House of Commons Hansard #254 of the 35th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was cmhc.

Topics

Canadian Telephone CompaniesOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley LiberalMinister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, this really is a question for the CRTC. At this point, we do not have all the facts. As the hon. member knows, the CRTC made a ruling last Friday regarding the special rates announced by the telephone companies. That ruling should have been complied with by those companies.

Canadian Telephone CompaniesOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Bloc

Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC

Mr. Speaker, can the minister tell the House whether he intends to make sure that this issue will not be shelved and that these telephone companies will be given the maximum penalty, so that they do not again ignore the CRTC's rulings?

Canadian Telephone CompaniesOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley LiberalMinister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, the request that the member puts to me is one that is not within my powers.

I find it surprising that the separatist movement is so frightened that Quebecers would hear the true views of Canadians from across the country that they want to put up walls around their province to keep those voices out.

The EconomyOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Reform

Jim Silye Reform Calgary Centre, AB

Mr. Speaker, we both know and a lot of Canadians know there are a lot of problems in this country, not the least of which are the high levels of taxation and the huge debt this finance minister is proud to add to at the rate $37.5 billion per year.

He said this on Wednesday: "This is a marked improvement in the fiscal situation and one which illustrates that making forecasts based on prudent assumptions will pay off. This is another good news report".

I am glad his family business is in trust because if he ran his business the way he runs the country he would be broke.

When will the finance minister do the responsible thing and present a balanced budget to all Canadians?

The EconomyOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance and Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development-Quebec

Mr. Speaker, I would have thought the hon. member would take some comfort in the fact that for the first time in over a decade we have a government that is capable of hitting its targets which is obviously very important in establishing the credibility of one's position.

At the same time we have indicated that the best way to control spending, the best way of keeping government's feet to the fire, is to operate on the basis of a set of rolling two-year targets. That is a process which clearly works and is one that we continue.

The EconomyOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Reform

Jim Silye Reform Calgary Centre, AB

Mr. Speaker, let me try to keep the finance minister's feet to the fire.

Two years ago I ran to get rid of a government that ran up a $38 billion deficit. Here we are two years later and nothing has changed. We are still bringing in deficits in the $35 billion to $38 billion range.

Once again for the good of Canada, for the good of the global market, when will this finance minister-if he is not capable, step aside-present a budget that is clear, that sets out a target as to when we will be at a zero deficit? When will he quit adding to the problem and quit playing his games with our future?

The EconomyOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance and Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development-Quebec

Mr. Speaker, the deficit number two years ago that we inherited was not $38 billion. It was $42.5 billion. We improved on it by $4.5 billion.

For the good of Canada, for the good of global markets, could the member opposite please get his numbers right.

Refloating The Irving WhaleOral Question Period

November 3rd, 1995 / 11:45 a.m.

Bloc

Roger Pomerleau Bloc Anjou—Rivière-Des-Prairies, QC

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of the Environment. Early this week, the intrepid Minister of the Environment took advantage of the absence of Bloc members to accuse them of obstructing her plan to refloat the Irving Whale . The truth is, the minister is so incompetent that she is desperately looking for a scape goat to hide her own inability to find a safe solution to the problem of the Irving Whale .

Would the minister agree it is high time she showed some flexibility and agreed to appoint a panel of independent experts who would be able to find a safe solution that would take into account the presence of PCBs aboard the barge, something she has failed to do so far?

Refloating The Irving WhaleOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Hamilton East Ontario

Liberal

Sheila Copps LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, we do have a safe solution. We plan to refloat the barge next spring, despite the official opposition which is still obstructing this plan and always has.

Refloating The Irving WhaleOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Bloc

Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC

Now look, it was the courts, not us. Really, now.

Refloating The Irving WhaleOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

Sheila Copps Liberal Hamilton East, ON

It is unfortunate that the Bloc is obstructing. One thing is clear: the Magdalen Islands RCMs are on my side, because they want the Irving Whale to be refloated.

Refloating The Irving WhaleOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Bloc

Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC

Exaggerating again.

Refloating The Irving WhaleOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

Sheila Copps Liberal Hamilton East, ON

And that is not what the Bloc Quebecois wants, that is the truth.

Refloating The Irving WhaleOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Bloc

Roger Pomerleau Bloc Anjou—Rivière-Des-Prairies, QC

Mr. Speaker, we have just spent $12 million for absolutely nothing. This is money citizens will have to pay.

Will the minister admit that the reason she is faced today with a worldwide campaign by Greenpeace, not just Greenpeace Canada but Greenpeace International, which has condemned her incompetence in this matter, the reason is she is incapable of considering an alternative to the least costly solution, which will cost twice as much as initially estimated and which is also the most dangerous one?

Refloating The Irving WhaleOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Hamilton East Ontario

Liberal

Sheila Copps LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, the Greenpeace campaign stresses how important it is to refloat the Irving Whale . I hope Greenpeace will acknowledge there has been only one government in the past 20 years that had a policy for refloating.

Unfortunately, when the hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean was Minister of the Environment, the Irving Whale was at the bottom, and there was no question of refloating. We are going to refloat it, over the protests of the Bloc members, and I am glad Greenpeace acknowledges the fact that refloating is important to prevent a crisis as a result of the leaks that are now occurring. That is why fishermen, the population and the RCMs on the Magdalen Islands support the policy adopted by the Government of Canada.

Sexual AbuseOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

Dianne Brushett Liberal Cumberland—Colchester, NS

Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago in Halifax the solicitor general announced the second phase of a national program to help protect the young and the vulnerable from sexual abuse at the hands of people in positions of trust.

Could the solicitor general tell the House how the new program would protect our children from potential sexual abuse?

Sexual AbuseOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, the federal government is working with the Canadian Association of Volunteer Bureaus to carry out a program to educate voluntary organizations on the need for screening people who are seeking employment or volunteer positions working with children or other vulnerable individuals.

The program involves sending briefing books and videos to over 200 volunteer bureaus across Canada and to some 1,900 police services. There will also be a series of workshops conducted in over 200 volunteer bureau areas.

This will supplement the program I announced last year of using the Canadian police information system computers managed by the RCMP to provide a screening system to help prevent people involved in sex abuse from taking up positions as volunteers or employees when it comes to working with children or vulnerable individuals.

The program is a worthwhile one and responds to the objectives of all Canadians. I hope it will have the support of all members of the House.

Young Offenders ActOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Reform

Myron Thompson Reform Wild Rose, AB

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians are aware of the horrific torture of three Ottawa teens and the death of 17-year old Sylvain Leduc at the hands of a vicious youth gang.

The minister is aware the studies his department has received by noted criminologists state that young offenders believe there will be no serious consequences for criminal action and they will commit unlawful acts that include torture and violence.

Would someone on that side of the House explain why the minister will not put severe consequences in the Young Offenders Act for brutal, violent, sadistic crimes committed by young offenders?

Young Offenders ActOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, the government has brought forward legislation to tighten up the Young Offenders Act and provide more severe penalties. The law has been adopted. It will go a long way to responding to the kinds of concerns raised by my hon. friend.

At the same time, the justice committee of the House has been mandated to carry out an overall review of the work with respect to young offenders. I hope it will be able to take into account the understandable concerns of my hon. friend. I appreciate his raising this important point.

Young Offenders ActOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Reform

Myron Thompson Reform Wild Rose, AB

Mr. Speaker, I remind the minister that these types of crimes are showing up more and more often and that they need to be stopped. If he is referring to Bill C-37, forget it; it will not do the trick.

I have a supplementary question. When will the minister change the Young Offenders Act so the names and pictures of violent and sadistic gang members such as the Ace Crew, regardless of their age, become available to the general public for its own protection?

Young Offenders ActOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, this information is available to and used by law enforcement agencies. The hon. member's suggestion is one that can be given active consideration in the course of the wide ranging and urgent review of young offenders provisions currently under way in the justice committee.

I urge my hon. friend and his colleagues to take that review seriously and participate in the hearings so we will have a good result in the interests of all Canadians.

Hazardous WasteOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Bloc

Paul Mercier Bloc Blainville—Deux-Montagnes, QC

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of the Environment.

Recently, the Globe and Mail revealed that some people have managed to find a way to follow the advice of the Minister of the Environment, who wished to see Canada transform its environmental challenges into economic opportunities. Despite its regulations, Canada is in fact exporting hazardous waste to the third world.

Does the minister confirm her departmental employees' complaints of being so short of resources that they cannot assume their responsibilities and apply the regulations on hazardous waste exports properly?

Hazardous WasteOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Hamilton East Ontario

Liberal

Sheila Copps LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment

In fact, Mr. Speaker, during the review of the budgets for environment, the budget for protection was increased.

Hazardous WasteOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Bloc

Paul Mercier Bloc Blainville—Deux-Montagnes, QC

Mr. Speaker, today the minister is avoiding direct answers with surprising regularity. I shall, however, try a supplementary.

Does the minister understand that she ought to ensure that her departmental employees apply existing regulations properly, rather than seek to set national standards and to continually meddle in areas of provincial jurisdiction?

Hazardous WasteOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Hamilton East Ontario

Liberal

Sheila Copps LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I am trying to follow the lead of the former Minister of the Environment, the hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean, who stated that the federal government had not only a duty to be concerned about the environment, but a responsibility. And I endorse that statement by the hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean.