Debates of April 15th, 1997
House of Commons Hansard #156 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was vote.
Topics
- Government Response To Petitions
- Committees Of The House
- Conscientious Objection Act
- Petitions
- Questions On The Order Paper
- Criminal Code
- Bankruptcy And Insolvency Act
- Criminal Code
- Budget Implementation Act, 1997
- Criminal Code
- An Act To Amend Certain Laws Relating To Financial Institutions
- House Of Commons
- Member For Calgary Centre
- National Volunteer Week
- Vimy Ridge
- Land Mines
- Île Aux Basques
- Gwaii Haanas National Park
- Tourist Industry
- Member For Capilano-Howe Sound
- Toonies For Canada
- Beijing Concord College
- Ballard Power Systems
- Maple Sector
- Reform Party Breakfast
- Member For Sherbrooke
- Lachine Canal
- Vacancy
- The Constitution
- Taxation
- Krever Inquiry
- Taxation
- Human Rights
- Justice
- Helms-Burton Law
- Great Lakes
- War Criminals
- Tariffs On Agricultural Products
- Krever Inquiry
- Organization For Economic Development And Co-Operation
- Presence In Gallery
- Points Of Order
- An Act To Amend Certain Laws Relating To Financial Institutions
- Criminal Code
- Crown Corporations
- Canada Marine Act
- Canada Labour Code
War Criminals
Oral Question Period
April 15th, 1997 / 2:50 p.m.
Reform
Val Meredith Surrey—White Rock—South Langley, BC
Mr. Speaker, two months ago when I asked a question about modern war criminals in Canada the parliamentary secretary to the minister of immigration stated: "Action is being taken. These people will be removed. They will not be allowed to stay in this country". We now learn that when Canada generously opened its doors to genuine refugees from the war in Bosnia a number of suspected war criminals were accepted as refugees.
Can the minister inform the House what action is being taken against those suspected war criminals and when they will be removed from Canada?
War Criminals
Oral Question Period
2:50 p.m.
Saint-Henri—Westmount
Québec
Liberal
Lucienne Robillard Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, it should be made very clear that Canada did play a role in resettling refugees from the former Yugoslavia and that, true to Canada's tradition of generosity, we have indeed welcomed refugees who were being persecuted or living in difficult conditions due to conflicts in their country of origin.
Every one of these refugees we have welcomed has been accepted in a spirit of openness. To date, there has been no indication of what the hon. member from the Reform Party raised just today involving any of the more than 19,000 refugees we have welcomed in our country since 1993.
War Criminals
Oral Question Period
2:50 p.m.
Reform
Val Meredith Surrey—White Rock—South Langley, BC
Mr. Speaker, that is very interesting because her department came up with 250 suspected modern day war criminals, and representatives of the Bosnian government have stated that Canadian officials did not consult their list of suspected war criminals before accepting refugee claimants from Bosnia.
Now that some of these individuals have been identified as being in Canada, it does not appear that they will be brought to justice soon because of the lack of an extradition treaty with Bosnia.
Will the minister assure the House that action will be taken immediately by the government, or is the government prepared to repeat the five decades of embarrassment Canada experienced with the handling of Nazi war criminals?
War Criminals
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Saint-Henri—Westmount
Québec
Liberal
Lucienne Robillard Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member from the Reform Party should at least have the honesty to say that the prime-
War Criminals
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Some hon. members
Oh, oh.
War Criminals
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
The Speaker
My colleagues, I would ask the hon. minister to please withdraw the word "honesty" from her answer.
War Criminals
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Liberal
Lucienne Robillard Saint-Henri—Westmount, QC
Mr. Speaker, I wish the hon. member from the Reform Party would have the courage to say-
War Criminals
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Some hon. members
Oh, oh.
War Criminals
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
The Speaker
My colleagues, honesty or courage cannot be called into question. You can answer, but please choose your words carefully.
War Criminals
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Liberal
Lucienne Robillard Saint-Henri—Westmount, QC
Mr. Speaker, we hope the members of this Parliament will recognize the actions taken by this government.
This country is a world leader in the fight against modern day war criminals. In many respects, even our court decisions set a precedent worldwide.
It is very clear that we have a plan of action-
War Criminals
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
An hon. member
Oh, really?
War Criminals
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Liberal
Lucienne Robillard Saint-Henri—Westmount, QC
We do, and it is to take action against those individuals who may be living in Canada.
Regarding the former Yugoslavia, Canada even helps international courts prosecute anyone who may have committed crimes against humanity.
How can the hon. member from the Reform Party stand in this House and say otherwise?
Tariffs On Agricultural Products
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Bloc
Jean-Guy Chrétien Frontenac, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture.
In spite of a NAFTA ruling supporting Canada's position regarding the tariffs on our eggs, dairy and poultry products, the U.S. trade representative, Charlene Barsketsky, indicated a few weeks ago that this issue was a priority for her country and that she would fight to the end to eliminate these tariffs.
Can the minister assure us that he will be firm and will not start negotiating with his American counterpart to eliminate our tariffs, contrary to what has already been done by the Liberal government in the case of wheat and softwood lumber? The Bloc Quebecois would never accept such a move.
Tariffs On Agricultural Products
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Regina—Wascana
Saskatchewan
Liberal
Ralph Goodale Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, we said in 1993 that we would fight very hard to defend the interests of Canadian farmers in the final round of the GATT negotiations, and we did that.
We said following 1993 that if the United States should challenge us under the NAFTA we would defend our supply management system, and we did that.
Farmers in Canada may rest assured that this government stands firmly behind them in every set of trade negotiations.
Krever Inquiry
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Reform
Grant Hill Macleod, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Krever commission on tainted blood is supposed to be about health but it is tied up again by lawyers.
We want to find out who is in charge on this issue. Is it the Red Cross lawyers, is it the supreme court lawyers or is it our weak health minister lawyer?