CANADA House of Commons Debates VOLUME 142 Ï NUMBER 030 Ï 2nd SESSION Ï 39th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Tuesday, December 4, 2007 Speaker: The Honourable Peter Milliken CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) Also available on the Parliament of Canada Web Site at the following address: http://www.parl.gc.ca 1677 HOUSE OF COMMONS Tuesday, December 4, 2007 The House met at 10 a.m. The Speaker: I believe the hon. Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development had something else to table besides his ways and means motion and between us we may have overlooked this. Prayers Does the minister wish to table something else? I will happily go back to tabling of documents if I made a mistake. *** ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS TSAWWASSEN FIRST NATION FINAL AGREEMENT Ï (1005) Hon. Chuck Strahl (Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status [English] Indians, CPC): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the confusion is on WAYS AND MEANS my part. I tabled the ways and means motion. NOTICE OF MOTION I would like now to have the honour to table, in both official Hon. Chuck Strahl (Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern languages, the Tsawwassen First Nation Final Agreement and related Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status side agreements. Indians, CPC): Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 83(1), I *** have the honour to table a notice of a ways and means motion to introduce an act to give effect to the Tsawwassen First Nation Final QUESTIONS PASSED AS ORDERS FOR RETURNS Agreement and to make consequential amendments to other acts. Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for I ask that an order of the day be designated for consideration of Democratic Reform, CPC): Mr. Speaker, if Question No. 100 could this motion. be made an order for return, this return would be tabled immediately. *** The Speaker: Is it agreed that Question No. 100 be made an order for return? COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE PROCEDURE AND HOUSE AFFAIRS Some hon. members: Agreed. [Text] Mr. Gary Goodyear (Cambridge, CPC): Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Orders 104 and 114, I have the honour to present, in both Question No. 100—Hon. Scott Brison: official languages, the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Have there been any meetings or discussions, including but not limited to those Procedure and House Affairs. conducted electronically, between the Deputy Minister and senior officials at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and staff members of the Atlantic Food and If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence in the Horticulture Research Centre, or between the Deputy Minister and senior officials at fourth report later this day. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada regarding the Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre, since February 6, 2006 and, if so: (a) who participated in these LIBRARY OF PARLIAMENT meetings or discussions; (b) what was discussed; (c) what was the outcome of the discussions; and (d) what plans, if any, were discussed regarding the future Mr. Blaine Calkins (Wetaskiwin, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I have the operations of the Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre and, if so, (i) what honour to present the first report of the Standing Joint Committee on did these plans consist of and (ii) what are the associated timelines? the Library of Parliament regarding its mandate and its quorum. (Return tabled) PROCEDURE AND HOUSE AFFAIRS [English] Mr. Gary Goodyear (Cambridge, CPC): Mr. Speaker, pursuant Mr. Tom Lukiwski: Mr. Speaker, I ask that all remaining to Standing Orders 104 and 114, I move that the fourth report of the questions be allowed to stand. Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs presented to the House earlier this day be now concurred in. The Speaker: Is that agreed? (Motion agreed to) Some hon. members: Agreed. 1678 COMMONS DEBATES December 4, 2007 Government Orders GOVERNMENT ORDERS There are numerous other inland and marine ports across Canada that have challenges. They have transportation pinch points that [English] restrict the ability of those who carry on trade with Canada and within Canada to get the job done. That is why we have introduced CANADA MARINE ACT Bill C-23. It provides much more flexibility to the ports to be able to The House resumed from December 3 consideration of the motion adapt to changing environments. that Bill C-23, An Act to amend the Canada Marine Act, the Canada One of the areas where we are providing more flexibility is, for Transportation Act, the Pilotage Act and other Acts in consequence, example, in the area of land management. Ports will now have more be read the second time and referred to a committee. powers and authority to manage their lands, to lease them, to sell The Speaker: When this matter was last before the House, the them, and to use them for the purposes they deem necessary for their hon. member for Abbotsford had the floor. He has four minutes left businesses. We have also expanded the whole area of legal authority in the time allotted for his remarks. I therefore call upon the hon. and the ability to borrow money, which again had been severely member for Abbotsford. constrained until now. Mr. Ed Fast (Abbotsford, CPC): Mr. Speaker, when debate We believe this flexibility is going to allow our ports to become adjourned last night, I understood I had three minutes. This is even more dynamic because if we do not become more dynamic in wonderful news. It is one more minute for a politician to talk. the area of trade and ensure the infrastructure in Canada is in place to When I left off debate, I was talking about the opportunities that adapt to increasing trade, we are going to lose out. Canada has in the area of international trade. As we know, Canada is There are many other ports across North America now that are a trading nation. It is one of the most successful trading nations in competing with us and they are very aggressive. We need to make the world. In fact, it is perhaps the most resource rich country in the sure that our ports in Canada have the ability to meet the challenges world. The nations of the world are beating a path to our doorstep of the 21st century. not only for our resources and commodities but they are also looking to us for the technological expertise and much of the information we I am thankful for the opportunity to address this very important can deliver to make the world a better place. issue for Canadians. When I left off debate, I was raising a number of reasons why we Ï (1010) face challenges in Canada in trying to maximize the benefits we get Mr. Bev Shipley (Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, CPC): Mr. from international trade. The first of these reasons was the awful Speaker, it is an honour today to have the opportunity to elaborate on truth that previous federal governments had essentially abandoned certain aspects and provisions of Bill C-23. Specifically, I would like any significant effort to build our national infrastructure and the to focus on the impact of the proposed changes to the Canada Marine result was an aging infrastructure that was ill-suited to compete with Act on Canadian port authorities. the demands of the 21st century. We have entered a new era obviously in global trade. The patterns That is why the Conservative government, of course, introduced a of our trade partnerships and relationships continue to change with $33 billion building Canada fund, which is a plan that is going to the growth of our overseas markets, and that has been illustrated in rebuild and renew our national infrastructure. It is the largest earlier comments. investment of its kind certainly in the last 50 years, if perhaps not in Canada must work to position itself strategically with east-west Canadian history. The building Canada fund is going to be rolled out trade routes, routes that by their very nature require the transport of over the next seven years. goods by marine mode. There is a second reason why we have challenges in the area of New realities are upon us including the reality that marine based making sure that we compete internationally for trade. That was the trade is becoming more and more important to our economy in terms fact that the level of service in transportation, specifically railway of volume and the value of goods. transportation, was in a critical state of affairs. For many years virtually everyone in the shipping industry had complained about the Our ability to accommodate this trade is integral to tapping the fact that the level and quality of service delivered by our large opportunities being generated by the ever-expanding markets. national railways had declined. Ensuring that appropriate port infrastructure and the intermodal connections exist are crucial to allow for the increase in the volume To address this concern, our government introduced Bill C-8, of goods to flow unimpeded. which goes a long way to improving the level of service in our national railways. It ensures that the dispute resolution mechanisms Not only does Canada have the opportunity to directly grow its available for shippers are efficient, low cost and timely. Asian trade relationships but the prospects of developing Canadian gateways and corridors as the pre-eminent transportation routes into The third reason why Canada is beginning to have challenges in the heart of North America will result in numerous value added the area of its gateways and trade corridors is the fact that our initiatives translating into long term high paying jobs.