Debates of Oct. 5th, 2000

Marlene Jennings Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

Mr. Speaker, today we are all aware of the presence here on the Hill of firefighters from a number of municipalities, who are here to mark Fire Prevention Week.

I would like to know whether the Minister of Labour could tell us what the Government of Canada is doing to mark this week.

Claudette Bradshaw Minister of Labour

Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure today of launching Fire Prevention Week right here on Parliament Hill.

The Department of Labour has an obligation to support public awareness campaigns such as Fire Prevention Canada. One of its very important programs is “Learn Not to Burn”, and this morning a young girl from New Brunswick, a six-year-old, was awarded its medal for bravery, for saving her family from a fire in their home.

I would like to congratulate all the schools and all the firefighters for their work with our young people about fire prevention.

Randy White Langley—Abbotsford, BC

Mr. Speaker, the legal fight between Karla Homolka and Correctional Service Canada gets more ridiculous every day.

Homolka is a convicted killer. She is using taxpayer money through legal aid to fight her transfer to Saskatoon for psychiatric assessment. Even worse, we now find that the latest move is to seek an injunction to block the transfer through the Federal Court of Canada.

Why does the solicitor general agree in the first place that prisoners should have the right to refuse a transfer from one prison to another, much less use legal aid through taxpayer money to enforce it?

Lawrence MacAulay Solicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, this has been a difficult and troubling situation for all Canadians, and in particular for the families of the victims, but I can assure my hon. colleague that I have been advised by Correctional Service Canada that the final decision has been made. This offender will be transferred.

Randy White Langley—Abbotsford, BC

Mr. Speaker, that is interesting because unless the assessment is completed by January 6, Homolka will be out of prison having served just two-thirds of her sentence. This fight, at taxpayer expense, I might add, will ensure a delay in the assessment and she will walk.

Why did the solicitor general get into this mess in the first place, with just three months to go before January 6? Why is it that we could not have had this done six months ago or even three months ago? Why are we in this situation right now?

Lawrence MacAulay Solicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I am sure my hon. colleague would not want to give Canadians any incorrect information. I am sure he would not want to indicate something is to happen that will not happen.

I have indicated quite clearly to my hon. colleague and to all members of the House that Correctional Service Canada has indicated that the policies will be followed.

Raymonde Folco Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Human Resources Development

Mr. Speaker, first of all, may I say that a number of people in the field have told us that the government's programs for students were more than acceptable and that they were very satisfied with them.

I would add, however, that the program to which the hon. member refers is a provincial government program and she ought to address her comments to provincial representatives.

George Baker Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)

Mr. Speaker, I did have representation concerning this matter from the hon. member and from my colleague, the hon. member for Churchill River, who is in the House today.

We are in the process of setting up a national round table, chaired by first nations veterans, to investigate exactly what happened during and after the wars. If it is found that these veterans were treated unfairly, the Government of Canada will resolve this issue.

Elsie Wayne Saint John, NB

Mr. Speaker, for the past seven years I have been asking the Minister of Industry for a national shipbuilding policy. We always get the same rhetoric. The rhetoric from the minister is that there is an overcapacity.

There would be no overcapacity, if we had a national shipbuilding policy that made us competitive with all the other countries around the world that build ships.

Will the minister bring forth a national shipbuilding policy immediately, based on the recommendations from the shipbuilding industry—

John Manley Minister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, would the member explain to me immediately how it could be that a Canadian domestic policy would resolve an international overcapacity?

I just do not understand what she is talking about. What she wants is for us to take taxpayer money, scoop it out of their pockets and pour it into an industry to compete with subsidies that are too high internationally.