House of Commons Hansard #107 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was devco.

Topics

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

Order, please. Go directly to your question, please.

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have watched this sad chapter long enough. Will the minister herself tell us if she is running the department or is the department running her? Is she just giving us a further runaround?

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Brant Ontario

Liberal

Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development

Mr. Speaker, these questions today come as a result of information that was released by my department subject to an access request. The parties opposite are asking questions, the same questions they asked months ago, for which I provided answers months ago. What is so interesting here is that the answers remain the same. There is nothing new here despite the sinister suggestions of the opposition.

This is about mundane scheduling. This is about the process of government. This is about a department that was responding to preliminary results of an internal audit and then preparing to brief the minister, nothing more.

The RcmpOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Liberal

John Harvard Liberal Charleswood—Assiniboine, MB

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State responsible for Western Diversification.

The colourful history of the RCMP dates back to the opening of the west. In that regard, I am sure the minister would be happy to tell the House about Friday's launch of the new RCMP heritage centre in Regina.

The RcmpOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Saint Boniface Manitoba

Liberal

Ronald J. Duhamel LiberalSecretary of State (Western Economic Diversification)(Francophonie)

Mr. Speaker, it was my privilege to announce a $4.2 million dollar project that came from the partnership agreement with the federal government and the province. This will be matched by a local committee of the private sector by $2.1 million.

Why was this done? It was done to celebrate the RCMP, its great accomplishments for Canada and its prospects of continuing to be a worldclass police force in the future. This is another tourist attraction for Saskatchewan and it is an excellent one. We should be applauding this kind of announcement.

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Reform

Charlie Penson Reform Peace River, AB

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that there must be an election in the air.

My question is for the HRDC minister. The assistant to the minister's executive assistant—

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

Order, please. We deserve to hear the question as well as the answer. The hon. member for Peace River.

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Reform

Charlie Penson Reform Peace River, AB

Mr. Speaker, the assistant to the minister's executive assistant over at HRDC knew about the audit on October 20. It seems reasonable that her executive assistant must have also known. Who else knew: Her chief of staff or her executive secretary? If those people did know, why did they not tell the minister? Maybe they thought she was just a stoogey over at that department.

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

I would like the hon. member to withdraw the word stoogey.

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Reform

Charlie Penson Reform Peace River, AB

Mr. Speaker, I withdraw that word and put in its place stand-in.

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

If the minister wishes, she may answer.

Importation Of PlutoniumOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

Jocelyne Girard-Bujold Bloc Jonquière, QC

Mr. Speaker, at a meeting held this past weekend between American President Bill Clinton and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the two heads of state agreed to dismantle part of their arsenal of ballistic missiles, which at the moment represents over 60 tonnes of plutonium.

After the government has unilaterally accepted on principle the importation of over 50 tonnes of MOX plutonium, can the Minister of Natural Resources tell us whether these new quantities will be added to what we are already expecting from the U.S. and Russia?

Importation Of PlutoniumOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

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

No, Mr. Speaker. Canada has undertaken to test certain quantities of MOX fuel to determine their suitability in nuclear reactors such as the CANDU. There has been no agreement, indeed, not even a request for an agreement to move beyond the test.

HomelessnessOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

NDP

Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC

Mr. Speaker, for the second time the government has announced its homelessness strategy. For the second time there is no sign of actual housing being built. The harsh reality is that Canadians will be sleeping on the streets and shelters tonight.

How does the minister come to terms with the fact that since the first announcement in December, 20 homeless people have died in Toronto?

Homeless people do not need public relations, they need social housing. Will this government commit to a plan that includes rather than excludes social housing, yes or no? Will it build housing?

HomelessnessOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Whitby—Ajax Ontario

Liberal

Judi Longfield LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Labour

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will know that $305 million has been allocated to give supportive housing for people who find themselves homeless.

Provincial facilitators are working in each of the communities to come up with the best plans to suit each individual community.

Official LanguagesOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

André Bachand Progressive Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC

Mr. Speaker, there is already one minister who always cringes at the sound of the words “internal audit”.

Now we learn that several internal audits have been called for within Heritage Canada. Knowing in advance what the minister would answer, I am addressing my question to the person responsible for the proper conduct of internal audits, the President of Treasury Board.

What does the President of Treasury Board intend to do to ensure that there are proper internal audits carried out soon within the official languages program, one that is often questioned in this House, and that these are, of course, made public?

Official LanguagesOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Hamilton East Ontario

Liberal

Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by stating that, at the present time, thanks to the official languages program, we have 2.7 million young Canadians who have learned the other official language.

What is important is that, when an agreement is signed, the government of the province delivering the agreement is in fact audited daily through their public accounts.

InfrastructureOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Karen Kraft Sloan Liberal York North, ON

Mr. Speaker, the municipalities of Georgina, East Gwillimbury, Newmarket and King in my riding of York North are concerned about improving and greening their infrastructure.

Could the Minister of Natural Resources tell the House how the two green funds launched this weekend in London can help these municipalities? What role will the Federation of Canadian Municipalities play?

InfrastructureOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadian municipalities are very strong advocates of effective early action to combat climate change and other environmental challenges.

In the 2000 federal budget we ear-marked $125 million to assist municipalities to advance that work, $25 million for an enabling fund to help them identify needs and solutions and $100 million in a revolving fund to help in the financing of specific projects. The funding will be managed by councils and review committees set up by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. The Government of Canada is proud to be their partner.

Presence In GalleryOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

The Speaker

I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of one of my brother speakers, the hon. Lloyd Snow, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Presence In GalleryOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear.

Ways And MeansRoutine Proceedings

3 p.m.

Willowdale Ontario

Liberal

Jim Peterson LiberalSecretary of State (International Financial Institutions)

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 83(1), I wish to table a notice of ways and means motion respecting amendments to the Income Tax Act, the income tax application rules, and certain acts relating to the Income Tax Act.

These measures implement the brilliant budget policies of our finance minister and the government. I ask that an order of the day be designated for the consideration of this motion.

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3 p.m.

Scarborough—Rouge River Ontario

Liberal

Derek Lee LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the standing orders, I have the honour to table in both official languages the government's responses to 20 petitions.