House of Commons Hansard #6 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was farmers.

Topics

Government ContractsOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I have always thought of the king as Elvis. In any event--

Government ContractsOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear.

Government ContractsOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

The Speaker

Order, please. I know all hon. members will want to hear the Deputy Prime Minister's answer. The Deputy Prime Minister has the floor. We will have a little silence please.

Government ContractsOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

John Manley Liberal Ottawa South, ON

Mr. Speaker, the ethics counsellor has not provided his advice to the Prime Minister at this point as to how much time it will take him. That is a question that would be better put to the ethics counsellor. We expect that we will have his report in short order, at which time we can review its contents.

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Deborah Grey Canadian Alliance Edmonton North, AB

Mr. Speaker, speaking about hound dogs, I would like to ask the Minister of National Defence a question.

The government pays lip service to the military but that is just about it. In fact there is so little cash there that the military has had to raid $1.5 billion allocated for equipment simply to pay salaries.

This jester of a minister has continuously dropped the ball by forcing our military to juggle funds. When will he stop the sideshow and increase funding for our military?

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Markham Ontario

Liberal

John McCallum LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, it was true for my predecessor and it is true for me that the number one priority in the military is our people. It is true that my predecessor, over a period of five years, substantially improved the quality of life of the men and women of the Canadian Forces. That is not a job completed but it is a work in progress. We can be very proud of what we have achieved today.

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Deborah Grey Canadian Alliance Edmonton North, AB

Mr. Speaker, he should be embarrassed. One of the works that is in progress is a blue ribbon panel, a study that says that our military is close to collapse in terms of equipment and manpower. The government should be embarrassed. It is not even ashamed that our military has to rob Peter to pay Paul just to meet the payroll.

Under this government, our forces have been committed to an increasing number of missions with a decreasing number of dollars. Our military does tremendous work, but it is in spite of the government not because of it.

Why does the minister commit our troops but he refuses to commit to our troops?

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Markham Ontario

Liberal

John McCallum LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, I have said on several occasions that the military is under stress in a number of areas, but it is totally inappropriate to use this apocalyptic language.

I could give examples of a number of recent new investments we have undertaken: a new fleet of 15 search and rescue helicopters; 651 high tech armoured personnel carriers; 203 state of the art Coyote armoured reconnaissance vehicles; and a 24 item clothe the soldier project. I could go on and on.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Bloc

Jean-Yves Roy Bloc Matapédia—Matane, QC

Mr. Speaker, Quebec's assistance plan for farmers compensates them based on their particular sector. The federal plan provides for blanket compensation for all farmers, which has the undesirable effect of providing assistance to farmers who do not need it at all.

Could the government not instead adopt the approach taken by Quebec's minister of agriculture, an approach that has the benefit of corresponding with reality and of assisting the farmers who really need it.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, the $600 million that I announced some weeks ago, the distribution of which started on Friday of last week, is a national approach.

I can honestly say that there has not been one sector of our Canadian agriculture that has not said that it wanted to be included in that support because of the stress that it might have had in its sector for any one of a number of different reasons. It is not the same reason across the country.

We will be taking a national approach and to the best of our ability treating all farmers in Canada on an equitable basis.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Bloc

Jean-Yves Roy Bloc Matapédia—Matane, QC

Mr. Speaker, why does the federal Minister of Agriculture not ask his government to give the money directly to the Financière agricole du Québec, as the Union des producteurs agricoles has asked, so that the money is better used, and by farmers who really need it.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, I answered that a moment ago. We will be treating all producers in Canada on an equitable basis to the best of our ability.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Howard Hilstrom Canadian Alliance Selkirk—Interlake, MB

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Agriculture announced that he would use the net income stabilization account to deliver the $600 million funding.

Most grain and oilseed producers who have been hardest hit by depressed commodity prices due to the foreign subsidies will only receive about $6,500 and most will get less. Once they get the money, NISA rules will not allow them to access the full amount of money.

Would the minister please explain why he ignored the advice of every farm group to find an alternative method of delivering this money?

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, I did not ignore the advice of every farm group. I heard comments, advice and views given by a number of different farm organizations across Canada.

As I said a moment ago we wanted to distribute this as equitably as we possible could. There are caps on the contribution to any program that we have had in the past, and this one is the same in agriculture.

That is the approach that we will take. Of the $600 million, 58% will go to grains and oilseed producers and by far all of them will be able to access that money within 30 days of it going into their account. Even if they do--

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Oakville.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Liberal

Bonnie Brown Liberal Oakville, ON

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister responsible for CIDA--

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

I am sorry, I forgot the hon. member for Selkirk—Interlake's supplementary question.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Howard Hilstrom Canadian Alliance Selkirk—Interlake, MB

Mr. Speaker, that great line I just had, I lost it now. What it is, is that Saskatchewan will have a drop of 73% in income next year. The government at the same time is cutting safety net program money.

Under the agriculture policy framework, there will only be $850 million a year for the whole budget for over six years. That is 5.2 divided by 6 to equal $850 million. Currently farmers are getting $1.1 billion in farm safety net money.

Why is this minister going to cut it under the agriculture policy framework?

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, in all due respect, it is not the first time the hon. member has lost it. He lost it when he tried to read the agriculture policy framework.

The money in the agriculture policy framework for the next five years is $1.1 billion a year. Prior to this agreement it would have been only $600 million a year. It is considerably more than it would have been until we received the moneys from the cabinet and from the government for the agriculture policy framework.

International AidOral Question Period

October 7th, 2002 / 2:50 p.m.

Liberal

Bonnie Brown Liberal Oakville, ON

Mr. Speaker, it is estimated that tuberculosis kills more than two million people worldwide every year. The overwhelming majority of these deaths happen in developing countries.

May I ask the minister responsible for CIDA what the Canadian government is doing to address this deadly and entirely preventable disease?

International AidOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Essex Ontario

Liberal

Susan Whelan LiberalMinister for International Cooperation

Mr. Speaker, two years ago Canada led the world by investing in the global drug facility and helped reduce the cost for tuberculosis drugs from $15 per person to $10 per person, U.S.

Yesterday at the World Conference on Lung Health in Montreal, I was pleased to accept the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease award in recognition of Canada's leadership in the fight against tuberculosis.

Further, I committed Canada to continue the fight yesterday by announcing $80 million over four years to the stop tuberculosis partnership. Canada is committed to breaking the cycle of tuberculosis and poverty.

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Diane Ablonczy Canadian Alliance Calgary Nose Hill, AB

Mr. Speaker, polygamy has been getting support from the immigration department. Ottawa overruled B.C. officials trying to keep a polygamist man from sponsoring another three wives.

Under new regulations men will find it even easier to sponsor additions to polygamist relationships. Many of these women will be in their teens.

How can the minister justify allowing Canada's laws against polygamy to be violated through the backdoor of his department?

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bourassa Québec

Liberal

Denis Coderre LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, that is a very interesting question. I would like to answer the three's company out there by saying that first, the rules are very clear. An individual can only sponsor one spouse. Polygamy is illegal.

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Diane Ablonczy Canadian Alliance Calgary Nose Hill, AB

Mr. Speaker, that is not what his department did. Although his own officials in the field clearly told him about a case where a man was trying to bring in three more wives, his own department in Ottawa overruled the decision in the field and allowed the man to bring those women in.

The minister knows full well that polygamy is repugnant to Canadian values in society. It very often exploits young women. Why is the Liberal government not ashamed of this action to aid and abet an illegal practice in Canada?

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bourassa Québec

Liberal

Denis Coderre LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, I totally agree with my colleague. Polygamy is illegal.

It is important to mention that after having read that article, I asked my officials to explain this. I will get back to her with a more detailed answer.