Debates of Feb. 20th, 1995

Members Of Parliament Pensions

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that my colleague has finally read the red book and understands the commitments of the government.

This whole matter though will be dealt with mighty soon.

Gun Control

[Pierrette Venne, Bloc, Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for the bill on gun control which was tabled by the Minister of Justice last week to have its desired effect, it will have to be coupled with more aggressive measures to fight gun smuggling from the United States.

Will the Minister of Justice tell us whether he personally asked the Solicitor General and the revenue minister to have police and customs officers escalate the war on gun smuggling?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, over the course of the last 10 months I have worked with the Minister of National Revenue and the Solicitor General specifically on that issue.

We have developed not only the legislative proposals that are now embodied in Bill C-68 but we have also forced administrative and policy changes in the way that border controls are enforced. We expect that in the coming months and years as a result of these changes we will have even more effective border control than at present.

[Pierrette Venne, Bloc, Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister of Justice guarantee that the measures proposed in his bill will be applied Canada-wide, without exception, including on aboriginal territory?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Of course I can, Mr. Speaker. As the Prime Minister took pains to emphasize this time last year in another context, there is but one law in Canada and it is applied equally throughout.

[Bonnie Hickey, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, at a gun control meeting in St. John's East my constituents raised concerns with the Minister of Justice about BB and pellet guns. Children have been seriously injured playing with these guns. The city of St. John's has banned them and the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Municipalities has unanimously asked that BB guns and air guns be classified as firearms.

How will the minister address the concerns of my constituents regarding the danger of BB and air guns?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I well remember the meeting in St. John's to which the hon. member referred. I met on that occasion with two mothers whose young children had each lost an eye as a result of the misuse of BB guns or air guns.

As a result of that meeting I examined the manner in which air guns or BB guns are regulated in this country. I discovered that at present some of them are classified as firearms and therefore regulated as other guns are, the distinction being the muzzle velocity of the projectile. If the muzzle velocity is above a certain threshold, then they are regulated in terms of acquisition or possession as others guns are. The question is whether that threshold should be lowered to capture the commonly available BB gun and perhaps save the eyesight of children.

A recent research study at the University of Ottawa demonstrated that BB guns are the leading cause of eye loss among children in Canada which has to be troubling to us all.

May I tell the hon. member in conclusion that I am keenly aware of the problem. We have it under consideration and I will communicate further with the House when we have completed our analysis.

Former Yugoslavia

[Jack Frazer, Reform, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, our peacekeepers in Croatia are soon likely to face the most difficult tactical situation given a soldier: a withdrawal under fire. Yet two weeks ago it was announced that the Canadian forces surgical team is to be withdrawn.

Now national defence headquarters has reportedly again refused our peacekeepers' request for an armoured engineering vehicle to clear mines and to facilitate their withdrawal, should it become necessary.

Will the Minister of National Defence tell this House why our troops, who have been facing mines and gunfire for the last three years and are soon likely to face even greater danger, are being denied facilities and equipment which we have but refused to provide?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, there are a number of inaccuracies in the article which appeared in the Globe and Mail on Saturday.

The armoured engineer vehicle is not designed as a mine clearance vehicle. The Slovakian group, as part of UNPROFOR, is equipped to take this task on, not just for Canadians but for all other personnel. Should there be a non-permissive withdrawal from Croatia and Bosnia, this will be carried out by NATO. Obviously all of the necessary equipment will be provided by the NATO allies.

[Jack Frazer, Reform, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, if there is one Canadian casualty resulting from this lack of support, I hope the minister will remember that.

Our forces in the former Yugoslavia have made do with outdated, unreliable equipment and have done well despite this handicap. Now, despite the situation becoming much more serious, headquarters' response is negative.

What will the Minister of National Defence do to provide our Canadian peacekeepers with all possible support to help them survive?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, on the specifics I answered the question, but I do resent very much the threat implied in the hon. member's answer. It is reprehensible. Mr. Speaker, I am surprised that you did not rule him out of order. To make that kind of statement in the House of Commons, he should be ashamed of himself.

[The Speaker]

I am sure, my colleagues, that this very serious matter is the cause of a great deal of emotion on both sides of the House. Again, I would appeal to all of my colleagues to be very judicious both in the questions and in the answers.

Private Dental Care Plans

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

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

The Canadian Dental Association has recently launched a new campaign to nip in the bud any thoughts the federal government had about taxing private dental care plans in Canada. The minister has said many times over the past year that her mission is to make sure that the health care system in Canada remains free.

Does the minister realize that taxing private dental care plans will directly reduce accessibility to health care?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, let me remind the hon. member that the Canada Health Act sets the criteria regarding medically necessary services. While we know that we have some very difficult fiscal decisions to make, we must make those decisions to ensure that we can offer programs with fairness and compassion, programs which Canadians expect, and frankly, which Canadians deserve.

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, will the minister, on the eve of the upcoming federal budget, guarantee that she will keep our health system free and that she will energetically oppose the taxation of private dental care plans?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, as Minister of Health, I have said that the Canada Health Act is unquestionably here to stay, and the Prime Minister of Canada has said the same. We will preserve the fundamental principles of the health care system. The promise was made in the red book, which forms the basis of our party's mandate. We will continue to do exactly what we said we would do.

Immigration

[Philip Mayfield, Reform, Cariboo—Chilcotin, BC]

Mr. Speaker, last May immigration officials granted refugee status to a 25 year old Polish man. The man claimed he was discriminated against because he had HIV and the Immigration and Refugee Board granted him refugee status.

Given that this individual will pose a drain on Canada's health care system and a potential threat to the health of Canadians and that this individual was allowed into the country in direct contravention of section 19 of the Immigration Act, will the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration reverse this decision by the IRB and deport this person immediately?

[Sergio Marchi, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I think the member is confusing the refugee stream and the immigration stream.

The issue here is not a claim based on whether an individual is or is not HIV positive. The claim made was on the basis of being a member of a social group, in this case sexual orientation, and that there was a well founded fear of persecution.

Three years ago the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that sexual orientation constitutes a social group. The Geneva convention allows for claims to be made based on social group persecution. There have only been two cases in the system. One was refused. There is this case raised by the hon. member which was initially refused by the IRB and appealed to the Federal Court. The Federal Court of Canada ordered the IRB to rehear it.

It is not a question of being HIV positive. Each individual case must lay before the board a well-founded fear in terms of a social group persecution.

[Philip Mayfield, Reform, Cariboo—Chilcotin, BC]

Mr. Speaker, after being granted refugee status, this HIV infected individual claimed on national radio that he came to Canada specifically to take advantage of our overburdened health care system. Meanwhile, thousands of Canadians are waiting in line to use the system they have been paying into for years.

As much as the IRB has accepted another outlandish refugee claim setting a precedent that can be abused by bogus refugees around the world, will the minister now take the advice of the Reform Party? Will he disband the IRB and put refugee determination in the hands of competent immigration officials using established admission guidelines?

[Sergio Marchi, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, this case does not set a precedent. That is why the hon. member does not understand how the Immigration and Refugee Board operates. It operates independently of the government. Also, cases are considered on their own individual merits.

I mentioned to the member that there have only been two cases in the system. One was refused because it could not demonstrate a well founded fear of being persecuted.

Also, the immigration stream does have the ability to screen for health care costs as well as danger to the public. In most cases where people are found to be HIV positive, they are denied entry into Canada.

Endangered Species

[Ted McWhinney, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

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

Around the world, 48,000 wildlife species and subspecies are in danger of extinction. The illegal trade in endangered wildlife species jeopardizes global biodiversity.

Could the minister tell the House what the government is doing both in Canada and also internationally to curb the illegal trade in endangered wildlife species?

[Clifford Lincoln, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is approaching the Convention in International Trade in Endangered Species in three ways.

First, in training, we are conducting workshops presently in western Canada addressed to the RCMP, addressed to the customs officers, Agriculture Canada and also provincial natural resource officers to let them know about the convention, what it covers, what Canada's commitments are, identifying the endangered species which, as my colleague stated, are 48,000 in number.

Second, we are conducting an information campaign geared to travellers to advise them about endangered species so that they will make proper purchases. If there is no market for endangered species, then there is no business for poachers and traffickers in endangered species.

Finally, in the spring-

Fisheries

[Bernard St-Laurent, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

In 1994, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans committed $1.9 billion to the Atlantic groundfish strategy. The minister claimed at the time that this amount would be sufficient to restructure the Atlantic fishing industry within five years. Today, with 80 per cent more benefits than forecast, we see that the strategy did not achieve its goals and that the funds may be depleted by 1996.

Does the minister admit that his strategy is a failure and that the funds committed will be depleted well before the deadline?

[Brian Tobin, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, the member is making a case on behalf of the Bloc Quebecois that the fishermen of Quebec be completely cut off any income assistance from the national government.

I know that there is a profound attempt by the Bloc Quebecois to sever Canadians living in Quebec from the benefits of Canada but this surely is a ridiculous proposition.

[Bernard St-Laurent, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, does the minister realize that the way things are going, the funds aimed at restructuring the industry will be completely depleted when the time comes to shift responsibilities to the provinces, as they are requesting?