Debates of June 10th, 1999
House of Commons Hansard #242 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was culture.
Topics
- Ways And Means
- International Treaties
- Human Rights And Democratic Development
- Business Of The House
- Government Response To Petitions
- House Of Commons
- Committees Of The House
- Criminal Code
- Highway Tolls Act
- Employment Insurance Act
- Petitions
- Child Pornography
- Questions Passed As Order For Returns
- Request For Emergency Debate
- Ways And Means
- Foreign Publishers Advertising Services Act
- Member For Burnaby—Douglas
- Child Hunger
- 55Th Anniversary Of D-Day
- Sommet De La Francophonie
- Livingston Centre
- Firearms Act
- Aging Population
- Therapeutic Use Of Marijuana
- Yugoslavia
- The Late Gordon Towers
- Aboriginal Affairs
- Harbour Dues
- Kosovo
- Fundy—Royal
- Government Of Canada
- Parliamentary Internship Program
- Cyprus
- Juvenile Diabetes
- Forest Research
- Kosovo
- Government Contracts
- Culture
- Prime Minister
- Government Grants
- Blood System
- Prime Minister
- Taxation
- Prime Minister
- Foreign Affairs
- Agriculture
- Ferry Service
- Health
- Youth Criminal Justice Act
- Prime Minister
- Merchant Navy
- Kosovo
- Presence In Gallery
- Kosovo
- Business Of The House
- Foreign Publishers Advertising Services Act
- First Nations Land Management Act
- Foreign Publishers Advertising Services Act
- Division No. 561
- Division No. 562
- First Nations Land Management Act
- Income Tax Act
- First Nations Land Management Act
- Income Tax Act
- United Nations Human Rights Committee
Government Grants
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Verchères, QC
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister was the Leader of the Opposition, we recall how sensitive he was to any whiff of scandal and patronage.
Is the lesson the Prime Minister learned from the experience of the previous government not “we must not do it” but rather “we must not be caught doing it”?
Government Grants
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Saint-Maurice
Québec
Liberal
Jean Chrétien Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, quite honestly we now understand why they are dropping so quickly in the polls, with remarks like that.
This government has been in office for six years, and there has been no proven scandal that has forced the resignation of any minister, because we have established very strict rules of ethics and mechanisms in order to revise them regularly, to make sure that all standards are followed by each member of the administration.
Blood System
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Reform
Grant Hill Macleod, AB
Mr. Speaker, today we learned that a Quebecer falsified his blood donor questionnaire.
Actions such as this could endanger the lives of Quebecers who depend on our blood system for their survival.
The Minister of Health is responsible for the safety of Canada's blood system. Can he confirm to the House that he will lay criminal charges against Joël Pinon in order to discourage this kind of irresponsible and dangerous action?
Blood System
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Etobicoke Centre
Ontario
Liberal
Allan Rock Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, it is up to the police to decide whether or not to lay charges.
As far as I am concerned, the action as reported in the newspapers was clearly irresponsible and unacceptable. According to the newspapers, the individual lied on the Héma-Québec forms. He answered no when he should have answered yes.
Apparently, Héma-Québec has taken action to ensure that the blood is not used, and Health Canada will help them in this regard.
Blood System
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Reform
Grant Hill Macleod, AB
Mr. Speaker, the blood has already been used. If the answer had been yes on the questionnaire we could have held the blood back for three weeks and made sure it was safe by re-testing it.
This minister is responsible. This minister had a blood scandal that he did not handle very well. Is he going to preside over another, similar blood scandal?
Blood System
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Etobicoke Centre
Ontario
Liberal
Allan Rock Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that Héma-Québec provided a form to a potential donor. The donor was asked questions and, according to news reports, answered dishonestly, with the result that blood was taken onboard and then put into the system. The form was prepared and distributed in accordance with the way we do things in this country. We ask people who are giving blood to tell the facts and we act on that. That is good practice. If someone lies, there is not much we can do.
Héma-Québec is tracing the blood, trying to get it out of circulation. It is taking every reasonable step to make sure that no one is harmed by this event.
Prime Minister
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Bloc
Richard Marceau Charlesbourg, QC
Mr. Speaker, in the apparent conflict of interest involving the Prime Minister and business people in his riding, the more the Prime Minister tries to answer our questions, the less we understand.
My question is for the solicitor general. Given that doubts remain with respect to this affair, could the solicitor general not just this once do his job and ask the RCMP to investigate the Prime Minister's conduct?
Prime Minister
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Cardigan
P.E.I.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Solicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, if the RCMP receives a complaint they evaluate the complaint and deal with it.
Prime Minister
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Bloc
Richard Marceau Charlesbourg, QC
Mr. Speaker, in the Airbus affair, the Liberals sent the RCMP after Brian Mulroney for less than that.
Why is the solicitor general refusing to ask the RCMP to investigate this affair? Is it to protect the Prime Minister? If not, he—
Prime Minister
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
The Speaker
I ask the hon. member to proceed directly to his question.
Prime Minister
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Bloc
Richard Marceau Charlesbourg, QC
Mr. Speaker, I will get to the question if I am allowed to continue.
Why is the solicitor general refusing to ask the RCMP to conduct an investigation? Is it to protect the Prime Minister? If not, he should ask the RCMP to conduct an investigation, because that is the solicitor general's responsibility.
Prime Minister
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
The Speaker
We are getting very close to imputing motive here.
If the solicitor general wishes to reply, he may.
Prime Minister
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Cardigan
P.E.I.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Solicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I think the Prime Minister has displayed quite openly that he can very well defend himself.
Taxation
Oral Question Period
June 10th, 1999 / 2:40 p.m.
Reform
Monte Solberg Medicine Hat, AB
Mr. Speaker, according to the Prime Minister, Canada does not have a brain drain problem and all those people out there who say that we need tax relief to stop it are just part of a big conspiracy. I bet that Elvis is probably in on it too.
Is that why the Prime Minister will not cut taxes, because he thinks it is part of a vast right wing tax relief conspiracy against him?
Taxation
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Saint-Maurice
Québec
Liberal
Jean Chrétien Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, this government has already started to cut taxes. We do everything in a balanced way. We have promised that half of the surplus that we are earning, because we have run a good administration so far, is going to debt reduction and tax reduction. We have reduced the taxes since we were elected by $16 billion over a period of three years, including billions of dollars of reduction in the EI premiums that people pay.
We still have social and economic problems to deal with and we intend to have a balanced approach.