Debates of March 12th, 1999
House of Commons Hansard #195 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was trade.
Topics
- Foreign Publishers Advertising Services Act
- Justice
- Poland
- Chris Full
- Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
- National Kidney Month
- Endangered Species
- Business Investment
- Bill C-68
- Camille Laurin
- Social Policy
- Canadian Economy
- Big Brothers And Big Sisters
- Violence Against Women
- Employment
- The United Alternative
- Camille Laurin
- Angelo Mosca
- Young Offenders Act
- Taxation
- Cultural Diversity
- Taxation
- The Judiciary
- Justice
- Building Contracts
- Justice
- Construction Contracts
- Aboriginal Affairs
- Forest Industry
- Construction Contracts
- Swissair Flight 111
- Endangered Species
- Agriculture
- Building Contracts
- Highways
- Swissair Flight 111
- Trade
- Employment Insurance
- National Defence
- Aboriginal Affairs
- Points Of Order
- Interparliamentary Delegations
- Committees Of The House
- Petitions
- Questions On The Order Paper
- Committees Of The House
- Privilege
- Foreign Publishers Advertising Services Act
- Competition Act
Building Contracts
Oral Question Period
11:35 a.m.
Bloc
Michel Guimond Beauport—Montmorency—Orléans, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister.
Everyone recognizes the importance of ensuring the Prime Minister's safety and this is true for the secondary residence as well. What is surprising is that the work in question was done without going to tender.
How can the Prime Minister's safety be used to justify circumventing the tender process? Are we to understand that all the security features of the renovation of the Parliament Buildings, for example, could be sole sourced because the Prime Minister's safety was involved?
Building Contracts
Oral Question Period
11:35 a.m.
Cardigan
P.E.I.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Solicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister built a new home and he paid for it. Also, he had his own private driveway. That is a private matter.
The RCMP is responsible for the security of the Prime Minister. It requested that this firm be hired because it was in the area and for security reasons.
Building Contracts
Oral Question Period
11:35 a.m.
Bloc
Michel Guimond Beauport—Montmorency—Orléans, QC
Mr. Speaker, we are talking about a road and a sentry box, not sophisticated security equipment such as an alarm system.
What security reason is there for sole sourcing the construction of a length of road or a shelter for police officers?
Building Contracts
Oral Question Period
11:40 a.m.
Cardigan
P.E.I.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Solicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, sole source contracting is acceptable for security reasons.
As I indicated, the RCMP requested that this road be built. As I also indicated, the Prime Minister had another private road of his own. He did not need it but the RCMP requested that this road be built.
Justice
Oral Question Period
March 12th, 1999 / 11:40 a.m.
Reform
Jay Hill Prince George—Peace River, BC
Mr. Speaker, the government has allowed another sex offender to go unpunished.
Paul Gervais was convicted of sexually assaulting nine boys. He was tried, confessed and convicted. Because of a legal loophole called conditional sentencing, Gervais left the court house yesterday and went home.
How can the minister continue to defend this Liberal loophole that lets sexual predators go free?
Justice
Oral Question Period
11:40 a.m.
Ahuntsic
Québec
Liberal
Eleni Bakopanos Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I cannot comment on the particulars of this case. I will tell the hon. member what we have already done in terms of conditional sentences.
The minister has referred the matter to the justice committee. There are cases pending before the supreme court and she awaits those decisions. She has stated in the House that if necessary she will change the law.
Justice
Oral Question Period
11:40 a.m.
Reform
Jay Hill Prince George—Peace River, BC
Mr. Speaker, it was this Liberal government under Bill C-41 that brought in this law. The Reform Party told it repeatedly to change it then, to amend it then. It would not listen.
When it comes to the use of conditional sentencing, the B.C. court of appeal has stated: “If parliament had intended to exclude certain offences from consideration, it should have done so in clear language”.
I want the parliamentary secretary to clearly answer, yes or no. Will she attempt to convince her minister that the sentencing act should be changed immediately so that violent criminals like Paul Gervais spend time in jail instead of at home?
Justice
Oral Question Period
11:40 a.m.
Ahuntsic
Québec
Liberal
Eleni Bakopanos Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, this is another perfect example of where process is not necessary for the opposition.
We have a process. The minister has already stated in the House that she will take up the matter. The justice committee has always agreed to study it. The Supreme Court of Canada is rendering a decision. The minister has stated again and again that if necessary she will make the necessary changes.
Construction Contracts
Oral Question Period
11:40 a.m.
Bloc
Odina Desrochers Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Works and Government Services has behaved imprudently to say the least in awarding a contract without tender to a contractor hired privately by the Prime Minister to construct a second residence.
My question is for the Deputy Prime Minister. By giving the Prime Minister's private contractor the benefit of an untendered contract, has the Minister of Public Works and Government Services not put the Prime Minister in a situation that is awkward and embarrassing to say the least?
Construction Contracts
Oral Question Period
11:40 a.m.
Cardigan
P.E.I.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Solicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, in this case the department of public works received a request from the RCMP that this contractor be hired because of security reasons and because he was in the area.
Also it is important to note that this was a second road for the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister had his own private road. He did not need this road. It was the decision of the RCMP for security reasons that this road be put in.
Aboriginal Affairs
Oral Question Period
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Lynn Myers Waterloo—Wellington, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
Concerns have been raised over the state of on reserve aboriginal housing. Poor living conditions and overcrowding problems are occurring on reserves in many parts of the country.
Will the government commit to improving the lives of aboriginal Canadians by ensuring that they have the resources necessary to meet their serious housing needs?
Aboriginal Affairs
Oral Question Period
11:40 a.m.
Provencher
Manitoba
Liberal
David Iftody Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his interest in this very important and critical issue to all Canadians.
I am pleased to report to the House that on March 10, with national Chief Phil Fontaine, the Government of Canada, through my minister, made a announcement of an additional $20 million for housing for aboriginal people on reserve.
This responds to our ongoing commitment, our concern for our first nations people on reserve. It gives them the opportunity to live in housing conditions that are acceptable to all Canadians.
Forest Industry
Oral Question Period
11:45 a.m.
Reform
John Duncan Vancouver Island North, BC
Mr. Speaker, one of the Canadian forest industry's most valued customers is the Home Depot chain of North American stores.
On March 17 Rainforest Action Network is co-ordinating a massive protest at Home Depot stores across Canada and the U.S. to urge people not to buy our old growth forest products. By definition most of the forests harvested in Canada are old growth.
Why is the minister sitting in silence while foreign lobbyists denigrate our forest products?
Forest Industry
Oral Question Period
11:45 a.m.
York Centre
Ontario
Liberal
Art Eggleton Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, Home Depot has made it clear that the company wishes to support the well managed, scientifically based certification process. In fact this is a new process that the industry is going through. This being the case, Canadian companies are well placed to continue to compete effectively in the U.S. market.
Forest Industry
Oral Question Period
11:45 a.m.
Reform
John Duncan Vancouver Island North, BC
Mr. Speaker, the government is not taking this issue seriously. We have heard all this before. The government cannot just cross its fingers and muddle its way through. This is an organized campaign directed specifically at Canadian forest products.
Why is the minister sitting in silence while an orchestrated campaign against our number one export earner is gearing up?