Debates of June 10th, 2003
House of Commons Hansard #115 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was political.
Topics
- National Defence
- Government Response to Petitions
- Committees of the House
- Petitions
- Questions on the Order Paper
- Question No. 213
- Question No. 219
- Question No. 220
- Question No. 222
- Question No. 224
- Canada Elections Act
- Millennium Excellence Award
- Agriculture
- Millennium Excellence Award
- P.J. Impex
- National Maritime Day
- Atlantic Institute for Market Studies
- Nunavut Youth Abroad Program
- Comic Book for Peace
- Millennium Excellence Award
- Relay for Life
- Millennium Excellence Award
- Fisheries
- Maison Grandi Ose
- Foreign Affairs
- Justice
- Hugo Bonin
- Agriculture
- Health
- Government Contracts
- Emergency Assistance
- Agriculture
- Government Appointments
- Air India
- Softwood Lumber
- Government Contracts
- Health
- Privacy Commissioner
- Foreign Affairs
- Justice
- Government Appointments
- Employment Insurance
- Justice
- Canadian Heritage
- Immigration and Refugee Board
- Parental Leave
- Election Expenses
- Employment Insurance
- Agriculture
- Canada Elections Act
- Committees of the House
- Canada Elections Act
- Citizenship Act
Agriculture
Oral Question Period
2:30 p.m.
Prince Edward—Hastings
Ontario
Liberal
Lyle Vanclief Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, the proposed business risk management program that is before the industry and the provinces could very conceivably pay out considerably more than $360 million because that is what the program will be there for, to cover and help in situations like this.
We are also looking at ways in which we can help the industry cashflow and get through the immediacy of the circumstance as well.
Agriculture
Oral Question Period
2:30 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Howard Hilstrom Selkirk—Interlake, MB
Mr. Speaker, the agriculture minister better check with his own bureaucrats because they have said that is not true.
I have a question with regard to opening the U.S. border. Dr. Ron DeHaven, the U.S. deputy administrator of veterinary services, has said that the report is fine and dandy so far but it might take them an awfully long time to review it and get an answer.
What assurances do Canadian farmers, ranchers and feedlot owners have that in fact the minister and the Prime Minister have a commitment from the United States Department of Agriculture that the review will not go on forever?
Agriculture
Oral Question Period
2:30 p.m.
Prince Edward—Hastings
Ontario
Liberal
Lyle Vanclief Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, we got the conclusion of the science yesterday, and that review is going on. Today officials are discussing the results of that science with the Americans, as is the beef industry itself, the processing industry and the politicians. Everybody is involved in that.
Now that we have the science, then that type of work can take place because we are on good ground. Can I guarantee exactly what the results will be from the United States? No. However I can say one thing. It is just not as simple, unfortunately, as telling them to raise the gate because the cattle cruisers and the reefers are coming through with beef. We have to work it out based on the science and their--
Agriculture
Oral Question Period
2:30 p.m.
The Speaker
The hon. member for Roberval.
Government Appointments
Oral Question Period
June 10th, 2003 / 2:30 p.m.
Bloc
Michel Gauthier Roberval, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has just stated that Alfonso Gagliano has not been assigned to the Vatican because he has been assigned to Denmark for some time, and it appears he is going to continue his work there.
How can the Prime Minister tell us this in the House, when the Queen of Denmark's web site announces that there will be an official farewell dinner on June 17 for Alfonso Gagliano, the Canadian ambassador?
Government Appointments
Oral Question Period
2:30 p.m.
Toronto Centre—Rosedale
Ontario
Liberal
Government Appointments
Oral Question Period
2:30 p.m.
Some hon. members
Oh, oh.
Government Appointments
Oral Question Period
2:30 p.m.
The Speaker
The Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Government Appointments
Oral Question Period
2:30 p.m.
Liberal
Bill Graham Toronto Centre—Rosedale, ON
Mr. Speaker, I can assure you that Mr. Gagliano is listed on our web site as assigned to Copenhagen, and he will continue to be our ambassador in Copenhagen.
Government Appointments
Oral Question Period
2:30 p.m.
Bloc
Michel Gauthier Roberval, QC
Mr. Speaker, we have a problem if the Government of Canada does not know that the Queen of Denmark is marking the departure of Alfonso Gagliano. The government is in serious diplomatic trouble.
I would like to ask the Prime Minister this: If Alfonso Gagliano is no longer officially in Denmark, and no longer able to go to Rome for confession, will the Prime Minister ask him to come back to Ottawa for confession? We have some questions for him.
Government Appointments
Oral Question Period
2:30 p.m.
Toronto Centre—Rosedale
Ontario
Liberal
Bill Graham Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I would offer my hon. colleague across the way some down-to-earth advice. He should not spend his time surfing foreign web sites, but should instead consult the Canadian sites, which would give him reliable information on this diplomat, who is still working in Copenhagen.
Air India
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Kevin Sorenson Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Solicitor General has hoisted high the SIRC report contending that CSIS acted properly when it erased the wiretap evidence and when it destroyed files regarding the Air India disaster. This report is contradicted by the RCMP assistant commissioner of the Air India task force, Officer Bass.
Who does the Solicitor General believe? The SIRC report or the RCMP?
Air India
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Malpeque
P.E.I.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Solicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I believe the report that has looked at the most documents. I do not believe in the blame game which the member opposite seems to believe in, where we pull one document out of the air and accept that as if it is all fact.
The fact of the matter is, and I refer to the 1991-92 SIRC report again, it analyzed thousands of pages of documents, numerous interviews, including one with the commissioner of the RCMP at the time, and it laid to rest this issue.
Air India
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Kevin Sorenson Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, the assistant commissioner of the Air India task force stated, “the gross inaccuracy of the SIRC review report will be immediately evidenced to anyone who reads it”. Perhaps it is the Solicitor General who needs to pick up this report and read it again.
When will the Solicitor General just admit that SIRC's findings are highly questionable and when will he step forward and initiate a full public inquiry into the Air India investigation?
Air India
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Malpeque
P.E.I.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Solicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, if we were looking at an inquiry, this is about the objectives that we would follow. The SIRC report objectives were first, to learn what information CSIS possessed about any threats of terrorist action against Air India and second, to learn whether CSIS assisted government and law enforcement agencies by providing all information relevant to the criminal investigation of the disaster.
This report did that. The member should read this report. Maybe he would learn something. It laid to rest the issue.