House of Commons Hansard #56 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was senate.

Topics

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, everyone in the House knows the struggle that—

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

The Speaker

Order, please.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief Liberal Prince Edward—Hastings, ON

Mr. Speaker, everyone in the House is aware of the low income situation of a number of Canadian farmers, particularly those in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Both levels of government have been working to find means in which to help alleviate that situation. Last month we as a federal government announced another $1 billion over the next two years to assist. Today, after long negotiations with the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, the Prime Minister, the premiers and the government announced that we will make available another $400 million.

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

February 24th, 2000 / 2:40 p.m.

Reform

Diane Ablonczy Reform Calgary Nose Hill, AB

Mr. Speaker, on February 1, CANDO sent the human resources minister an urgent e-mail about the missing money: “We are in jeopardy”. The next day it tried again by fax: “Critical situation. We are seeking your help”.

What help did the minister give? Absolutely nothing, none, while all the while she is telling everyone that she is fixing things. Why were there no steps to recover this money stolen from the taxpayer? Or, was the minister just too busy trying to fix her image?

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Brant Ontario

Liberal

Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development

Mr. Speaker, I remind the hon. member again that this particular issue involved an employee of the company itself. The company referred it to the police and the police are investigating.

On the bigger issue here, we are talking about grants and contributions that have been extraordinarily valuable to organizations and to individuals across the country. The value of these undertakings is understood by this side of the House. Clearly it is not by that side of the House that would scrap all grants and contributions.

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Reform

Diane Ablonczy Reform Calgary Nose Hill, AB

Mr. Speaker, here are the facts. In early February the minister was alerted to the theft of grant money. On February 8 she told the House:

...we can do a much better job in administering our grants—I have taken it seriously. My department has made it a priority.

Today we find out that her words were absolutely hollow. Money was missing. She refused to do anything about it. The only reason the group went to the police is that the minister totally ignored them. What is the minister getting paid for, anyway?

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Brant Ontario

Liberal

Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is making reference to one single organization. We have thousands of sponsors making sure that Canadians have the opportunity they need to get jobs, to get opportunities they may not have otherwise.

Is the hon. member suggesting that those sponsors are not using the money wisely? Again I say we know where the cheques have gone.

My job is to build a strong foundation of administration to support the grants and contributions that are so valuable to Canadians.

Gasoline PricesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

John Solomon NDP Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK

Mr. Speaker, Canadians continue to ask the federal government to take a leadership role to deal with the energy price crisis.

Yesterday Yukon energy minister Trevor Harding wrote to the federal government saying:

Given the public's concern about increased fuel prices, I believe it is critical for the federal government to play a leadership role, and I urge you to convene a meeting of your provincial and territorial counterparts...to discuss common strategies for addressing this matter.

Other provinces have approached the government as well.

My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources. Will he agree to convene an energy summit of the provinces, the territories, the oil companies and other stakeholders to address the soaring energy prices?

Gasoline PricesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, first I am pleased to note that to date, higher prices for fuels in Canada have not contributed to higher inflation. Indeed inflation declined during the month of January.

With respect to the hon. gentleman's suggestion, at our last federal-provincial-territorial meeting of energy ministers we discussed the oil pricing issue. I have no doubt that item will be on the agenda for the next meeting as well.

In the meantime I will canvass my territorial and provincial counterparts to seek their views and to determine if they have any plans within their jurisdictions to act on the matter.

Gasoline PricesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

John Solomon NDP Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK

Mr. Speaker, I am surprised to hear the minister say that because the last meeting of the council of energy ministers was in June 1998.

When the minister does convene a summit I ask that four things be included on the agenda: immediate aid for those who need it; elimination of the GST and/or a reduction in federal fuel taxes; energy conservation components; and an approach to the OPEC cartel to restore oil production levels. Will he put those items on the agenda?

Gasoline PricesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, with respect to OPEC, the OPEC ministers will be meeting within the next month or so. It is obviously their jurisdiction since Canada is not a member of OPEC. OPEC is very aware of Canada's views which do not support the actions which OPEC takes in the marketplace.

With respect to diesel fuels, it should be noted that most of the consumers of those fuels qualify for such as things as the GST tax credit. The impact of that tax credit has the effect of reducing the burden on consumers.

Industrial Cooperation ProgramOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Diane St-Jacques Progressive Conservative Shefford, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Minister for International Cooperation joined Cabinet on August 3. On what date was she informed of the audit by her staff?

Industrial Cooperation ProgramOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Beaches—East York Ontario

Liberal

Maria Minna LiberalMinister for International Cooperation

Mr. Speaker, again, I was informed of the CIDA audit in September. I saw it in December, I read it in December, I was briefed on it in December. It was released in December. That is very clear.

With respect to the CIDA situation and CIDA aid, it is important to note that the leader of the Conservative Party had seven years in which to fix the problems of CIDA. He chose not to do that. I have only been there for seven months and I have already implemented 80% of the recommendations and every one of them will be done by June.

Industrial Cooperation ProgramOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Diane St-Jacques Progressive Conservative Shefford, QC

Mr. Speaker, my question is again for the Minister for International Cooperation.

In the name of transparency and openness, will the minister also provide us with a full list of businesses and projects for which funding was approved between 1997 and 1999?

Industrial Cooperation ProgramOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Beaches—East York Ontario

Liberal

Maria Minna LiberalMinister for International Cooperation

Mr. Speaker, maybe the hon. members are not listening to this question period at all or are not participating. I just responded to her colleague. Yes, I will table the list tomorrow if the members so wish.

Commemorative StampOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Liberal

Mac Harb Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Public Works and Government Services.

Given the tremendous support shown by Canadians to recognize the Queen Mother's 100th birthday, is the minister willing to issue a stamp in her honour?

Commemorative StampOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel Québec

Liberal

Alfonso Gagliano LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, let me explain the process. The minister for Canada Post does not make that decision. An independent advisory committee decides which stamps are to be issued. The committee met last week and recommended that Canada Post issue a stamp to commemorate the Queen Mother's 100th birthday. Canada Post will issue such a stamp.

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Reform

Rahim Jaffer Reform Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Human Resources Development refuses to take responsibility for the boondoggle in her department. The same goes for her predecessor. Moreover, the Minister of Finance was in charge of the money throughout that period.

When was the Minister of Finance first informed of the mismanagement and political interference at the Department of Human Resources Development?

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Brant Ontario

Liberal

Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member gives me a chance yet again to talk about the undertakings in my department to fix the administrative deficiencies. I remind him that we have worked with outside experts, including the auditor general, to build a plan of action that is going to fix the problem in my department.

I take responsibility for that. I look forward to continuing to inform this place and Canadians on the progress in ensuring that we have strong administration of grants and contributions.

Importation Of PlutoniumOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Bloc

Jocelyne Girard-Bujold Bloc Jonquière, QC

Mr. Speaker, on January 14, the federal government secretly imported by helicopter plutonium from the United States.

Tuesday, nuclear surveillance groups tabled a legal opinion establishing that Canada had violated its own rules and that it had acted illegally.

Considering that the public is opposed to importing plutonium, what is the Minister of the Environment waiting for to demand that his government at least comply with the process it set up itself?

Importation Of PlutoniumOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, the process was respected. The transport shipment complied with all of the requirements of the Atomic Energy Control Board, the transportation packaging of radioactive materials regulations, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Scotia RainbowOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

NDP

Michelle Dockrill NDP Bras D'Or, NS

Mr. Speaker, several questions about Scotia Rainbow have led to either inconsistent answers or no answers at all from the government and its ministers.

Canadians want to know how a $750,000 grant turned into a $2 million cheque. More and more alarming questions arise daily in the community about how much public money was received by Scotia Rainbow and how it is being spent.

If the government has nothing to hide, why does the minister not table today the complete Scotia Rainbow file if she has one? Will she do that?

Scotia RainbowOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. Minister of Veterans Affairs.

Scotia RainbowOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.