Debates of Oct. 22nd, 1998
House of Commons Hansard #140 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was information.
Topics
- Interparliamentary Delegations
- Committees Of The House
- Manitoba Claim Settlements Implementation Act
- Nunavut Act
- Canada Labour Code
- Committees Of The House
- Petitions
- Questions On The Order Paper
- Personal Information Protection And Electronic Documents Act
- Foreign Publishers Advertising Services Act
- Generation Xx Youth Centre
- Sydney Tar Ponds
- North-South Centre Of The Council Of Europe
- Agriculture
- Danielle Campo
- Canadian National
- Health Research Awareness Week
- Brian Mulroney
- Hungary
- Seniors
- Fisheries
- Gap Between Rich And Poor
- Violence
- Chief Justice Brian Dickson
- Women's History Month
- Apec Inquiry
- Health
- Apec Inquiry
- Health
- Budget Surplus
- Employment Insurance
- Health
- Canadian Heritage
- Employment Insurance
- Asbestos Industry
- Health
- Health Protection Branch
- Apec Inquiry
- Health
- National Parks
- Environment
- Program For Older Workers Adjustment
- Volvo Canada Ltd.
- Employment Insurance
- National Revenue
- Lumber Industry
- Bill C-44
- Employment Insurance
- Poverty
- Fisheries
- Business Of The House
- Committees Of The House
- Foreign Publishers Advertising Services Act
- Committees Of The House
- Foreign Publishers Advertising Services Act
- Business Of The House
- Criminal Code
- Division No. 245
Health
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Bloc
Pauline Picard Drummond, QC
Yet, Mr. Speaker, last Sunday, the Minister of Health said he was prepared to give back to the provinces the money for the health sector.
Now that the government is showing substantial budgetary surpluses, will the minister demand that the provinces be fully reimbursed for the cuts in health transfers, or will he knuckle under to the Minister of Finance as his colleague, the Minister of Human Resources Development, does so well?
Health
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Etobicoke Centre
Ontario
Liberal
Allan Rock Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the priority for us is health. We have already acted on this priority and it is our intention to deliver on this commitment.
As the Prime Minister said, our next major reinvestment would be in health and, to this end, I plan to work together with my provincial partners.
Canadian Heritage
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Reform
Inky Mark Dauphin—Swan River, MB
Mr. Speaker, the House should know that the heritage minister wants her own culture cops. These culture cops would have the right of search and seizure.
Can the minister tell this House why she thinks it is necessary to have her own culture cops?
Canadian Heritage
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Hamilton East
Ontario
Liberal
Sheila Copps Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I am glad the member asked this question. One of the challenges that I made to the Reform Party today was to stand and tell Canadians why it is opposing legislation which provides support to Canadian Legion magazines across the country.
I would like Reform members to stand in their places and answer that question. On the eve of Remembrance Day, it is absolutely disgraceful that the Reform Party does not support Canadian Legion magazines.
Canadian Heritage
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Reform
Inky Mark Dauphin—Swan River, MB
Mr. Speaker, for three weeks we have been talking about free speech and democracy. Here we have a minister who wants to start another police force called culture cops.
Does the heritage minister really think this kind of censorship is reasonable in a democratic society?
Canadian Heritage
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Hamilton East
Ontario
Liberal
Sheila Copps Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, not only do I oppose censorship vigorously, I want the Canadian people to be able to read every magazine that they can get their hands on, including Canadian magazines like the Alberta Report , the Legion magazine and Maclean's magazine.
The only party in this House that is supporting censorship is the party that would stifle the voices of Canadian magazines instead of supporting the right of Canadians to tell their stories.
Employment Insurance
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Bloc
Paul Crête Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, the latest figures regarding coverage for the unemployed once again provide an indictment of the minister's EI scheme. Only 43% of unemployed workers received benefits in August. Thus 57% of unemployed workers were shamefully made to contribute to the budget surplus.
What is the Minister for Human Resources Development waiting for to take immediate steps to restore the credibility of the system? Is he perhaps waiting for the green light from the finance minister?
Employment Insurance
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Papineau—Saint-Denis
Québec
Liberal
Pierre Pettigrew Minister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, the report is full of statistics on the unemployed. The PQ branch office in Ottawa is trying to confuse everybody and to make workers feel insecure.
The facts are very clear: 78% of Canadians who worked full time for at least three months and left their job with cause or were laid off are covered by the employment insurance system. There is no point in scaring Canadians.
Asbestos Industry
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
Claude Drouin Beauce, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of International Trade. Yesterday at the World Trade Organization, the European Union turned down Canada's request to set up a panel to review France's ban on asbestos. Since this industry is of paramount importance, could the minister clarify the situation?
Asbestos Industry
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
York West
Ontario
Liberal
Sergio Marchi Minister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his very important question.
At its meeting yesterday, the WTO reviewed our request. We knew the European Union would not agree. As a result, the decision has been postponed by one month.
On November 25 a panel will be automatically set up to examine our complaint. The goal of the Government of Canada, in partnership with the Government of Quebec, the industry and unions—
Asbestos Industry
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
The Speaker
The member for Skeena.
Health
Oral Question Period
October 22nd, 1998 / 2:40 p.m.
Reform
Mike Scott Skeena, BC
Mr. Speaker, in 1995 the health minister signed a $12 million agreement with the Gitksan Indian Band in northern B.C. for health care administration.
Now we find that several hundred thousand dollars of this money is invested in the stock market.
When I asked the minister in writing how these funds could be in the stock market, he referred to these funds as surplus funds.
Does the minister really think that the Gitksan band has more money than it needs for health care and that these are in fact surplus funds?
Health
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Etobicoke Centre
Ontario
Liberal
Allan Rock Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I will look into the matter raised by the member and respond when I am fully informed.
Health
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Reform
Mike Scott Skeena, BC
Mr. Speaker, I wrote to the minister on this matter about five months ago and he has responded, so I think he is informed.
Band members have told me they cannot get travel money when they need to go to Vancouver or Terrace for a CAT scan or to see a specialist. As a matter of fact, I have had band members tell me that when they are in Vancouver they sleep in a pick-up truck because there is no money for them to have a motel room while they are waiting to get a hospital bed.
How can the health minister refer to these funds, in writing, as surplus funds when so many of the band members are so obviously short changed on their health care?
Health
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Etobicoke Centre
Ontario
Liberal
Allan Rock Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I will respond to the member when I am fully informed. I will very carefully examine the facts that he has referred to today to determine whether they are accurate.