Debates of Feb. 20th, 2002
House of Commons Hansard #145 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was species}.
Topics
- National Flag Day
- 2002 Winter Olympics
- Agriculture
- Royal Canadian Legion
- Black History Month
- Discrimination against Women
- Women's Health Clinic
- Golden Jubilee
- Bill Barclay
- Wine Industry
- World Trade Organization
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
- Walk of Hope
- Criminal Code
- Public Works and Government Services
- The Francophonie
- National Defence
- The Environment
- Steel Industry
- National Defence
- Foreign Affairs
- The Environment
- Species at Risk Act
- Discrimination Against Women
- Immigration
- Linguistic Minorities
- Species at Risk Act
- Government Loans
- Access to Information Act
- Canada Lands Company
- Softwood Lumber
- Afghanistan
- Health
- Highway Infrastructure
- Species at Risk Act
- Young Offenders
- Health
- The Homeless
- Justice
- Privilege
- Government Response to Petitions
- Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
- Petitions
- Interparliamentary Delegations
- Questions on the Order Paper
- Motions for Papers
- Species at Risk Act
- Point of Order
- Species at Risk Act
- National Remembrance Day
Afghanistan
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Liberal
Anita Neville Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, given the ongoing humanitarian and education needs in Afghanistan, could the Minister for International Cooperation please update the House of Commons on Canada's continued efforts to assist Afghan women?
Afghanistan
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Essex
Ontario
Liberal
Susan Whelan Minister for International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, Canada has pledged $100 million toward the reconstruction and humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan. While we continue to investigate ways to provide program support to Dr. Sima Samar, the minister of women's affairs in Afghanistan, we are also contributing here at home. We are providing $25,000 to the Afghan women's leadership and governance training program to be implemented by the University of York. It is a project that will enhance leadership skills among women of Afghan origin in Canada and link them with Canadian women parliamentarians when they visit Ottawa on Monday.
Health
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Rob Merrifield Yellowhead, AB
Mr. Speaker, in 1997 the federal government ordered the backbenchers to vote against compensating all Canadians who had contracted hepatitis C through tainted blood.
For four years the former health minister stubbornly refused to change his mind. He said that the country could not afford it. He said “It will be the end of publicly financed health care”.
Will the minister right the wrong of her predecessor and compensate every victim of hep C through tainted blood?
Health
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Edmonton West
Alberta
Liberal
Anne McLellan Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, no we will not. The policy of the government has been clear and is clear.
Highway Infrastructure
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Bloc
Jocelyne Girard-Bujold Jonquière, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the House, the Minister of Justice said that the commitments made by his colleagues to improve Quebec's highways would be respected.
Since the Minister of Justice has given his word, why does the Deputy Prime Minister not sign the memoranda of agreement submitted by the government of Quebec for highways 175, 185, 30, 35 and 50 immediately?
He should stop evading the question and sign.
Highway Infrastructure
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Don Valley East
Ontario
Liberal
David Collenette Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, we have an infrastructure program, and unfortunately the government of Quebec does not agree with the current agreement. On Thursday I am going to meet with Mr. Ménard, my counterpart in Quebec, and perhaps there will be some progress on this issue.
Species at Risk Act
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Progressive Conservative
John Herron Fundy Royal, NB
Mr. Speaker, the government has no respect for parliament nor parliamentary committees. Yesterday the government whip hijacked the election of the finance committee chair. Now the environment minister is gutting the environment committee's amendments to the species at risk bill.
The minister never had the provinces or landowners on side prior to tabling Bill C-5 and has now gutted provisions that they support. Worse still, he shamelessly ignored a consensus that was reached in advance by environmentalists and industry.
Why is it we had to wait eight years for such a poor bill, and why is the minister showing such arrogance for the committee process?
Species at Risk Act
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Victoria
B.C.
Liberal
David Anderson Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, let me repeat again that lobbyists, whether they are environmentalists or they are from industry, are not the people who run this country, nor should they be. It should be people elected by the people of Canada, namely the people in this Chamber. That is the critical factor which the hon. member does not understand.
He should also understand that committees of the House are enormously valuable to us but ultimate decision making is made by the members. If a committee for any reason does not reflect the views of the House, it is appropriate that the House take measures to make sure that the decisions are brought in accord with the House.
Young Offenders
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Liberal
Diane St-Jacques Shefford, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the act in respect of criminal justice for young persons received royal assent. This act is a key component of the measures which allow the government to deliver on its commitment to renew the justice system for young people in order to make it fairer and more effective. It is my understanding that the government wants to have the legislation take effect in April 2003.
Will the minister tell the House what lay behind such a decision?
Young Offenders
Oral Question Period
February 20th, 2002 / 3 p.m.
Outremont
Québec
Liberal
Martin Cauchon Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to thank the hon. member for her excellent question.
Bill C-7 did indeed receive royal assent yesterday. It is normal for a certain period of time to go by before legislation takes effect.
I would simply like to say that the bill was the subject of many discussions, particularly last week at a federal-provincial-territorial meeting. Because of the broad consensus for more time, which has been repeatedly expressed for quite a while now, all the provinces and territories have agreed with me to postpone the coming into force of this legislation until April 2003, so that they can make the necessary preparations and go ahead with an excellent bill.
Health
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Rob Merrifield Yellowhead, AB
Mr. Speaker, there is $900 million left in the hepatitis C compensation fund.
The former minister was clearly mistaken. It is not the end of public health care and there is plenty of money for all of the victims.
Why will the minister not commit to extend compensation to the hepatitis C victims of tainted blood?
Health
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Edmonton West
Alberta
Liberal
Anne McLellan Minister of Health
Because, Mr. Speaker, the policy of the government is clear, it continues to be clear, and we will implement that policy.
The Homeless
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Bloc
Paul Crête Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, the minister responsible for the homeless has a problem. She has taken so long in announcing funding that certain organizations will not be able to spend the funding received within the time limit set. If they are not able to meet the deadline, these funds are likely to end up back in the government's consolidated fund.
Can the minister make a commitment to move the March 31, 2003, deadline forward so that these organizations involved in helping the homeless may receive and use their full amounts of funding?
The Homeless
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe
New Brunswick
Liberal
Claudette Bradshaw Minister of Labour and Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)
Mr. Speaker, a number of organizations have shared with me their concerns about the date. I would like to announce today that I have addressed this, in conjunction with the staff of my department, and the deadline will now be September 2004.
Justice
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
NDP
Bill Blaikie Winnipeg—Transcona, MB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice. Pretty soon 10 years will have passed since the Westray coal mine disaster, which many regard not only as a tragedy but a criminal event. Yet 10 years down the road we still have no legislation dealing with criminal responsibility in these kinds of situations.
The Minister of Justice will be aware that yesterday the subject matter of a private member's bill by the member for Churchill was referred to the justice committee. I want to ask the Minister of Justice whether he will commit now to working with the committee to make sure that by the expiry of this year in which we have the tenth anniversary of that disaster we have legislation dealing with the--