OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD)

House of Commons Debates VOLUME 147 NUMBER 052 2nd SESSION 41st PARLIAMENT Wednesday, February 26, 2014 Speaker: The Honourable Andrew Scheer HOUSE OF COMMONS CANADA (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) COMMONS DEBATES February 26, 2014 DEBATES Edited Hansard * Table of Contents * Number 052 (Official Version) Official Report * Table of Contents * Number 052 (Official Version) Compte rendu officiel * Table des matières * Numéro 052 (Version officielle) 147 052 26 02 2014 2014/02/26 14:05:00 House of Commons Débats de la Chambre des communes House of Commons Debates 41 2

The House met at 2 p.m. Prayers

Statement by Members (1405) [ English ] The Speaker : It being Wednesday, we will now have the singing of the national anthem led by the hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent . [ Members sang the national anthem ] STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS Statements by Members [ Translation ] Ukraine Mr. Jean-François Fortin (Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, BQ) : Mr. Speaker, last fall, former president Viktor Yanukovych decided to reject an agreement that would bring Ukraine closer to the European Union. Instead, he chose to strengthen ties with Russia. Pro-European protests ensued.

Since then, the protests have turned into a grassroots uprising against government corruption and totalitarianism. After the president fled, the heroine of the Orange Revolution, Yulia Tymoshenko, was released from custody. It is an initial gesture of openness, but the people of Ukraine will need to remain vigilant during the fragile lead-up to the next presidential election on May 25.

In the meantime, Canada must ensure that the international community prosecutes those who violate human rights and also that Ukraine is respectfully supported, without interference, during its future democratic steps towards what we hope will be renewed political, social and economic stability. The coming weeks will be critical as Ukraine moves towards holding free elections and restoring regional stability. Canada must offer intelligent support that is designed to protect the Ukrainian people and their democratic institutions.

[ English ] Rotary Clubs Mr. Lawrence Toet (Elmwood—Transcona, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, one of the privileges of being a member of Parliament is the opportunity to connect with organizations that aim to improve the world and their local communities. This past Sunday was International Rotary Day. The Rotary was founded in Chicago on February 23, 1905, and has grown to 1.2 million members. These professionals, with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, collaborate to inspire a better future for all.

In 1910, Winnipeg put Rotary on the international map as the first city outside of the United States to establish a rotary club. My riding of Elmwood—Transcona is home to two very active clubs: Rotary club of Winnipeg-Transcona, and Rotary Club of Winnipeg East AM. Members of these clubs are extraordinary volunteers, who conduct projects, from helping families in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. The Rotarians of Elmwood—Transcona are selfless, and their contributions are invaluable. It gives me great pleasure to celebrate the hard work they do to make our world a better place.

[ Translation ] Pink Shirt Day Mr. Dany Morin (Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I am wearing pink today in honour of Pink Shirt Day to show my support for young Canadians taking action to prevent bullying. Since being elected, I have emphasized the importance of prevention in dealing with cyberbullying. Last spring, the Conservatives introduced their only cyberbullying bill. It was a 70-page brick, but only three of those pages dealt with bullying, which is an insult to all victims of that kind of abuse. We know that criminalizing bullying will not help the victims.

It is time the Conservatives did the right thing to protect our young people, and that means coming up with a national anti-bullying strategy. I would like to end on a hopeful note. The fact is that 80% of bullying incidents occur before witnesses. In 57% of the cases where a third person speaks up for the victims, the bully stops bullying within 10 seconds. Please, let us not be silent witnesses. We can help.

[ English ] Winter Classic Hockey Tournament Mr. Wladyslaw Lizon (Mississauga East—Cooksville, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, on February 17, which was Family Day in Ontario, the Applewood Hockey Association and the Streetsville Hockey League hosted their 4th Annual Winter Classic hockey tournament at Chic Murray Arena, in Mississauga. Both organizations share deep roots in Mississauga. The Applewood Hockey Association is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and the Streetsville Hockey League has been providing hockey programs since 1946.

Tyke, Minor Novice, Novice, Atom, Pee Wee, and Minor Midget teams, from both sides, competed on the ice in the frigid cold. This event was an excellent opportunity to showcase the outstanding hockey development programs that both organizations have to offer. Congratulations to the participants, parents, and the organizing committee, namely Chris Loreto, Wendy and Brian Webster, Neil Painchaud, Stephane Angers, and Mark Zizek, for their work and dedication to the development of hockey in Canada. I truly enjoyed this event. It is because of grassroots organizations that Canada continues to lead the world in hockey.

Pink Shirt Day Hon. Lawrence MacAulay (Cardigan, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, today is the seventh annual Pink Shirt Day, an international anti-bullying campaign begun in Nova Scotia when a young man was bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school. Two fellow students began distributing pink shirts to stand up for him and to take a stand against the act of bullying. All of us in this House know that everyone in this country has been touched by bullying, and unfortunately far too many people have seen the devastating effects it can have.

Whether it is at school, in the workplace, or online, bullying is a very serious problem that cannot be tolerated. I want to acknowledge the hard work of Joe Killorn, a Pink Shirt Day coordinator on Prince Edward Island, who has done so much to raise awareness and to get communities involved throughout the province. I also want to encourage everyone across the country to join our many communities, to show that we can help raise awareness and put a stop to this harmful act of bullying.

(1410) Bruce Power Mr. Ben Lobb (Huron—Bruce, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, Bruce Power is the largest employer in Huron—Bruce, employing over 3,700 full-time staff. It is the largest nuclear power plant in the world, with eight functioning reactors. It is also Canada's largest private–public partnership. In 2013, it sold electricity at a cost of 6¢ per kilowatt hour, versus the provincial average of 8.5¢. That is 30% below the provincial average. It also provides 30% of Ontario's power, making it one of the most efficient and cost-effective means for power generation in the country.

Through direct and indirect employment, nuclear energy in Canada provides for almost 75,000 full-time jobs. I would like to welcome Bruce Power to Ottawa this week for the Canadian Nuclear Association's annual conference and trade show. I hope my colleagues in the House have a chance to visit the Weston Hotel to learn more about this vibrant and reliable industry. Keep up the good work at the Bruce so we can keep the lights on.

[ Translation ] Angèle Arsenault Mr. Yvon Godin (Acadie—Bathurst, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I learned of the death of Angèle Arsenault, the great francophone and Acadian singer from Prince Edward Island. Her singing career began in 1963, in Moncton. She quickly became an ambassador for Prince Edward Island's Acadian community. Inspired by Acadia, her album Libre sold over 300,000 copies in 1978. Ms. Arsenault touched the Acadian community not only of Prince Edward Island, but of Acadia as a whole.

Her song Grand Pré became a legacy for all Acadians, as it tells the story of the struggles my people have faced. I will remember Ms. Arsenault with her round glasses and her big smile, sitting at her piano and singing her catchy tunes, such as De temps en temps moi j'ai les bleus , Moi j'mange and Y'a une étoile pour vous . Like a star herself, Angèle Arsenault shone on Acadia and throughout the French-speaking world. Despite her passing, she continues to shine thanks to the great musical legacy she leaves behind. Acadia will miss you, Angèle.

[ English ] Search and Rescue Volunteers Mr. James Lunney (Nanaimo—Alberni, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, across coastal B.C., thousands of volunteers train hard, sacrifice their own time, and put themselves at risk when someone is missing or in peril. It was September 2012 when the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad was called out when our personal outdoor excursion on Mount Arrowsmith went wrong. Two members of our group were in trouble, and darkness was descending. Budget 2014 would provide a volunteer search and rescue tax credit.

It would benefit qualifying members of teams, such as the Nanaimo, the Mount Arrowsmith, and the Alberni Valley, as well as the West Coast Inland Search and Rescue Society and the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue squads. I want to pay a special tribute to Mark Livingstone. A professional with our MCTS centre in Ucluelet, he was the driving force in establishing Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit 38. Mark's passion was safety of life at sea. The more rough it was, the more likely it would be to find him on the water directing SAR efforts. Tragically, Mark passed away in an industrial accident in 2007.

I am sure that all members would like to join me in thanking all of our search and rescue volunteers for their selfless service.

Canadian Delegation to Israel Ms. Joyce Bateman (Winnipeg South Centre, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, recently I was honoured to join the Prime Minister on his first official trip to Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. I was joined by community leaders from my riding of Winnipeg South Centre for this historic trip. That group included members of our community who lead the Arab–Israeli dialogue and who serve local and Israeli universities, business and community leaders, and leaders who fight anti-Semitism.

I admire the principles of our Prime Minister to stand with a country that shares our values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. His historic speech in the Knesset has been showcased and valued by many people from my community. Being in a Jordanian refugee camp, and at a border crossing from Syria into Jordan when hundreds were fleeing, made me value this government's leadership and Canada's leadership throughout the Middle East.

Canada Post Mr. Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I and my colleague from Vancouver East recently hosted a community town hall to hear our constituents' views about Canada Post's plan to end home delivery and double the price of stamps. A standing-room-only crowd attended and expressed unanimous opposition to these misguided moves. Our constituents told us that ending home delivery and raising stamp costs hurts seniors and those individuals with mobility challenges. It will damage small businesses and destroy 8,000 well-paying jobs.

It eliminates letter carriers, who are the eyes and ears in our communities and who report suspicious activity and emergencies in our neighbourhoods. The constituents expressed concern about the superboxes that will increase mail theft and car traffic, create litter, and decrease property values. They told us that a strong public post office is good for our economy, good for taxpayers, and good for our communities. They wanted us to ask a question: If every government since 1867 could manage to provide home mail delivery to Canadians, why are the Conservatives incapable of doing so?

(1415) Canadian Heritage Mrs. Nina Grewal (Fleetwood—Port Kells, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Telefilm Canada, the sponsors, organizers, and volunteers, and the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages on another successful movie at the National Arts Centre as the minister showcased the excellent and moving film Gabrielle . Our government is proud to sponsor the Canadian film industry and the entire audiovisual production sector. Annually, we invest over $600 million in the audiovisual sector, and on Monday our government signed a new audiovisual co-production treaty with India.

This treaty will stimulate foreign investment and create new business opportunities and jobs. The agreement is yet another demonstration of our support for the Canadian audiovisual industry, making Canada an even better place to do business. I thank the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages for her strong leadership in supporting our audiovisual industry.

Taxation Ms. Peggy Nash (Parkdale—High Park, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government's plan for income splitting will cost the federal budget about $3 billion a year out of a painfully achieved surplus. It is a regressive and inefficient tax expenditure that simply does not benefit a staggering 86% of Canadian families. It also increases income and gender inequality. The CD Howe Institute has confirmed it will do more harm than good. While the Conservatives may say they want to create jobs, its plan is a very strong disincentive for the lower-income spouse to work.

Sadly, since women in Canada earn, on average, 19% less than men, the lower-income earner will usually be the woman. Conservatives, like the Liberals before them, are increasing inequality. New Democrats are committed to all Canadian families, not just the richest among us.

Tim Hortons Mr. Terence Young (Oakville, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, Tim Hortons, the maker of Canada's favourite cup of coffee, says it sees “significant room for growth” in its core Canadian business. Thanks to our low tax plan, Canadians have more money in their pockets for the small pleasures every Canadian enjoys and now they will have 500 more locations to enjoy them in.

This week, the company announced it expects to add approximately 255 restaurants this year, for a total of 500 locations in Canada and 300 in the United States by 2018, and to “double-double” the good economic news for this Canadian success story, it has reported initial success in the Persian Gulf region and has a road map for adding about 220 locations in that area over the same period. Tim Hortons currently has 3,588 restaurants in its Canadian system, 859 in the United States, and 38 in the Gulf region. What a great Canadian success story.

International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Hon. John McCallum (Markham—Unionville, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the completion of Canada's year as chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and to congratulate our former colleague, Dr. Mario Silva, on his superb work representing our country as chair. Dr. Silva stated yesterday: The IHRA brings political and social leaders together from around the world to help prevent future human rights abuses through Holocaust education, remembrance, and research. I am proud of Canada's leadership on the world stage...

The Holocaust is an unparalleled evil in human history. Remembrance and education are critical parts of ensuring these events are never repeated. As well, we must act upon the lessons of the Holocaust in preventing mass atrocity and genocide, and bringing the perpetrators of such crimes to justice. In the words of Nobel Peace Prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, “For the dead and the living, we must bear witness”.

(1420) Afghan Veterans Mr. Corneliu Chisu (Pickering—Scarborough East, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the Afghan mission has been the most consequential conflict that Canada's military has faced since the Korean War. It has come at a price. One hundred and fifty-eight brave Canadians have made the ultimate sacrifice combatting the spread of terrorism. This evening, the House will vote on a motion put forth by my colleague, the hon. member for Palliser , calling for a national Afghan memorial.

I call on all members to stand with the government and seize this opportunity to proudly honour this commitment to recognize the strength and sacrifice of Canada's Afghan veterans and their families, ensuring that they will never be forgotten.

[ Translation ] Prime Minister's Office Ms. Ève Péclet (La Pointe-de-l'Île, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, a few years ago, before they were corrupted by power, the Conservative members were principled. That was then. Now they are having to defend the free lunches that PMO staffers are getting. We are not talking about handing out a carton of milk and an apple to people who have nothing to eat. We are talking about a bunch of privileged people who create scandals and then try to hide the truth.

I wonder how they feel when they look in the mirror and realize they have become just like David Dingwall, defending their entitlements. They came to Ottawa saying they wanted to change things, but it is Ottawa that changed them. In a single day in June 2012, the one and only Nigel Wright ordered $5,000 worth of pizza on the taxpayers' dime for Conservative employees. There is nothing too good for the working class. While the Conservatives continue to use taxpayers' money like it is their own, the NDP will fight this kind of waste and stand up for Canadians.

[ English ] Anti-Bullying Day Mrs. Cathy McLeod (Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, today is national Anti-Bullying Day. While bullying has always existed, modern technology gives bullies the ability to humiliate and intimidate their victims in front of the entire world. As recent tragedies have shown, cyberbullying has the power to destroy lives and communities. That is why our government has introduced legislation to crack down on cyberbullies and to stand up for victims.

The protecting Canadians from online crime bill will ensure that children are better protected by making it an offence to distribute intimate images without the consent of the person depicted. We have always been clear that there is a point where bullying goes beyond just words and becomes criminal behaviour. Distributing images of a person against his or her will should be a crime, which is why we are acting to strengthen the Criminal Code. We are also acting to modernize the law so that police have the tools they need to better investigate these offences.

I hope the NDP will begin working with us so we can get the bill to the justice committee and hopefully passed into law as quickly as possible.

ORAL QUESTIONS Oral Questions [ English ] Ethics Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, last week the member of Parliament for Nepean—Carleton had an unelected senator, who is deeply involved in the Wright-Duffy Senate expense scandal, headline for him at a fundraiser. Is this what the Prime Minister expects of his minister of democratic reform ? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I think the minister of democratic reform is doing an excellent job, including on the fair elections act.

I note that yesterday the Leader of the Opposition , asking about that act, asserted that 73% of seniors use the voter ID card. That statistic is not true. That is true in residences, but in residences there are multiple other IDs available. Elections Canada will actually, in many cases, move ballot boxes room to room. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, just because the Senate Liberals are still fundraising for their party does not make it okay. Deloitte auditors have been unable to explain how confidential information about their findings wound up in the Prime Minister 's Office.

Was it Senator Tkachuk who told the Prime Minister 's Office that the Deloitte audit would not make a finding on the question of Mike Duffy's residency?

(1425) Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the auditors themselves have addressed this question. The auditors themselves have confirmed that the audit was handled with the utmost confidentiality and no rules were broken. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the question was: what did Senator Tkachuk tell his office? Of course, Deloitte does not know about that. He does. [ Translation ] New Deloitte documents reveal that last March, Conservative Senator Tkachuk asked the auditor whether Mike Duffy was co-operating with the investigation.

The following day, Mike Duffy said that he would no longer co-operate with the investigation. What did Senator Tkachuk report to the Prime Minister 's Office that led to this change the following day? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the leader of the NDP is referring to a letter between the senator, who was chair of the committee at the time, and the auditors. This is a question for the Senate.

[ English ] Democratic Reform Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, this is not the Conservative's first draft of the unfair elections act. An earlier version was presented to the Conservative caucus and rejected. Why? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, once again, as I said, the leader of the NDP keeps making inaccurate statements about the Elections Act. Yesterday, he made inaccurate statements about trying to claim 73% of senators use voter identification cards, and that is not the case.

He made the allegation there are no problems with those cards, when in fact problems are identified in one of six cards. The government has presented before the House of Commons a comprehensive reform of the Elections Act. We encourage all members to examine it. We encourage the NDP members to actually read the bill and find out what is in it before asking their questions. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr.

Speaker, the problem is not people being allowed to vote for the senators, the problem is senators being allowed to vote. [ Translation ] What changed between the draft rejected by the Conservative caucus and the current bill? What changed the Prime Minister 's mind? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, as I just said, the bill before the House of Commons is a comprehensive one. I encourage the NDP leader to look at the facts and read this bill, which his party has so far refused to read.

There is a debate, and the government and opposition will continue this debate as we work towards comprehensive electoral reform.

[ English ] Infrastructure Mr. Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, economic growth in 2013 was down from the year before, which was down from the year before that, which was down from the year before that. Yet, the government's building Canada infrastructure fund is being cut by 90% this April, with full funding not to be restored until 2019. With slowing growth, why is the Prime Minister slashing infrastructure funding now? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, speaking about reading things, last year the government presented to Parliament a new building Canada fund, which actually has a record investment over the past decade, strongly supported by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. We are very proud to be doing that. That is an important part of our economic plans going forward, and I would encourage the Liberal Party, if it has absolutely nothing to suggest, to at least vote for the positive things that people support. Mr. Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, it is the worst record since R.B. Bennett.

It is no wonder that these guys do not understand that adding one point to our growth is $4 billion to the government's bottom line. The mayors of Canada's largest cities are in Ottawa today, just in time to see the PM slash their infrastructure funding. How out of touch has the Prime Minister become? With slowing growth and crumbling infrastructure, he thinks that now is the time to slash 90% off an infrastructure program that Canadian communities depend on.

(1430) Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, what is out of touch is the Liberal leader, who thinks that a budget will balance itself. His statement betrays his lack of understanding of the economy and his disconnection from the realities of the Canadian middle class. The reality is that this government, coming out of the recession, has the best growth, the best employment record, the best record on taxes and on debt of any major G7 country, and we are determined to continue to do that. Mr. Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Lib.) : Mr.

Speaker, the only infrastructure these guys seem to have invested in is the lunch delivery infrastructure of the Prime Minister 's Office on Wednesdays. [ Translation ] We are starting to see that the Prime Minister has a habit of not following through on his promises, so let us take a look at what he does do. While the mayors of Canada's biggest cities are in Ottawa today, will the Prime Minister explain why he is making cuts to the infrastructure funding our cities so desperately need? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, last year, the government presented an infrastructure plan for the coming decades that totalled $70 billion over ten years. That is a record and it received strong support from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. It is unfortunate that the Liberal Party opposes that program, but it is strongly supported by the Conservative members.

Democratic Reform Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, who is responsible for electoral reform in the Prime Minister 's Office? [ English ] Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, under our system of government, cabinet, of course, is collectively responsible for the legislation it presents before the House of Commons. All of us strongly support that legislation, and that legislation is being led very articulately by the Minister of State for Democratic Reform . Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr.

Speaker, did anyone from the Prime Minister 's Office speak with anyone from Conservative Party headquarters about changes to the Elections Act? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Maybe, Mr. Speaker, they even spoke to Osama bin Laden. The leader of the NDP keeps descending into these conspiracy theories. There is a bill before the House of Commons. The government's proposals are clear. Whether the opposition members agree with them or not, they should at least read them, understand them, and we can have a debate. [ Translation ] Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr.

Speaker, The Conservatives want to increase donations by exactly $300. How did the Prime Minister arrive at a $300 increase? What is the basis for his decision? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, as you well know, the government has put a limit on private donations. At the same time, if we want to eliminate automatic taxpayer transfers to Canadian political parties, we have to ensure that parties are supported and funded by their own supporters. [ English ] Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr.

Speaker, did anybody from the Prime Minister 's Office or from the Conservative Party use Conservative donor records to determine that the augmentation should be $300? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I really do not know how one would do that. The bill proposes modest increases in the amount of money people can contribute to political parties and riding associations. We believe these amounts of money are sufficient to allow political parties to finance it themselves while at the same time being in a position where they are not beholden to individual contributors.

That is how we selected that particular amount. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the unfair elections act would ban the use of voter cards and vouching as a form of ID. Why? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, as I have explained and as the Minister of State for Democratic Reform has explained multiple times, a large percentage of voter ID cards contain inaccuracies, one in six. There are 39 other pieces of ID that are allowed that are much more appropriate. Vouching, the idea of voting without having ID at all, is obviously problematic.

The Neufeld report and others have identified the capacity for fraud that it entails. That is obviously not appropriate, which is why we are making these changes.

(1435) Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has had a day to check on this. Is there any evidence that voter cards or vouching have actually been used to commit voter fraud? Has a single case been investigated or prosecuted? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : The answer, Mr. Speaker, is yes, but in any case, the more disturbing issue is that we actually would not know if that were the case.

We do know from the data that is available to us that these forms of voting are subject to the potential of widespread irregularity, which is why Canadians expect us to make sure that voting in this country is always valid. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the names and addresses on voter cards come directly from the voters' list. If there is a problem, fix that. Do not get away from using that as a way of identifying oneself. Seventy-three per cent of seniors living in residences use their Elections Canada voter card as a piece of ID when they vote.

Why does the Prime Minister want to make it more difficult for seniors to vote? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I see that the Leader of the Opposition is now changing his incorrect statistics from yesterday. In the case of seniors who live in residences, they can use identification such as an attestation of residence letter of stay, admission form, statement of benefits, or hospital bracelets in the case of hospital care facilities.

Under the act, not only will Elections Canada frequently establish actual voting booths in these particular residences, it will go room to room to enable people to vote. There are all kinds of IDs-- The Speaker : The hon. Leader of the Opposition. [ Translation ] Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, voters who use vouching to prove their identity in order to vote have to give their name and address. Does the Prime Minister know many fraudsters who give their name and address? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, as I just said, there are 39 pieces of ID that voters can use. Naturally, it is vital that we give everyone the opportunity to vote in order to ensure that the voting is valid. [ English ] Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP) : Mr. Speaker,

Section 18 of the unfair elections act says, “The Chief Electoral Officer may provide the public...with information on the following topics only....” There are only five topics listed, none of which is voter fraud. I am sure the Prime Minister understands the meaning of the word “only”. Why ban the Chief Electoral Officer from speaking about electoral fraud? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Once again, Mr.

Speaker, in terms of fraud or other violations of the act, what is established here is a fully independent commissioner of elections who would have all of the powers of the law to enable him or her to pursue any necessary investigations. It will be done under the Director of Public Prosecutions, absolutely at arm's-length from the government. Obviously we expect Elections Canada to focus its efforts on the good conduct of elections.

Prime Minister's Office Hon. Gerry Byrne (Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, old habits being the way they are, today the PMO chief of staff and some of the highest paid employees of the ministers' offices, some earning up to $170,000 a year, just tucked into a big taxpayer-funded free lunch, all in full violation of the rules. Yesterday the President of the Treasury Board tried to blame the PCO bureaucrats, but we know that is just not true. These $67,000 in lunches are part of the PMO disclosure, and the only person who could have approved them is the Prime Minister himself.

Therefore, to the Prime Minister , what was on today's menu, compliments of taxpayers? Hon. Tony Clement (President of the Treasury Board, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that since the Liberals, who kind of mainlined their hospitality expenses, were in power, we have actually been able to cut hospitality expenses by the Government of Canada by 48%. We are proud of that number. We are going to continue to respect the taxpayer and do the exact opposite of what they did when they were in power.

(1440) Public Works and Government Services Ms. Joyce Murray (Vancouver Quadra, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives were roundly criticized in a respected defence association report for their abject failure on procurement. Instead of creating thousands of skilled jobs and delivering the planes, ships, and trucks that our troops need, Conservatives have betrayed them. Last night, aerospace leaders from the west were in Ottawa begging for a better and faster process. Our troops, our industry, and Canadians are paying the price.

Could the minister please tell us the price tag for all of their procurement failures, delays, resets, and cancellations over eight lost years? Hon. Diane Finley (Minister of Public Works and Government Services, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, in fact, our government is very proud of the many successful military procurements that we have been able to achieve over the last several years, including new LAVs, heavy-lift aircraft, tactical-lift transporters, main battle tanks, and new heavy artillery. The military lived under a decade of darkness under the Liberals prior to us forming government.

We are delivering, as a priority, the equipment that our men and women in uniform need to do their jobs, and we will be doing it in a way that is responsible to taxpayers.

Finance Hon. John McCallum (Markham—Unionville, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, referring to income splitting, two weeks ago the Minister of Finance said: “...I'm not sure that overall, it benefits our society”. Then only yesterday, the Prime Minister said : “...it will be a good policy for Canadian families”. Given these radically different opinions, who speaks for the government on fiscal policy, and with the finance minister practically handing out his resumé at the G20, does it no longer matter what he thinks? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, as I said yesterday, as I said in Stouffville a couple of weeks ago, and as I said during the election campaign, we think income splitting would be an excellent policy for Canadian families, just as it has been an excellent policy for Canadian seniors. I know how strongly the Liberal Party opposes income splitting. I know how strongly it opposes it for seniors. I know that it wants to take away that policy for senior citizens. We on this side of the House will never permit that to happen.

Canada Post Mr. Matthew Kellway (Beaches—East York, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, Toronto City Council has passed a resolution demanding that Canada Post maintain home delivery. Still, Conservatives are cutting it with no plan. With proposed mega-boxes in neighbourhoods of 10,000 people per square kilometre, whose lawns? What about the traffic, our kids' safety, and seniors? Canada's big city mayors are meeting in Ottawa today. The government should be investing in, not cutting from, our cities. Why are the Conservatives ignoring Toronto? Hon. Lisa Raitt (Minister of Transport, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, Canada Post is facing, in the future, an incredible loss in its revenue as a result of the mail not being utilized as much. People are making their choices, but in order to deal with that, it has put out a five-point plan. One of the points in its plan is that door-to-door service be phased out for the remaining one-third of mail boxes or mail deliveries in Canada. That has been in place for two-thirds of Canadian addresses since the 1980s. It has dealt with these matters in the past. I am sure it will continue to deal with these matters in the future. [ Translation ] Ms.

Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet (Hochelaga, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, our cities need federal support to prosper, but the Conservatives do not seem to realize that. While the mayors of Canada's largest cities are meeting today to talk about the pressing issues affecting our communities, the Conservatives' response is to continue to reduce essential services, leaving the people of Rosemère, Lorraine, Bois-des-Filion, Repentigny and Charlemagne without home mail delivery. Why does the government continue to ignore the needs of our municipalities? [ English ] Hon. Lisa Raitt (Minister of Transport, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, let us get one thing straight. We are not stopping the delivery of mail in general. What is happening is that we are converting, or rather, Canada Post is converting one-third— Some hon. members: Oh, oh! The Speaker : Order, please. The hon. Minister of Transport still has the floor.

(1445) Hon. Lisa Raitt : Mr. Speaker, the reality is something that they do not want to face, and it is this: already in two-thirds of Canadian households, the mail is not delivered to the door. Over the next five years, Canada Post plans to phase it out in the other one-third of Canadian households. Why is it doing that? It is because of something the NDP does not understand. We are trying to make sure the taxpayer is not burdened in the future.

Housing Ms. Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet (Hochelaga, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, that was telling. [ Translation ] If the Conservatives got out of their Ottawa bubble and tried to find affordable housing in Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal, they would see that the housing crisis in Canada is very real. Housing prices keep going up, just like household debt. Worse still, cuts of over $1.5 billion are expected over the next few years. Will the minister review his plans and work with the municipalities to find solutions to the crisis affecting thousands of families? Hon.

Candice Bergen (Minister of State (Social Development), CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the opposition is mistaken. Our government provides assistance and support to Canada's most vulnerable citizens. [ English ] We are providing support to vulnerable Canadians to the tune of $14.5 billion. What has that resulted in? It has resulted in more than 880,000 individuals and families being supported through things like our renewal investment in affordable housing, as well as our homelessness partnering strategy. We are working with our partners. We are providing funding.

The taxpayers are doing their job to help vulnerable Canadians. Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, anyone waiting forever for affordable housing knows that answer is pure nonsense. Infrastructure money is so bogged down in red tape and absurd rules that little money is getting out the door, and there is no dedicated money for public transit either. Conservatives are silent on renewing housing agreements and are slowly withdrawing funds. When will the minister drop the red tape and allow local governments to start their work? Hon.

Denis Lebel (Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, under all of the categories of the new building Canada plan, transit is accepted. That is under all categories. Never in Canadian history has a government invested more than our government in public transit. We will continue to do so.

Ukraine Mr. Ted Opitz (Etobicoke Centre, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, Ukraine has been on a pivotal point in its history in this past week, since the Ukrainian parliament ousted Yanukovych and legitimately named Speaker Turchynov as acting president, pending the upcoming elections on May 25. We welcome the end of months of violent oppression at the hands of the Yanukovych regime. These developments mark progress on Ukraine's path toward democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law. Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs please comment on the situation in Ukraine? Mr.

David Anderson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, our government has spoken out many times regarding the violence committed by the Yanukovych regime. Last month, we imposed travel bans on those responsible for the violence in Ukraine. Over the past weeks, Canada has provided medical assistance to those in the Maidan. Yesterday, the Prime Minister announced that a Canadian delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs , along with senior members of the Ukrainian community in Canada, will meet with members of the transitional government and with civil society.

It was this side of the House that requested a debate this evening to discuss the ongoing situation in Ukraine. Canadians can count on our government to support the Ukrainian people's aspirations for unity, for freedom, and for democracy.

Prime Minister's Office Mr. Charlie Angus (Timmins—James Bay, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the high spending President of the Treasury Board seemed pretty cavalier about the fact that the Prime Minister's staffers have been charging taxpayers for huge meal bills, in violation of the department's guidelines. That was when we thought the bill was $68,000. Now we find that it is $130,000, and he is still not blushing. It cost $7,000 for one pizza party in the Prime Minister's Office.

Would they put the chicken brochette platter aside for one minute and tell us why they think it is okay for the Prime Minister 's staff to break rules that are in place to protect the taxpayers? Hon. Tony Clement (President of the Treasury Board, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I find it curious that the opposition members will not even disclose any of their expenses, yet they stand in their places and criticize a government that has cut hospitality expenses by 48%. That kind of hypocrisy is not tolerated by taxpayers. We are on the side of the taxpayers.

We are not on the side of the tax hiking, carbon hiking people on the other side. (1450) [ Translation ] Mr. Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, while staff of the Prime Minister's Office stuff their faces with pizza at the taxpayers' expense, every day over 18,000 children in Quebec have to rely on breakfast clubs so they do not start the day on an empty stomach. In his bubble, the President of the Treasury Board thinks that the rules do not apply to the Conservatives and that it is completely normal to spend $130,000 on lunches for the Prime Minister's staff.

However, Canadians expect a government that will not throw their money out the window. How many awards do the Conservatives have to get from the pig in a tux before they stop wasting taxpayers' money? Hon. Tony Clement (President of the Treasury Board, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the members of the NDP caucus do not want to disclose their expenses to the people and taxpayers. However, we do. I can tell you once again that we have cut these costs by 48%. We are therefore on the side of taxpayers, not of the NDP.

Government Advertising Mr. Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, perhaps the Conservatives thought that no one would notice that they spent $2.5 million to advertise a program that exists only in the Minister of Employment and Social Development 's overactive imagination, but people did notice. That is why the Conservatives were the big winners at the gala put on by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, an organization that not so long ago was headed by the Minister of Employment and Social Development. What a blow.

Are the Conservatives beginning to understand that receiving booby prizes from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation means that their transformation to Liberals is now complete? [ English ] Hon. Tony Clement (President of the Treasury Board, CPC) : Those are fighting words, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker : Order. The hon. President of the Treasury Board has the floor. [ Translation ] Hon. Tony Clement : Mr. Speaker, the government is responsible for informing Canadians about the important programs and services available to them. Advertising is an essential way for the government to inform Canadians about important issues.

The Canada job grant program will help connect Canadians with available jobs, unlike what the Liberals and New Democrats are doing. They voted against this program.

[ English ] Government Accountability Mr. Charlie Angus (Timmins—James Bay, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, while Canadians are having to chew down on the fact that the Prime Minister charged them $7,000 for a pizza party in his office, it is little wonder that the Canadian Taxpayers Federation came out with its highest pork award today. Guess who the award went to? It went to the Conservatives sitting right across the way, for billions spent advertising a program that does not exist and millions spent on their cronies in the Senate.

Canadians know New Democrats will defend the taxpayer, but they want to know what happened to the Reformers across the way who spend all their days defending their entitlements. Some hon. members: Oh, oh! The Speaker : Order. We need a little more order during both the question and the answer. The hon. President of the Treasury Board is rising to answer, and I hope his colleagues will allow him to answer the question. The hon. President of the Treasury Board. Hon. Tony Clement (President of the Treasury Board, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, it is Yuk Yuk's comedy hour in question period.

Of course, the NDP was quite happy to accept union donations to do the union line on all these issues, and now its members cloak themselves in the taxpayer mantle. It is to laugh. However, I can say to hon. members that, of course, we have a responsibility to communicate to Canadians about services that are available—and this Canada job grant is going to be so important to connect Canadians to available jobs—unlike the Liberals and the NDP, who continue to vote against these responsible programs for taxpayers and job creation.

Foreign Affairs Mr. Marc Garneau (Westmount—Ville-Marie, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadians learned that my colleague, the member for Mount Royal , was barred from a reception in Israel during the Prime Minister's trip. We can thank the member for York Centre for the shabby treatment of a man who deserves greater respect. Today, the Minister of Foreign Affairs is heading for Ukraine. However, the Canadian delegation does not include MPs from other parties, even though all parties share the same concerns about Ukraine. What message are we sending Ukrainians about multi-party democracy when our government excludes members from other parties?

(1455) Mr. David Anderson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister 's decision to send a Canadian delegation to Ukraine is yet another example of Canada's leadership on this issue, but the NDP members wanted to wait and see. They did not want to take sides. In fact, they criticized us for taking sides. The Liberals actually thought this whole thing was a joke. That is why we are sending people there who have been engaged in this issue, who treat it seriously, and they are standing with the Ukrainian people.

Citizenship and Immigration Hon. Stéphane Dion (Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, this is indeed a tragedy, so why are Conservative colleagues laughing? [ Translation ] According to the United Nations, the largest population— Some hon. members: Oh, oh! The Speaker : Order. The hon. member for Saint-Laurent—Cartierville . Hon. Stéphane Dion : Mr. Speaker, according to the United Nations, the crisis in Syria could create the world's largest refugee population, with the number of refugees expected to reach 4 million by year's end.

Canada has committed to resettling only 1,300 refugees, and barely 200 of those will be resettled through a government assistance program. Meanwhile, Sweden, a country with one-third of our population, has already welcomed 15,000. Why are the Conservatives behaving so pathetically in the face of this humanitarian disaster, and how many of these 1,300 refugees have arrived in Canada? Will the minister give us the exact number or not? Hon. Chris Alexander (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should get his facts straight before rising in the House.

It is true that Sweden and Germany are welcoming thousands of Syrian refugees but only on a temporary basis. Meanwhile, Canada is once again at the top of the list with its commitment to welcome 1,300 refugees this year. We are following that plan. That is why the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has said that Canada has the most generous refugee system in the world.

Consumer Protection Ms. Annick Papillon (Québec, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, March break is coming up, and as usual, oil companies will take the opportunity to hike gas prices. In Montreal yesterday, the average gas price was $1.40 per litre. In 2006, when the Conservatives came to power, the average annual price of gas in Montreal was just $1 per litre. Under this Conservative government, the price of gas has risen by 40%. My question is simple: will the Conservatives introduce measures to prevent oil company collusion so that consumers will no longer get ripped off at the pump? Hon.

James Moore (Minister of Industry, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, with respect to gas prices, our government introduced a bill. [ English ] It is our government that put in place the Fairness at the Pumps Act in order to protect consumers. It was the NDP that did nothing to promote and push that bill forward; but since when is it the NDP's position to have lower prices for consumers? Since when is it the NDP's position? The New Democrats have always advocated for carbon taxes, always advocated for higher prices against consumers, and now they pretend to be in favour of consumers when it comes to gas prices.

It is ridiculous. It is our government, our party, that has lowered taxes consistently by over $3,000 for every Canadian family. It is we who stand with consumers, never the NDP. Mr. John Rafferty (Thunder Bay—Rainy River, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, in my riding, across northern Ontario, and in communities coast to coast to coast, ever increasing gas prices are a top concern for financially squeezed families. The government refuses to act to ensure a competitive marketplace with fair pricing. Gas prices have jumped 20¢ a litre in just the past three years, an 18% hike, while wages just have not kept up.

When will the Prime Minister finally support the NDP's call for a gas price watchdog? Hon. James Moore (Minister of Industry, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, through our legislation we have empowered the Competition Bureau in order to protect Canadian consumers, and the Competition Bureau has in fact put in place fines and protected Canadian consumers. We did that. It was not the New Democrats. It was this Prime Minister , this Conservative government, through our legislation that has protected Canadian consumers.

It is New Democrats who want to go after consumers and hurt them with carbon taxes and higher taxes across the board. It is our government that has lowered taxes, protected consumers, put in place the Fairness at the Pumps Act. It is this Conservative government that protects consumers day in and day out.

(1500) Infrastructure Mr. Larry Miller (Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, this Conservative government, since taking office, has delivered a lot for Canadian municipalities. Thousands of infrastructure projects have received federal funding. Can the minister please explain how the government is planning to support recreational infrastructure going forward? [ Translation ] Hon. Denis Lebel (Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague.

Amateur sport infrastructure projects are still eligible under the new building Canada fund. We have doubled the funds available for this kind of project through the gas tax. Mayors asked us for more flexibility with the gas tax fund, the most generous portion of the plan, and we delivered. With the new building Canada fund, we will support projects to make our economy more competitive, create jobs, and promote long-term growth and prosperity by supporting Canadian municipalities.

[ English ] Employment Insurance Mr. Sean Casey (Charlottetown, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, two cooks are working side by side for the summer at New Glasgow Lobster Suppers. Like many Islanders working seasonally, they require access to EI. One lives in Hunter River, the other lives less than three kilometres away in the rural community of Rennies Road. Before last week's announced changes, they both qualified for EI. Now just one qualifies and it is not the one from the smaller community. They do the same job, but gerrymandering will force one to welfare.

This advances the political interest of the minister, but how is it fair? Hon. Jason Kenney (Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, as the member should know, the employment insurance system has always been based on different regions, which dictates when people qualify for benefits and for how long they will receive them. In every province there was a distinction made between urban and rural areas. In rural P.E.I., for example, the unemployment rate in some areas is twice what it is in Charlottetown.

Finally, we have ended that aberration, that fundamental unfairness in the system. Now we have created regions in P.E.I. that recognize the radically different labour market realities between the rural and urban areas. Prince Edward Islanders will benefit from these changes.

[ Translation ] Health Mrs. Djaouida Sellah (Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, we learned this morning that pharmacies might face a shortage of drugs, including Ritalin. Parents and the Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec are concerned about the situation. The NDP put forward a real solution to address drug shortages by forcing companies to report any upcoming shortages. However, the government stubbornly relies on the goodwill of the industry, while shortages continue to increase. Will the minister realize that action is urgently needed? [ English ] Hon. Rona Ambrose (Minister of Health, CPC) : Mr.

Speaker, in fact it was several months ago that I stood with the provinces and territories to announce a pan-Canadian strategy to manage and prevent shortages to reduce their impact. It does exactly what the member is suggesting. Companies have to provide advance notices of shortages online, and they also have to include information for physicians on alternative treatments. We continue to monitor all of these issues very closely, and we are open to also considering a mandatory approach if necessary.

Seniors Mrs. Stella Ambler (Mississauga South, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, seniors are an integral part of our families, communities, and workforce. Statistics show that 36% of them volunteer their time, and 80% are actively involved in their communities. We on this side of the House, and that side, believe in supporting seniors. Could the Minister of State for Seniors update the House on some of the great initiatives for seniors in economic action plan 2014? Hon. Alice Wong (Minister of State (Seniors), CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague on the Conservative side for that great question.

We are proud of the support we have seen for seniors in economic action plan 2014. We have seen an 11% increase in funding to the new horizons for seniors program; the renewal of the targeted initiative for older workers program, which assists unemployed older workers reintegrate into the workforce; the creation of the Canadian employers for caregivers action plan to help caregivers participate in the labour market, and the list goes on. All Canadians, especially seniors, can be proud of economic action plan 2014.

(1505) [ Translation ] Intergovernmental Relations Mrs. Sadia Groguhé (Saint-Lambert, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government's insistence on imposing new rules for the Canada job grant, despite provincial opposition, might hurt Quebec. Youth employment centres, which help young people 16 to 35 years old develop their employability, could lose their funding. When we know that the unemployment rate for that group is twice as high as for the rest of the population, there is some cause for concern. Can the minister guarantee that the reform he is trying to impose will help reduce the youth unemployment rate?

Hon. Jason Kenney (Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism, CPC) : Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Canada Post Mrs. Maria Mourani (Ahuntsic, Ind.) : Mr. Speaker, seniors and people with reduced mobility in Ahuntsic are worried about the government's attitude, since it is doing nothing to prevent the end of door-to-door mail delivery. This is despite the fact that Canada Post has enjoyed surpluses for the past 10 years, except the year when Canada Post locked out its employees. Does the government want to give sovereignists more ammunition by abandoning Canada Post, a community-based institution that brings the Canadian identity to every region of Quebec? [ English ] Hon.

Lisa Raitt (Minister of Transport, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the reality is that there is a lack of demand at Canada Post. It has had a responsibility since 1981 to be self-sufficient. We know that in the coming years, given the fact that the reduction in mail volume is 25%, it could see a deficit of $1 billion coming. That is serious for Canadian taxpayers. That is why Canada Post is taking action. Its five-point plan, once implemented, would see it self-sufficient again in 2019.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Routine Proceedings [ English ] Tougher Penalties for Child Predators Act Hon. Peter MacKay (Central Nova, CPC) Bill C-26. Introduction and first reading moved for leave to introduce Bill C-26,

An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Canada Evidence Act and the Sex Offender Information Registration Act, to enact the High Risk Child Sex Offender Database Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts . (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Committees of the House Procedure and House Affairs Mr. Joe Preston (Elgin—Middlesex—London, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Orders 104 and 114 I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding membership of committees of the House. If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence in the eighth report later this day.

Canada Pension Plan Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP) Bill C-576. Introduction and first reading moved for leave to introduce Bill C-576,

An Act to amend the Canada Pension Plan (retroactive payments) . She said: Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to introduce a survivor pensioners bill. Widowers and widows deserve justice. The existing application deadline for the Canada pension plan is disqualifying survivors from accessing their late spouses' benefits. That is why I am putting forward new legislation to abolish deadlines that restrict survivor claims to only 11 months. This is a matter of fairness. One of my constituents was denied two years' worth of retroactive payments because she missed a deadline while grieving the loss of her husband to cancer.

We owe it to grieving Canadians and their late spouses, who have paid into the fund all of their lives, to make this change now. (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

(1510) Committees of the House Procedure and House Affairs Mr. Joe Preston (Elgin—Middlesex—London, CPC) : Motion for concurrence Mr. Speaker, if the House gives it consent, I move that the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs presented to the House earlier today be concurred in. The Speaker : Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion? Some hon. members: Agreed. The Speaker: The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? Some hon. members: Agreed. (Motion agreed to) Hon.

Jim Karygiannis : Mr. Speaker, there have been consultations among the three parties trying to grasp words to come up with a version of a motion on Venezuela that will satisfy everyone. However, I do not think there is going to be consensus. I am rising to ask for unanimous consent to move the following motion about what is happening in Venezuela. I hope that the rest of the members will agree and that we can move forward.

I move that the House condemn the brutal, repressive government measures toward peaceful civilian protesters in Venezuela and call on the government to inform President Nicolas Maduro that the people of Canada stand with Venezuelans in their right to peaceful protest; that the Maduro government release all those detained during the protests; and that all government interference with the peaceful protesters should cease immediately; that those people who perpetrated the violence should be brought to justice and bear the full weight of the law; and that in the event the government of Venezuela continues to suppress peaceful protest, the Government of Canada should examine further measures to express its displeasure with these actions.

I hope that everyone supports this motion as we move forward in order to address the situation in Venezuela. The Speaker : Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion? Some hon. members: Agreed. Some hon. members: No. Mr. Nathan Cullen : Mr. Speaker, I am somewhat disappointed, yet not surprised, that the member for Scarborough—Agincourt has again attempted to proceed this way. Consultations are indeed going on between the parties. The member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie , I believe, will be proposing some language that has achieved at least some momentum.

However, the whole point of the exercise is to have the House of Commons recognize the plight of Venezuelans and the seriousness of the situation in Venezuela, which requires House leaders to speak with one another and to respect one another.

If the member does not have that same respect for this place and for the House leaders who do the work on his behalf, his party and all the parties, as my colleague across the way and I are doing, then that is his choice, but to continue to do these types of activities in the House, where he knows full well that unanimous consent can be sought but not achieved without proper consultation, is wrong.

We will seek language, as is the member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie , about this very serious issue and will hopefully achieve the kind of consensus that will actually show the people of Venezuela that members of the Canadian Parliament can in fact work together on the seriousness of the crimes being committed in their country. Hon. Peter Van Loan : Mr. Speaker, for further edification, several drafts are already circulating. Unlike the hon. member for Scarborough—Agincourt , I am optimistic that a consensus can be achieved, and it is important that a consensus be achieved.

This is an issue the government cares about deeply in terms of allowing democracy to have a fighting chance in Venezuela. I believe all parties care about that, and for the member for Scarborough—Agincourt to short-circuit a process through which we could otherwise achieve unanimity and consensus is indeed unfortunate. Canada will speak much louder if we do indeed speak with unanimity, which I believe is possible. The Speaker : I am going to say at the outset that I understand members have now made representations to the Chair about why unanimous consent has not yet been achieved.

It sounds as though these are inter-party negotiations that are best left not on the floor of the House of Commons but among the individual members and the House leaders. They are certainly not points of order. Very simply, we have had a request for unanimous consent and the request has been denied. Perhaps optimism will carry through the day and members will be able to come back with something that the members will find unanimous consent on. I am not going to entertain any more interventions on this particular point. We are still under the rubric of “motions”.

The hon. member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie has the floor. (1515) [ Translation ] Ms. Hélène Laverdière : Mr. Speaker, we are all very concerned about the difficult situation in Venezuela right now. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to meet with Venezuelans living in Canada.

I am proud to move the following motion: [ English ] That the House express its deep concern at the escalation of violence in Venezuela, convey its condolences to the families of those killed or injured during the ongoing public protest, ask the Government of Canada to urge Venezuelan authorities to proactively de-escalate the conflict and protect the human rights and democratic freedoms of Venezuelan citizens, encourage the Government of Canada to play a leading role in supporting a political dialogue in Venezuela that respects legitimate grievances and differences of opinion, and call for an end to divisive rhetoric and actions that only delay and jeopardize the inclusive political situation that the Venezuelan people deserve.

I hope this motion will get the unanimous consent of the House. The Speaker : Does the hon. member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion? Some hon. members: Agreed. Some hon. members: No. The Speaker : There is no consent. The hon. member for Winnipeg North is rising on a point of order. Mr. Kevin Lamoureux : Mr. Speaker, I did find it interesting that the House leader of the New Democratic Party stood up on a point of order and talked about consultation, and then a member from his own political party stood up and introduced a motion.

I want to make reference to this occurrence because in his opening comments on his point of order, the NDP House leader did impute motives of the member for Scarborough—Agincourt . That is, we have to take all members as being honourable members. On two consecutive days, Monday and Tuesday, the member for Scarborough—Agincourt attempted to bring in this issue as an emergency debate and has worked very hard to try to build on a consensus to get this. The New Democrats have been afforded the opportunity to have— Some hon. members: Oh, oh! The Speaker : Order, please.

I see the hon. member for Scarborough—Agincourt is rising on a point of order. I do hope he recognizes my concern that this is quickly devolving into a debate about perhaps what goes on at a House leaders' meeting and not actually a point of order. However, I will hear him and hope that he gets to a point of order very quickly. Hon. Jim Karygiannis : Mr. Speaker, in reference to what the House leader from the NDP said, he should be the one who questions what happened. It was given 24 hours. They came back and forth. The basic stuff was here.

They came back and forth and they even tried to blackmail us if we did not go their way. They are going to present— The Speaker : Order. It has never been the practice of the Chair to pronounce on things that take place during House leaders' meetings or what goes on in negotiations to try to find unanimous consent. The Chair's job is quite simple: it is to see if unanimous consent exists at this time, and clearly it does not. Perhaps throughout the day or the rest of the week, there will be a different outcome, but at the moment there is clearly no consent, and I will ask hon. members to come to order.

Presenting petitions, the hon. member for Acadie—Bathurst has the floor.

[ Translation ] Petitions VIA Rail Mr. Yvon Godin (Acadie—Bathurst, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I have here a petition signed by several hundred people who are urging the Government of Canada to take any measures necessary to restore VIA Rail's daily round-trip service between Montreal, Quebec, and Halifax, Nova Scotia, via Campbellton, Bathurst and Miramichi, New Brunswick.

[ English ] Canada Post Mrs. Patricia Davidson (Sarnia—Lambton, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I present a petition to the House of Commons from residents and constituents in Sarnia—Lambton concerning the reduction in Canada Post services.

(1520) Sex Selection Hon. Judy Sgro (York West, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, recently the CBC revealed that ultrasounds are being used in Canada to tell the sex of an unborn child so that expectant parents can chose to terminate the pregnancy if the unborn child is a girl. The petitioners call upon all members of Parliament to condemn discrimination against females occurring through sex-selective pregnancy termination.

Canada Post Ms. Linda Duncan (Edmonton—Strathcona, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I wish to table petitions from citizens of Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Morinville, Wetaskiwin, Fort McMurray, Stony Plain, and Grande Prairie. The petitioners call for the Government of Canada to reverse the cuts to services announced by Canada Post and to look instead for ways to innovate. They are concerned about the cuts to the service, which will hurt seniors and disabled Canadians.

Health Ms. Linda Duncan (Edmonton—Strathcona, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, my second petition is from Edmontonians calling on the government to fully co-operate with the provinces and territories to negotiate a new health accord by 2014 that improves health care services through stronger federal leadership backed by long-term and stable health care funding.

Canada Post Mr. David Wilks (Kootenay—Columbia, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by a number of people from Cranbrook, British Columbia, calling on the Government of Canada to reverse the cuts to services announced by Canada Post and to look instead for ways to innovate in areas such as postal banking.

Snow Sport Helmets Hon. Hedy Fry (Vancouver Centre, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, I have to petitions to present. The first one is from over 700 petitioners who say that

whereas in the summer of 2008 the Canadian Standards Association published standards for safe recreational snow sport helmets, they therefore call on the Government of Canada to amend the Hazardous Products Act to prohibit the advertising, sale, or importation into Canada of any recreational snow sport helmet that does not meet the standards of the Canadian Standards Association.

Experimental Lakes Area Hon. Hedy Fry (Vancouver Centre, Lib.) : Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from about 70 petitioners who wish the Government of Canada to recognize the importance of the ELA to the Government of Canada's mandate to study, preserve, and protect aquatic ecosystems; reverse its decision to close the ELA research station; and continue to staff and provide financial resources for the ELA at the current level of commitment or at a higher one.

Impaired Driving Mr. Russ Hiebert (South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I stand on behalf of my constituents of South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, who are calling for tougher laws and a new mandatory minimum sentence for those convicted of impaired driving and for redefining the offence of impaired driving causing death as vehicular manslaughter.

Canada Post Ms. Jean Crowder (Nanaimo—Cowichan, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present. The first petition asks the Government of Canada to reverse the cuts to services announced by Canada Post and to look instead for ways to innovate in areas such as postal banking.

Genetically Modified Alfalfa Ms. Jean Crowder (Nanaimo—Cowichan, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls upon Parliament to impose a moratorium on the release of genetically modified alfalfa in order to allow a proper review of the impact on farmers in Canada.

Food and Drugs Act Ms. Jean Crowder (Nanaimo—Cowichan, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the third petition calls on the House to amend the Food and Drugs Act to establish mandatory labelling for genetically modified foods.

Canada Post Mr. John Williamson (New Brunswick Southwest, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I present a petition from my constituents on the changes that are happening at Canada Post. I, of course, have made my own views on the subject known by writing an

article locally in the Saint Croix Courier . These are nonetheless the opinions of my constituents, and I table them with respect.

The Environment Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, my first petition asks the Government of Canada to ban bulk oil tanker traffic off the north coast of B.C. and say no to the Enbridge northern gateway pipeline.

(1525) Parks Canada Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, my second petition asks the Government of Canada to extend the operating hours of the Rideau Canal and the Trent-Severn Waterway.

Canada Post Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the third petition asks the government to maintain and improve postal service to Canadians under the Canada postal service charter. They note that the reduction of service means the loss of thousands of good jobs and hurts seniors and people with disabilities.

The Environment Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the fourth petition calls on the Government of Canada to return the Port of Oshawa back to the citizens of Oshawa through their local city council.

Pensions Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the last petition asks the federal government to lift seniors out of poverty by enhancing the pension system, increasing the guaranteed income supplement, and keeping the eligibility for old age security at 65 years and not 67 years.

Impaired Driving Mr. Jim Hillyer (Lethbridge, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition calling upon Parliament and the government to make a change to the Criminal Code of Canada with respect to drinking and driving. The petitioners wish the charges to be more severe, moving up toward vehicular manslaughter.

[ Translation ] Mining Industry Mr. Jean-François Larose (Repentigny, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I would like to present two petitions today. The first is from Saint-Paul-l'Ermite parish in Repentigny and the other from Saints-Simon-et-Jude parish in Charlemagne. Reports show that mining companies are problematic. These petitions call for the creation of a legal ombudsman mechanism for responsible mining. The Office of the Extractive Sector Corporate Social Responsibility Counsellor is ineffective. We need to create a legal ombudsman mechanism that can receive, investigate and assess information and make its findings public so that remedial action can be taken.

[ English ] Lyme Disease Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP) : Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions. The first is from residents from my own community, from Victoria and surrounding communities in Sidney and some of the Gulf Islands. They ask, and I say this with the greatest of hope, that when Bill C-442 , the bill for a national Lyme disease strategy, comes before this House on March 3, that these petitioners' petitions can be realized with passage to second reading and then ultimately into law.

Genetically Modified Organisms Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP) : Mr. Speaker, the next petition deals with the issue of genetically modified organisms. It comes from residents throughout Quebec and the area of St. Catharines, Ontario, who are calling upon the House to label genetically modified organisms since it is quite important to look at these views as we approach Bill C-18 .

[ Translation ] VIA Rail Ms. Marie-Claude Morin (Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to present a petition calling for the restoration of daily VIA Rail service between Montreal and Halifax via Campbellton and Miramichi, New Brunswick. I would like to point out that 24,000 people have signed this petition. This is a very important issue. I would also like to stress that Canadians need an decent rail system and that the east coast should not be isolated.

[ English ] Canada Post Mrs. Carol Hughes (Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to table petitions from residents from Kapuskasing, Hearst, Val Rita, North Gower, Timmins, and Val-des-Bois, Quebec. The petitioners are concerned because the government is axing a key piece of heritage that provides services to Canadians, killing up to 8,000 jobs, eliminating door-to-door delivery, increasing postage rates, reducing postal hours, and pushing for post office closures. In short, the government is increasing costs to Canadians and providing less service.

The petitioners are concerned about the impact on seniors and disabled Canadians. There has been no consultation. They ask the government to reverse the cuts and look for ways that innovate.

Citizenship and Immigration Ms. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions. The first is from concerned Londoners in response to a terrible tragedy in London, Ontario, regarding a family. These petitioners want the Government of Canada, and particularly the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, to make sure that offices are properly staffed so that wait times can be reduced and to ensure that immigration officers consider all factors in regard to an individual's application for status, including humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

Canada Post Ms. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from concerned Londoners who want the Canada Post plan for reduced services to be rejected by the government. They want the government to ensure that the 6,000 to 8,000 jobs that would be lost are preserved. They want the government to fulfill its promise to protect consumers and to explore other options to update the crown corporation's business plan.

Durham Region Federal Lands Mr. Matthew Kellway (Beaches—East York, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I have but one petition, signed by many, to present today. It reads in part:

Whereas the Federal Lands of Ontario's Durham Region encompass Class 1 Ontario Greenbelt farmland and vital watersheds of the Oak Ridges Moraine; And

whereas the Federal Government has recently announced that the Lands will be used for an airport and economic development but not for agriculture; And

whereas there is no business case for an airport at Pickering ... And

whereas ruling out agricultural uses on prime farmland — the land that feeds us — is unacceptable policy in the 21st century; We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled: To rescind all plans for an airport and non-agricultural uses on the Federal Lands in Durham Region; and to act, instead, to preserve the watersheds and agricultural land of this irreplaceable natural resource, for the long-term benefit of all Canadians.

(1530) [ Translation ] Citizenship and Immigration Mr. Hoang Mai (Brossard—La Prairie, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege today to present a petition that calls on the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to do more for Syrian refugees looking for a country to welcome them. We have received hundreds of signatures to present to the House and even more electronic signatures.

The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to increase the number of government-sponsored Syrian refugees, provide additional resources to the visa office, grant temporary visas to eligible Syrians, speed up the processing of applications and suspend the return of any Syrians to their country until the situation improves. Finally, I would like to congratulate Amnesty International for doing an outstanding job of raising awareness and encouraging action. Bravo to the people of Amnesty International for doing an exemplary job.

[ English ] Syria Mr. Wayne Marston (Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I too have a petition signed by young Canadians who are concerned about the situation in Syria. The petitioners are asking the Canadian government to bring more of these people to Canada and to provide resources for them when they arrive.

Canada Post Mr. Mike Sullivan (York South—Weston, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a petition signed by many residents of York South—Weston. Members on the other side of the House have brought forward similar petitions. These petitioners call upon the federal government to reject Canada Post's plan to reduce services and explore other options for updating Canada Post's business plan to better protect consumers, to protect jobs, and to protect an essential public service.

Questions on the Order Paper Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I ask that all 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.

Business of the House Hon. Peter Van Loan (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I have two items that have been subject to consultation among the various parties, for which I believe if you seek it you will find unanimous consent. This motion is with regard to our concurrence debate scheduled for tomorrow evening.

I move: Motion That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practices of the House, during debate tomorrow on the motion to concur in the Third Report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, the Chair shall not receive any quorum calls, dilatory motions or requests for unanimous consent; at the end of the time remaining for the debate, or when no member rises to speak, all questions necessary to dispose of the motion be deemed put and a recorded division be deemed requested. The Speaker : Does the hon. government House leader have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?

Some hon. members: Agreed. The Speaker: The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? Some hon. members: Agreed. (Motion agreed to)

Private Members' Business Private Members' Business [ English ] Citizenship Act (Bill C-425. On the Order: Private Members' Bills:) Bill C-425,

An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (honouring the Canadian Armed Forces) Hon. Peter Van Loan (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the second motion relates to Bill C-425 , which is a private member's bill that remains outstanding. I move: Motion That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, the order for consideration at report stage of Bill C-425,

an act to amend the Citizenship Act (honouring the Canadian Armed Forces) , standing on the order paper in the name of the member for Calgary Northeast be discharged and the bill withdrawn. The Speaker : Does the hon. government House leader have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion? Some hon. members: Agreed. The Speaker: The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? Some hon. members: Agreed. (Order discharged and bill withdrawn)

Government Orders The Budget [ English ] The Budget Financial Statement of Minister of Finance The House resumed from February 25 consideration of the motion that this House approve in general the budgetary policy of the government. Mrs. Cheryl Gallant (Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Kootenay—Columbia . As the member of Parliament for Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, I welcome this opportunity to rise to speak to budget 2014, our government's economic action plan for creating jobs and opportunities for Canadians.

I certainly encourage all Canadians to take the opportunity to find out how they can benefit from the sound economic leadership provided by the Prime Minister , and our Conservative government, by reading our well-received economic road map. In my remarks today, I intend to highlight those sections of the budget document that are of particular interest to my constituents in the great riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, beginning with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. Atomic Energy of Canada, or AECL, is a federal crown corporation that operates Canada's largest nuclear science and technology laboratories.

AECL develops innovative applications of nuclear technology, with applications ranging from research and development to waste management and the decommissioning of nuclear facilities. AECL continues to be a significant employer in the upper Ottawa Valley, providing well-paying jobs in my riding and throughout Canada. AECL employs approximately 2,000 staff at the Chalk River and Deep River locations, and 3,400 employees company-wide. This is in addition to the thousands of jobs in the nuclear supply chain which help to drive the Canadian economy.

Economic action plan 2014 proposes to provide $117 million, over two years, for Atomic Energy of Canada Limited to maintain safe and reliable operations at Chalk River Laboratories, secure the supply of medical isotopes, and prepare for the expected transition of the laboratories to a government-owned, contractor-operated model. The Government of Canada has announced that it would move forward with the restructuring of AECL's nuclear laboratories to ensure that its operations are efficient and continue to meet the needs of Canadians.

While AECL is recognized as a leader in the nuclear power industry, many Canadians are not aware of the significant science, research, and development work that takes place at Chalk River Laboratories. AECL's efforts in environmental mediation and nuclear waste management enable activities that are focused on addressing our government's commitment to a clean and healthy environment for Canadians.

Its main activities include the management of nuclear waste in a safe, secure, and environmentally sound manner; the retrieval and remediation of stored legacy waste to mitigate environmental risks; the development of technologies for waste processing and storage; and the decommissioning of facilities to remove the risks and liabilities of the facilities. AECL has four specific capabilities: nuclear waste management and water treatment, environmental remediation and engineering, the development of nuclear waste management facilities, and facility decommissioning.

Additionally, these capabilities can be enhanced through strategic collaborations and engaging AECL's supply chain. Here is a quote from the AECL Nuclear Review : Concern for the environment, along with public health, security, and safety is a ubiquitous feature of today’s social consciousness. Radiation, as a sometimes feared and often misunderstood harbinger of both the beneficial and harmful consequences of nuclear science and technology, occupies a special niche in that consciousness.

On the one hand, high-tech, clean nuclear energy provides the means for sustaining our lifestyles while avoiding millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the environmental consequences of climate change and extreme weather events. On the other hand, the operation of nuclear facilities and storage of the radioactive nuclear fuel waste raises legitimate concerns around the spread of radioactivity in the environment and the perceived detrimental and sometimes multi-generational consequences on people and on the ecosystem.

This equation, balancing benefits for people against real or perceived harm to the environment, applies to nearly all nuclear activities, including radiation therapy, nuclear medicine and the production and use of medical and industrial isotopes.

(1535) The intention of the piece is to highlight some of the science that informs discussion on radiation, the environment, and health. I quoted from the AECL Nuclear Review to point out that attitudes are changing about clean, greenhouse gas-free nuclear power. The environmental movement, particularly the more mature individuals in the movement, are recognizing that a green future needs nuclear power. Those of us who believe that nuclear energy has a critical role to play to ameliorate the effects of global climate change were encouraged by a recent open letter to environmentalists, signed by such people as Dr.

Ken Caldeira, senior scientist, department of global ecology, Carnegie Institution; and Dr. James Hansen, climate scientist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. These and other like-minded individuals are urging those individuals who are truly concerned about the environment to support the development of safer nuclear energy systems, such as Canada's success story, the CANDU system. To quote their open letter to environmentalists: No energy system is without downsides.

We ask only that energy system decisions be based on facts, and not on emotions and biases that do not apply to 21st century nuclear technology. [...] the time has come for those who take the threat of global warming seriously to embrace the development and deployment of safer nuclear power systems as one among several technologies that will be essential to any credible effort to develop an energy system that does not rely on using the atmosphere as a waste dump.

I have no doubt that the same radical environmentalists who recommended forcing rural Ontario to accept industrial wind turbines and the out-of-control electricity rates that are bankrupting Ontario hydro customers were the same individuals who convinced the Ontario Liberal Party to turn its back on the Canadian nuclear success story. The so-called Green Energy Act is forcing people in rural Ontario to have to choose between heating and eating. I mention this because one of the architects of the disastrous policy in Toronto is now the principal advisor to the Liberal Party in Ottawa.

Gerald Butts, called the “puppeteer” by the media for the way he controls the Liberal leader, would like to introduce a new version of the disastrous national energy policy of the 1980s that is causing electricity bills to skyrocket in Ontario. Worst of all, the cornerstone of an updated Liberal NEP is a carbon tax. Ontario needs to cancel its high electricity rate policy. That policy is forcing our manufacturing industry and the jobs that go with it to flee to the American border states that benefit from Ontario Hydro paying them to take power from industrial wind turbines that nobody here wants.

Liberal economic policy has turned Ontario from being the economic engine of Canada into a have-not province. The future is nuclear, for reliable, economic, greenhouse gas-free electricity, brought to us by the 70,000 Canadians that are employed in the Canadian nuclear industry, including the close to 3,000 people employed at the Chalk River Laboratories of AECL. As time permits, the other area that I would like to focus on in budget 2014 is our defence procurement strategy. Our government's procurement strategy is a perfect fit with Innovation Valley North.

Innovation Valley North, in addition to developing synergy between existing Ottawa Valley employers, looks to build on AECL as well as CFB Petawawa to stimulate local employment by creating a local supply chain. As my riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke is home to Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, this strategy is of particular importance as our government ensures that our military have the right equipment to do the best job.

(1540) Our government is implementing the defence procurement strategy to ensure defence procurement generates economic benefits and jobs for Canadians, because our government recognizes the importance of building a stronger and more competitive defence sector that is better able to develop innovative products and solutions, delivery high-value exports, and create high-paying jobs for Canadians. The defence procurement strategy has three key objectives, which I will talk about later. Mr. Mike Sullivan (York South—Weston, NDP) : Mr.

Speaker, I listened with interest to my colleague's comments about atomic energy and how clean a fuel it is. However, I wonder if she or the residents of her riding really understand that the fuel that is stored near the Chalk River nuclear facility needs to be managed, and it needs to be managed for 500,000 years. What is the economic action plan going to say about managing spent fuel for 500,000 years?

(1545) Mrs. Cheryl Gallant : Mr. Speaker, the budget does speak directly to strategies for managing spent fuel. There are different types of spent fuel. Only 1% of the nuclear energy in a spent fuel rod has been used. That is why they are developing new ways at Chalk River to store spent fuel rods, not waste, but spent fuel rods, so that in the future, when our supplies of uranium have been depleted, we can take these spent fuel rods and use them again for more energy. Hon. Wayne Easter (Malpeque, Lib.) : Mr.

Speaker, I listened with interest to the member's speech as she tried to attack staff in the Liberal leader's office and imply certain things while accepting no responsibility for the decisions of her own government, in terms of Chalk River and the nuclear energy in this country. Many of the government's decisions have been bad. However, I wonder if the member would give her thoughts on some of the consequences of this budget, and previous budgets, on rural Canadians who work in the seasonal industries. I know there are a lot of seasonal workers in her riding.

In my riding of Malpeque, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans , while trying to pad her nest to protect her own interest in her own riding, rather than operating as a regional minister for the benefit of the whole province, used a cookie-cutter approach to cut up the riding. On one side of the road, a person could work 460 hours and draw 29 weeks of EI, while on the other side of the road, another person would have to work 1,120 hours in order to qualify for the same amount of EI. Does the member think that is acceptable in rural Canada, for rural development and rural seasonal industries? Mrs.

Cheryl Gallant : Mr. Speaker, I make no apologies for mentioning the puppeteer for the trust-fund child who leads the Liberal Party of Canada today. However, I will talk about former budgets, former budgets the Liberals brought in that resulted in the rust-out of Chalk River Laboratories, which subsequently resulted in a shortage of medical supplies for a couple of years. Because of that, people were denied timely diagnostics.

We, to the contrary, have provided extra funds to ensure not only that Chalk River Laboratories is running smoothly and providing a stable supply but that we also fixed up the mess the Liberals left after 13 years. Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP) : Mr. Speaker, I listened to my friend's speech. I was surprised to see, yet again, more money in the budget down the wasteful sinkhole of helping out Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. It has been tens of billions of dollars over the lifetime of that organization. I thought when we got rid of it, we would get rid of having to subsidize it. My friend cited Dr.

James Hansen, renowned climate scientist, who is now urging environmentalists to accept nuclear power. However, that is because he is so dreadfully concerned that the climate crisis is going unaddressed. He specifically refers to the oil sands as “game over for the climate” if we continue to exploit them and he would only be interested in Canada's position on nuclear energy if we had a climate policy. We now stand at a point where, according to Environment Canada, we will completely, totally, and utterly miss the target that the Prime Minister chose in 2009 at Copenhagen.

We were supposed to go from 737 megatonnes to 609 megatonnes. Instead, by 2020, when the due date falls, we will be at 734 megatonnes—a meagre three-megatonne reduction. Does the hon. member not think it is too rich for the Conservative side of this House to invoke Dr. James Hansen on some issues while studiously and resolutely avoiding his advice on others? Mrs. Cheryl Gallant : Mr. Speaker, our government has set real goals for cutting pollution, and cutting pollution will ensure a more hospitable atmosphere.

In terms of environmentalists, environmentalists who are truly concerned about Canada's air, water, and land are recognizing that nuclear energy is a clean, sustainable, and economically advantaged form of producing energy, as opposed to wind turbines and some of the costs involved in the manufacture of solar cells. Far more emissions occur as a consequence of the manufacture of those than are contained in all the emissions that occur when building a nuclear power plant.

(1550) Mr. David Wilks (Kootenay—Columbia, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to speak to economic action plan 2014, a road map to take us forward to a balanced budget in 2015. I want to speak specifically to my riding of Kootenay—Columbia, which provides a variety of opportunities for people who live in that region, from mining to tourism to forestry. We have some of the most magnificent areas in the country in Kootenay—Columbia with four national parks that employ great people.

It allows tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people, to come to our national parks each year to enjoy what I take for granted every day when I am driving through there. One of the main things in the budget that is of great benefit to my riding is the new Canada apprenticeship loan program, which would allow up to $100 million in interest-free loans to individuals who are applying for their first red seal apprentice program.

It is a great opportunity for up to 26,000 people per year, that we estimate will apply for these types of loans, to allow them to move forward in a growing and demanding field. In all honesty, we do not have enough red seal apprentice programs. I do not know if we can find enough of them, but this is a great start for 26,000 people a year to move forward.

In communities such as Fort McMurray, my area in southeastern British Columbia of Elk Valley, companies like Teck, Finning, Joy Global, Cummins have a high demand for all of the red seal trades, including welders, heavy duty mechanics, and millwrights, and it is so important that we ensure that our children have the opportunity to get into the trades if they so choose. We also recognize that we live in challenging times as well with regard to rural Canada. Many students in apprenticeship programs need to travel long distances to go to school for a particular trade, no matter what the trade is.

This budget recognizes as well that they have the opportunity to use some of that funding to ensure that while they are at school they can cover the cost of being away from home. In an ideal world, we would like to have our apprentices trained at home if they so choose, but that is not necessarily the reality in rural British Columbia. One thing I am happy to see in the budget is found on page 72, which is the flexibility and innovation in apprenticeship technical training.

It refers to it as in-class simulators, e-learning modules, remote learning sites, and video conferencing in place of, or in addition to, traditional in-class training. For example, in my riding, in both Cranbrook and Fernie, truck simulators are used to train new employees in the mining industry, to speed up the process in their ability to drive huge 350-tonne haul trucks and larger, which are used not only in my area but also in Fort McMurray and elsewhere in Canada. It is a great opportunity and these are high-paying skilled jobs.

Jobs that young Canadians can use, that are in huge demand, and for which we cannot find enough people. I encourage people to go into this line of work if they so choose. Another thing I noticed in the budget means a lot to western Canada. It started out as an agreement between British Columbia and Alberta. It was initially called TILMA. It was a trade agreement that came forward with the opportunity for British Columbia and Alberta to break down the barriers between the two provinces, allowing them to trade more freely and utilize their workforces more freely from one province to another.

It has now morphed itself into an agreement that now includes Saskatchewan. We now have three of the western provinces, British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, morphed into what is called the New West Partnership Trade Agreement. That agreement allows the three provinces to move workforces around unimpeded and allows them to work more collaboratively together.

(1555) As the minister has explained in the document, it will be similar to what my colleague from Okanagan—Coquihalla brought forward with his private member's bill on the movement of spirits and wine from province to province. There was a barrier before. It prohibited entrepreneurs in that workforce from moving their product, even internally in Canada, from province to province. This is a great opportunity for Canadians to work with fewer restrictions from province to province. As we look at initiatives like that within the provinces, it will give great mobility.

The other thing I am quite happy about is found on page 158 of the budget. It has to do with sustaining Canada's national parks. Four national parks in our great nation lie in my constituency: Yoho National Park, Glacier National Park, Mount Revelstoke National Park, and Kootenay National Park. Among them are some of the oldest in all of Canada and some of the most majestic, with the Rocky Mountains and the Purcells. It was very nice to see in the budget that $391.5 million over five years, on a cash basis, will be provided to Parks Canada to improve the highways, bridges, and dams located in our national parks.

Specific to my region, it also says, “...as well as paving and other repairs to the

section of the Trans-Canada Highway which passes through Glacier National Park in British Columbia”. The Trans-Canada Highway is our main gateway from the east coast to the west coast. It was created to allow merchant travel right from Saint John's, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia. However, a bottleneck has been created. That bottleneck starts at the Alberta-B.C. border. From Winnipeg to the Alberta-B.C. border, the Trans-Canada Highway is twinned, and then all of a sudden it goes down to two lanes, with the same amount of traffic on it. It is creating a bottleneck.

It is very good to see that this money has been put in there. The federal government has sole responsibility for ensuring that the Trans-Canada Highway is maintained through the national parks of Canada. These three national parks, Yoho, Glacier, and Mount Revelstoke, also have the Trans-Canada traversing them, so I am very happy to see that in there. I am looking forward to working with the ministry and with my other colleagues to ensure that it happens. There are a few other things that are very good for my riding. They include the new horizons for seniors program, which we have increased funding for.

The small grants that are provided each year to seniors programs are huge for senior Canadians across Canada. I am very pleased to see that. I am glad to see that we are providing additional funding for the Special Olympics. It is near and dear to my heart. In the business I own, I work quite closely with the Special Olympics. They bring a smile to our faces every time we see them active in our communities. They have such pride in what they want to do. Finally, on another note, I am very happy to see in the budget that we have the DNA databank coming forward.

It is imperative for those parents who have lost someone. It is imperative that, at the end of the day, we reconnect those who are missing with those who are trying to find them. With that, I look forward to any questions that may come. (1600) [ Translation ] Mr. Pierre-Luc Dusseault (Sherbrooke, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend for his remarks. In the September 2013 Speech from the Throne, the government promised to improve railway safety. The mayor of Lac-Mégantic was even in attendance. However, there is no mention of railway safety in the budget. There is no funding for inspections.

Why has the government not decided to invest in railway safety, when it knows that this is a major issue for people in Sherbrooke, the Eastern Townships and all regions of Canada where derailments are more and more frequent? [ English ] Mr. David Wilks : Mr. Speaker, I would kindly refer the member to the building Canada fund, which will now provide funding for short-line rail across Canada. It will allow us to improve the rail lines. It will be a great benefit for all communities to access the building Canada fund for those specific reasons. Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg North, Lib.) : Mr.

Speaker, I want to get the member's comments regarding the tourism industry. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce pointed out in its annual report that at one time, Canada had the seventh largest industry in terms of being a tourism destination. Now it has slipped to number 18. If we were to canvass economists, stakeholders, tourism groups, and so forth, they would tell us that tourism is a phenomenal industry. It creates literally tens of thousands of important jobs. Whether they are full-time career jobs or part-time student jobs, they are critical to our economy.

Why does the member believe we have seen such a dramatic drop in Canada's standing in the tourism file over the last few years ? What has the government done to try to improve tourism? All signs indicate that dropping from seventh to 18th in the world is the wrong way. Something is going wrong. What does he believe is going wrong? Mr. David Wilks : Mr.

Speaker, from the perspective of the Kootenay—Columbia riding, which boasts some of the greatest tourism opportunities in all of Canada, with four national parks, skiing opportunities, and countless golf courses, we have found that when companies promote themselves well through the opportunities our government has provided for promotion from sea to sea to sea, people come to the riding and spend their money in the riding. Tourism, which is part of the backbone of my constituency, is doing very well.

It is because of our actions that we are allowing people to come from other countries to enjoy what we have in Canada. [ Translation ] Mr. Pierre-Luc Dusseault : Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleague specifically about National Defence's procurement strategy. In this budget, why has the government decided to defer the $3 billion earmarked for various Canadian Forces procurement projects? (1605) [ English ] Mr. David Wilks : Mr. Speaker, our armed forces are dealt with very well. I am proud that my son serves in the armed forces, and I am very proud of the fact that he served overseas as well.

We have provided some of the best equipment for our soldiers to ensure that when they go overseas to protect our rights as Canadians, we have taken care of them. We will continue to ensure that this happens. [ Translation ] Ms. Françoise Boivin (Gatineau, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by saying that I will be sharing my time with the member for Nickel Belt . I am pleased to rise in the House to speak on behalf of the people of Gatineau. I had the pleasure of spending the entire week last week consulting people in my riding in order to determine if the government's budget addressed their concerns.

My remarks will touch on three key points. I will begin with some general observations. I will then talk more specifically about the economic situation in my riding, Gatineau. Then, if I have time—10 minutes is not very long—I will talk about the Department of Justice, since I am the justice critic for the official opposition, the NDP. I want to make a general observation. When I was a little girl, my mother and father taught us how to budget. However, we did not do things the same way they are done here. My father asked us what was important to us, what we liked and how much money we had saved up.

Then, he told us how we could spend that money. It was not a piecemeal approach, as it always seems to be here. I am always shocked to see that. We start with a real brick, what I call the government's sentimental picture, which allows the Conservatives to go around and give the impression that they are taking care of the things that the real world is concerned about. The government runs advertising that is sometimes empty but nice to look at. On television, during the Olympics, it looked good and gave the impression that the government was doing something. First there is the budget.

Then there is the budget bill, which people have more difficulty understanding and which I often call the pièce de résistance. It comes from the Conservative government, which as usual introduces an omnibus bill that changes tons of legislation. There are also the main estimates, which will be tabled at a given time. Technically, they should more or less fit with the budget speech and flesh it out. The Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights will study them next week.

I think the supplementary estimates are like getting to the end of the year and realizing there is not enough money because of poor budgeting. Adjustments are made, which takes more money. What fascinates me about the parliamentary process in this magnificent Canadian building is how everything is done piecemeal. It is sometimes very difficult to link it all together. That is what I tried to do. I will now speak briefly about the economic situation in the riding of Gatineau and the greater national capital region. I was absolutely flabbergasted this morning to read an

article by James Bagnall in The Ottawa Citizen that basically confirmed what I was saying. Some said I was a prophet of doom, since the cuts in the region were now done. I will read a few excerpts from the

article I read this morning. [ English ] The National Capital Region will trail nearly all of Canada’s largest cities in economic growth this year...according to a forecast published Wednesday [not by the NDP but] by the Conference Board of Canada. The Ottawa independent think tank said the region continues to suffer from the unexpectedly deep pruning of public servants—a sector that accounts for 30 per cent of its economic activity. [ Translation ] I say this because it is important. People in the region are often almost embarrassed to talk about the economic driver of the national capital region.

It goes without saying, because the Parliament of Canada is located in the national capital region.

It is our own public service, the service to the public, all the departments that help and serve the public. (1610) [ English ] The number of jobs in public administration fell nearly nine per cent in 2013 [ Translation ] That is huge. [ English ] The number of jobs in public administration fell nearly nine per cent in 2013—the “fastest rate on record”—and the Conference Board expects a further, albeit small drop this year. [ Translation ] I have said many times that we must not think that there will be an end to the pain in the greater national capital region this year.

Today, I read some Twitter posts, including those of the brilliant President of the Treasury Board , where he threatened the Federal Superannuates National Association by saying that the association should negotiate and resolve any differences or else the government would impose new conditions on the organization by passing legislation. This ties in a bit with the trend of hitting the heart of the greater national capital region's economy.

The government is not content to merely go after our public service and the people who put their hearts and souls into providing services with far fewer staff members than before, particularly since the public service has still not completely recovered from the cuts the Liberals made in the 1990s. The government is going after the people it let go after they provided years of good and faithful services to Canadians and the federal government. It is telling them that the conditions it agreed upon with them no longer apply because it wants to change the rules.

That is like calling someone up to tell them that you are changing the contract you signed with them because you changed your mind. That is not usually done. It is completely indecent. I have a feeling that the Federal Superannuates National Association will have something to say to the minister about this. These are things that I heard when I was in my riding last week. I met with hundreds of people—I am not just pulling that figure out of the air—and they shared with me their vision for the economy and their opinion of the federal budget that was tabled the previous week.

When I listen to my Conservative colleagues speak about the budget in the House, I get the impression that they are living on a different planet from the one inhabited by our hard-working constituents who do not often get a break. The ministers and Conservative backbenchers talk about 165 budget cuts, but no one in my riding told me that they feel richer since the Conservatives took office, and they certainly do not feel richer after having seen this budget.

According to the Conference Board of Canada, if the cuts are not too serious, there may be some economic growth, but this is not a very rosy picture of my region. That is a point I wanted to make since, ironically, the

article was published this morning. I looked carefully at the budget, and some sections interested me much more than others, because they affected Canadians in their everyday lives. For example, the budget talks about investing in families. In my riding, a group called Logement'Occupe is working very hard to ensure affordable housing. This group went through a near-crisis because it did not know whether it was going to be eligible for the HPS program. Many community organizations provide incredible services that we could not even afford as a society. Without them, the country would be bankrupt big time.

We already have a deficit. Imagine If we had to pay for what all those community organizations do for our people. It would be overwhelming. The Conservatives may be able to live well knowing that children go hungry and people have no roof over their heads, but I think this is a deplorable failure for a society. There are various needs. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that I will be sharing my time with the member for Chicoutimi—Le Fjord . There is not much in the budget for justice. The government added a few extra judges here and there—way to go—but some existing positions have not been filled yet.

I wonder how serious the government is. When it fleshes out the budget plan, the government should think about the basic needs for home care and caregivers. It must address these needs.

(1615) I will elaborate on that some other time. Those were some of my thoughts on the 400 or so pages of nothing that I read last week. [ English ] Hon. Steven Fletcher (Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, CPC) : Mr. Speaker, the member is correct when she points out that the Liberals cut $25 billion in transfers in the 1990s and that the cuts caused the provinces a great deal of difficulty in providing the services that fell within their jurisdiction.

However, the member is equally making a mistake by not acknowledging the fact that under the new Conservative government, transfers to the provinces are at record highs. In fact, we will balance the budget in a way that does not affect those transfer payments in a very difficult economic environment. We are also investing huge, history-making sums in infrastructure. Why is the member against the infrastructure investments when everyone else is in favour of them? [ Translation ] Ms. Françoise Boivin : Mr. Speaker, I will start by talking about transfers.

In my opinion, claiming that there has not been a reduction in transfers to the provinces is also part of the Conservatives' dream. Freezing transfers while health care costs continue to rise obviously puts pressure on provincial budgets. However, the Conservative government brags that it has not reduced the transfer amounts. These repercussions are very real. As for infrastructure spending, my colleague from Toronto, who is sitting to my right, is doing a fantastic job of making the government aware of the overwhelming infrastructure needs.

Furthermore, the day after the budget was tabled, the mayor of the City of Gatineau said that, for his city, the budget was disappointing on a number of counts, including in terms of infrastructure. The mayors of major cities had high expectations. If you walk around Gatineau, it is obvious that the infrastructure needs are enormous. I do not believe that the government is doing enough. I think that it can do much better and that the government's funding for infrastructure will not solve the problems and address the enormous infrastructure deficit. [ English ] Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg North, Lib.) : Mr.

Speaker, during the early 1990s, I was part of the Manitoba legislature when health care was a hot issue of debate. The concern back in the early 1990s, at least in Manitoba, was that there were financial arrangements that saw tax point shifts favouring outright cash donations or equalization coming from Ottawa. What the Chrétien government did was to establish a base and commitment for cash transfers. That is something that was of absolutely critical importance for anyone who believed in a national health care system. I was there. I was a part of that debate inside the Manitoba legislature.

We need to then fast forward. The record high health care dollars that are going into the system today are because of a health care agreement that was achieved by Paul Martin. We have more health care dollars than ever before because of that agreement. That agreement expires thi