OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD)

House of Commons Debates VOLUME 147 NUMBER 030 2nd SESSION 41st PARLIAMENT Wednesday, December 4, 2013 Speaker: The Honourable Andrew Scheer HOUSE OF COMMONS CANADA (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) COMMONS DEBATES December 4, 2013 DEBATES Edited Hansard * Table of Contents * Number 030 (Official Version) Official Report * Table of Contents * Number 030 (Official Version) Compte rendu officiel * Table des matières * Numéro 030 (Version officielle) 147 030 04 12 2013 2013/12/04 14:00:00 House of Commons Débats de la Chambre des communes House of Commons Debates 41 2

The House met at 2 p.m. Prayers

Statements by Members (1400) [ English ] The Speaker : It being Wednesday, we will now have the singing of our national anthem led by the hon. member for Edmonton Centre. [Members sang the national anthem] STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS Statements by Members [ Translation ] Concertation-Femme Centre for Women in Ahuntsic-Cartierville Mrs. Maria Mourani (Ahuntsic, Ind.) : Mr. Speaker, in this special week, during which we mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women, I would like to acknowledge the outstanding work of the Concertation-Femme team in Ahuntsic-Cartierville.

In addition to developing an excellent information tool in 10 languages addressing women's rights and the prevention of all forms of violence, this organization's workers and volunteers reach out every year to women from over 55 countries who have just arrived in Canada. They work with mothers and elderly women to foster their emotional and economic independence. More recently, Concertation-Femme has held a number of activities with students in high schools, during which they address such issues as relationships between girls and boys and self-respect.

Congratulations and a sincere thank you to Concertation-Femme.

[ English ] Crime Stoppers Mr. Mike Wallace (Burlington, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, Crime Stoppers of Halton is an independent charitable organization, governed by a volunteer board of directors, made up of citizens representing all areas of the Halton region. Put simply, it is a three-part approach to solving crime problems. Crime Stoppers relies on co-operation between the police, the media, and the general community to provide a flow of information about crime and criminals.

Since its creation in 1988, Crime Stoppers of Halton has helped the police make over 1,000 arrests, recovering nearly $20 million in money and assets, and it has paid $54,000 in rewards. Halton has been named the safest municipality in Canada. Its Crime Stoppers branch receives 600 tips per year. Norm Bellefontaine, the chair of Crime Stoppers of Halton, said that he would like to think that Crime Stoppers has been a tool in the toolbox to keep his region safe. On behalf of the citizens of Burlington, I congratulate the Crime Stoppers of Halton for their 25 years of fantastic service to the community.

(1405) Tibetan Resettlement Program Ms. Peggy Nash (Parkdale—High Park, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, Tashi Delek . I rise today to welcome to Ottawa the new representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for North America, Kaydor Aukatsang. I would also like to welcome the 17 Tibetans who arrived over the weekend through the Tibetan resettlement project. They are the first of 1,000 Tibetans who will relocate to Canada through this program. Tibetans face religious and cultural oppression in their homeland. In Canada they also face unacceptable delays in family reunification.

In my riding of Parkdale—High Park, I have seen people wait as long as nine years to reunite with loved ones. This resettlement program shows great promise, but clearly, we do need a fair and more efficient immigration system. Today I hope all members of the House will join me in wishing a heartfelt welcome to Mr. Aukatsang and the participants of the resettlement program.

Tibet Mr. David Sweet (Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the human rights tragedy in Tibet continues under the watchful eye of the Chinese authorities. Reports out of Tibet are that yet another monk set himself ablaze in November. This sadly brings the total to 122 in Tibet who have self-immolated. Imagine what it must take to set oneself on fire as a means of protest. The circumstances are clearly getting worse, but we do not hear much about it, because journalists are prevented from reporting from the Tibetan areas in China.

We in the Parliamentary Friends of Tibet continue to shine the international spotlight on the worsening situation. That is why some members of the House heard directly from Mr. Kaydor Aukatsang here on Parliament Hill earlier this afternoon. Mr. Aukatsang is His Holiness the Dalai Lama's representative in North America and is part of the Central Tibetan Administration, the government in exile. He updated us on the developments and reiterated the Dalai Lama's call for peace and for the Chinese leadership to engage in meaningful dialogue with the Tibetan people. Time is of the essence. The world is watching.

Tibet Hon. Irwin Cotler (Mount Royal, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with other parliamentarians in welcoming Mr. Kaydor Aukatsang to Ottawa today, the new representative to North America of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, our distinguished honorary citizen. The painful plight of Tibetans, where more than 120 from all sectors of society have self-immolated, is the ultimate cry of protest and witness against the ongoing persecution and repression.

Tibetans value democracy, freedom, religious liberty, and the rule of law, while adhering to non-violence in the pursuit of genuine autonomy, pursuant to the Chinese constitution. Regrettably, while Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks of transparency and the rule of law, the repression of political dissent, the silencing of independent media, and the criminalization of innocent Tibetans intensifies. These actions shame a superpower that is a trustee of a great Chinese civilization and heritage.

We urge the Chinese authorities to respect that great heritage, respect the rule of law, and see the Dalai Lama as a solution for a just and lasting peace for China and all Tibetans.

Christmas Season Mr. Chris Warkentin (Peace River, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to stand in this House to pay tribute to the thousands of Peace Country residents and the millions of Canadians who will make a special effort this Christmas season to give back to those who are less fortunate. Community organizations, church congregations, the Salvation Army, food banks, native friendship centres, and others will lead the effort to make this festive season a true celebration for those who would otherwise go without this Christmas.

Generous citizens throughout our communities will make a difference by giving their finances, donating goods, and sacrificing their own time during this busy time of the year, and for that we all want to say “thank you”. I count it a privilege to represent the Peace Country, and I am proud to be part of a region that is so caring and whose residents lead by example, each and every day, to make our community a better place to live. As we approach this Christmas season, I want to thank those who will give generously of their time and resources to help others.

Let us all be inspired by their generosity and dedication, and let us join the effort to make this Christmas season a season of hope for all.

(1410) Family Reunification Mr. Andrew Cash (Davenport, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, Canadian immigrant families have to wait up to eight and a half years to be reunited with loved ones. That pretty much sums up the Conservative commitment to family values. Blinded as the Conservatives are by an ideology that reduces people to line items on a budget, it is surprising that they cannot even see the economic argument in ensuring that families reunite quickly with their grandparents and parents.

With the cost of child care and housing so prohibitive, something they are not doing anything about, it is often grandparents who provide child care while parents are working. The cornerstone of Canada's commitment to newcomers should be bringing families together, not making immigrant families wait years and years to be reunited with loved ones. Surely we can all agree that families belong together. That is a value we all share as Canadians, do we not? However, it has become clear that the Conservatives do not seem to understand the importance of all of this.

Heck, a Conservative minister even referred to parents recently as “a burden”. Canadians deserve better. Newcomer families deserve better. They will get that from New Democrats, who will always fight to make sure that family reunification is an essential priority in Canada's immigration system.

Retirement Congratulations Mr. Ed Holder (London West, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, one of the privileges we get as members of Parliament is to stand in this House and pay tribute to amazing Canadians. Today I honour Senator Donald Oliver, representing the great province of Nova Scotia, who is retiring from the Canadian Senate. He served our country with singular distinction, and I am proud to consider him a friend. Senator Oliver, a barrister, professor, entrepreneur, statesman, and advocate, has served the people of Canada with honour for more than 40 years.

Since his elevation to the upper chamber in 1990, Don Oliver has chaired several key committees in the Senate and has served as Speaker pro tempore . Senator Oliver is an accomplished businessperson and an expert on corporate governance. Yet for all of these achievements, we are most proud of Senator Oliver for his work in advancing equal opportunities for black Canadians and other visible minorities in our country. Early in his career, he was instrumental in bringing about provincial legislation to end racial discrimination in Nova Scotia. What an outstanding legacy.

Today we thank him for what he has done for all Canadians. We also thank his partner, Linda. We know Don could not serve in his role without her equal commitment. We thank Don Oliver for what he means to Canada. His wise counsel will be greatly missed.

Human Rights in Egypt Hon. Deepak Obhrai (Calgary East, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, Canada has been following with concern the case of 21 female protesters, including seven minor girls, in Alexandria, Egypt, who were sentenced to lengthy jail terms earlier this week. The 14 women were sentenced to 11 years in jail, while the seven young girls were similarly sentenced to 11 years in juvenile detention. We have raised our concerns with the government of Egypt.

At this time in Egypt's ongoing transition to democracy, we believe that it is critical that Egyptian authorities protect the rights of all citizens, including women and girls, to voice their opinions and protest peacefully. Respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law is the foundation of democracy, and we encourage the Egyptian government to adhere to these principles and to continue to pursue the transition road map as the best way to give all Egyptians a stake in the future stability and prosperity of their country.

[ Translation ] Corporal Alexandre Beaudin-D'Anjou Ms. Élaine Michaud (Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to pay tribute to the courage and determination of Corporal Alexandre Beaudin-D'Anjou from Pont-Rouge, which is in my riding of Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier. Corporal Beaudin-D'Anjou proudly served in Afghanistan, where he was seriously injured by an improvised explosive device on December 6, 2009. That tragic experience left him suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, but now he is overcoming his difficulties and taking on a major challenge.

Currently en route to the South Pole, Corporal Beaudin-D'Anjou is one of two Canadians on Team Soldier On who are taking

part in the UK's South Pole Allied Challenge. He and his team, made up of other injured veterans, will cross-country ski 335 km over a period of more than two weeks, braving temperatures as low as -50 o C. His bravery merits our respect. He is a role model for each and every one of us. Good luck on your journey, Corporal Beaudin-D'Anjou, and thank you for your exemplary service.

[ English ] The Economy Ms. Joyce Bateman (Winnipeg South Centre, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, when it comes to supporting Canada's economy and job growth, our Conservative government is on the right track. Indeed, since the depth of the global economic recession, Canada's economy has created over one million net new jobs. What is more, Statistics Canada announced just last week that the Canadian economy grew by 2.7% in the third quarter of 2013. That represents the ninth consecutive quarter of economic growth for Canada.

Despite this encouraging news, the global economy remains fragile and now is not the time to engage in risky high-tax schemes. Unfortunately, just last week when asked point blank, the leader of the NDP again committed to raising taxes on Canadian job creators. While the NDP is interested in increasing taxes and killing Canadian jobs, our Conservative government continues to do the opposite. We continue to create jobs and growth, and support Canada's economy.

(1415) Violence Against Women Ms. Niki Ashton (Churchill, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I rise today on day 12 of the 14 days of action to address violence against women. We count 14 days to commemorate the lives of the 14 young women who were massacred on December 6, 1989. They were killed because they were women. Every year we call for action because explicit misogyny, insidious discrimination and gender-based violence continue to provoke fear in the lives of women in Canada and the lives of our sisters across the globe.

As a young woman standing to address the House of Commons today, I am reminded that it is not always laws that hold women back, but fear too. A man walked into the École Polytechnique who hoped to scare women away from their dreams. Therefore, for the girls who want to be engineers, scientists, artists, lawyers, doctors and leaders, we call for action today.

For women who want to be treated equally, who want to be respected and not racialized, impoverished, marginalized, and for all women who want to actualize all their choices, whatever they may be, in peace and security without fear of violence or degradation, we call for action today. Today and every day women must have what they need to live without fear, without violence and with choice.

Northwest Territories Mr. Ryan Leef (Yukon, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, yesterday our government introduced Bill C-15 , the Northwest Territories devolution act, to show our government's commitment to ensuring that northerners have greater control over their resources and decision-making. That is why we are moving ahead with devolution and the transfer of lands and resource management to the Government of the Northwest Territories. This is an accomplishment that many governments have tried to achieve in the past, but have failed.

Promoting jobs, growth and prosperity in our north continues to be a priority of our government, which is why we want to give northerners greater control over their economic and political destinies. I urge all members of the House to support a prosperous and successful future for our north and to work together with the people of the great Northwest Territories in ensuring the bill gets across the finish line by April 14, 2014.

Officer of the Order of Canada Ms. Yvonne Jones (Labrador, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, today I acknowledge a good friend, and a good friend of all Canadians, on becoming an officer of the Order of Canada. The Hon. Brian Tobin has demonstrated remarkable service to the Parliament of Canada and as Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. His extensive achievements, both political and in business life, have been recognized in many corners of the world. Known to many of us as Captain Canada, last Friday he became an officer of the Order of Canada. Brian Tobin is highly regarded for his strong and principled leadership.

As a federal cabinet minister he saw the implementation of the Oceans Act, the extension of Canadian jurisdiction beyond 200 miles, and he took a strong stance against offshore overfishing by foreign fishers, known as the turbot war. His term as Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador was marked by important economic reforms to our industries, the constitutional amendment that ended denominational-based education and the development of the offshore oil and gas industry. My colleagues in the Liberal caucus today are proud of his accomplishments and we say, “Congratulations, Brian”.

Ukraine Mr. Ted Opitz (Etobicoke Centre, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Foreigh Affairs is in Kiev to participate in the OSCE's ministerial council meeting today. This occurs while the Ukrainian government cracks down on mass protests against its unpopular decision to suspend the EU association negotiations, which many of Ukraine's neighbours leveraged for prosperous economies and full membership to the EU. Ukraine should be one of Europe's most successful countries and not a struggling post-Soviet nation drifting toward authoritarian rule.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs will take this opportunity to state our government's grave concern about the violence that has been inflicted on peaceful demonstrators by the authorities, as I as chair of the Canada-Ukraine parliamentary friendship group stated to the speaker of the Ukrainian parliament and his delegation last week. He will also meet with opposition leaders and civil society representatives to express Canada's support. Freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are fundamental tenets of any truly democratic country.

Our government stands with the people of Ukraine to build a society based on freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law and balanced justice. Slava Ukraina, Slava Canada .

(1420) Ethics Ms. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, remember when the Prime Minister told us no one in his office, other than Nigel Wright, knew about the deal with Mike Duffy? That certainly must have been news to the dozens of people in his office who were involved in the cover-up. Remember the many times he claimed there was no legal agreement with Mike Duffy? Then the RCMP released the terms of the legal agreement. Remember the times he claimed his lawyer Ben Perrin was not involved in any legal agreement? Then we found out he handled the whole thing.

Remember when the Prime Minister declared the Senate was independent? Then the police discovered emails from senators to the PMO saying, “Hi Nigel, just a quick note to say that I'm always ready to do exactly what is asked”. Remember when he claimed his office had nothing to do with emails being deleted? The Prime Minister 's talking points are clearly not good to go.

United Church of Canada Mr. James Lunney (Nanaimo—Alberni, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, a recent campaign by the United Church and others targets Israeli products sold in Canada that include West Bank labourers. Yesterday, activists harassed and insulted a Jewish person in front of a retail store in Toronto. The individual was accused of being a religious fanatic for disagreeing with the boycott. This initiative, which purports to target goods produced in whole or in

part in contested areas, is both misguided and misinformed. This past September I visited an industrial area near Ariel, which employs about 7,000 people. Roughly half are Palestinians who pay taxes to the Palestinian Authority and earn the same wages and benefits as their Israeli counterparts, as prescribed by Israeli law. That is two or three times the wage prospects elsewhere in the disputed territories. Do these anti-Israel activists care that if their misguided efforts were successful they would ultimately hurt the very people they claim to be supporting; or as the incident in Toronto suggests, is the real root simply old-fashioned anti-Semitism?

Oral Questions Oral Questions [ Translation ] Ethics Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, was Benjamin Perrin fired or did he resign? [ English ] Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, Mr. Perrin left my office of his own accord some nine months ago. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister 's Office claims that it is “operating protocol” for emails to be routinely deleted when staff leave.

But the same guidelines Conservatives are citing actually say that, under the law, emails cannot be deleted if they contain information needed to “account for activities of government”. Why was the law broken? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, it is, of course, the responsibility of all employees to follow the applicable rules. Retained records are retained by the bureaucracy. When the bureaucracy realized that it had this information, it made this information available to the RCMP, and the official responsible answered thorough questions for that yesterday at committee. Hon.

Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the operative word there was “account” as in accountability. A week ago we learned that Jim Love, the chair of the Royal Canadian Mint and a close personal friend of the Minister of Finance , ran a tax avoidance scheme for a wealthy Conservative family. This is the same Conservative insider that the finance minister hired to advise the government on tax policy. Why is Jim Love still on the public payroll? Why has he not been fired? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, once again, the member refers to a private dispute between two parties that has been before the courts. Obviously we are not going to comment on that. The individual in question is chairman of the mint and this government's record in closing tax loopholes is without precedent.

National Defence Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, in the last week, four Canadian soldiers have taken their lives. I know the thoughts and prayers of all members of the House go out to their families, but this is unprecedented. Could the Prime Minister tell us what he and his government are doing to address this tragic situation?

(1425) Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, once again, let me just say, I think that this applies to all members of the House of Commons, all of our thoughts and prayers are with all of the friends and families of those who have been touched by these recent suicides. I think it is the responsibility of all of us to encourage those who need support, those who need help, to get that help. We should reach out to them and encourage them to do that. Those supports are available and we will make sure, of course, that they continue to be available to those people. [ Translation ] Hon.

Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I thank the Prime Minister for his answer. These suicides are troubling. They are horrible. We are talking about soldiers who courageously served not only their country, but each and every one of us. Can the Prime Minister tell us if he is prepared to reverse his decision to close nine regional offices that provided services to veterans? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, those services are available at Service Canada offices across the country. This government has invested far more in services for our veterans.

As I just said, our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends who have been touched by these events. It is the responsibility of all of us to encourage those who need support to get that support. We understand the difficulties that our military personnel have faced, and services are available to them. Mr. Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, last night Canadians heard more sad news. We are now up to four Canadian soldiers who have died in the past week.

Can the Prime Minister tell us what is being done to communicate with Canadian Forces members, specifically those who are suffering from post-traumatic stress, to ensure that they get all the help they need? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, a number of programs and services are available for our soldiers and veterans. They include the Canadian Armed Forces military assistance program, military family resource centres, the operational stress injury social support program, and the road to mental readiness program.

There are more, but the most important thing is that we understand that what our soldiers go through is not easy. The work they do is very hard, very dangerous and full of very difficult experiences. I think it is important for all of us to encourage soldiers who need help to get that help.

[ English ] Ethics Mr. Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, everyone understands that it is wrong to offer money to a police officer, to a judge, or to a legislator, yet in direct violation of the Parliament of Canada Act, the Prime Minister 's head of fundraising offered Conservative donor money to a sitting legislator. Why does Senator Irving Gerstein still enjoy the complete confidence of the Prime Minister ? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, of course the senator denies that. The fact of the matter is the following: Senator Duffy accepted payment from Mr.

Wright that was not properly reported and, in fact, was misrepresented widely to myself and to the Canadian public. That is the reason action has been taken in this case against these two individuals and why they are under investigation and, of course, why we continue to assist with that investigation. Mr. Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister continues to contend that Senator Gerstein is not a part of the RCMP investigation. Meanwhile, government senators are blocking his testimony, saying it would interfere with an ongoing investigation.

The government cannot have it both ways, but the issue remains. Why does Senator Irving Gerstein still enjoy the full confidence of the Prime Minister ?

(1430) Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Once again, Mr. Speaker, the RCMP itself has made very clear who is under investigation, and the Prime Minister's Office and the government continue to fully assist with that investigation. We shall continue to do so. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, Conservative Senator Noel Kinsella and Liberal Senator Pierrette Ringuette pulled the exact same trick as Mike Duffy, the trick that on October 24 the Prime Minister said was the reason for getting rid of Mike Duffy.

Why are Noel Kinsella and Pierrette Ringuette still in the Senate? Mr. Paul Calandra (Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, as you know, there is currently an audit under way by the Auditor General of Canada into all of the expenses of the Senate. That is something that we on this side of the House have been encouraging for some time. We have made it very clear, of course, that the status quo in the Senate is not something that we would support.

That is why we fought so hard to have these three senators suspended without pay from the Senate and that is why the minister of democratic reform has brought forward a number of proposals that are being considered at the Supreme Court. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Of course, it is the time of the year, Mr. Speaker, when we give our children and grandchildren advent Calandras, but we have real questions that are only for the Prime Minister . Some hon. members: Oh, oh! The Speaker : Order, please. I will ask the Leader of the Opposition to refrain from using proper names.

It sounded like it may not have been accidental, but I do not think it adds to the flow of question period today. The hon. Leader of the Opposition. Hon. Thomas Mulcair : Mr. Speaker, who did the Prime Minister originally ask to give Perrin's emails to the RCMP? Only the Prime Minister knows the answer. Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, just to be clear on the previous matter, Mr. Duffy was living at a long-time residence and claiming travel expenses. The two senators in question are long-time residents of the province of New Brunswick.

Of course, it is the bureaucracy that holds the records for departed employees. It had indicated it did not have such records. When officials discovered that was not correct, they immediately acted to make sure that information was made available to the RCMP, and that is the appropriate course of action. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, he reappears as magically as Perrin's emails.

It was the head of legal operations in the Privy Council Office, which is the Prime Minister 's own ministry, who wrote to the RCMP to tell them that Ben Perrin's emails had miraculously been found, but if Mr. Perrin's emails were frozen due to “unrelated litigation”, as the Prime Minister claimed last Sunday, would the head of legal operations not have had those emails all along? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, once again, the official in question did indicate that there were no such records. It was later discovered that such was not the case.

The official has been very forthcoming on this and has answered all questions at the parliamentary committee. [ Translation ] Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, did Ben Perrin's departure from the Prime Minister 's Office have anything to do with the Mike Duffy affair? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, no. Mr. Perrin left the Prime Minister 's Office in March and I learned of this affair in May. [ English ] Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr.

Speaker, the Privy Council Office cc'd the law firm Bennett Jones on its letter to the RCMP saying it had found Ben Perrin's emails. Coincidentally, Bennett Jones is the law firm representing and defending the Prime Minister 's own staff whose emails are being investigated. Why is the Prime Minister 's own ministry warning potential suspects that their emails are being investigated by the RCMP? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, there are officials in the bureaucracy who are responsible for the retention of these records and, obviously, responsible for communicating this information to the RCMP. The official responsible has fully answered questions before the parliamentary committee and is, obviously, always willing to do so. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr.Speaker, there are officials who are responsible, but the Prime Minister never is. It is the Prime Minister's Office, it is the Prime Minister 's party, it is the Prime Minister 's ministry, but he is never responsible.

On May 28, the Prime Minister said there was no legal agreement between Duffy and Wright. Does the Prime Minister want to change that story before he is contradicted again by the next round of RCMP documents?

(1435) Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, let me just once again correct the

preamble to that question. The records in question that the leader of the NDP refers to were not held in the Prime Minister's Office. All the information held in our office has been made available to the RCMP for some time. The RCMP itself has made that clear. They are certainly not held by the Conservative Party. They are retained by officials of the bureaucracy. When they were made available by a former employee, as the bureaucracy has said, it misinformed the Prime Minister's Office on those facts.

When it discovered that error, it admitted to that error and properly conveyed that information to the RCMP, as we would expect it to do. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, does the Prime Minister really not know that he is the minister in charge of that bureaucracy? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, once again, as the bureaucracy itself has said, the Prime Minister's Office asked specifically for that information from the bureaucracy and was told that it was not available. The bureaucracy says that error was inadvertent.

Obviously, we would have preferred to turn all information over to the RCMP at the same time. Officials having discovered that they made the error, I congratulate them for admitting it and for sending that information immediately to the RCMP. [ Translation ] Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, how can Canadians be sure that the documents handed over to the RCMP were not altered? How can this evidence still be valid when the Conservative government hid it for months? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, no information was hidden in this case.

The RCMP has said so itself. [ English ] Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, did the Prime Minister know that as part of the Duffy deal, his office promised that the Prime Minister would make a statement saying that Mike Duffy met all the requirements to sit as a senator from P.E.I., yes or no? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Once again, Mr. Speaker, I have made known my position on this for some time. Obviously members of Parliament and senators have more than one residence. That is a situation we understand.

What we felt was inappropriate, in the circumstance, was that a senator was living at a long-time residence when, in fact, claiming a travel expense that was obviously not appropriate, which is why I indicated to Mr. Duffy that I thought he should repay those monies. Ms. Judy Foote (Random—Burin—St. George's, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, the Conservative leadership in the Senate is resisting efforts to hear testimony from Michael Runia and Senator Irving Gerstein.

It claims the Senate cannot investigate the integrity of an audit it commissioned because the RCMP is investigating the matter, yet in this House, the government always claims that it is only Nigel Wright and Mike Duffy who are being investigated. Why does the Prime Minister claim there is no RCMP investigation of Gerstein and Runia when his leader in the Senate says there is? Mr. Paul Calandra (Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, as I have said on a number of occasions, the three auditors from Deloitte appeared before a Senate committee.

They confirmed that the audit was done with the utmost confidentiality, and that the Senate could have confidence in the report that they had put forward. In fact, in the very same documents that the member refers to, the RCMP outlined the fact that it is Senator Duffy and Nigel Wright who are being investigated. Ms. Judy Foote (Random—Burin—St. George's, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, here we go again. They cannot have it both ways. Either the RCMP are actively investigating Gerstein and Runia or they are not. If they are not, then Gerstein and Runia should be called to testify under oath immediately.

Parliament needs to investigate this serious breach of the integrity of this audit. Will the Prime Minister support hearing sworn testimony from Senator Gerstein, Michael Runia, and his own current and former PMO staff, yes or no? Mr. Paul Calandra (Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, again, the three auditors were brought before a Senate committee to confirm that the audit had been done with the utmost confidentiality and that the senators could have confidence in the report that was issued by Deloitte.

It was the basis of that report that led us and the senators to the conclusion that these three senators needed to be suspended without pay from the Senate. We know that the Liberals fought against that. They of course defended these three senators as victims and were defending the status quo. That is unfortunate. We stood up for Canadian taxpayers, as we always do.

(1440) Mr. Scott Andrews (Avalon, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, the case of the Ben Perrin emails is a complete farce. The RCMP had been asking for these emails repeatedly since September, and only when it was ready to raid the PMO did they magically appear. No one believes the excuses of this Prime Minister and his office. His office is trying to hide, deny, and deflect. Why is the PMO obstructing an RCMP investigation? When will they publicly release Perrin's emails, which they now confess they have had for ages? Mr.

Paul Calandra (Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the RCMP did identify, on page 21 of the report, the fact that the Prime Minister actually ordered his office to assist in every way possible. Hundreds of emails—thousands, in fact—were turned over. Of course, the Privy Council Office, in a letter released to the RCMP, outlined the reasons these emails were not found initially and did take full responsibility.

I will use the words of the member for Wascana himself, who said that beyond apologies to the PMO and the RCMP, the Privy Council Office owes its biggest apology to all Canadians. I will accept what the member for Wascana said on that.

National Defence Mr. Jack Harris (St. John's East, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, despite what the government claims, members of the Canadian Armed Forces are not getting the support they need. We have witnessed the heartbreaking tragedy of four apparent suicides in the past 10 days. Men and women who have served Canada, who stood up for us, deserve to have us stand up for them. Veterans and members of our armed forces need better mental health supports and serious policy changes, and they need them now. Is the minister now, finally, willing to listen and take action today? Hon.

Rob Nicholson (Minister of National Defence, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister indicated, our thoughts and prayers go out to the families, colleagues, and friends of these individuals. Suicide is a tragedy, and we have a role to play in reaching out to those who are hurting and encouraging them to get help. I know that the Canadian Armed Forces has a confidential 24/7 toll-free telephone advisory and referral service. I would urge all of those who are going through a crisis to reach out. There is help. We all have a responsibility to make sure that they know that. [ Translation ] Ms.

Élaine Michaud (Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the government asks Canadians to fight for their country, but when they return they have to fight for adequate health care. The closure of Veterans Affairs offices, the lack of mental health resources and the decrease in support for military families clearly show that the Conservatives have missed the mark. Can the Minister of National Defence promise to increase the number of mental health professionals and set up clinics to diagnose post-traumatic stress syndrome? [ English ] Hon. Rob Nicholson (Minister of National Defence, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, we all have a role to play in making sure that the services are there for our men and women in uniform and indeed for our veterans. The member indicated that she would like to see more money spent on health care, more investment, and there certainly has been under this government. We have almost doubled the number of health care professionals. We all do what we have to do to make sure that these individuals are approached and in making sure that they know help is there. I urge them to contact the armed forces to have the services that are in place made available to them. Ms.

Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, Canadians who serve our country expect their government to be there for them in their time of need. Instead, the Conservatives are closing Veterans Affairs offices and failing our service men and women. Almost two dozen of our brave heroes took their own lives in 2011, and there were four more apparent suicides this past week. Instead of hollow words, will the minister acknowledge that more must be done and tell us what action he will take to ensure our armed forces have the support they need? Hon. Rob Nicholson (Minister of National Defence, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, it was under this government that we created a joint personnel support unit to allow our ill and injured members to work with medical personnel, social workers, occupational therapists and others to help them transition back into civilian life. However, again, one of the things the member could do is start supporting the efforts we have made over the years to increase help to our veterans. That would be a first step, and I certainly would welcome that.

(1445) Mr. Peter Stoffer (Sackville—Eastern Shore, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, Dr. Martin Luther King spoke of the “urgency of now”; and the urgency of now is right now. One of the biggest problems men and women of the military have is that, when they come forward and admit they have a problem, if they get diagnosed, the clocks ticks toward their exit out of the military. In other words, they get booted out of the military. One of the problems is the program called universality of service.

Will the minister now, today, rethink the universality of service program to allow the men and women, who do come forward, to stay in the military until they receive all the psychological rehabilitation and educational opportunities they need to then transfer over to another career? Hon. Rob Nicholson (Minister of National Defence, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what they do. The Chief of the Defence Staff and the Chief of Military Personnel have assured me that members of the Canadian Armed Forces are not released until they are prepared for that transition.

I remind the member opposite that every possible accommodation is made to ensure that soldiers are kept in the forces and provided with the best possible support before being considered for release. This is the least we can do for them.

Consumer Protection Ms. Joan Crockatt (Calgary Centre, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, supporting and protecting Canadian families is always a priority for our government, and that is why we have taken measures to protect Canadians online, by introducing Canada's anti-spam legislation. My constituents of Calgary Centre, and indeed all Canadians, deserve to know that they are being protected from things like spyware, Trojan horses, viruses and unwanted spam. Can the Minister of Industry please tell this House what our government is doing so Canadians can feel as safe in the electronic marketplace as they do at the mall? Hon.

James Moore (Minister of Industry, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, our government passed legislation to protect Canadians from unwanted email and spam. This is actually quite a serious problem for Canadians. It hurts productivity. It hurts people's wireless rates when they get unsolicited email that causes their prices to go up every month. We passed legislation to protect consumers, and today we put forward the regulations to ensure that this legislation comes into force. We said in our throne speech that we would stand up for consumers. We acted when we passed our anti-spam legislation.

Today, we are putting in place regulations to ensure Canadians are protected from those emails and those messages that they do not wish to receive that cause their monthly bills to go up and threaten their cyber security.

The Environment Mr. Peter Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, yesterday's tanker safety report identified major gaps in safety planning, leaving Canadians profoundly concerned.The panel found response time standards will not be enough to contain spills. Even in ideal conditions, at most, 15% of oil spilled into our water and along our coast can be recovered. Yet Conservatives are ignoring the liabilities faced by taxpayers and stubbornly pushing for more tanker traffic, which increases the risk to our coastlines and to our communities.

Will the minister put aside the spin, start being responsible and at the very least enact these recommendations? Mr. Jeff Watson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to protecting the safety of Canadians and the environment. Our government's goal in creating the expert panel was to review Canada's current tanker safety system with an eye to improvement. We welcome the panel's findings, which will serve as an important part of achieving a world-class tanker safety system. However, do not take my word for it.

Here is what B.C.'s environment minister said: “I have a high degree of confidence that they are serious about achieving the goals that we have in front of us, and serious about the safety of our coast and the transportation of tankers up and down our coastline”. [ Translation ] Ms. Christine Moore (Abitibi—Témiscamingue, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, there is not one Canadian who really trusts the Conservatives to protect our coastal areas in the event of an oil spill. Even though a group of experts demanded better resources for the Canadian Coast Guard and Environment Canada, guess what happened?

The Conservatives decided to cut the budgets of both these bodies. What flawed logic has the minister used to justify cutting budgets for protection and prevention while promoting increased tanker traffic? [ English ] Mr. Jeff Watson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, if the member would like to join us in taking action on these, perhaps the opposition should stop filibustering Bill C-3 and the stiffer penalties that are involved in that.

We have taken important actions, like increasing the number of inspections of all foreign tankers; increasing funding for the national aerial surveillance program to ensure that we keep a watchful eye on tankers that are moving through Canadian waters; researching non-conventional petroleum products; ensuring that systems of navigational aids are there, in place and well maintained; and building on that with the panel's report. This is the next step in looking at how we make improvements to that to make it truly world class. Opposition members should join us in that.

(1450) [ Translation ] Rail Transportation Mr. Hoang Mai (Brossard—La Prairie, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, Transportation Safety Board of Canada files indicate that the number of rail safety rule infractions is going up. In the past 13 years there have been 1,353 infractions. Crews are tired and distracted. They do not follow the rules that are there to prevent collisions. Why is the number of infractions increasing? What is the government doing to ensure that the rules are followed to the letter? [ English ] Mr. Jeff Watson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, the member will know that regulations are in place precisely to ensure the safety and security of Canadians, and it is the responsibility of companies to follow those regulations. If they do not, they will face fines of up to $1 million and they are liable for enforcement up to and including prosecution. If they have broken those regulations, we will take every action necessary to ensure that they follow the rules. Ms. Rathika Sitsabaiesan (Scarborough—Rouge River, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, it is the responsibility of the government to keep Canadians safe and to take action and not to make excuses.

The Transportation Safety Board recommended an automatic braking system called positive train control. The U.S. has mandated all rail companies to implement a similar safety system by 2015. This braking system detects speeding runaway trains and automatically slows them down. It is a simple measure that simply saves lives. Will the minister agree to the safety board's recommendation and introduce the mandatory braking system? Mr. Jeff Watson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I invite the member to actually read the Transportation Safety Board's recommendations.

It did not say that positive train control is part of that. However, Transport Canada is working with industry to look at what the board did recommend, which is possible fail-safe train controls. We are monitoring the implementation of PTC in the United States, but in the meantime, we are working with industry on possible fail-safe train control.

National Defence Ms. Joyce Murray (Vancouver Quadra, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, reports are circulating that the program to supply close combat vehicles to the armed forces is being cancelled at the n th hour, after years of work. This is another example of taxpayer dollars wasted in a botched defence project that delivers nothing, except a big hit to the government's credibility. Would the minister tell the House today? Has the decision to cancel this purchase of the armoured vehicles been taken, yes or no? Hon. Rob Nicholson (Minister of National Defence, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, National Defence continues to work with Public Works on all these issues, but we are absolutely committed to making sure that the men and women of our armed forces have the best possible equipment, and we can count on that.

The Environment Hon. John McKay (Scarborough—Guildwood, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Shell Oil told the Government of Canada, “...signal to the world that Canada is stepping up to do its part” on oil and gas emissions and regulations. The provinces and territories are there. The NGOs are there. The industry is signalling that it wants somebody there. When will the minister and the government show up to “do its part” to bring order to this chaos? Mr. Colin Carrie (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, our government is a world leader when it comes to addressing climate change. We continue to work with the provinces on reducing emissions from the oil and gas sector. I can tell the House that, thanks to our actions, we have seen significant reductions in greenhouse gases, unlike the Liberal Party who increased greenhouse gas emissions by 130 megatonnes when it was in office. We are doing this without the $20 billion carbon tax that the NDP wants to bring in.

[ Translation ] Air Transportation Ms. Annick Papillon (Québec, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport admitted a few months ago that “There are a lot of unhappy citizens out there with the service that is being presented to them.” Nevertheless, airlines still see no consequences for overbooking or for never-ending delays on the tarmac. As we approach the holiday season, many Canadians will be boarding planes to celebrate with their family or to travel. Why do the Conservatives refuse to pass an air passenger bill of rights, as proposed by the NDP? (1455) [ English ] Mr.

Jeff Watson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, our government has taken measures with respect to improving the clarity of all-in pricing with respect to consumers. We support a strong and competitive airline industry. Perhaps the NDP would like to clarify whether its $20 billion carbon tax would help consumers with the cost of their travel this Christmas. Mr. Glenn Thibeault (Sudbury, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, airline travellers still do not have the basic protection of an airline passenger bill of rights.

While Canadians travel for the holidays, they will continue to be bumped from flights and continue to get stuck on grounded planes, ruining trips and costing Canadians their hard-earned money. Even the Minister of Industry went on TV and agreed it is unfair. These consumers just are not a priority for the Conservatives. Why will the government not listen to Canadian travellers and finally work with the NDP to stop airlines from taking advantage of Canadians? Mr. Jeff Watson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, we are standing up for Canadian consumers by not implementing a $20 billion carbon tax, which would drive up the cost of their airline tickets. We will continue to ensure that our system of transportation in air travel is safe, secure and cost-effective.

Health Mr. Harold Albrecht (Kitchener—Conestoga, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, today in Canada more than 4,500 people are waiting for organ transplants. However, the needs of many of these patients will never be met because only a fraction of Canadians are registered donors. As members of the House will know, during the difficult days following the death of my wife, Betty, I drew strength from my faith and from the fact that five people received the gift of life through her gift of donated organs. Life is the most precious gift one can give.

With Christmas approaching, can the Minister of Health inform this House on the steps being taken to encourage Canadians to give the gift of life through organ donations? Hon. Rona Ambrose (Minister of Health, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague from Kitchener—Conestoga for sharing the wonderful story of his wife, Betty, with all of us in the House today.

Today I had a chance to meet with the hon. member and with Hélène Campbell as well, a transplant recipient and inspiring young woman who reminds us of how precious life is, which is why I am so pleased today to launch a new social media campaign and website, along with Mrs. Laureen Harper, to help promote organ and tissue donations. I ask all MPs in the House to please go to www.healthycanadians.gc.ca. Anywhere people live in the country, they can register to become a donor at #giftoflife. I would ask members to make sure they do this.

When they are at home this Christmas or Hanukkah, over the holidays, I ask them to please have a conversation with their families and tell them that they want to be organ donors. It is the most important thing they can do.

[ Translation ] Rail Transportation Ms. Lise St-Denis (Saint-Maurice—Champlain, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, on October 25, VIA Rail decided to sell the Parent and La Tuque stations and signed an agreement in principle with the City of La Tuque. This agreement transferred client service jobs to the City. Can the minister explain how a municipality can be given responsibilities that legally and morally belong to a national railway? [ English ] Mr. Jeff Watson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the member will know that VIA is an independent crown corporation. As such, it is arm's-length from the government and is responsible for its own operational decisions.

[ Translation ] Air Transportation Mr. Pierre-Luc Dusseault (Sherbrooke, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, over a month ago, I asked the Minister of Transport to quickly review the security screening services required for flights out of the Sherbrooke airport. The minister responded that the city had to go through an eligibility process, which it had already done. All of Sherbrooke's stakeholders are waiting for the minister to take action. It is time that she seriously considered this issue. We are still waiting for her answer. What message does she want to send to the people of Sherbrooke today?

Will she finally take action or not? (1500) [ English ] Mr. Jeff Watson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, there are over 200 airports in Canada and by law the screening of passengers and baggage is carried out in 89 designated airports. That list does not change regardless if regular services are available or not. Having said that, the member will know the minister has tasked officials to review options for non-designated airports that are currently in development.

The Environment Ms. Wai Young (Vancouver South, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, last March our government announced a comprehensive plan to develop a world-class tanker safety system in Canada. Among other measures, our government announced the creation of a tanker safety expert panel to review Canada's current tanker safety system and to propose further measures to strengthen it. Yesterday, the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Natural Resources announced the release of the tanker safety expert panel's report.

This report is an important step in our government's commitment to develop a world-class tanker safety system in Canada. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport update the House on the panel's findings? Mr. Jeff Watson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for her incredible work on this file. Our government is committed to protecting the safety of Canadians and the environment. Our goal in creating the expert panel was to review Canada's current tanker system and identify areas of improvement.

The minister has welcomed, and we welcome the panel's findings. It will serve as an important part of achieving a world-class tanker safety system. We will continue to take action to ensure Canada has the most stringent tanker safety system in the world. This is what B.C.'s environment minister said: I have a high degree of confidence that they are serious about achieving the goals that we have in front of us and serious about the safety of our coast and the transportation of tankers up and down our coastline.

[ Translation ] Air Transportation Ms. Élaine Michaud (Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport is trying to justify her inaction by claiming that the City signed a memorandum of understanding with the Neuville airport developer. However, there are two major problems with her logic. First, the minister cannot escape her obligation to hold public consultations and produce an environmental assessment. Second, the airport proposal violates municipal and provincial regulations. The Conservatives set a precedent with the Parkland County airport in Alberta.

Why not do the same thing with the airport in Neuville? [ English ] Mr. Jeff Watson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the member will know that Transport Canada does not give permits for building aerodromes. Transport Canada's role is to ensure that all safety regulations are respected and followed. On that note, the minister has tasked officials to look into this matter on an expedited basis.

[ Translation ] International Trade Mr. André Bellavance (Richmond—Arthabaska, BQ) : Mr. Speaker, contrary to what the federal government claims, the Canada-European Union free trade agreement will not have just winners. In Quebec, cheese producers will suffer losses of $300 million in retail sales, while dairy producers are facing losses of $150 million. At the opening of the UPA convention, president Marcel Groleau asked the government to sit down with the industry and pointed out: “If you are serious, there has to be compensation. It must be assessed. It must be calculated.

We must now sit down and determine what it will be.” The government moved quickly to compensate Newfoundland fishers. Will it act immediately to respond to Quebec farmers as well? [ English ] Mr. Pierre Lemieux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, why is the member against the Canada-European trade agreement that will bring $12 billion into Canada and will help the pork farmers of Quebec? [ Translation ] Our government has always defended Canada's supply management system and has maintained its position in this agreement.

The three main pillars of our domestic supply management system remain intact. We will monitor the impact of the Canada-European Union free trade agreement on the income of dairy producers, and if production levels suffer, we will provide financial assistance to producers.

[ English ] Presence in Gallery The Speaker : I would like to draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of a parliamentary delegation from the Republic of Kazakhstan, led by His Excellency Askhat Daulbayev, Prosecutor General. Some hon. members: Hear, hear! The Speaker: I would also like to draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of a parliamentary delegation from the Republic of Turkey. Some hon. members: Hear, hear!

The Speaker: I would also like to draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of a delegation from the Northwest Territories, led by the Hon. Robert McLeod and including the following ministers: the Hon. J. Michael Miltenberger and the Hon. David Ramsey. Some hon. members: Hear, hear!

(1505) Points of Order Unparliamentary Language Points of Order Mr. Kyle Seeback (Brampton West, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, yesterday I used some very unparliamentary language in the chamber and for that I unreservedly apologize. The Speaker : I thank the hon. member for that.

Private Members' Business Private Members' Business [ English ] Criminal Code Bill C-489. Third reading The House resumed from December 2 consideration of the motion that Bill C-489,

An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (restrictions on offenders) , be read the third time and passed. The Speaker : It being 3:05 p.m., pursuant to an order made on Tuesday, November 26, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at third reading stage of Bill C-489 .

(1510) (The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:) (Division No. 35) YEAS Members Ablonczy Adams Adler Albas Albrecht Alexander Allen (Welland) Allen (Tobique—Mactaquac) Allison Ambler Ambrose Anders Andrews Angus Armstrong Ashfield Ashton Aspin Aubin Ayala Bateman Bélanger Bellavance Benoit Benskin Bergen Bernier Bevington Bezan Blanchette Blanchette-Lamothe Blaney Block Boivin Borg Boughen Boulerice Boutin-Sweet Braid Breitkreuz Brison Brosseau Brown (Leeds—Grenville) Brown (Newmarket—Aurora) Brown (Barrie) Bruinooge Butt Byrne Calandra Calkins Cannan Carmichael Caron Carrie Casey Cash Charlton Chicoine Chisu Chong Choquette Christopherson Clarke Cleary Clement Comartin Côté Cotler Crockatt Cullen Cuzner Daniel Davidson Davies (Vancouver Kingsway) Davies (Vancouver East) Day Dechert Devolin Dewar Dion Dionne Labelle Donnelly Doré Lefebvre Dreeshen Dubé Duncan (Vancouver Island North) Duncan (Etobicoke North) Duncan (Edmonton—Strathcona) Dusseault Dykstra Easter Eyking Fantino Findlay (Delta—Richmond East) Finley (Haldimand—Norfolk) Flaherty Fletcher Foote Fortin Freeman Fry Gallant Garneau Garrison Genest Genest-Jourdain Giguère Gill Glover Godin Goguen Goldring Goodale Goodyear Gosal Gourde Gravelle Grewal Groguhé Harper Harris (Scarborough Southwest) Harris (St.

John's East) Harris (Cariboo—Prince George) Hawn Hayes Hiebert Hillyer Hoback Holder Hsu Jacob James Jean Jones Julian Kamp (Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission) Karygiannis Keddy (South Shore—St. Margaret'

s) Kellway Kenney (Calgary Southeast) Kent Kerr Komarnicki Kramp (Prince Edward—Hastings) Lake Lamoureux Lapointe Larose Lauzon Laverdière Lebel LeBlanc (Beauséjour) Leef Leitch Lemieux Leslie Leung Liu Lizon Lobb Lukiwski Lunney MacAulay MacKay (Central Nova) MacKenzie Mai Marston Masse Mathyssen Mayes McCallum McColeman McGuinty McKay (Scarborough—Guildwood) McLeod Menegakis Merrifield Michaud Miller Moore (Abitibi—Témiscamingue) Moore (Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam) Moore (Fundy Royal) Morin (Chicoutimi—Le Fjord) Morin (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine) Morin (Laurentides—Labelle) Mourani Mulcair Murray Nantel Nash Nicholls Nicholson Norlock Nunez-Melo Obhrai O'Connor O'Neill Gordon Opitz O'Toole Pacetti Papillon Patry Payne Péclet Perreault Pilon Plamondon Poilievre Preston Quach Rafferty Rajotte Rankin Rathgeber Raynault Regan Reid Rempel Richards Rickford Rousseau Saganash Sandhu Saxton Scarpaleggia Schellenberger Scott Seeback Sellah Sgro Shea Shipley Shory Simms (Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor) Sims (Newton—North Delta) Sitsabaiesan Smith Sopuck Sorenson Stanton St-Denis Stewart Stoffer Storseth Strahl Sullivan Sweet Thibeault Tilson Toet Toone Tremblay Trost Trottier Trudeau Truppe Turmel Uppal Valcourt Valeriote Van Kesteren Van Loan Vellacott Wallace Warawa Warkentin Watson Weston (West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country) Weston (Saint John) Wilks Williamson Wong Woodworth Young (Oakville) Young (Vancouver South) Zimmer -- 276 NAYS Members May -- 1 PAIRED Nil The Speaker : Motion agreed to I declare the motion carried. (Bill read the third time and passed)

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Routine Proceedings (1515) [ English ] Natural Resources Mrs. Kelly Block (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, a report entitled “The State of Canada's Forests - Annual Report 2013” and that pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), the report should be referred to the Standing Committee on Natural Resources.

Government Response to Petitions Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to nine petitions.

Interparliamentary Delegations Mr. Gordon Brown (Leeds—Grenville, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the following reports of the Canadian delegation of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group respecting its participation at the following four meetings: First, the National Governors Association winter meeting that was held in Washington, D.C., February 22-25, 2013; second, the Pacific Northwest Economic Region's 23rd annual summit that was held in Anchorage, Alaska, July 14-19, 2013; third, the 66th annual meeting of the Council of State Governments-West that was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, July 30 to August 2, 2013; and fourth, the 79th annual meeting of the Southern Governors' Association that was held in Louisville, Kentucky, September 6-9, 2013.

Committees of the House Justice and Human Rights Mr. Mike Wallace (Burlington, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights entitled “Supplementary Estimates (B) 2013-14: Votes 1b, 5b, 35b and 50b under JUSTICE”.

Human Resources Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons With Disabilities Mr. Phil McColeman (Brant, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities entitled “Supplementary Estimates (B) 2013-2014”.

[ Translation ] Status of Women Ms. Hélène LeBlanc (LaSalle—Émard, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women in relation to its study of the supplementary estimates (B), 2013-14.

[ English ] Public Safety and National Security Mr. Daryl Kramp (Prince Edward—Hastings, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present today, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in relation to the supplementary estimates (B) 2013-2014.

[ Translation ] Government Operations and Estimates Mr. Pierre-Luc Dusseault (Sherbrooke, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates in relation to its study of the supplementary estimates (B), 2013-14.

[ English ] Petitions Infrastructure Mr. Mike Sullivan (York South—Weston, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of presenting to the House of Commons two petitions signed by my constituents in York South—Weston. The first one calls on the Government of Canada to immediately take steps to fund urgent infrastructure projects in order to upgrade sewer systems and avoid future property damage such as was caused by the massive flooding in Toronto last July 8.

Senate Mr. Mike Sullivan (York South—Weston, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls on the government to abolish the unelected and unaccountable Senate.

Abortion Hon. Rob Merrifield (Yellowhead, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege to present two petitions from my riding. They both call on the House of Commons and Parliament to speedily enact legislation to restrict abortion to the greatest extent possible.

Climate Change Ms. Kirsty Duncan (Etobicoke North, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, I have a petition regarding climate change, our most pressing environmental issue. Climate change is expensive. By 2050, the annual adaptation costs could be $21 billion to $43 billion annually. In 2011, the U.S. experienced 14 extreme weather events that each cost $1 billion. The petitioners call on the government to model climate impacts to inform decisions about adaptation and to allocate resources to help Canadians adapt.

(1520) [ Translation ] Mining Industry Mrs. Anne-Marie Day (Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to present a petition signed by over 400 people in my riding. The petitioners are calling for the creation of a legal ombudsman mechanism for responsible mining. This ombudsman would have the power to receive and analyze complaints, recommend remedial actions and impose sanctions, among other things. [ English ] Mrs. Patricia Davidson (Sarnia—Lambton, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I am rising today to present six separate petitions from constituents in Sarnia—Lambton.

All of the petitions are calling for the creation of a legislated ombudsman mechanism for responsible mining.

[ Translation ] Labour-sponsored Funds Mr. Massimo Pacetti (Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, a thousand people have signed a petition reminding the Prime Minister , the Minister of Finance and all members, particularly in the Conservative Party, that labour-sponsored funds, which are often used as a primary tool for saving for retirement, are savings vehicles for the middle class. These investments often go to small and medium-sized businesses.

The petitioners are calling on the Conservatives, the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister to take all necessary steps to reverse the government's decision to eliminate the 15% federal tax credit granted to people who invest in labour-sponsored funds, as announced in the budget on March 21, 2013.

[ English ] Shark Finning Mr. Fin Donnelly (New Westminster—Coquitlam, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition. Petitioners say that the practice of shark finning results in an estimated 73 million sharks a year being killed for their fins alone and that over one-third of all shark species are threatened with extinction as a result of shark finning. They say that measures must be taken to stop the global practice of shark finning and to ensure the responsible conservation and management of sharks. They call on the Government of Canada to immediately legislate a ban on the importation of shark fins into Canada.

Income Tax Deductions Ms. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions. The first is a petition in response to a bill introduced by my colleague, the member for Hamilton Mountain . Her bill would amend the Income Tax Act so that travel and accommodation for tradespersons would be allowed which would therefore enable many of those tradespersons to find work. As members know, unemployment is a serious problem in our region.

Navigable Waters Protection Act Ms. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from a group of London constituents who call on the government to enact Bill C-498 , which is my bill, that would protect the Thames River, the North Thames, and the Middle Thames, by placing them back under the Navigable Waters Protection Act. This is a heritage river, and we need to protect it.

Mining Industry Hon. Ron Cannan (Kelowna—Lake Country, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise on behalf of a constituent by the name of Alda De Rosa. I met with Alda, and she presented a petition asking for the creation of a legislative ombudsman mechanism for responsible mining.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Mr. Bruce Hyer (Thunder Bay—Superior North, Ind.) : Mr. Speaker, I am rising on behalf of numerous Canadians who are asking for the federal government to commit to stable and predictable long-term core funding for Canada's public broadcasting, including CBC Radio and Radio Canada. As the source for local and national news, it is a medium for the broadcast of Canadian culture and viewpoints and is an avenue for expression for Canadian independent artists. It is public radio that is a vital component of our national identity and experience.

In Thunder Bay—Superior North, in northwestern Ontario, it is a powerful community voice that unites us in northwestern Ontario.

The Environment Mr. Andrew Cash (Davenport, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present petitions from Toronto residents opposed to the reversal of Line 9 to ship raw bitumen through our city by a 40-year-old pipeline that was originally built for light crude oil. Instead of trying to address the significant environmental and health concerns raised by the signatories and the NDP, the Conservative government has shut out the public from the consultation process, demolished environmental assessments, and wiped out protections for our lakes and rivers.

The government is determined to ram Line 9 through Toronto no matter what the cost to our city, environment and the future health of our communities, and we completely reject this approach.

(1525) [ Translation ] Mining Industry Mr. José Nunez-Melo (Laval, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege of presenting three petitions signed by many people in my riding and the surrounding areas in support of the creation of a legal ombudsman mechanism for responsible mining.

[ English ] Income Tax Deductions for Trades People Mr. Claude Gravelle (Nickel Belt, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions. One is in support of my colleague for Hamilton Mountain who introduced Bill C-201. This petition, from people from my riding in Azilda, Chelmsford, Val Therese, Sudbury, and Hanmer, asks that the government help these tradespersons with expenses when they have to move to find employment.

National Dementia Strategy Mr. Claude Gravelle (Nickel Belt, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the second petition is in support of my Bill C-356,

An Act respecting a National Strategy for Dementia . As the Minister of Health is headed to London for the G8 meetings, where they will be discussing the effects of dementia, hopefully she will come back to Canada with a plan to install this strategy.

Mining Industry Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP) : Mr. Speaker, I rise to present two petitions. The first petition is from residents of the Kipawa Lakes area, Timiskaming, and other places nearby, who are very concerned about a proposal for a rare earth mining project. The petitioners are calling on the House of Commons to recognize the unique ecological, cultural, and historical aspects of their area and to deny approval for the mining project.

The Environment Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP) : Mr. Speaker, my second petition is from residents throughout British Columbia, from Vancouver as well as Denman Island and Cumberland. The petitioners are calling on the House to work to ensure that the northern gateway project proposed by Enbridge is thoroughly assessed and ceases to be the subject of boosterism from the current administration.

Questions on the Order Paper Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 61 and 62. [ Text ]

Question No. 61--

Ms. Yvonne Jones :

With regard to National Defence, what are the details, by description and fiscal year, of the approximately $407 million in investments at 5 Wing Goose Bay since 2006, which were referred to by the Associate Minister of National Defence during debate in the House of Commons on June 4, 2013?

Hon. Rob Nicholson (Minister of National Defence, CPC) :

Mr. Speaker, the $407 million in planned investments at 5 Wing Goose Bay referred to by the former associate minister of national defence during debate in the House of Commons on June 4, 2013, consist of the projects that follow. The first area is environmental remediation. Under the Goose Bay remediation project, up to $300 million in funding, including contingency funding but excluding taxes, will be invested until 2020 to reduce the liability associated with contamination and to reduce any risk to human health and the environment.

This project includes the assessment and remediation of historical contamination and the removal of petroleum hydrocarbons. Between 2006 and 2013, the Department of National Defence invested $42,737,730 through this program. The details by fiscal year are as follows: fiscal year 2006-07, $5,651,124; fiscal year 2007-08, $3,381,290; fiscal year 2008-09, $4,620,357; fiscal year 2009-10, $5,581,744; fiscal year 2010-11, $7,107,742; fiscal year 2011-12, $6,316,732; and fiscal year 2012-13, $10,078,741. The second area is infrastructure projects.

Approximately $107 million has been allocated for planned investments in infrastructure.

In addition to the $407 million detailed above, $20.3 million was invested in the resurfacing of Runway 8/26, which took place between fiscal year 2006-07 and fiscal year 2009-10.

Question No. 62--

Mr. Brian Masse :

With regard to the automotive and manufacturing industry in Canada, has the government worked with any global automotive or manufacturing company to increase existing investments or to bring in new automotive investments in the form of new factories, products, or jobs, to Canada since 2006?

Hon. James Moore (Minister of Industry, CPC) :

Mr. Speaker, Canada is one of the most welcoming and profitable places in the world for international business and foreign direct investment. Canada’s economy, widely recognized as one of the world’s most innovative and stable, offers investors a series of competitive advantages, such as low business costs and corporate tax rates, ready access to markets, strong public support for R and D, and robust financial institutions. Industry Canada routinely meets with global stakeholders to promote Canada as an ideal location for investment in the automotive and manufacturing sector.

The Government of Canada understands the importance of the automotive and manufacturing sectors to the Canadian economy and has established a fiscal and economic environment that supports investment in these sectors. Government policies that support investment in Canada’s automotive and manufacturing sectors include streamlining regulations and reducing red tape; enhancing trade and market access; and investing in innovation and research and development.

Canada is alone among the Group of Seven, or G7, countries to receive the highest possible credit ratings from all the major credit rating agencies, which contributes to our strong global reputation. The Government of Canada has earned the trust of global investors for our responsible fiscal, economic, and financial sector management, which makes Canada an increasingly attractive destination for investment. In Canada’s economic action plan 2013, the government announced $1.4 billion in tax relief for Canadian manufacturers by extending by two years the temporary accelerated capital cost allowance for new

investments in machinery and processing and by creating a business tax environment that is conducive to foreign investment. Some 25,000 businesses in Canada used the accelerated capital cost allowance to write off the purchase of new investments and machinery since the federal government first introduced the measure in 2007. By completing the Canada-EU comprehensive economic and trade agreement, CETA, we are opening up the largest market in the world for Canadian exporters.

With CETA, Canada will be the only G8 country and one of the few developed countries in the world to have preferential access to the world’s two largest markets, the EU and the United States. This will make Canada the envy of trading nations and an even more attractive destination for investors and manufacturers looking to benefit from this access. With regard to the automotive sector, the government has made investments in automotive research and development, such as Automotive Partnership Canada and Auto 21.

The government has also made strategic investments in Canada’s automotive sector through the Automotive Innovation Fund, AIF, as the Government of Canada’s main lever to secure major automotive manufacturing investments.

Introduced in 2008 and renewed in January 2013, the AIF has been highly successful, generating $2.3 billion in private sector investments by Ford, Linamar, Toyota, and Magna for advanced strategic projects to bring innovative and more fuel-efficient vehicles to market. These investments have generated significant economic benefits throughout the industry and for local communities. With a funding envelope of $250 million over the next five years, the AIF will continue to support major strategic automotive investments that contribute to the long-term competitiveness and sustainability of Canada’s assembly facilities.

[ English ] Questions Passed as Orders for Returns Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, if Questions Nos. 46, 47, 49, 52, 57, 63 and 64 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately. The Speaker: Is that agreed? Some hon. members: Agreed. [ Text ]

Question No. 46--

Mr. Ted Hsu :

With regard to the Canada Summer Career Placement Program/Summer Jobs Program: (

a) what was the total amount of funding allocated to the program on an annual basis from 2005 to 2013 (

i) overall in Canada, (ii) by province and territory, (iii) by riding; (

b) what was the total amount of funding spent through the program on an annual basis from 2005 to 2013 (

i) overall in Canada, (ii) by province and territory, (iii) by riding; (

c) if there was a difference between funding allocated and funding spent through the program, what accounts for the difference each year, broken down by year; (

d) what was the total number of student summer jobs created on an annual basis from 2005 to 2013 (

i) overall in Canada, (ii) by province and territory, (iii) by riding; (

e) what are the names of the employers awarded funding through the program on an annual basis from 2005 to 2013 (

i) overall in Canada, (ii) by province and territory, (iii) by riding; (

f) what was the average wage paid on an annual basis from 2005 to 2013 (

i) overall in Canada, (ii) by province and territory, (iii) by riding; and (

g) what was the total number of hours of work funded on an annual basis from 2005 to 2013 (

i) overall in Canada, (ii) by province and territory, (iii) by riding?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 47--

Mr. Ted Hsu :

With regard to citizenship applicants from 2011-present, broken down by year: (

a) what is the percentage breakdown of all applicants by country of birth for any countries of birth where the number of applicants represented 1% or more of the total; (

b) how many applications were received from each country in ( a ); (

c) of those in ( a ), broken down by country and listed as a percent, how many applicants received a residence questionnaire; (

d) what is the policy for determining whether applicants receive a residence questionnaire or not; (

e) has this policy been changed since 2011; and (

f) if it has changed, what was the previous policy?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 49--

Hon. Lawrence MacAulay :

With regard to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans: (

a) what is the complete and detailed breakdown of all money spent to date as part of the Atlantic Lobster Sustainability Measures program; (

b) what is the complete and detailed breakdown of all money spent as part of the Community Adjustment Fund on measures related to Canada’s lobster industry; (

c) what is the total amount of lobster landed in each lobster fishing area (LFA) in each year since 2000; (

d) what is the total number of lobster fishing licenses issued in each LFA since 2000; (

e) what is the total amount of lobster exported by Canada in each year since 2000, broken down by export country in both quantity and dollar value; (

f) what is the total amount of lobster imported by Canada each year since 2000, broken down by country, in both quantity and dollar value; and (

g) what measures will the government take to address the significantly low prices being paid to lobster fishers in 2013?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 52--

Ms. Kirsty Duncan :

With regard to Enbridge’s Line 9 reversal project (Line 9 Phase l Reversal Project and Line 9B Reversal and Capacity Expansion Project): (

a) what are the results of all government reports, details of briefing notes, or meeting summaries that were produced between January 1, 2011, to June 1, 2013; (

b) what studies, analyses or assessments did the government undertake to determine the safety of the project, (

i) what are the dates of all studies, analyses, and assessments, (ii) what are the results of each; (

c) what are the details of the studies, reports, briefing notes, or meeting summaries that the government has produced regarding the economic and environmental impacts and, what are (

i) the results associated with each, (ii) the costs associated with each; (

d) what studies, reports, briefing notes, or meeting summaries has the government undertaken regarding greenhouse gas emissions if the Line 9 pipeline was reversed and filled with diluted bitumen, (

i) what were the results of these studies, (ii) how are emissions expected to impact Canada’s ability to achieve its climate commitments; (

e) what are the dates of any correspondence between the government or the Minister of Natural Resources or the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Portland Montreal Pipeline Company, and what are the key points for each correspondence; (

f) what are the dates of any correspondence between the Minister of Natural Resources and the National Energy Board regarding the hearing process and applications for participation and intervener status; (

g) did the Minister of Natural Resources have a role to play in the National Energy Board changing its approach to public participation in hearings, particularly those concerning the proposal to reverse and expand Line 9 and, if so, what was that role; and (

h) what effect have the changes adopted in the government’s 2012 budget bills had on the Line 9 review process to date?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 57--

Mr. Scott Simms :

With regard to copyrighted material held by the government: (

a) what copyrighted material does the government own, broken down by (

i) department, (ii) creation date, (iii) publication date, (iv) author, (

v) fee charged for use, (vi) total fees collected to date in the lifetime of the material, (vii) format or media type, (viii) cost of production, (ix) future plans, (

x) for any material not available to the public, what are the reasons for the secrecy and the name and title of the person responsible for the decision to keep the material from the public; and (

b) what enforcement action has the government taken to protect its copyright on any material since January, 2006, broken down by (

i) department, (ii) creation date, (iii) publication date, (iv) author, (

v) fee charged for use, (vi) total fees collected to date in the lifetime of the material, (vii) alleged infraction, (viii) damages sought, (ix) case status, (

x) case outcome or settlement?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 63--

Mr. Brian Masse :

With regard to the government’s imposition of a vote on Public Service Alliance of Canada members employed at Canada Border Services Agency and the court proceedings that followed, what is the total cost incurred by the government, broken down by costs of (

i) research, (ii) preparation, (iii) court fees, (iv) employee time?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 64--

Ms. Kirsty Duncan :

With regard to the letter dated June 12, 2013, I received from former Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews in response to my letter dated May 8, 2013, regarding homicides and attempted homicides among Somali-Canadian males in Canada since 2006: (

a) what conferences supported by Public Safety (PS) with the Somali-Canadian community have taken place since 2006, and for each conference what were the (

i) locations, (ii) dates, (iii) funds provided by PS, including but not limited to, funds allocated to advertising, set-up, speakers, reports, and others; (

b) what events has PS supported with the Somali-Canadian community since 2006, and for each, what were the (

i) locations, (ii) dates, (iii) funds provided by PS, including, but not limited to, funds allocated to advertising, set-up, speakers, reports, and others; (

c) what “outreach sessions” has the PS hosted with the Somali-Canadian community since 2006, and for each outreach session what were the (

i) locations, (ii) dates, (iii) funds provided by the PS, including, but not limited to, funds allocated to advertising, set-up, speakers, reports, and others; (

d) what meetings has PS hosted or attended since 2010 with “community representatives”, to “discuss issues including the number of Somali-Canadian men killed in gang-related violence”, and for each meeting, what were the (

i) locations, (ii) dates, (iii) why was there a delay of four years in hearing about the homicides; (

e) what meetings with “Imams” to “discuss issues including the number of Somali-Canadian men killed in gang-related violence” have taken place since 2010, and for each meeting, what were the (

i) locations, (ii) dates, (iii) why was there a delay of four years in hearing about the homicides; (

f) what meetings with “mothers” to “discuss issues including the number of Somali-Canadian men killed in gang-related violence” have taken place since 2010, and for each meeting, what were the (

i) locations, (ii) dates, (iii) why was there was a delay of four years in hearing about the homicides; (

g) how many times have “officials” met with mothers who have lost their sons, broken down by location and date, (

i) why did the Minister choose not meet with these grieving mothers, (ii) how does his personal absence from such meetings reflect an appropriate level of “concern” that would give the Canadian public the “assurance” that PS is taking this issue “very seriously”; (

h) what stakeholder groups amongst the Somali-Canadian community did the Minister meet with in June 2012 in Toronto, (

i) what was the location and date of the meeting, (ii) were the homicides discussed and, if so, why was this not mentioned in the June 18, 2013 letter and, if not, why not, (iii) what concerns were identified, (iv) what “possible ways forward” were identified for the homicides; (

i) what specific stakeholders had input into the “joint work plan”, (

i) what “various meetings over the past year”, their dates, and locations were the basis for developing the work plan, (ii) what stakeholders had input into the prioritization of issues, (iii) what issues were prioritized and in what order, (iv) were homicides included in the priorities and, if so, at what rank, (

v) with what stakeholders was the “joint work plan” finalized; (

j) how were “Somali-Canadian leaders, youth, mothers and Imams from Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, and Calgary” contacted to be part of the “October workshop”, (

i) what was the date and location of the workshop, (ii) what stakeholders were present, (iii) how many grieving mothers attended, (iv) what issues were on the agenda, (

v) what Members of Parliament were invited, (vi) what was the total number of participants; (

k) what is the function of a PS “community’s primary point of contact” and how does this function relate to other avenues of contact, (

i) how common is it for PS to have a “community’s primary point of contact”, (ii) does PS have a community primary point of contact for other communities than the Somali-Canadian community, (iii) if so, what is the name of each community for which PS has such a contact; (

l) is the funding relationship between a “community’s primary point of contact” and other departments of the government considered in the acceptance of such point of contact by PS and, if so, how, including the possibility of conflicts of interest, bias, or incomplete information; (

m) is the location between a “community’s primary point of contact” and other departments of the government considered in the acceptance of such point of contact by PS and, if so, how, including the possibility of conflicts of interest, bias or incomplete information; (

n) how was the organization of Canadian Friends of Somalia in Ottawa chosen to be PS’s “community’s primary point of contact”, (

i) was a memorandum of understanding signed and, if so, on what date, (ii) was any funding provided and, if so, by whom and on what date, (iii) what other organizations were being considered for this role by the community, (iv) is it common for PS’s “community’s primary point of contact” to be funded by other departments of the government; (

o) what are all the “community steering committees” established across Canada and, for each, what are (

i) their goals and milestones, (ii) the timelines for achieving the established goals; (

p) what are the dates, locations, and number of people who attended each “outreach session“ with the RCMP and the Somali-Canadian community, and how were these events advertised and at what cost; (

q) why was Ottawa chosen for the February 20, 2013 youth employment session hosted by PS when Toronto has a Somali-Canadian population of 140,000, Ottawa has a population of 20,000, and Edmonton has a population of 17,000; (

r) when does PS plan to “extend these sessions to other cities”, (

i) what are the planned locations and dates, (ii) at how many of these sessions will the RCMP be present to discuss job opportunities, (iii) why was this information not given in response to my Order Paper question which was answered June 18, 2013; and (

s) what input did the Somali-Canadian community have into Bill C-51, the Safer Witness Act, (

i) what stakeholder groups were invited to comment, (ii) what stakeholder groups did comment, (iii) did the Canadian Friends of Somalia in Ottawa comment, (iv) did the “community steering committees” comment, (

v) did the grieving mothers comment, (vi) what specific comments as to whether the Bill would or would not encourage Somali-Canadians to come forward after a homicide or attempted homicide were made and by what stakeholders were each specific comment made and on what date?

(Return tabled)

[ English ] Mr. Tom Lukiwski : Mr. Speaker, I ask that the remaining questions be allowed to stand. The Speaker: Is that agreed? Some hon. members: Agreed.

Motions for Papers Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I ask that all notices of motions for the production of papers be allowed to stand. The Speaker: Is that agreed? Some hon. members: Agreed.

Government Orders Government Orders [ English ] Northwest Territories Devolution Act Hon. Bernard Valcourt (Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, CPC) moved that Bill C-15,

An Act to replace the Northwest Territories Act to implement certain provisions of the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement and to repeal or make amendments to the Territorial Lands Act, the Northwest Territories Waters Act, the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, other Acts and certain orders and regulations , be read the second time and referred to a committee. Bill C-15. Second reading He said: Mr.

Speaker, it is my privilege to open debate today on Bill C-15 , the Northwest Territories devolution act. [ Translation ] It is my privilege to open debate today on Bill C-15 , the Northwest Territories Devolution Act. The introduction of the Northwest Territories Devolution Act marks the culmination of decades of hard work towards the devolution of decision-making powers over lands and resources to the people of the Northwest Territories. This is a critical juncture not only in the political and economic evolution of the Northwest Territories, but also in the constitutional development of our great country.

We know that the north has always held a distinctive place in the life of our great country. A frontier, a homeland, rich with vibrant people, potential and culture, the north defines Canada and what it means to be Canadian. (1530) [ English ] The Conservative government, under the leadership of the Prime Minister , has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to the north. Indeed, I am proud to say that no previous federal government in Canadian history has done more for the north than this Conservative government.

One of the first things we did after coming to power in 2006 was to put in place a comprehensive northern strategy, which was built on four pillars. The first is exercising Canada's sovereignty. The second is promoting social and economic development. The third is protecting our environmental heritage. The fourth and final pillar is improving and devolving northern governance. While the introduction of the Northwest Territories devolution act is another important step in the implementation of this northern strategy, I would say it is a milestone.

We recognize that a key feature of Canadian history has been the evolution of our nation's vast northern region into self-governing territories with resource development as the mainstay of their economies. Our records stand in marked contrast to those of my friends, the Liberals, who for decades treated the north as an afterthought and northern resources as a federal treasure chest.

Soon after my appointment as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development , I was privileged to be in Yellowknife with the Prime Minister and the Premier of the Northwest Territories, along with five of our aboriginal partners in the Northwest Territories: the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, the Northwest Territory Métis Nation, the Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated, the Gwich’in Tribal Council and the Tlicho Government. We marked the conclusion of negotiations on the Northwest Territories lands and resources devolution agreement in March of this year.

The Prime Minister said it best at the AIP signing in March, when he said: Our Government recognizes that Northerners are best placed to make the important decisions about how to run their economies and how to maximize use of their resources.... Once finalized, this historic agreement will provide the Northwest Territories...with greater decision-making powers over a range of new responsibilities which will lead to jobs, growth and long-term prosperity across the Territory.

Our government believes that the opportunities and challenges in the Northwest Territories are better handled by the people who understand them best, and that is the people of the Northwest Territories. [ Translation ] This act will do exactly that. It will allow the people of the Northwest Territories to seize control of the lands and resources and benefit from those tremendous resources in their own backyard. For those who may be skeptical about what this bill can achieve, look no further than the Yukon to see the benefits that devolution and a modern regulatory system can have on an economy.

It is not merely coincidence that this year is the 10th anniversary of devolution in the Yukon and the territory is in its 10th straight year of positive GDP growth. Investment is up, unemployment is down and the Yukon has not looked back. To complete the decades-long devolution of decision-making responsibilities, this bill is required to bring the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement into effect. Bill C-15 would amend the Northwest Territories Act and bring this agreement into effect.

It would modernize this legislation by updating its language, by clarifying key provisions and removing archaic ones, and by updating territorial authorities that draw their power from the act. Finally, amendments to the Northwest Territories Act would enshrine current practices in the territory that support responsible government. The Government of the Northwest Territories has seen significant political evolution since 1967—the year Yellowknife was established as the capital of the Northwest Territories and the seat of government was moved from Ottawa.

Since that time, the federal government has transferred to the territorial government power over health care, housing, forestry, education and social services. Devolution of province-like functions has been a long-standing and shared priority of the federal and territorial governments. Over the last four decades, most of the province-like functions have been devolved to the territorial governments. The devolution of province-like powers over their lands, waters and resources is the last of the major province-like functions in the Northwest Territories which remain with the federal government.

To put it simply, this bill achieves devolution for the Northwest Territories. It gives the territory the tools to chart its own destiny, a destiny we know will end in success. (1535) [ English ] To reach this goal, we have worked tirelessly with all our partners in the north. In the Northwest Territories, we worked with the territorial government under the impressive leadership of Premier McLeod. If it were not for the rules, I would signal the presence of the premier, but I know I cannot.

We also worked closely with various aboriginal stakeholders and governments including the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, the Gwich’in Tribal Council, the Sahtu Secretariat, the Tlicho Government and the Northwest Territory Métis Nation, all in order to reach a comprehensive devolution agreement for the territory. I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the work of my predecessors. I had the privilege today of introducing this bill and opening the debate on it, but I want to acknowledge the work of the current chief government whip, the member of Parliament for Vancouver Island North , as well as the Hon.

Jim Prentice and the Hon. Chuck Strahl, who have all worked hard to make this day happen. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the steady hand of the Prime Minister . This past June, I was in the Northwest Territories again, this time in Inuvik, to sign the final devolution agreement on behalf of the Government of Canada, along with the Government of the Northwest Territories and five aboriginal groups.

We continue to work toward a target effective date of April 1, 2014, as requested by the premier of the Government of the Northwest Territories and agreed to by the Prime Minister and all parties to the devolution agreement. It is also our shared objective with the Government of the Northwest Territories to devolve a modern, efficient and effective land and water regulatory system with the Government of the Northwest Territories in accordance with our 2010 action plan to improve northern regulatory regimes.

Unlike my friend, the member for Western Arctic across the aisle who believes that resource development has not reduced poverty, our government knows that resource development creates jobs and economic opportunity for northerners and all Canadians. We also know the Northwest Territories is full of opportunity, in particular, with its mineral-rich land and vast oil and gas reserves. However, much of this opportunity has gone untapped and the territories have undergone a contraction in its economy over recent years. These are the facts.

Bringing forward a modern regulatory regime is an important tool to attract investment and promote growth in the territories. That is why this bill would also put in place an improved regulatory framework in the Northwest Territories that would ensure that resource development would continue in a manner that would respect the environment, while ensuring the long-term prosperity of the Northwest Territories for generations to come.

To this end, the Northwest Territories devolution act includes amendments to the Territorial Lands Act, the Northwest Territories Waters Act and the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, which would increase predictability and timeliness in the environmental assessment process, reduce regulatory burden, improve environmental protection and ensure meaningful aboriginal consultation.

More important, however, this would give the people of the Northwest Territories greater control over decisions setting the nature and pace of development and the regulatory processes and environmental assessments of resource development projects on their lands and waters. Specifically, Bill C-15 would amend the Territorial Lands Act so it would no longer apply to lands under the administration and control of the commissioner of the Northwest Territories. The act would only apply to federal lands and federally-managed sites in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

For its part, the legislative assembly of Northwest Territories would pass its own legislation to manage land under the administration and control of the commissioner of the territories.

(1540) The bill would also repeal the Territorial Waters Act, as the legislative assembly of the Northwest Territories would also enact a new territorial law to manage waters in the territory. The Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board would continue to issue licences on territorial and private lands in the Mackenzie Valley, but the new territorial water legislation and its regulations would set out the requirements for issuing licences of these lands.

For water in the Inuvialuit settlement region, licences for water use and waste disposal would be the responsibility of the Inuvialuit Water Board, which would be established under the new territorial act. Finally, the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act would remain a federal statute similar to federal environmental assessment legislation in every other jurisdiction in Canada, should the bill be passed.

As a result, Bill C-15 would cause substantial portions of the Northwest Territories Waters Act to be incorporated into the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act in order for Canada to continue to regulate on federal lands, of which most public land will have been transferred to the territory as of April 1, 2014. These changes to the regulatory processes for land and water would continue to generate many benefits for the people of the Northwest Territories.

The bill would also promote greater environmental stewardship of all lands and waters in the territories. (1545) [ Translation ] The action plan was launched to make improvements to the existing regulatory regimes across the north and to ensure that they are strong, effective, efficient and predictable by making reviews of projects more predictable and timely; reducing duplication for project reviews; strengthening environmental protection; and respecting consultation obligations with aboriginal groups. [ English ] Clearly the development of this legislation that hon. members see before them today is the result of years of important, collaborative work.

Adoption of the Northwest Territories devolution act by Parliament would mark the legislative conclusion of the vital work in the Northwest Territories we set out in the action plan to improve northern regulatory regimes. Passage of Bill C-15 will allow us to work with northerners under a regulatory regime that works for all and that will contribute to improved economic outcomes.

I am convinced that all of us in the House would agree that the source of our country's power and legitimacy in the north is derived from the people who live, work and raise families there and from vibrant, self-sufficient northern communities. These are the people and communities that this act seeks to support. Canadians of the north must be empowered with the legal authority to create northern ways to meet northern needs. The Northwest Territories devolution act would give the Northwest Territories the tools and political freedom to do this. I urge my colleagues to do their

part in building the true north. I urge my colleagues to pass Bill C-15 swiftly into law. Mr. Dennis Bevington (Western Arctic, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for his presentation on Bill C-15 . I listened to what he had to say with a great deal of interest. The bill is really two bills that have been brought together. I have asked the minister in the past if he could put them forward as separate bills so the people of the north could truly debate them in a fashion that would work for them, but that is not the case.

One of the aspects of the agreement that was made between the Government of the Northwest Territories and the federal government was for a review of the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act after five years. This agreement is not carried forward in any of the legislation. It is not in a devolution implementation bill. It is not within the amendments to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act.

How can the people of the north be sure that with future governments we will get a proper review of the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, which, in the form it is presented in the bill, would give the minister complete control over the terms and conditions of resource development in the Northwest Territories going forward? How can we be sure that this review will take place? Could the minister give us some assurances that, although it is not in the legislation but it was in the agreement, this review will be wholeheartedly taken on by the government?

(1550) Hon. Bernard Valcourt : Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, the hon. member is answering his own question. He asked how we would know if the five year review would take place since it was in the agreement. Very simply, the answer is that, indeed, it is in the agreement. It is an undertaking and it will be done because it was the agreement. Some of the comments that have been made by the hon. member is as if this is particular to the Northwest Territories. Federal environmental assessment legislation exists in all jurisdictions in Canada.

Retaining the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act as federal legislation is consistent with the approach taken in other jurisdictions, such as Yukon. In order for regulatory improvement initiatives to be fully implemented, all parties to the devolution agreement agreed that it was desirable to have this legislation remain federal at this time and to utilize delegation as a model to implement devolution with a full review of this model after five years, and that is what we will do. Ms. Yvonne Jones (Labrador, Lib.) : Mr.

Speaker, first, as members know, the Liberal Party has been very supportive of devolution agreements in Canada and has certainly worked with Nunavut, Yukon and the Northwest Territories in the past around these issues. With the devolution of any agreement of this size and magnitude, there comes a financial responsibility to ensure the agreement is followed through and implemented appropriately.

I ask the minister today if there has been agreement with regard to the financial contributions that would be contributed as part of this and if it is satisfactory to the Government of the Northwest Territories to do the job it needs to do. Hon. Bernard Valcourt : Mr. Speaker, the member's question is an important one. Yes, indeed, the government will transfer $26.5 million at one time and $67.3 million in ongoing funding annually to the Government of the Northwest Territories and $4 million at one time and $4.6 million in ongoing funds annually to the aboriginal parties.

The ongoing funding to the Government of the Northwest Territories will enable it to cover costs associated with the management of land and resource responsibilities. If the member recalls, I was before the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development on the supplementary estimates (

B) for 2013-14 and there were $20 million earmarked this year to ensure that this payment be made to the Northwest Territories in the current year. Mr. Mark Strahl (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to participate in this debate today. I know that cutting red tape is an important part of what our government wants to do. The chair of the aboriginal affairs committee was on the Red Tape Reduction Commission, which took a look at government operations to see where we could reduce red tape.

I have certainly been hearing that the red tape in the regulatory regime in the Northwest Territories may be hampering economic opportunity. I would ask the hon. minister if he could contrast the situation in the Northwest Territories with that in other parts of Canada's north that perhaps have a different regulatory regime.

(1555) Hon. Bernard Valcourt : Mr. Speaker, right now the member will know that the government embarked upon a regulatory reform pursuant to an action plan that was adopted in 2010. The House and colleagues will remember that in the last session—late spring of last year—we passed the NUPPAA, which was the first part of the regulatory reform taking place that affected the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. With this bill, we really bring to the Northwest Territories a regulatory regime that will keep the territory competitive in terms of the regime it operates under, vis-à-vis the Yukon or Nunavut.

If we look at the facts right now, the disadvantage of duplication, uncertainty of applications and inefficiencies has not worked well for the Government of the Northwest Territories and its people. It is important that we pass this bill so that they can benefit from the new regulatory regime. Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP) : Mr. Speaker, I will try to squeeze in two questions to the minister in response to Bill C-15 .

The first question is that I am confused by the fact that in Bill C-4 , which was an omnibus budget bill, we incorporated a change that would have more properly been done here—the Mackenzie gas project impacts fund act, which allows the minister to have complete discretion as to how the funds are used, as opposed to the previous way they were used. This relates to my next question, which is this. Admittedly the Northwest Territories has a complex jurisdictional framework. Anyone who participated in the Mackenzie gas pipeline hearings is aware of the multiple levels of jurisdiction.

However, the regional boards that were established, and which are being conflated through this act, were set up in relation to land claims agreements and were to stay in place until all land claims agreements were resolved. With land claims agreements still outstanding in the area, was it appropriate to devolve and reduce the number of boards? It is fine to say it makes the Northwest Territories more competitive, but what does it say about the consistency with agreements with the federal Crown and various complex regional organizations? Hon. Bernard Valcourt : Mr.

Speaker, the hon. member raises a question that she knows is particularly sensitive to the aboriginal parties in the region in question. Currently, there are four land and water boards for the Mackenzie Valley. Three of the existing land and water boards, Gwich’in, Sahtu and Wek’èezhìi, function in each of their respective areas as regional panels of the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, which is responsible for projects that cover more than one region and for the unsettled areas. The restructured board was envisaged and agreed to when the land claims agreements were concluded.

Every aboriginal group with whom these comprehensive land claims agreements were concluded knew that at one point a board could cover the whole of the Northwest Territories. That is exactly what we are achieving in Bill C-15 , which is quite respectful of our treaty obligations. Mr. Dennis Bevington (Western Arctic, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, as a lifelong northerner, I am pleased to have the opportunity to address Bill C-15 , the devolution implementation bill.

I would first like to congratulate the Premier of the Northwest Territories, Bob McLeod, his cabinet ministers and the staff for the hard work they have put in on this file. That extends back through the time of the Northwest Territories to many other people who have dedicated their service in building a territory with political rights that are equivalent to those in other parts of Canada. Bill C-15 has two very significant and different parts. One makes changes to the Northwest Territories Act,

an act that is virtually the constitution of the Northwest Territories. All actions there fall under the Northwest Territories Act. Other laws are being changed to implement the devolution agreement between Canada and the Northwest Territories. The second part brings in changes to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, primarily doing away with the regional land and water boards created through land claims agreements with the first nations, replacing them with a single super board. There are other changes in the act, and I will speak to those as I go along.

They are very significant changes that, apart from what the minister has said, will leave even stronger powers for the minister over resource development in the Northwest Territories. It is quite clearly the case. We in the New Democratic Party support devolution. We see this as a step forward for the Northwest Territories in some respects, and we will look to the bill going to committee. We will look to the opportunity to put forward amendments that may better serve the people of the Northwest Territories.

The devolution part of the bill partially realizes the dream northerners have had for over 50 years: taking more authority over their lives from bureaucrats in Ottawa. I have lived that life and I know what that life is. The Carruthers Commission in 1966 moved the capital of the Northwest Territories to Yellowknife and brought a number of bureaucrats there, but that was w