House of Commons, Changing the Name of the Trans Canada Trail
MP Pierre Nantel Questions the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Choice to Rename the Trans Canada Trail to the Queen’s Jubilee Trail
October 22, 2012
Mr. Pierre Nantel (Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, after rechristening the Ottawa River Parkway and the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the government now wants to spend even more taxpayer money to rename a key part of Canadian heritage. The Conservatives want to rename the Trans Canada Trail the Queen’s Jubilee Trail. How far will they take this unconditional love? Are they going to change the flag and our country’s name while they are at it?
Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage explain to us why he wants to change the name of the Trans Canada Trail?
Mr. Paul Calandra (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we know that investments in the cultural sector are very important to the Canadian economy. That is why we have made historic investments in this sector.
Unfortunately, every time we make these investments—as we did last week, when we invested $25 billion in the new Canadian Museum of History—we know that the NDP will vote against them.
[English]
Perhaps if we had a museum of tax and spend and highlighted such classics as an increase in the GST, increase in taxes for families and the ever-unpopular $21 billion carbon tax, then maybe we would get some support.
[Translation]
Mr. Pierre Nantel (Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, I am very disappointed in my colleague. Frankly, I expected more than another broken record.
The Trans Canada Trail evokes our country’s vastness, diversity and beauty. The name says it all: it crosses Canada. It is the same idea as the Trans-Canada Highway. “Trans Canada” represents something concrete. To paraphrase today’s guest of honour, the Prime Minister of Jamaica, we love the Queen, but there comes a time when we must define ourselves as a government.
Can the Conservatives set aside their nostalgia for the British Empire and realize that this is the 21st century? Now is the time to move forward, not backward.
[English]
Mr. Paul Calandra (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, how ironic a question. In the same vein, the member is talking about forgetting about our historic connection to the monarchy.
On this side of the House, we know and understand what Canadians want. They want to talk about the history, the events, the places and the people that have made this country great. Contrast that to the opposition, with separatists sitting in their party making 29 donations to separatist parties. We will never apologize on this side of the House for investing in arts and culture. We will never apologize for doing all of those things and celebrating all of the things that have helped make this the best country in the world in which to live.
I would remind the members why they sit in this place: to defend the best country in the world in which to live and not to talk it down every chance they get.