Debates of Oct. 31st, 2002
House of Commons Hansard #19 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was opposition.
Topics
- Supplementary Estimates (A) 2002-2003
- Government Response to Petitions
- Public Safety Act, 2002
- Canadian Citizenship Act
- Interparliamentary Delegations
- Young Offenders Act
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
- Tax Conventions Implementation Act, 2002
- Committees of the House
- Tanzania
- Oil and Gas Industry
- James Bay Cree
- Acrylique Weedon
- Sikh Community
- Noreen Edith Provost
- Eating Disorders
- Normand Desbiens
- Father Michael Smith
- Prairie Farmers
- International UNICEF Day
- Parliamentary Reform
- Iraq
- Performing Arts Awards
- Iraq
- Disability Tax Credit
- Queen's Jubilee Medal
- Canadian Peacekeepers
- Prairie Farmers
- Budget Surplus
- Foreign Affairs
- Terrorism
- Correctional Service Canada
- Taxation
- Parliamentary Reform
- Official Languages
- Terrorism
- The Environment
- Coast Guard
- Persons with Disabilities
- Financial Institutions
- Public Safety
- École de médecine vétérinaire de Saint-Hyacinthe
- Kyoto Protocol
- Canadian Heritage
- Finance
- Foreign Affairs
- Privacy Commissioner
- Government Contracts
- Ethics
- Presence in Gallery
- Business of the House
- Points of Order
- Supply
Foreign Affairs
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
Mr. Speaker, on Monday I raised the issue of a Montreal company which has lost a $40 million contract to export ambulances to Iraq, because of the U.S. position on that country. The minister's response was as follows:
—we are continuing to cooperate with the U.S. authorities to reduce tensions in that region and not give materiel to Iraqis under these circumstances
How can the Minister of Foreign Affairs make such a statement when he knows very well that the sale of humanitarian supplies such as ambulances is in full compliance with the spirit of the United Nations program on trade with Iraq?
Foreign Affairs
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Toronto Centre—Rosedale
Ontario
Liberal
Bill Graham Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is absolutely correct. Exports to Iraq need UN approval because it is the United Nations which issues the export permits. If a UN permit has been issued, Canada approves the export and it takes place. It is a misunderstanding to imply that the American authorities are the ones stopping the export. It is a decision by all of the countries via the United Nations.
Privacy Commissioner
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Liberal
Walt Lastewka St. Catharines, ON
Mr. Speaker, the privacy commissioner has expressed concerns over the use of data collected from international air travellers with regard to the advance passenger information and passenger name record program.
Could the Minister of National Revenue assure the House that the information collected is used in the best interests of all Canadians?
Privacy Commissioner
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Thornhill
Ontario
Liberal
Elinor Caplan Minister of National Revenue
Yes, Mr. Speaker, an appropriate balance has been achieved between the security needs of Canadians and the civil liberties of Canadians, in Bill S-23, which was the Customs Act.
I know the House would want to know that just hours ago Canada Customs and Revenue Agency officials, along with the RCMP, seized 16 kilograms of heroin with an estimated street value of $8 million. This was accomplished in large part due to the information that we were able to glean from the API/PNR system. I think it is also a tribute to the excellence of our targeting officers. This clearly demonstrates the importance of having good intelligence.
Government Contracts
Oral Question Period
October 31st, 2002 / 3 p.m.
Progressive Conservative
Greg Thompson New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Speaker, I might have caught the Minister of Public Works flat-footed yesterday, but is he willing to admit today that a deal cobbled together by his predecessor, Mr. Gagliano, is now under joint investigation by the FBI and the RCMP? Of course I am referring to Canadian military spare parts being housed in Florida in a warehouse owned and under contractual agreement with a Canadian company, a deal cobbled together by his predecessor.
Will the minister now admit that it is under investigation?
Government Contracts
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Wascana
Saskatchewan
Liberal
Ralph Goodale Minister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, I have made inquiries further to yesterday and my department is unaware of any ongoing investigation by either the RCMP or by the FBI with respect to the matter the hon. gentleman refers to.
He has requested that the Auditor General undertake an investigation. I understand the Auditor General is considering that request and will reply in due course, but with respect to any ongoing investigation by police authorities, my department is not aware of any.
Ethics
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Ken Epp Elk Island, AB
Mr. Speaker, I would like the Prime Minister to listen really carefully to this question, which is directed to him. On June 11, the Prime Minister wrote to the ethics counsellor instructing him to table an annual report by September 30. To date we have not seen a report.
Assuming that the ethics counsellor submitted his report on time, we can only conclude that the Prime Minister is sitting on it. He has something to hide. Is he going to table it in the House today?
Ethics
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Glengarry—Prescott—Russell
Ontario
Liberal
Don Boudria Minister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I am willing to take the question under advisement. I will verify if the document is available and arrange to have it tabled as soon as possible for the benefit of the hon. member asking the question and of course any other hon. member as well.
Presence in Gallery
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
The Speaker
I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of a group of Canadians of extraordinary talent and accomplishment in the field of the performing arts. They have devoted their energies toward enriching the cultural life of Canada.
They are the recipients of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards, the most prestigious award given to Canada's performing greats.
Today we have with us eight of the recipients. They are: Joy Coghill; The Guess Who, that is, Randy Bachman, Burton Cummings, Donnie McDougall, Garry Peterson and Bill Wallace; Phil Nimmons; and the recipient of the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism, Père Fernand Lindsay, whose ancestor, William Burns Lindsay, by the way, was the first Clerk of the House in 1867.
I welcome these people to the House today.
Presence in Gallery
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Some hon. members
Hear, hear.
Presence in Gallery
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
The Speaker
Please note that a reception will be held in Room 216 for the award winners and all hon. members. You are all welcome at this reception, which will start around 3.15 p.m.
I wish to inform the House that the notice of motion standing in the name of the hon. member for Wetaskiwin has been withdrawn.
Presence in Gallery
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Progressive Conservative
Greg Thompson New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am seeking approval to table the letter that I have from the Auditor General of Canada which puts into question the minister's response in terms of an RCMP-FBI investigation on the deal cobbled together by his predecessor. I would like permission to table that letter so the minister would know for once what is going on in this file. Could I have that approval?
Presence in Gallery
Oral Question Period
3:05 p.m.
The Speaker
Does the House give its consent to the tabling of this letter?
Presence in Gallery
Oral Question Period
3:05 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
Presence in Gallery
Oral Question Period
3:05 p.m.
Some hon. members
No.