Debates of Nov. 6th, 1995

David Collenette Minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs

Mr. Speaker, this is one measure that was foreseen in the white paper. It is a matter that officials are working on.

It is a very expensive proposition and any move toward implementing the system for underwater detection in the High Arctic has to be made within the financial constraints of the government and the department's budget.

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

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-102, designed to amend the Customs Act, has exactly that purpose in mind. It will encourage businesses to locate in Canada. It contains improvements that will streamline the duty deferral program and will make programs more user friendly and accessible. It will remove administrative restrictions and will ease cash flow pressures by providing as much up front duty relief as possible.

Regions, municipalities and businesses will be able to co-operate as a result in promoting their communities because a critical component of the bill encourages partnerships to encourage economic development.

I congratulate the member for St. Catharines because he has been a leading proponent of many of the initiatives in the bill.

Monique Guay Laurentides, QC

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Defence. Last week, we learned that, on two separate occasions, members of the former regiment from Petawawa organized dinners to celebrate the massacre of 14 innocent victims at l'École polytechnique. A 14-round salvo was even fired.

Will the minister confirm that the Canadian Forces private who organized these dinners has since been promoted to Master Corporal?

David Collenette Minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs

Mr. Speaker, this allegation was raised at the hearings of the Commission on Somalia and we will look into it.

This allegation was raised at the hearings of the commission on Somalia last week. We are looking into the matter, but I can say on behalf of the government that if indeed this were true it was totally unacceptable, totally abhorrent and something we will not tolerate.

Monique Guay Laurentides, QC

Mr. Speaker, does the minister not agree that every promotion granted to any CFB Petawawa official, for example that of Colonel Peter Kenward, should be cancelled or suspended for the duration of the inquiry?

David Collenette Minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs

Mr. Speaker, what I am prepared to do is that when I receive a report on the allegations and if indeed they are to be verified, I will submit the report to the commission.

It will be made public at that time and may therefore have some relationship with respect to its ultimate deliberations.

Val Meredith Surrey—White Rock—South Langley, BC

Mr. Speaker, last year when the minister of immigration introduced a document entitled "A Broader Vision", it acknowledged that defaulted sponsorship obligations cost Canadian taxpayers close to $700 million in 1993. The minister announced that initiatives would be introduced in five areas to reduce that amount.

Could the minister advise the House whether these initiatives have been successful and has the taxpayers' burden to default sponsorship been reduced?

Sergio Marchi Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, as the member may know, the Peel project has started in earnest. It is working well. We are finding out information that will no doubt prove useful to an eventual position that the government will take.

We have struck a committee that liaises with all provincial governments. They too are very supportive and collaborative.

It is our intention before the House of Commons rises for Christmas to have a final response on the whole question of family sponsorship.

Val Meredith Surrey—White Rock—South Langley, BC

Mr. Speaker, in 1989 Mohammed Assaf sponsored his brother and family to settle in Alberta. Since then Alberta taxpayers have shelled out $40,000 in welfare payments to support the family.

Assaf then attempted to sponsor his second wife to Canada and was refused by immigration officials. He decided to go to the IRB that in turn ruled that Assaf did not have to pay his first obligations before sponsoring his second wife.

How will the minister accomplish the task of reducing sponsorship defaults when the IRB is telling sponsors that it does not make any difference whether or not they repay those defaults?

Sergio Marchi Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, unlike the Reform Party that uses a negative, cynical case analogy or example, we prefer to deal with issues on a national basis with some degree of thought, due course and reflection. We will not be deterred by listening to comments on the floor of the House of Commons about individual cases.

We can always learn from cases whether they are in my portfolio or anywhere else, but we would be wrong if we looked at one case, generalized and made it applicable to all immigrants or refugees coming to Canada. We will not engage in a small kind of world that simply tries to create perceptions which may not be true. Let us deal with facts. Let us find solutions that work.

I ask my hon. colleague if she would find the time and place to come on board with that kind of attitude rather than negatively parade individual cases before the House and then extrapolate from them irresponsibly.

Joe Fontana Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question but I think he ought to get the facts straight.

The jobs being lost at Transcona in Winnipeg are only of a temporary nature. Therefore to assume that these are permanent layoffs by Canadian National would be inappropriate.

The hon. member would know that CN is on the brink of its commercialization and privatization. It needs to get its house in order so that it can be a competitive and viable railroad, providing service from sea to sea to sea and providing employment to all Canadians across the country.

Bill Blaikie Winnipeg—Transcona, MB

Mr. Speaker, will the government give a guarantee that the recall date will be honoured and that the recall date is not just a way of appeasing employees?

Will the government answer my first question? Why guarantees for Montreal and no guarantees for Transcona and Winnipeg that have just as much a place in CN as anyone else?