Debates of April 3rd, 2003
House of Commons Hansard #84 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was united.
Topics
- Points of Order
- Government Response to Petitions
- Terrorism
- Interparliamentary Delegations
- Committees of the House
- Petitions
- Questions on the Order Paper
- Supply
- The Environment
- Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries
- Juno Awards
- Pita Aatami
- Juno Awards
- Parthenon Marbles
- National Post
- Daffodil Month
- Joseph Kobolak
- Iraq
- National Post
- Aboriginal Affairs
- First Nations
- Peter Nygard
- Firearms Registry
- Canadian Alliance
- Le Salon du livre de l'Outaouais
- Anti-War Protestors
- Iraq
- Member for LaSalle--Émard
- Iraq
- Taxation
- Member for LaSalle--Émard
- Iraq
- Health
- Guaranteed Income Supplement
- Citizenship and Immigration
- National Defence
- Iraq
- Health
- Member for LaSalle—Émard
- Canada-U.S. Relations
- Dairy Producers
- Canada Elections Act
- Natural Resources
- Agriculture
- Official Languages
- Perth—Middlesex
- Chambord Plant
- Infrastructure
- Taxation
- Business of the House
- Supply
- Message from the Senate
- Free Trade Agreements
- Automotive Pollution Reduction Act
Health
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Grant Hill Macleod, AB
Mr. Speaker, the World Health Organization recommended to Canada that we have a screening interview for potential SARS for airline passengers leaving Canada.
My question is for the health minister. Why did we choose a poster and a card instead? Baggage handlers ask questions very easily about baggage and who packed it. Surely they can ask a question about SARS as well.
Health
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Edmonton West
Alberta
Liberal
Anne McLellan Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, as I have said before for the screening procedures that we have put in place for outbound passengers at Pearson International Airport, we informed the WHO in relation to those procedures. Those procedures, at this point in time, are satisfactory to the WHO.
We believe that we are taking all reasonable measures to screen outgoing passengers at Pearson, but if in fact after review additional measures are required, we will take those measures. We are reviewing these issues virtually on an hour by hour daily basis.
Health
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Grant Hill Macleod, AB
Mr. Speaker, airport baggage handlers in Jacksonville, Florida, now have been asked to be very careful with baggage and passengers coming from Canada. I wonder why that would be.
Could it be that we expect other countries to have proper screening efforts? So why do we not have the most effective screening efforts here in Canada? That is the expectation of other countries.
Health
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Edmonton West
Alberta
Liberal
Anne McLellan Minister of Health
In fact, Mr. Speaker, working in consultation with the WHO, as I have mentioned before in the House, the screening procedures that we have put in place are being used as an example by some other countries and other international airports.
Obviously Toronto has been identified as one of the centres of the SARS outbreak and therefore nobody should be surprised that if there are flights leaving from Toronto, where those planes in fact land there might very well be an additional caution noted and--
Health
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
The Speaker
The hon. member for Champlain.
Guaranteed Income Supplement
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Bloc
Marcel Gagnon Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, as regards the class action suit initiated by seniors against Human Resources Development Canada, we know that the department will now ask the court to refer the case to an administrative tribunal. This will have the effect of eliminating any possibility of a class action suit.
If the federal government is so convinced that it acted properly, why is it doing everything it can to avoid having a court rule immediately on the merits of the case?
Guaranteed Income Supplement
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Brant
Ontario
Liberal
Jane Stewart Minister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, let me speak generally to the issue of ensuring that the programs that are so important to Canadian seniors are available to them. The government, through my department and other sources, speaks to Canadian seniors in many ways to ensure that they are aware of the programs, whether it be the old age security program, the Canada pension program, or the guaranteed income supplement. We are fully aware of how important these programs are to seniors and we will continue to work for their benefit.
Guaranteed Income Supplement
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Bloc
Marcel Gagnon Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, every week, seniors who were deprived of their rights die in poverty without obtaining justice.
Does the minister not feel something for the thousands of seniors who, because of her, will not be able to assert their rights?
Guaranteed Income Supplement
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Brant
Ontario
Liberal
Jane Stewart Minister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I have itemized for this place the numbers of different strategies that we have to ensure that Canadian seniors are aware of the programs that are there to support them in their senior years.
I would remind the hon. member that it is precisely because of these programs that we have been able to reduce poverty among Canadian seniors from a level of over 20% in 1980 to just over 7% in the year 2000.
Citizenship and Immigration
Oral Question Period
April 3rd, 2003 / 2:40 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Diane Ablonczy Calgary—Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the immigration minister was finally forced to do the right thing for an elderly woman for whom he had no compassion until her plight appeared on the front page of The Globe and Mail . Then he quickly used his ministerial powers on her behalf in order to protect himself from public outrage.
He also could use his ministerial powers, on behalf of Canadians, to protect our country from security risk Ernst Zundel. Why will he not do that?
Citizenship and Immigration
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Bourassa
Québec
Liberal
Denis Coderre Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I do not want to drag the case that we settled yesterday through the political arena. I think we acted properly.
As regards the other individual, it is precisely because we complied with the process and wanted to protect Canadian citizens that this person is now behind bars.
Citizenship and Immigration
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Diane Ablonczy Calgary—Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, what the minister actually showed was that he can do the right thing with the stroke of a pen, as he did yesterday for Mrs. Dougherty. He has been given these powers by Canadian law. Why will he not use the stroke of a pen to kick out Ernst Zundel?
Citizenship and Immigration
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Bourassa
Québec
Liberal
Denis Coderre Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, in both cases, when we take a final decision it is because we go through a process, so not only do we respect the process, we respect the rule of law. When the time comes to take the proper steps, we will do what is good for the country.
National Defence
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Jordan Leeds—Grenville, ON
Mr. Speaker, the government announced in October 2000 an ambitious policy to revitalize Canada's army reserves. I know that the Brockville Rifles in my riding and neighbouring units like the Princess of Wales' Own Regiment are very interested in the status of this process. Could the Minister of National Defence offer the House an update on the effort to strengthen this important national institution?
National Defence
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Markham
Ontario
Liberal
John McCallum Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, all I can say is what a pleasant question. I am pleased to say that we have achieved significant success in revitalizing our army reserves, as per the policy announced by my predecessor in 2000. The total number currently stands at 15,500 and it is our plan to increase that by yet another 750 people in the current fiscal year.
With more than 130 units in 125 communities across Canada, there are members of the reserves in the ridings of almost every member of the House of Commons. This is great news for Canada's reserves and clearly demonstrates--