the off-season, if there are jobs available, seasonal workers will be able to fill these jobs. That will give them access to more ready income to support their families. This is the second measure in this reform being put forward by our Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, a measure that will be very beneficial to all regions across the country.

The third factor is that there are currently jobs that are not necessarily filled by Canadians. Foreign workers are even brought in to fill these positions. Would it not make more sense to first offer these jobs to Canadians? It is very simple. There are jobs available here in Canada. We have Canadian workers who have the skills to fill these jobs.

So before offering them to foreign workers, would it not be logical to develop mechanisms to ensure that these jobs here in Canada are first offered to Canadians and filled by Canadians? It strikes me as a rather basic principle that should gain the assent of every parliamentarian in this House.

To summarize, there are three important principles. The first is to connect available jobs to workers. The second, which is equally important, is of course to ensure that the jobs available in our regions are first filled by Canadian workers. Of course our country, which welcomes people from many nations, will continue to be happy to offer some jobs to other countries. These are straightforward measures.

We want to ensure that it is fair for all Canadians and that it provides the right level of support given the availability of jobs wherever they happen to live.

At the same time, we are proposing new EI measures that will help EI claimants to get back to work more quickly. Our government is committed to making targeted, common sense changes to the EI system so that Canadians are better encouraged and supported in their job search.

Canada's well-trained and highly educated workforce is one of our key advantages in competing and succeeding in the global economy. However, too often barriers or disincentives discourage workforce participation. We are making changes to ensure that the EI system better supports employers who have jobs to fill and we are also going to ensure that Canadians are always better off working than not.

We are investing $21 million over a two-year period in new targeted measures to help unemployed Canadians find jobs more quickly.

I must say that we realize that some Canadians have a hard time finding employment, especially when there is no work during the slow season that some regions experience. Today, those people can rest assured that if there are no jobs available, they will be entitled to their benefits.

This is a balanced initiative, and I encourage every member of the House to support it because this is what we need to ensure that our workers have more money in their pockets.

[Contaminated Water in Shannon, May 30th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I have done more for the Quebec City area, and I invite the members for the Quebec City area to continue to work as my predecessors did. We are proud to be Conservative members from Quebec and we will continue to work for Quebec.

[Business of Supply, May 15th, 2012]

Madam Chair, I believe that the minister answered everything quite well.

My last question concerns contaminated sites. Could the minister tell us what has been done in this regard over the past two years? We know that there are contaminated sites in this country. Have investments been made to deal with these sites? Some of them were very badly contaminated.

What has been done in regard to those contaminated sites that we have here?

[Business of Supply, May 15th, 2012]

Madam Chair, I see that there is an integrated plan for the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes.

When I look at the data, I am a bit surprised. We have an effective plan with which we have achieved a third of our targets. However, I see that, in the past decade, under the Liberals, carbon dioxide emissions in Canada increased by 28.4%.

I would like to know how the minister did it. Under the Liberals, our country had completely lost control of our carbon dioxide emissions. We see that when we, the Conservatives, came to power, we managed to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions and finally reduce them.

Could the minister talk about the measures that cover the transportation industry, the source of a quarter of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions? How did he manage to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation industry? Did our government implement a regulatory regime and, if so, did the government do this alone or in partnership with other countries?

[Business of Supply, May 15th, 2012]

Madam Chair, I have a few questions for the Minister of the Environment.

In my speech, I spoke a lot about the St. Lawrence action plan. The river starts in the Great Lakes. Could the minister explain about the Great Lakes? I spoke a lot about the measures he has taken in the St. Lawrence action plan, but I would like to know more about the Great Lakes.

[Business of Supply, May 15th, 2012]

Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to rise this evening to salute the remarkable work carried out by my colleague, the Minister of the Environment, who has the opportunity this evening to explain in greater detail his action plan and its measures, not only for the stewardship of our ecosystems throughout the country, but also his strategies for the management of drinking water and sewage, for air quality and, of course, for the reduction of greenhouse gases. As the minister explained, the results in this regard are compelling.

We are already a third of the way to meeting our objective, established in the Copenhagen accord, of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 17% by 2020. Already, there has been a reduction of approximately 48 megatonnes as compared to 2005. We are, therefore, well on track to meeting our objectives—thanks to the regulatory framework established by the minister—particularly in the transport sector, which covers a quarter of our country's greenhouse gas emissions. We are also making progress in the areas of electricity, coal, and the oil and gas sectors.

This action plan provides convincing results, and what is more, we still have a few years left to achieve these outcomes, as our objective was set for 2020.

I am also pleased to rise this evening as a Quebecker, since my remarks have to do with the St. Lawrence River, which is the backbone of Quebec, and in some ways, of the entire country.

The St. Lawrence plan includes measures we have put in place to ensure the sustainability and conservation of the St. Lawrence River. The St. Lawrence is one of the highest priority ecosystems in Canada. It is an environment inhabited by numerous species and is a major source of drinking water and resources for the population. It is a pillar of economic development; it generates billions of dollars in economic activity. That is why the health of this ecosystem is crucial to a prosperous Quebec and Canadian economy.

It is also why the governments of Canada and Quebec wish to pursue measures undertaken initially by the Conservative government of Brian Mulroney in 1988, by creating the first ever St. Lawrence action plan in order to protect and restore the St. Lawrence River. Since 1988, this plan has produced results. Indeed, the Canadian government invested heavily and obtained tangible results.

The toxic liquid waste of 50 of the most polluting plants along the St. Lawrence was reduced by 96%. We have also protected 100,000 hectares of natural habitats by creating and expanding parks, ecological reserves and wildlife sanctuaries, and by establishing conservation agreements. We have also published a list of species likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable, which may be given protected status under Quebec's Loi sur les espèces menacées ou vulnérables.

We have also created the Saguenay–Saint-Laurent Marine Park, the foremost marine park in Canada. We have redeveloped and reopened Montreal's Lachine Canal, 20 years after it was closed. Furthermore, 10,000 inspections of agricultural companies from six targeted regions have been carried out in order to identify the nonpoint-source pollution that may be affecting the quality of water in the St. Lawrence River.

Just a few months ago, in November 2011, the government pursued this course of action with the St. Lawrence action plan 2011-2026. I was honoured to join Quebec's sustainable development, environment and parks minister, Mr. Arcand, and our own Minister of the Environment to announce the plan at the Old Port of Montreal.

The agreement involves some 18 federal and Quebec departments, which are working together and taking meaningful action on behalf of the people by improving and maintaining the quality of the St. Lawrence ecosystem.

By 2016, the Government of Canada will have invested $49 million and the Government of Quebec $20.6 million to initiate dozens of projects in key areas, such as maintaining biodiversity and improving water quality.

We plan to focus on sources of agricultural pollution and the effects of emerging substances, such as pharmaceutical products. We want to improve contaminated sediment management tools and learn more about nonpoint-source pollution.

The work on evasive alien species must continue. We will protect environmentally sensitive areas through programs aimed at identifying protected areas and conserving biodiversity.

Furthermore, we will promote responsible fishery management and designate public access sites. We will support sustainable navigation activities and consolidate hydrometric data on water levels and supplies.

This new agreement between the Canadian government and the Quebec government is another example of partnership in the spirit of open federalism and of the excellent co-operation that is taking place with the Quebec government in many areas. This agreement breaks new ground with a numerical environmental prediction program that will also serve as an important decision-making tool.

Environment Canada has been supporting ZIP—priority intervention zones—committees and Stratégies Saint-Laurent since 1993 through an annual funding envelope of $1.1 million.

Lastly, in addition to engaging various federal and provincial departments, this plan makes room for community projects through the community interaction program. The $12.4 million allocated through this program since 1993 has made it possible to complete 375 projects worth $22.6 million, thanks to the commitment of individuals, community organizations and many partners whose actions have contributed to the development and protection of the St. Lawrence River.

This plan will allow us to pursue the excellent partnership we have created with the Quebec government and with our other partners in order to provide sound information based on the expertise of our scientists. It will allow us to get decision-makers and people who use the St. Lawrence involved in order to ensure the health of the St. Lawrence River.

The St. Lawrence River is vital to our development and has played an important part in our history and our daily lives. I live in Lévis, where we have the Quebec City-Lévis ferry, the St. Lawrence cruises, port activity and sailing activities. This summer and in the next few years, Quebec City will be hosting important events such as the Rendez-vous naval de Québec—there will be a number of vessels—and competitions will take place in Quebec City and the St. Lawrence corridor, with the tall ships.

Therefore it is our duty to leave a healthy St. Lawrence River to future generations so they can have the best possible economy and environment.

Before concluding, I would simply like to remind members that the work carried out by our Minister of the Environment has been noticed internationally. In fact, the International Institute for Sustainable Development has recognized that Canada is well on its way to reaching its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.

The Minister of the Environment has made massive investments in Parks Canada, including through the economic action plan. We have a Minister of the Environment who has actively committed to increasing protected areas throughout the country in order to protect our ecosystems. Our minister keeps in direct contact with major greenhouse gas emitters in order to ensure that Canada, in co-operation with the provinces, can meet its targets.

[Veterans Affairs, May 15th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Veterans Ombudsman is going in exactly the opposite direction of the irresponsible way of the NDP. The NDP is suggesting abolishing a tribunal that 4,000 veterans turn to every year. We will stand by the tribunal.

We expect all board members to be responsible and show respect for taxpayer dollars at all times. I am confident that this board will keep on providing good services for the veterans, who deserve the right to appeal the decision and to be well served by this government and this country.