Debates of May 18th, 2000

Human Resources Development

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, again, as I have said on a number of occasions with reference to this particular audit, it has nothing to do with the program that the privacy commissioner is reviewing.

As I said in the House yesterday, this was an audit done by the department, which is the right thing to do. We reviewed it, we have taken action on it and we have made improvements.

[Pierrette Venne, Bloc, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of concern following the discovery of a unique file of citizen profiles at Human Resources Development Canada.

Could the Solicitor General tell this House if CSIS or the RCMP or one of their agents has not had access to this file at Human Resources Development Canada?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, all the files at CSIS are reviewed by SIRC. SIRC has reported on a number of cases and there is absolutely no problem.

Labour

[Susan Whelan, Liberal, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for three weeks now the people of Pelee Island have been cut off from the mainland, isolated by a crippling labour dispute with the ferry operators. Farmers are unable to plant their crops. Tourism has stopped in its tracks and the entire economy of the island is in severe jeopardy.

How has the Minister of Labour tried to resolve the situation which involves an Ontario provincial government agency?

[Claudette Bradshaw, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, I am very concerned with the situation affecting the residents of Pelee Island.

An officer of the federal mediation and conciliation service met with the parties on May 8, 2000. They were unable to reach an agreement. The federal mediation and conciliation service officer remains in contact with the parties and is available to provide them with mediation assistance once they resume negotiations. I urge both parties to return to the table and put an end to this dispute.

Privacy

[John Reynolds, Reform, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice jumps to the feds and says the lists are secure. The Minister of Human Resources Development says that there has been no breaking of the law and that it has never been compromised. Let me quote the privacy commissioner who says:

—including a complaint involving an overenthusiastic RCMP officer who in giving insurance companies the names of Alberta motorists ticketed for failing to wear seatbelts violated their privacy rights.

If that right can be violated, where is the security?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I have no firsthand knowledge of the example that the hon. member has just provided, but let me reiterate that the information under discussion is secure.

The privacy rights of Canadians are being respected and the privacy commissioner himself indicates that information in the possession of HRDC is being managed properly.

[John Reynolds, Reform, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice can read the report. I was quoting from the privacy commissioner. There was a violation. In his report the commissioner expressed real concern with the confidentiality and security of privatization.

This minister has been denying it for three days. Five months ago we heard the same minister denying that HRDC grants were a problem. She was telling us everything was just fine. Now we have 20 police investigations into that department for those grants. Has the minister a plan, even a six point plan, to tell Canadians what she is doing to protect their privacy?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, very clearly the most important thing we are doing is working with the privacy commissioner. Let me say again that he has indicated we are abiding by the laws. He is saying that the information is secure. He is saying that there are things we can do to ensure Canadians know the information is being collected and how it is being used.

I agree there are ways that we could improve it. I hope to work with him in the future to ensure that security is sustained and that we can ensure Canadians that the information being collected is held appropriately.

The Environment

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of the Environment. We now know that the Minister of the Environment, along with Mexico, vetoed a recommendation by the NAFTA environment commission to investigate the enforcement of Canada's environmental laws.

Could the Minister rise in the House and tell us why he did that? While he is on his feet, could he tell us what his response is to the charge by Robert Kennedy, Jr., that Canada is deliberately trying to undermine the NAFTA environmental commission?

He dismissed the claims made by the NDP environment critic on Monday to the same effect as rubbish. Is he prepared to say to Robert Kennedy, Jr., that his claims are also rubbish?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I never thought I would rise in the House to tell members of an opposition party that by their own admission they believe an American political figure with little contact with Canada knows more about what we do in the environment than they do as a group. That is incredible. Members of the NDP admit they know nothing and they are relying upon someone from outside the country as an authority on what happens here.

With respect to the first part of the question, if I may, and with respect to the Quebec livestock case, the Quebec government and the auditor general of Quebec, there has been an investigation. The process has been changed. Any continuation of this investigation would be strictly historical.

Mining Industry

[Michelle Dockrill, NDP, Bras D'Or, NS]

Mr. Speaker, there is growing concern that the contract between the government and the prospective buyer of Devco includes conditions for no development, no expansion. No development means no more mining industry in Cape Breton.

Could the minister today guarantee the House that coal production will continue in Cape Breton? Will he make it a condition of the sale? Or, will Cape Bretoners continue to watch imported coal from Colombia being delivered on their shores by Canada Steamship Lines while Cape Breton coal stays in the ground?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, the whole objective of the sale process with respect to the assets of Devco is to place the coal mining operations of Cape Breton on a secure long term foundation for the future of the private sector in the most viable terms possible.

Obviously we will be looking for a transaction that has within it the best possible economic terms, most especially the maintenance of the largest number of jobs for Cape Bretoners.

National Defence

[David Price, Progressive Conservative, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we have learned that, when the Prime Minister visits France, he will be discussing a directed contract for replacement of the Sea Kings.

He will be meeting with representatives of the French government and of Aérospatiale and Daimler Chrysler.

My question is for the Minister of National Defence. Is the government planning a directed contract to purchase in France the Eurocopter Cougar 2 as a replacement for the Sea Kings?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said before, no decision has been made with respect to the procurement strategy on the replacement of the Sea Kings. It is our number one priority. We have that matter in front of the government. It is a major procurement matter. Of course, an elected, accountable government must make a final decision about that.

What the hon. member is saying is not true. No decision has been made by the government. We certainly want to get on just as quickly as we possibly can. We are moving the file along and finalizing the procurement strategy so that we can get on with the replacement.

[David Price, Progressive Conservative, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is very strange. Our information says it seems that the Cougar II may come with a promise of a Daimler-Chrysler plant, probably in Shawinigan. A more interesting angle is that this deal may also come with a promise of neutrality from the French government in the next Quebec referendum.

Will the Prime Minister or the Deputy Prime Minister assure the House that a competition to replace the Sea Kings will be fair, open, public and in accordance with the approved statement of operational requirement?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, all of that sounds like a lot of nonsense to me. We are proceeding to replace the Sea Kings with a helicopter that will meet our operational requirements. It is a major government expenditure. We want to make sure that the Canadian public gets best value for the taxpayer dollar and that it meets the needs of the Canadian forces.

Mishtapew Awards Of Excellence Gala

[Guy St-Julien, Liberal, Abitibi, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Revenue.

Last night, the Liberal minister from Outremont attended the gala for the Mishtapew awards of excellence held at the Capitole in Quebec City. This was a perfect occasion for celebrating and congratulating the determination of business leaders from a number of Quebec's aboriginal and Inuit communities.

Can the minister let us know what his priorities are for promoting the long term economic development of the aboriginal and Inuit people of Quebec?

[Martin Cauchon, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue and Secretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)]

Mr. Speaker, of course I thank my colleague for his excellent and important question.

Yesterday evening, at the Capitole in Quebec City, the third gala of the Association d'affaires des premiers peuples was celebrated. It celebrated the absolutely extraordinary dynamism that characterizes the new wave of economic development.

The Canadian government was rather proud to renew its partnership in the context of this gala. We therefore announced that we will be providing an additional $1.5 million of support to the association, in order to enable it to provide other services to the first nations business community, such as services to entrepreneurs or—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Lakeland.

Human Resources Development

[Leon Benoit, Reform, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister of HRDC said in response to a question earlier that she would not tolerate a breach of security in her department.

Listen to this dandy from the HRDC security audit: “When asked to define and describe their interpretation of an IT security breach people did not know exactly what this term meant or how to report it”.

How could the minister claim that she will not tolerate a security breach when the people in her department do not even know what an IT security breach is?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, I can think of nothing better to say than to remind the House what the privacy commissioner said in his report.

He first of all identified that the way we were using this information was useful in terms of improving the quality of our programs. He said that HRDC people were being careful with what they do with this information. He said “I am not suggesting either that they have done anything unlawful here or that is not legal”.

We have to remember that things are in working order here, but we have to ensure in the future that remains true. That is why to me it makes sense for us to continue to work—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Rimouski—Mitis.

Smart Communities Program

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Mitis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Industry launched a special competition for smart communities.

Groups from Bromont, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, Rimouski, and Shawinigian were among the finalists from Quebec. The winner was Groupe Forces, whose general director, Mario Pépin, was suspended following the CITEC scandal.

In order to remove any doubts about the merit of the winning project, will the Minister of Industry promise to make public the criteria used in judging entries, and the results obtained by each of the finalists?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, there was a completely independent process for determining which communities could apply as smart communities.

There are some who did not qualify and who had no trouble understanding that it was an independent committee.

The mayor of Deer Lake, Newfoundland, said “I have been around government for many, many years and I have not seen a process as fair and apolitical in my whole life as this one was. These people won it on their own merit so our committee offers sincere congratulations to them”.