House of Commons Hansard #30 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was quebec.

Topics

Small BusinessOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Surrey Central.

Canadian International Development AgencyOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Reform

Gurmant Grewal Reform Surrey Central, BC

Mr. Speaker, for three years CIDA has asked the government to establish an aid effectiveness advisory committee, a watchdog to monitor Canada's aid programs.

In response to my question last week, the government cites other priorities, including Liberal budget cuts to CIDA, as reasons not to establish a watchdog to hunt down questionable CIDA spending.

Why is the minister responsible for CIDA trying to hide behind the so-called other priorities? What is the government afraid of, the watchdog—

Canadian International Development AgencyOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

The Speaker

The hon. secretary of state.

Canadian International Development AgencyOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Richmond B.C.

Liberal

Raymond Chan LiberalSecretary of State (Asia-Pacific)

Mr. Speaker, CIDA has a very transparent open bidding system to award contracts.

If the hon. member has other information, we invite him to come forward. The CIDA open bidding system has been transparent and is well accepted by the business community.

Canadian International Development AgencyOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Reform

Gurmant Grewal Reform Surrey Central, BC

Mr. Speaker, the hon. secretary does not know that. The fact is the committee has not yet been established so that the government may continue taking political advantage of CIDA.

CIDA has about 130 auditors from 49 countries trained by Canadian taxpayer dollars. CIDA has never used them except once. Guess what, the aid money was not used for the intended purpose.

CIDA's accountability, transparency, reputation and credibility are in question.

Why does the minister refuse to use those auditors who are trained in Canada?

Canadian International Development AgencyOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Richmond B.C.

Liberal

Raymond Chan LiberalSecretary of State (Asia-Pacific)

Mr. Speaker, CIDA's budget has annually been audited by the auditor general. The bidding system has been open and transparent.

This kind of reference only hurts our ability to help third world countries.

Canada Pension PlanOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

NDP

Lorne Nystrom NDP Qu'Appelle, SK

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the deputy prime minister.

Yesterday the prime minister characterized the CPP fight as between those with a social conscience and social Darwinists, who he said believe in the survival of the fattest.

It is ironic that the prime minister made those statements yesterday in Toronto at a $500 a plate dinner to fat cat Liberals.

How can the government pretend to believe in a social conscience when the brunt of the premium hikes and the cutback in benefits under CPP will fall hardest on those with low income, elderly women and those with disabilities? How can he say that?

Canada Pension PlanOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we reject the premise of the hon. member's question.

Our reforms of the Canada pension plan, which have been worked out in co-operation with eight of the provinces, are designed to help middle and lower income Canadians. They are designed to respect the needs of women and people with families.

We want to have a safe and secure pension plan for all Canadians and especially those of lower and medium income. We reject the approach of the Reform Party which wants to destroy that system.

It is about time the NDP joins with us in what we are trying to do to help ordinary Canadians.

Canada Pension PlanOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

NDP

Lorne Nystrom NDP Qu'Appelle, SK

Mr. Speaker, give me a break. The Deputy Prime Minister has gone to too many of those fat cat $500 dinners.

The only time the government's changes look good is in comparison to the Reform Party, which wants to abolish the CPP.

Why has this government not done an impact study on those changes and the effect of those changes on the income of future seniors, particularly women? No impact study has every been done. Why has it not been done and why will it not be done now and tabled before this house?

Canada Pension PlanOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the reforms to the Canada pension plan arose not only through consultations with the provinces, but consultations with all sorts of stakeholder groups. Therefore, the concerns of my hon. friend have been taken into account. These are matters that could be considered further in parliamentary hearings and parliamentary debate.

However, the issues raised by my hon. friend are very much on the mind of the government. We believe they have been taken into account. The reforms we are putting forward to the Canada pension plan are to ensure the safety of the pensions for all Canadians, particularly lower and middle income Canadians and groups such as women, handicapped and needy people across the country.

Why will the NDP not realize this and join with us to make sure that these reforms go through to protect the plan for future generations?

The EnvironmentOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Progressive Conservative

Diane St-Jacques Progressive Conservative Shefford, QC

Mr. Speaker, this week the Prime Minister destroyed the last remaining Canadian land mine, but a similar problem still exists in my riding of Shefford.

For a number of years now, pieces of shells and rockets from World War II appear when the snow melts. Over a year ago, an active pyrotechnic device was discovered, but for reasons unknown, there was no cleanup and the issue has still not been resolved.

Can we hope that the Prime Minister will attach the same importance to ridding Canada of such devices as he does to mineclearing in the rest of the world?

The EnvironmentOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Victoria B.C.

Liberal

David Anderson LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the hon. member that, yes, areas of Canada that have been used for testing or training purposes are of concern. There are quite a number of defence sites across the country that need cleaning up, not only of explosives and lethal devices, but also for environmental reasons. The government has a major program under way to do that.

There is, of course, concern that this clean-up will involve substantial amounts of time as well as money. But on behalf of the Minister of National Defence, I would be delighted to examine the particular case in the member's riding.

The EnvironmentOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Progressive Conservative

Diane St-Jacques Progressive Conservative Shefford, QC

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to hear that the government is committed to looking at this problem, but I think more than that is required.

Before the Ottawa treaty is signed in December, should we not bring in legislation to eliminate devices left over from World War II by our army and its subcontractors? If we do not do it for the environment, could we not do it for the safety of our children, before there is a serious accident?

The EnvironmentOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Victoria B.C.

Liberal

David Anderson LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, I certainly appreciate the sentiment of the hon. member. It is a little difficult, however, to legislate simply by a decision of this Parliament to somehow make good a problem that has existed since the second world war and is a physical problem in or on the surface of the ground.

I can promise the member that the concern she has expressed, which is particularly important in areas where children may get through a fence or wall into an area where there is such a dangerous situation, is a major concern. I am sure the opinions expressed by the hon. member are shared by every member of the House.

InfrastructureOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

Paddy Torsney Liberal Burlington, ON

Mr. Speaker, the government has placed important and appropriate emphasis on renewing Canada's infrastructure.

Could the President of the Treasury Board tell us today how he has allowed Canadian municipalities to fund progressive infrastructure to benefit Canadians equitably?

InfrastructureOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Hull—Aylmer Québec

Liberal

Marcel Massé LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the federal government is providing funding for nine metro Toronto daycare facilities under the Canada-Ontario infrastructure program.

In collaboration with our partners in this program, we will be providing a $1 million contribution which will help to respond to the needs of all the stakeholders. The federal government is meeting its commitment to metro Toronto and to Canada's children.

SenateOral Question Period

November 7th, 1997 / 11:45 a.m.

Reform

Rahim Jaffer Reform Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Mr. Speaker, Canadians believe in making our political institutions more democratic. Albertans have led the way by electing their first senator in 1989.

With all provincial parties in favour of electing a senator from Alberta, will the Prime Minister listen to the people of Alberta and their request for Senate elections?

SenateOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we certainly are sensitive to the views of the people of Alberta, as well as those of every part of the country. But we have to respect the Constitution as it is, which says that senators are appointed by the Government of Canada. Certainly we intend to respect the law while taking into account the views of people of every part of this country.

Canada Labour CodeOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Bloc

Antoine Dubé Bloc Lévis, QC

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Labour.

In his reform of the Canada Labour Code, the minister insists on maintaining the possibility of using strike breakers.

Why is the minister so intend on allowing this, since he knows full well, as the Quebec experience has demonstrated, that prohibiting scabs tends to make labour relations more civilized?

Canada Labour CodeOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Guelph—Wellington Ontario

Liberal

Brenda Chamberlain LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Labour

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-19 was tabled yesterday in the House of Commons. I would like to quote today Canadian Labour Congress vice-president Nancy Riche. “CLC gives thumbs up to Bill C-19”.

We are going to address many problems in this bill.

Crisis CentresOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

NDP

Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North Centre, MB

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice.

Every 17 minutes a sexual assault is committed somewhere in Canada. One in four women will be sexually abused at some point in her life. There is a need like never before for safe houses, shelters and rape crisis centres. Why then is the government quibbling over a million dollar expenditure for such centres?

Will the government assure Canadian women today that, as a very minimum, the million dollars a year for five years for crisis centres as promised by the former Minister of Justice will be allocated immediately?

Crisis CentresOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Ahuntsic Québec

Liberal

Eleni Bakopanos LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, Treasury Board is now overlooking the funding for the government's family violence initiative.

The CASAC proposal which is I think is the proposal to which the hon. member is referring requires more than two-thirds of the funds that the department expects to receive from Treasury Board.

At the moment, we have 20 proposals for $1.2 million, including one from the group of aboriginal women who want to establish a program to build life skills of women. We are in the process of studying these proposals.

AgricultureOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Progressive Conservative

Gerald Keddy Progressive Conservative South Shore, NS

Mr. Speaker, Nova Scotia farmers have been devastated twice this year: first by the worst drought in 100 years resulting in a loss of up to 50% of forage and grain crops and second, by the callousness of the minister of agriculture toward this critical event. Farmers are seeking emergency relief.

Will the Prime Minister intervene now and save farming in Nova Scotia?

AgricultureOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Charleswood—Assiniboine Manitoba

Liberal

John Harvard LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for the question.

I will take his question as notice and when I have my first opportunity to speak to the minister, I will apprise him of his concern. I am sure he will get an answer back from the minister of agriculture.

Industrial ResearchOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

Eugène Bellemare Liberal Carleton—Gloucester, ON

Mr. Speaker, during the last election, the government promised to increase funding to the Council for Assistance to Industrial Research sponsored by the National Research Council.

Could the Secretary of State for Science and Technology outline the reasons for such a commitment, which I personally consider positive and necessary?