Debates of March 25th, 2003
House of Commons Hansard #77 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was gun.
Topics
- Government Response to Petitions
- Committees of the House
- Petitions
- Questions Passed as Orders for Return
- Question No. 136
- Supply
- Business of the House
- Supply
- ATS Automation Tooling Systems
- The Prime Minister
- Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority
- The environment
- Health Research
- Peggy Engen
- Elizabeth Grandbois
- Les Patriotes de Trois-Rivières
- Semaine de la Francophonie
- Justice
- 75th Annual Academy Awards
- Wilfred Lebouthillier
- Dairy Industry
- Greece
- Firearms Program
- Middle East
- Canada-U.S. Trade
- Iraq
- Canada-U.S. Relations
- Iraq
- Firearms Program
- Journée de la Francophonie
- Agriculture
- Health
- Firearms Program
- Airline Industry
- Firearms Registry
- Agriculture
- Airline Industry
- Divorce Act
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
- Youth Criminal Justice Act
- National Defence
- Airline Industry
- Presence in Gallery
- Points of Order
- Supply
- Ways and Means
- Budget Implementation Act, 2003
- Supply
- Committees of the House
- Supply
- Business of the House
- Supply
- Supplementary Estimates (B), 2002-03
- Interim Supply
- Transportation Amendment Act
- Criminal Code
- Employment Insurance Act
- Adjournment Proceedings
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Jim Abbott Kootenay—Columbia, BC
Mr. Speaker, first the CBC was pulling stories off the air because of pressure from the former finance minister's leadership team. Now it is launching an investigation into Don Cherry because he dared to express an opinion on the war on Saddam.
What is Canada coming to? Why is Don Cherry being cross-checked for expressing an opinion that millions of Canadians hold, particularly when a certain leadership candidate will not allow the CBC reporters to even express their own opinions?
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Hamilton East
Ontario
Liberal
Sheila Copps Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I was just asked by one of his colleagues whether he would be a delegate for me at the convention. I want to assure the hon. House that I am not planting any of these questions. I can tell the House that I thought Ron MacLean scored a hat trick.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Jim Abbott Kootenay—Columbia, BC
Mr. Speaker, according to CBC brass, Hockey Night was not the appropriate place for a discussion on the war on Iraq. That is pretty rich coming from a news organization that pre-empted absolutely everything from radio and television. I do not think that there was one single solitary protester that they did not interview between Victoria and St. John's.
What I want to know is this. What is next? Wayne Gretzky has expressed his support for George Bush. Is he next?
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Hamilton East
Ontario
Liberal
Sheila Copps Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member may know that Wayne Gretzky is not between Victoria and St. John's.
Youth Criminal Justice Act
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Bloc
Richard Marceau Charlesbourg—Jacques-Cartier, QC
The Youth Criminal Justice Act, which has been invidiously imposed upon Quebec, will come into force this April 1, despite the fact that the Quebec Appeal Court must rule on certain important legal questions, particularly those related to its compliance with the international rules on the rights of the child.
Will the Minister of Justice agree to postpone the coming into force of his repressive act until such time as the Quebec Appeal Court hands down its ruling?
Youth Criminal Justice Act
Oral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Outremont
Québec
Liberal
Martin Cauchon Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, the act the member is referring to is essentially one developed Canada-wide which draws a great deal from the principles and philosophy that have been in place in Quebec for many years.
I would just like to say that discussions were held last year within the framework of a federal-provincial conference. Subsequently, we deferred the implementation date to April 1 of this year, in order to make sure that all provinces could receive the necessary training. Now we are at that point, and we are prepared to proceed with enforcement of the act.
National Defence
Oral Question Period
March 25th, 2003 / 3 p.m.
Bloc
Pierrette Venne Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence.
Given the decrepit condition of the Canadian Forces' equipment and the lack of financial resources needed for any major military action, does the minister not believe that the time has come to redefine the role of the Canadian Forces and the Department of National Defence's strategy, to focus solely on peace missions, which better suit its means, from now on?
National Defence
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Markham
Ontario
Liberal
John McCallum Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her good question.
I would say a large part of our missions focus on maintaining peace and security, such as in Afghanistan and in Bosnia, where we have thousands of soldiers. However, there is also the war on terrorism in which Canada is very involved, as I have explained several times in the House. We are also there to take part in the war on terrorism in addition to maintaining peace and security.
Airline Industry
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Progressive Conservative
Rex Barnes Gander—Grand Falls, NL
Mr. Speaker, on paper Air Canada is now worth $300 million. Its debt is $12 billion. The Minister of Transport says that he is keeping his options open in regard to the Air Canada monopoly. Does this include a government aid package that will be in excess of Air Canada's current market value?
Airline Industry
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Don Valley East
Ontario
Liberal
David Collenette Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that Air Canada has been involved for the past year in a restructuring process. That restructuring process is ongoing. We are in discussions with the airline industry, including Air Canada, to see what, if anything, the government can do to assist.
Presence in Gallery
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
The Speaker
Order, please. I draw the attention of all hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the Honourable Mike Currie, Minister of Energy of Prince Edward Island.
Presence in Gallery
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Some hon. members
Hear, hear.
Points of Order
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Ted White North Vancouver, BC
Mr. Speaker, during question period the government House leader suggested that those of us who are on the back row on the opposition side, like me, were banished for not following the instructions of the whip.
I would like the record to show that through two elections I have requested to be here because the view is wonderful.
Points of Order
Oral Question Period
3 p.m.
The Speaker
I am sure all hon. members appreciate that clarification.
The House resumed from March 24, 2003, consideration of the motion and the amendment.