Stockwell Day

[The Environment, October 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we continue to be a leader in environmental areas but we will point out the fact that there will be difficulties. If we have large countries, especially those with developing economies, that are taking a stand not to do anything in terms of emission reductions, that is a challenge, but it is a challenge that we are willing to take on. It is also a challenge that the Minister of the Environment is taking on and he is demonstrating that things can be put in place.

This may be difficult for industry, and some of it will be difficult for industry, but we are insisting that guidelines be made and we will work with other countries to show how they can implement them.

[The Environment, October 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we have taken the lead in so many different areas related to the environment.

The NDP members continue to fall into the trap of their previous coalition partners by repeating this absolute falsehood that we had something to do with the Kyoto agreement. It was the Liberals who signed the agreement and then did nothing in 13 years. As a matter of fact, emissions continued to go up and we are the government that has put in place, at a minimum, a 20% reduction by the year 2020.

The minister is also reflecting on the fact that a number of countries, before going to Copenhagen, have already said that they will not accept guidelines. We want to see guidelines in place.

[The Environment, October 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, that is absolutely false. A number of countries were sorry about the situation at the conference that he is referring to.

He said something else that bothers me. It was the Liberals that signed the Kyoto protocol and did nothing about it. We have done many things. We have set levels and introduced emission reduction programs.

[The Environment, October 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we are very clear. We are concerned about our climate and the environment. That is why it was Canada that set levels and implemented a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020. That is our goal and we will reach it.

[Infrastructure, October 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I suppose I should be worried when my colleagues cheer louder for the critic than for me.

She quite rightly articulated the fact that it was this government that brought to a new level of transparency the rules and regulations that govern spending in this place. We had to do that because the former Liberal regime had absolutely devastated public confidence in public spending. We have restored that and we feel good about it.

[Infrastructure, October 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, if the member opposite wants to go stat for stat and quote for quote, we should consider, first of all, what the deputy premier of the province of Ontario has said, what the head of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities has said, what the mayor of Toronto has said. They all said that they are very pleased with the fair disbursal of these funds.

Just as one example alone, under the RInC program, 136 applications were received from the city of Toronto and 86% of those were fulfilled.

[Government Spending, October 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I will tell you what well spent, well directed investment can buy. On our economic action plan, some 7,500 projects are under way across this country, providing employment, providing everything from water treatment plants, to improved highway systems, to increased infrastructure improvements at our post-secondary institutions right across the country.

That is what good money buys, and the good money comes from the hard work of taxpayers. That is why our tax system continues to be the lowest among the G8 countries.

[Government Spending, October 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, there are two things we need to consider. First is the past historic record of the Liberal government. The only time it had the opportunity to do something related to health care in the 1990s, it slashed it by over a third without even consulting the provinces.

When it comes to advertising, which is the other point the member is raising, we think Canadians want to know about things such as how to access the H1N1 vaccine. We think they want to know about the Canadian military and recruitment programs. We think Canadians want to know about the home renovation tax credit. We think they want to know how to access these programs, and we are going to tell them.

[Government Spending, October 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, it is important to consider comments from others besides the Liberal critic, for instance. It was the International Monetary Fund that said that Canada was the best positioned to weather the global crisis. Canada is the leader among industrialized countries, and we will continue to lead.

[Afghanistan, October 22nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I did not see the reports.