House of Commons Hansard #151 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was aboriginal.

Topics

AgricultureOral Question Period

11:30 a.m.

The Speaker

The hon. minister of agriculture.

AgricultureOral Question Period

11:30 a.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, the safety net system that was there was designed with the best intentions of the federal government, the provincial governments and the agricultural industry.

We have a situation now of world commodity prices that are lower than anybody predicted. Right now, the prices of some commodities in Canada to producers are the lowest they have been in over 25 years. That is why we are working with the provincial governments, the industry and all of our officials to do all we possibly can, to turn every stone we possibly can to make sure that not only the tools that are there now—

AgricultureOral Question Period

11:30 a.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Charlesbourg.

Apec InquiryOral Question Period

11:30 a.m.

Bloc

Richard Marceau Bloc Charlesbourg, QC

Mr. Speaker, there has been a new development in the Liberal's APEC fiasco.

After rising in this House and swearing on his honour that he was telling the truth, the member for Palliser stated under oath in an affidavit that he stands by his side of the story.

Since this affidavit shows that he prejudged the outcome of the inquiry conducted by the RCMP public complaints commission, what is the Solicitor General waiting for to resign?

Apec InquiryOral Question Period

11:35 a.m.

Fredericton New Brunswick

Liberal

Andy Scott LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken to this many times in the House. It is important to remind everyone that the complaints commission is initiated by the complainants. They deserve to have their day. That is the reason the government is supporting the continuance of the public complaints commission because to do otherwise would be undue and unfortunate political interference.

Apec InquiryOral Question Period

11:35 a.m.

Bloc

Richard Marceau Bloc Charlesbourg, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Solicitor General should stop playing this cat and mouse game. He is in a tighter spot than ever.

The hon. member for Palliser accused him under oath of having prejudged the outcome of the APEC inquiry, and he will not respond.

Since obviously the Solicitor General is unable to rebut what the member for Palliser said in his affidavit, was is he waiting for to resign?

Apec InquiryOral Question Period

11:35 a.m.

Fredericton New Brunswick

Liberal

Andy Scott LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, I have spoken to this many, many times. I believe I made this statement on October 6 in the House. My statement was supported by the person to whom I was speaking. I stand by that statement.

Lumber IndustryOral Question Period

11:35 a.m.

Reform

John Duncan Reform Vancouver Island North, BC

Mr. Speaker, 45% of the forest workers on the B.C. coast are now out of work. Forest companies are caught between high costs and a softwood lumber agreement that creates an inability to ship lumber to the United States. While industry is on the canvas it is getting kicked in the slats by Greenpeace and other organizations that raise money in other countries in order to arrange boycotts of Canadian forest products.

The Department of Natural Resources has $10 million designated for—

Lumber IndustryOral Question Period

11:35 a.m.

The Speaker

If the parliamentary secretary wants to address the comment, he may.

Lumber IndustryOral Question Period

11:35 a.m.

Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte Newfoundland & Labrador

Liberal

Gerry Byrne LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure of the full context of the question. A statement was made so I will answer it with a simple statement.

Canada has one of the best forest practice management systems in all the world. It is protecting our forest industry and it is making sure we have credible good markets to rely on. Canadian forest practices are among the best in the world. That ensures we have export markets. Those are the kinds of things that Canada is doing exceptionally well in protecting our forest industry.

Lumber IndustryOral Question Period

11:35 a.m.

Reform

Gurmant Grewal Reform Surrey Central, BC

Mr. Speaker, every day B.C. loses many jobs due to the closure of lumber mills. This is driving B.C. into a recession. This do nothing Liberal government caved in to the U.S. when it negotiated the softwood lumber agreement. Will the government fix the quota system or will it continue watching the British Columbia lumber industry being hit with two by fours?

Lumber IndustryOral Question Period

11:35 a.m.

Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte Newfoundland & Labrador

Liberal

Gerry Byrne LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, Canada entered into agreements with several countries with regard to trade practices, in particular the softwood lumber agreement.

What is happening in the B.C. forest industry, especially the coastal industry is that exporters that rely on Asian markets in particular and who in many instances do not rely on American markets are now feeling the pinch of the Asian flu. That is severely restricting their export capability but they are expanding and moving forward with new markets. The Canadian industry is probably the most buoyant and the most competent in developing those types of markets.

Ice Breaking In PortsOral Question Period

11:35 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Beauport—Montmorency—Orléans, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Coast Guard is collecting 80% of ice breaking charges in the entire eastern part of Canada from users of St. Lawrence ports, whereas they use only 33.7% of services, even if Newfoundland's access to the St. Lawrence is included.

My question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. How can the minister be trying to convince the industry of his desire to inaugurate a user-pay principle, when his policy is to have those using 33.7% of services bear 80% of costs?

Ice Breaking In PortsOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Malpeque P.E.I.

Liberal

Wayne Easter LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, as was the case a week ago, the member opposite cannot seem to understand this issue.

Canadian taxpayers are paying 82% of the costs of ice breaking. We do have a cost recovery program in place. The industry is benefiting extensively by that.

As well the member should know that there is also flood control within the region by the coast guard. He is not talking about that. As well when a ship comes to the St. Lawrence—

Ice Breaking In PortsOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Beauport—Montmorency—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île-d'Orléans.

Ice Breaking In PortsOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Beauport—Montmorency—Orléans, QC

Mr. Speaker, obviously the parliamentary secretary does not know what he is talking about. I will try putting it a different way.

By imposing on the users of Quebec's ports an unfair financial burden which is being used to meet a portion of the ice breaking costs for the ports in the maritimes, does the Minister realize he is seriously compromising not just the development of a number of St. Lawrence ports, but their very survival as well? Does he realize this?

Ice Breaking In PortsOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Malpeque P.E.I.

Liberal

Wayne Easter LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, far from it. As I said earlier, 82% of the cost is covered by the Canadian taxpayer. The member opposite should be thanking us for that support.

In terms of the ports, there were four years of consultation on this issue. There is strong support from the port community in terms of what we are doing.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Reform

Derrek Konrad Reform Prince Albert, SK

Mr. Speaker, on September 29 the Minister of Health assured the House that a sewage problem at the home of Mrs. Geraldine Smoke of the Dakota Plains reserve had been fixed. Mr. Rogers of Health Canada stated that as of November 2 the problem had not been fixed.

Why did the minister say that the problem was fixed when it was not? When is he going to fix the problem for this ill and elderly woman?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, let me fill the member in on the facts.

Health Canada investigated the original complaint. A site visit and a letter from the homeowner confirmed that this earlier problem had been corrected. Health Canada has since received a new letter of complaint regarding other problems with a different homeowner within this tribal council. An official has investigated this new problem and is currently working with the band and council to correct the matter.

Those are the facts. The hon. member should be assured that Health Canada is looking after the problem.

Transfer PaymentsOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Reform

Val Meredith Reform South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC

Mr. Speaker, this government pays less than 15% of health care costs in this country, but it still wants the control. The largest RCMP detachment in Canada is in my constituency of Surrey. The federal government pays only 10% of the costs but it still wants the control.

I ask the Prime Minister if the government is not prepared to pay its fair share of the costs, when will it transfer control to the people who pay the bills?

Transfer PaymentsOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, the federal government transfers some $26 billion every year to provinces to assist not only with health, but with post-secondary education and social services.

The hon. member should know that without that transfer it would be impossible for the infrastructure of health services in this country to be delivered.

The federal government plays a unique role in the whole medicare system and will continue to do so. This government will ensure that that role is strengthened in the future.

Hepatitis COral Question Period

November 6th, 1998 / 11:40 a.m.

Bloc

Serge Cardin Bloc Sherbrooke, QC

Mr. Speaker, the member of Abitibi has had his picture taken with hepatitis C victims and is telling anyone in his riding who wants to listen that the government is preparing to announce its generous compensation to them.

My question is for the Minister of Health. Are we to understand that the federal government has finally decided to respond positively to the request of B.C., Ontario and Quebec and compensate victims without regard to date?

Hepatitis COral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, as I have already said here in this House, I informed my colleagues in September of the offer by the Government of Canada to share the cost of all the medical services required in the treatment of the hepatitis C infection among the people who contracted the disease through our blood system.

This is our offer, to make sure the sick receive treatment and the necessary medical services. This is the position of the Government of Canada, and it is a—

Hepatitis COral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

The Speaker

The member for Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke.

Kuala Lumpur Apec MeetingOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

Hec Clouthier Liberal Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister announced in the House on Wednesday that Canada would provide $50,000 in financial support to two NGO projects during the upcoming APEC meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

Could the compassionate Minister of Foreign Affairs tell the House what this government has been doing to ensure wider participation for all sectors in this important regional and economic forum?