Debates of Nov. 17th, 1997

Points Of Order

[Randy White, Reform, Langley—Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I just want to clarify the fact that the hon. member from the Conservative Party should perhaps listen a little more. It was asked in the House. I was in the House and I know when it was asked. Maybe he should listen a little more.

[The Speaker]

I am going to give the minister one kick at the can.

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly understand your desire to arbitrate. It is not the decision of any Liberal to want to arbitrate between the Tories and the Reform.

[The Speaker]

I think I will rule that it is not a point of order, but good luck.

Committees Of The House

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 11th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the associate membership of some committees.

If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence in the 11th report later this day.

Canada Elections Act

[Ted White, Reform, North Vancouver, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-280, an act to amend the Canada Elections Act (registration of political parties).

Mr. Speaker, this bill, when passed, will correct an appalling anomaly in the elections act which permits the government to confiscate the assets of a party incapable of running 50 candidates in a general election.

The amendment to the act was passed by the Mulroney government just prior to the 1993 election. It was aimed at Reform but it caught the Communist Party and it had its assets seized and sold by this government.

We may not support the Communist Party but this is an anti-democratic law and has to be fixed. My private member's bill would remove that terrible part of the elections act.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Committees Of The House

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move that the 11th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House earlier this day, be concurred in.

(Motion agreed to)

Petitions

[Rick Laliberte, NDP, Churchill River, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by citizens from Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Over 2,000 petitioners call on Parliament to sign legally binding targets and timetables at the United Nations conference of parties in Kyoto, Japan this December 1997.

Further, these petitioners believe that Canada should commit to the substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

[Jean Augustine, Liberal, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have several petitioners who urge the federal government to join with the provincial governments to make the national highway system upgrading possible beginning in 1997.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions today. The first petition has to do with the family.

The petitioners draw to the attention of the House that managing the family home and caring for preschool children is an honourable profession which has not been recognized for its value to our society.

They also state that the Income Tax Act does not take into account the real cost of raising children. The petitioners therefore pray and call on Parliament to pursue tax initiatives for those families that choose to provide direct parental care in the home.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

The second petition, Mr. Speaker, has to do with the misuse of alcohol. The petitioners draw to the attention of the House that the consumption of alcoholic beverages may cause health problems and particularly that fetal alcohol syndrome and other alcohol related birth defects are preventable by avoiding alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

The petitioners therefore pray and call upon Parliament to mandate the labelling of alcoholic products to warn expectant mothers and others of the risks associated with alcohol consumption.

Questions On The Order Paper

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 15 and 17. .[Text]

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North Centre, MB]

Since the coming into force of the Tobacco Act, (a) how many complaints or allegations of infractions has the government received, (b) how many complaints has it investigated, (c) how many verbal or written warnings or requests for compliance have been issued, (d) how many charges have been laid?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Since the Tobacco Act came into force, the federal government has received 160 complaints or allegations of infractions, of which 111 were for the sales to minors and 49 for promotion, advertising, self-service, displays, signs, rebate, mail order, labelling or standard of fabrication. Eighty-four of these complaints were investigated. Three-hundred and forty-nine verbal or written warnings or requests for compliance were issued. Fifty-nine charges were laid, of which 57 were for sales to minors violations and 2 were for mail order.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North Centre, MB]

For public servants employed in the Health Protection Branch, (a) were performance bonuses granted in fiscal year 1996-97 or in fiscal year 1997-98 to date; and if so (b) for what categories of employees, including the Assistant Deputy Minister and scientists employed in in-house food and drug labs, (c) how many employees were in each category, (d) how much was each performance bonus, (e) when was it paid, and (f) for what reason was each bonus given?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

(a) Performance pay covering the fiscal years of 1996-97 and 1997-98 has not been awarded. However, in the course of the 1996-97 fiscal year and in accordance with the Treasury Board secretariat instructions issued in August 1996, performance pay was awarded to eligible staff in the health protection branch for the 1995-96 review period.

(b) The following categories in the health protection branch are subject to performance pay:

1. The executive group

2. Scientific and professional category, medicine officer subgroup*

3. Administration and foreign service category.

4. Other members of the scientific and professional category are not subject to performance pay. They receive increments up to the applicable maximum based on the relevant collective agreement.

(c) Health protection branch employees subject to performance pay: 29 executive level employees; 7 science and professional category, medicine subgroup; 4 administrative and foreign service.

(d) See appendix A for details on performance pay awarded.

(e) In accordance with the Treasury Board guidelines for performance pay, lump sum payments were paid in October 1996, and in-range increases for eligible staff were authorized January 1, 1997.

(f) Performance pay is awarded in accordance with the Treasury Board performance pay plans and is based on the employee's overall performance. .*space39

Questions Passed As Orders For Returns

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, if Question No. 11 could be made an order for return, the return would be tabled immediately.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed. .[Text]

[Ted White, Reform, North Vancouver, BC]

What was the total number of full time employees at each job classification in the respective federal departments for fiscal year 1996 and fiscal year 1997?

Return tabled.

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that the remaining questions be allowed to stand.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. member for Elk Island on a point of order.

Point Of Order

[Ken Epp, Reform, Elk Island, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am probably out of sequence time wise on this, but during question period the Deputy Prime Minister referred to and read from a document. I believe under the standing orders he is required to table that document. We request that he do so.