Debates of June 9th, 2000
House of Commons Hansard #111 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was tax.
Topics
- Crimes Against Humanity Act
- People Smuggling
- Scientific Research
- Helmut Oberlander
- Cfb Shilo
- Cadets In Canada
- The Environment
- Organization Of American States Ministers' Conference
- Municipalities
- Employment
- Sergeant Tommy Prince
- Canadian Economy
- Canada Gazette
- Employment Insurance
- Health
- Fisheries
- Aboriginal Affairs
- Greenhouse Gases
- All Saints' Anglican Church
- Health
- Parental Leave
- Gasoline Prices
- Fisheries
- Airline Industry
- Canada Day
- Immigration
- Employment Insurance
- Agriculture
- Human Resources Development Canada
- Rural Development
- The Economy
- Health
- Persons With Disabilities
- Highway Construction
- Agriculture
- The Economy
- Africa
- Aboriginal Affairs
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
- Labour
- Health
- Canadian Military
- Workplace Safety
- Canada Games
- Government Response To Petitions
- National Arts Centre
- Committees Of The House
- Energy Price Commission Act
- Committees Of The House
- Petitions
- Questions On The Order Paper
- Crimes Against Humanity Act
- Canada National Parks Act
- Business Of The House
- Cultural Industry
- Official Report
- Cultural Industry
Gasoline Prices
Oral Question Period
11:25 a.m.
NDP
John Solomon Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
Mr. Speaker, rising energy costs are responsible for half the hike in inflation. Consumers are being gouged twice, once for their gasoline and once for everything else, thanks to inflation.
The average price of gas in Canada is at a new record of 75.3 cents a litre. According to StatsCan, people now spend more on energy costs and their cars and transportation than they do on food, clothing and shoes combined.
In view of this threat to inflation, will the government consider giving consumers in Canada a gas tax holiday this summer? If not, what exactly is its action plan to help consumers cope with high gas prices?
Gasoline Prices
Oral Question Period
11:25 a.m.
Windsor West
Ontario
Liberal
Herb Gray Deputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, why has the hon. member not brought this message and request to the attention of his provincial government? It is clear that the provincial governments have the authority to regulate gasoline prices at the retail level in times like these. Why is he remaining silent and not going after his own provincial government?
Gasoline Prices
Oral Question Period
11:25 a.m.
NDP
John Solomon Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
Mr. Speaker, Canadians do not buy excuses from the oil companies and they are sick and tired of Liberals passing the buck.
There has to be a time when government stands up and protects consumers from price gouging. The government has been given numerous suggestions. Today I give it another one. How about a federal energy price commission to regulate gas prices at the wholesale level?
Will the government support the establishment of an energy price commission at the federal level and if not, just what action will it take to protect consumers from gouging at the pumps?
Gasoline Prices
Oral Question Period
11:25 a.m.
Willowdale
Ontario
Liberal
Jim Peterson Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, the provinces now have the power to regulate the price of gasoline. That is within provincial jurisdiction. We believe that is where the legislative competence lies.
Fisheries
Oral Question Period
11:25 a.m.
Progressive Conservative
Mark Muise West Nova, NS
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. Is he concerned that boats he has provided to the aboriginal communities as part of his solution to the Marshall decision could be used to expand the controversial food fishery? What steps has he taken to ensure that this does not happen?
Fisheries
Oral Question Period
11:25 a.m.
Victoria
B.C.
Liberal
David Anderson Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, the issue of the purchase of boats and turning boats over to people who are new entrants in the fishery obviously has some aspects which are of concern. We are watching the problem closely. We want to make sure that the boats that will be used will be used for licensed activity, not illegal activity. I can assure the hon. gentleman that this issue is a matter which has the close attention of the department.
Fisheries
Oral Question Period
11:25 a.m.
Progressive Conservative
Mark Muise West Nova, NS
Mr. Speaker, it has been said that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is prepared to offer Burnt Church licences for other fish species if they would sign an agreement with the government.
Can the minister confirm whether this is true? Would such an agreement be in line with agreements signed with other bands? If not, does the minister not have an obligation to treat all bands equally?
Fisheries
Oral Question Period
11:30 a.m.
Victoria
B.C.
Liberal
David Anderson Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, obviously the government wants to treat all bands equally. That is why we are trying to get agreements with all bands.
I am happy to report to the House that as of May 30, 18 agreements have been signed with first nations. The government has five more agreements in principle with other first nations and we hope that there will be signatures soon. I believe there has been good progress in the negotiations. I am certainly hopeful that there will be agreement overall in due course.
Airline Industry
Oral Question Period
June 9th, 2000 / 11:30 a.m.
Reform
Val Meredith South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the government was extremely indignant when the official opposition raised concerns about a potential strike at Air Canada. The parliamentary secretary stated that my concern was premature because in her words, “there will be a negotiated settlement.”
If the government is so confident that there will be a negotiated settlement, why at the very moment when it was criticizing the opposition for raising this issue the government was in fact drafting legislation to block a strike?
Airline Industry
Oral Question Period
11:30 a.m.
Windsor West
Ontario
Liberal
Herb Gray Deputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the premise of the hon. member's question is wrong. She should not be raising suggestions which could inhibit the parties in reaching an early settlement through collective bargaining. Why does she not act constructively in this matter for a change?
Airline Industry
Oral Question Period
11:30 a.m.
Reform
Val Meredith South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC
Mr. Speaker, this is just another example of the government's duplicity. The Liberals say one thing for public consumption and do the exact opposite behind closed doors.
Government ministers can utilize the fleet of Challenger jets for their air travel but the average Canadian cannot. The public deserves to have an answer. Will the government permit a labour dispute at Air Canada to disrupt the travel plans of Canadians this summer?
Airline Industry
Oral Question Period
11:30 a.m.
Windsor West
Ontario
Liberal
Herb Gray Deputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should withdraw her unjustified complaint of duplicity. It is unparliamentary. It is unworthy of her. If she is serious as a parliamentarian and if she has any sense of parliamentary ethics at all, she had better get up and withdraw that, otherwise she will stand condemned of being the very type of person she wrongfully alleges that government ministers are.
The government wants to see a negotiated settlement. We look forward to a negotiated settlement and continued operations of the airline system for all Canadians.
I do not know why the hon. member is trying to slander other members of parliament. It does not help us in these efforts.
Canada Day
Oral Question Period
11:30 a.m.
Bloc
Pierre De Savoye Portneuf, QC
Mr. Speaker, I too would like to put a simple question to the government, and I hope the Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Canadian Heritage will understand me correctly.
How much money is the federal government planning to spend outside Quebec on Canada Day celebrations?
Canada Day
Oral Question Period
11:30 a.m.
Ottawa—Vanier
Ontario
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, we no longer need a calendar to know when Canada Day is. Since the Bloc Quebecois has been in the House, every year it is the same old story, questioning the fact that Canadians in every province of this country want to celebrate their belonging to this country.
This is what we do, and we will keep on doing it with pride.
Canada Day
Oral Question Period
11:30 a.m.
Bloc
Pierre De Savoye Portneuf, QC
Mr. Speaker, I believe it is important for the public to know why the government is keeping from us a piece of information which seems to me rather innocuous. Is it a state secret or does it threaten national defence?
Could it be that the minister asked her colleague responsible for the CIO to find new funds for her after giving all of her $5 million to Quebec? Or is it in fact because Canada Day is only celebrated in Quebec?