House of Commons Hansard #10 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was care.

Topics

Fire PreventionStatements By Members

11:05 a.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Gatineau.

Bank Of CanadaStatements By Members

11:05 a.m.

Liberal

Mark Assad Liberal Gatineau, QC

Mr. Speaker, given that the government's policy is to create jobs, and that this can only be achieved in a strong and growing economy, I find it hard to understand the Bank of Canada's decision to increase its rate, when there is no indication of a rise in inflation.

The chartered banks immediately doubled the rate increase set by the Bank of Canada. This could generate some concern among Canadians who, in the past, have been hard hit because of high interest rates, with a large number of businesses having to fold and many families nearly went going bankrupt because of high mortgage rates.

The government's policy of attempting to control our economy by manipulating interest rates must be questioned. It continues to cause our economy to lurch from boom to bust and by this every move turning the stock markets and serves only to make increased profits for financial—

Bank Of CanadaStatements By Members

11:10 a.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Edmonton East.

Conservative PartyStatements By Members

11:10 a.m.

Reform

Peter Goldring Reform Edmonton East, AB

Mr. Speaker, yesterday a Tory member questioned the government and its ministers on allegation of influence peddling and improper fundraising. These allegations are being raised ironically by a member of the Tory Party. We will long remember names like Cogger, LaSalle and Moores who faced criminal charges while members of the Tory administration.

Presently the Tory leader is raising money in Saskatchewan and perhaps stopping in on the trial of Senator Bernston who is facing charges of criminal fraud. Maybe he will visit the group of convicted Tory felons who now call the Regina correctional institute their home away from home.

It is this type of Liberal-Tory hypocrisy which breeds voter cynicism. Reform is here to bring integrity back to the House of Commons.

Francophones Outside QuebecStatements By Members

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Eugène Bellemare Liberal Carleton—Gloucester, ON

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, the hon. member for Rimouski—Mitis deemed it necessary to explain, in the House, her disparaging remarks concerning French Canadians.

She denied calling us second class citizens. Yet, the official report of the Debates reads, and I quote: “As a French Canadian, I am a second class citizen”. The member went on to say that francophones outside Quebec could count on her support.

I say to the Bloc Quebecois member that we French Canadians outside Quebec have no use for the kind of support Bloc members have been giving us from time to time since they arrived in this place, by using our problems to promote their separatist goal. Such negative support is harmful to our cause and we can easily do without it.

Reform PartyStatements By Members

11:10 a.m.

NDP

Nelson Riis NDP Kamloops, BC

Mr. Speaker, for years we watched as the national Reform Party seduced the national Liberal Party into acting in a bizarre right wing Tory way. But its B.C. cousins are taking these new political liaisons to astonishing new levels.

The B.C. Liberals and B.C. Reformers have developed a close political relationship over the past few years and have recently decided to jump into political bed with each other. The Liberals are even debating whether they should change their name in an effort to reflect this new political love affair.

Canadians have always known about the Liberal-Tory, same old story, but now it is Liberal-Reform, same old form as Liberals jump into bed with Reformers and Tories are there whining at the door to be let in on this new political orgy.

Montfort HospitalStatements By Members

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Mr. Speaker, I would like to shed some light on certain comments made regarding the role of the federal government in the case of the Montfort hospital.

If and when the federal government decides, through the heritage department, to provide financial support to the establishment of a network of health care services in French, this network will be managed by the Montfort hospital to fulfill the mandate given to it by the Ontario health care restructuring committee.

There is no reason to accuse the federal government of interfering in an area of provincial jurisdiction. Rather, it is important to remind the public, and ourselves, of the federal government's mandate and role regarding official languages minorities across the country, that is to say in all the provinces except Quebec for the French speaking minority, and in Quebec for the

AgricultureStatements By Members

October 3rd, 1997 / 11:10 a.m.

Progressive Conservative

Rick Borotsik Progressive Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Today, Mr. Speaker, the minister of agriculture has recognized October as agricultural awareness month in Atlantic Canada. Is this simply lip service as in last week's Speech from the Throne? Agriculture was conspicuous in its absence.

In this government's rush to embrace technology as the wave of the future it has disregarded agricultural sustainability. Since producers are the backbone of this industry it is they who have been disregarded by this government.

The federal agriculture minister recently, talking about the government's fiscal dividend, said that when agriculture producers came forward with ideas he would go to bat for them. Is the minister of agriculture prepared to go to bat for the agriculture producers?

Rcmp InvestigationsOral Question Period

11:15 a.m.

Reform

Randy White Reform Langley—Abbotsford, BC

Mr. Speaker, it is incredible to watch the Liberal damage control machine kick into high gear. These guys are starting to make Brian Mulroney look like an amateur.

The facts do not lie. We have a senior Quebec fundraiser in the Liberal Party who is now under criminal investigation for trying to shake down companies that are applying for government grants. This fundraiser tried to blackmail those companies by demanding they give thousands of dollars to the Liberal Party or risk losing their grants.

My question is for the prime minister. Who in the government leaked the names of the companies applying for grants to the Liberal Party?

Rcmp InvestigationsOral Question Period

11:15 a.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should have begun his question by congratulating and praising the Minister of Human Resources Development.

He should have praised him because the minister acted quickly, responsibly, and with integrity by immediately bringing the allegations to the attention of the RCMP.

The hon. member, in his supplementary question, may want to explain this very serious lack in the content of his question.

Rcmp InvestigationsOral Question Period

11:15 a.m.

Reform

Randy White Reform Langley—Abbotsford, BC

Mr. Speaker, we will get to that, actually. The RCMP learned about these illegal Liberal fundraising tactics in March from a boy scout in the Ministry of Human Resources Development.

The big boys in the prime minister's office refused to listen to him. They did not fire this bagmen until June, after the election, several months later.

During the four months the prime minister and his Liberal campaign managers knew that their fundraiser was under criminal investigation, which ministers continued to associate with the fundraiser under investigation?

Rcmp InvestigationsOral Question Period

11:15 a.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I do not have that information. It does not pertain to the administrative responsibilities of the government. More important, there is a criminal investigation under way and I am sure the issues the hon. member has raised will be gone into thoroughly in the course of the investigation.

It is important to let the investigation proceed in the normal and effective fashion the RCMP will be undertaking. We will see what comes out as a result of the investigation.

Rcmp InvestigationsOral Question Period

11:15 a.m.

Reform

Randy White Reform Langley—Abbotsford, BC

Mr. Speaker, let us just talk about that for a moment. We know the RCMP is investigating the Liberal Party for its corrupt fundraising practices. I do not care as much about the corruption in the Liberal Party as I care about corruption in the government.

We know the RCMP is investigating the Liberal Party, but will the prime minister launch an independent inquiry into potential corruption in the government itself?

Rcmp InvestigationsOral Question Period

11:15 a.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I think one has to reject the premise of the hon. member's question. It has not been confirmed exactly who the targets of the investigation might be. The solicitor general said yesterday they could be on one side of the House or his side of the House, or it could involve any Canadian.

Therefore it would be improper, if not unfair, to speculate and create innuendo about something that is under investigation, unless the hon. member wants to take steps to prevent the investigation from reaching a successful conclusion. I hope that is not his objective because that would be wrong.

Liberal Party Of CanadaOral Question Period

11:15 a.m.

Reform

Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC

Mr. Speaker, in 1995, 70 percent of the top contractors with CIDA made significant donations to the Liberal Party of Canada. That compares with less than onepercent of Canadian companies overall that give to the Liberals. This sends a clear message to business: “Give money to the Liberals or you won't get government business”.

How can ordinary Canadians have faith in the government's tendering process when being a Liberal is obviously the first qualification checked?

Liberal Party Of CanadaOral Question Period

11:20 a.m.

Sudbury Ontario

Liberal

Diane Marleau LiberalMinister for International Cooperation and Minister responsible for Francophonie

Mr. Speaker, we have always been especially careful when we have had to deal with the contracting process in whatever portfolio I have been responsible for.

If you have any proof, would you please bring it forward instead of making these unfounded allegations.

Liberal Party Of CanadaOral Question Period

11:20 a.m.

The Speaker

I remind hon. members to address both the questions and the answers to the Chair.

Liberal Party Of CanadaOral Question Period

11:20 a.m.

Reform

Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are on the take and they just keep on taking. Business people—

Liberal Party Of CanadaOral Question Period

11:20 a.m.

Liberal

Julian Reed Liberal Halton, ON

Say that outside.

Liberal Party Of CanadaOral Question Period

11:20 a.m.

The Speaker

I ask all hon. members to be very judicious in their choice of words. That is the first point.

Second, I remind hon. members that in putting questions they have to go to the administrative responsibility of the government as opposed to the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party or the New Democratic Party.

I ask members to be very judicious in their choice of words.

Liberal Party Of CanadaOral Question Period

11:20 a.m.

Reform

Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC

Mr. Speaker, given the fact that 70 percent of CIDA contractors were big Liberals and given the latest RCMP investigation into corrupt Liberal fundraising it is crucial that the government clear the air and clean up its act.

In order to restore faith in the integrity of government, will the prime minister convene an independent inquiry into how the government doles out contracts?

Liberal Party Of CanadaOral Question Period

11:20 a.m.

Sudbury Ontario

Liberal

Diane Marleau LiberalMinister for International Cooperation and Minister responsible for Francophonie

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has a system called the open bidding system. That is how contracts are allocated.

People tender for them and win them based on how good their tender is. CIDA puts its contract on the OBS as well.

Rcmp InvestigationsOral Question Period

11:20 a.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Human Resources Development admitted that at least five funding proposals being processed by his department were the subject of blackmail and influence peddling to raise funds for the Liberal Party of Canada.

Will the Deputy Prime Minister tell us what concrete measures his government has taken to ensure that in future no one will have access to Department of Human Resources Development funding lists?

Rcmp InvestigationsOral Question Period

11:20 a.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, as the minister pointed out yesterday, immediately upon receiving the information regarding these allegations, he brought it to the attention of the RCMP.

At this point, all we have are allegations. But it is obviously up to the Minister of Human Resources Development to review the procedures in his department and I think that, with his integrity and good judgement, he has the matter under review. But, for the time being, the situation is—

Rcmp InvestigationsOral Question Period

11:20 a.m.

The Speaker

I am sorry to interrupt the hon. member, but the hon. member for Verchères now has the floor.