Debates of June 6th, 2003

Bernard Bigras Rosemont—Petite-Patrie, QC

Mr. Speaker, if the minister wants to dispel the doubts surrounding this questionable decision, all he needs to do is to renew the sponsorships they used to award to Transport 2000 Québec so that it can organize Clean Air Day events as it did in the past. Can he commit to this today, in this House?

David Anderson Minister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, it is not normal for a minister to promise money to an organization that has not asked the federal government for any. If they did not approach us, it is pretty hard to know what to do.

Peter MacKay Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS

Mr. Speaker, in 1993 the Conservative government of the day announced it would create a ministry of public security.

The ministerial responsibilities would have included oversight of the RCMP, Corrections, CSIS, the Immigration Board and the Refugee Board. The move was of course fiercely attacked by the Liberals.

Yesterday the minister responsible for public security and the Deputy Prime Minister stated he likes our idea. It joins the list of many other policies his government has opposed and then subsequently adopted and called its own.

Is the government now committed to working closely with our North American allies on the creation of a continental security perimeter?

David Anderson Minister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, may I start by congratulating the hon. member on his first week as leader of the fourth party. It certainly has been a week from hell for him, but that is what happens when we make deals with the devil. We on our side of the House feel that this may have assisted us in remaining on the good side of heaven.

With respect to the question of the hon. member, certainly we are willing to consider any ways of improving public security, but the fact is we believe that we have one of the best services--

Peter MacKay Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS

Mr. Speaker, the minister's sincerity as usual is obvious and his ego enormous.

Public attention to security intelligence and terrorism has focused the spotlight on Liberal mismanagement and inaction.

The years of cuts to military, security intelligence, the coast guard and ports policing have had a detrimental impact on our real and perceived ability to protect Canadians. The minister responsible for public security told the foreign affairs committee yesterday that we may now need a new security ministry.

Never mind the reversal, why did the minister take so long to break previous promises on this file? Why did it take him so long to figure it out?

Wayne Easter Solicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I would refer the member to the report that I tabled in the House yesterday, the annual report of the Canadian Security Intelligence Agency. If he looks at that report, he will see that in recent years we have increased substantially the resources, the funding and the human resources to security matters.

As well, even the attorney general in the United States, Mr. Ashcroft, is talking about the good cooperation between our intelligence agency and its agency. We are also cooperating with others around the world, so we are doing our job.

Lyle Vanclief Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, as I said a few minutes ago, we had excellent meetings with the industry yesterday.

The new business risk management program was the foresight of this government and it would be there to assist the industry when these types of things unfortunately happen. We are looking at other things to build upon that as well.

I repeat, the cattlemen told me last night that the meetings yesterday were excellent.

Don Boudria Minister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, the member should know that as we are speaking, two ministers are in Toronto to make announcements with the provincial government, showing our resolve, in addition to all the other things that we have done over recent weeks, to assist the people of Toronto, to assist the people if that part of the country, in this most difficult time in which they have been living lately.

Lynne Yelich Blackstrap, SK

Mr. Speaker, we have learned the RCMP has been investigating Immigration and Refugee Board judges for taking bribes.

Could the minister please tell us how IRB judges accepting money in return for favourable rulings fits into a fair and equitable immigration system?

Denis Coderre Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, we all know that since there is an ongoing investigation with the RCMP I surely will not comment on that.

We take very seriously any allegation of wrongdoing, but we will let justice take its course and we will let the RCMP do their job.

Lynne Yelich Blackstrap, SK

Mr. Speaker, having judges allegedly on the take is the most recent in a string of scandals to hit the Department of Citizenship and Immigration.

Last month, a Yellowknife immigration officer wrongly demanded proof of citizenship during an RCMP road check. Prior to that, a federal court found the department misled Parliament about the number of immigrants caught in a backlog.

What specific steps has the minister taken to address this litany of scandals?