Roy Cullen, "Veterans Affairs" on Feb. 20th, 2004

Taxation
Oral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Bloc

Yvan Loubier Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

Mr. Speaker, clearly, the Liberal government has a real love affair with Barbados since CSL International moved its headquarters there.

Thanks to the government, Canadian investors in Barbados are winning on all fronts. On the one hand, the tax treaty allows no information to be exchanged and, on the other, the Income Tax regulations exempt them from paying taxes in Canada.

What is the government waiting for to resolve this totally immoral situation that the Bloc Quebecois and the Auditor General have been condemning for the last ten years?

Taxation
Oral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Brome—Missisquoi
Québec

Liberal

Denis Paradis Minister of State (Financial Institutions)

Mr. Speaker, it is common knowledge that Canada has concluded tax treaties with over 80 countries.

The purpose of these treaties is, first, to prevent double taxation and, second, to restrict tax evasion.

We are closely monitoring all these tax treaties and we are continually seeking ways to improve them.

Veterans Affairs
Oral Question Period

February 20th, 2004 / 11:55 a.m.

Liberal

Roy Cullen Etobicoke North, ON

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of National Defence and the Minister of Veterans Affairs announced a long overdue $50 million recognition program for Canadian veterans who were treated as human guinea pigs in the testing of chemical warfare agents by their own government.

Why after 50 years of silence has the Government of Canada now decided to recognize these brave Canadian veterans?

Veterans Affairs
Oral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

Nepean—Carleton
Ontario

Liberal

David Pratt Minister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, the government is recognizing these brave Canadian veterans because now is the right time to do it.

On behalf of the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada, I want to express our deepest regrets to these veterans and their families who have suffered far too long in silence. All Canadians owe them a debt of gratitude.

We hope that yesterday's announcement of a payment and recognition program will allow these veterans who have served Canada with pride and distinction to move forward with the respect and admiration they so richly deserve.

Business Development Bank
Oral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

Progressive Conservative

Joe Clark Calgary Centre, AB

Mr. Speaker, earlier in question period, the Minister of Transport confirmed that the government is reviewing the decision of the board of the Business Development Bank to keep Michel Vennat in place. That review could be done quickly and no one would want its results to disappear into the mists of an election campaign.

Can the government give us an undertaking now that that speedy review will be finished and a report made to Parliament by the 15th of March, a reasonable date?

Business Development Bank
Oral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

Winnipeg South
Manitoba

Liberal

Reg Alcock President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the right hon. member for his question. I would like to thank him for the respect in the tone he has used on this very serious issue.

I have been tasked with conducting this review. I have assured everybody of two things. I will be as thorough, as careful and as responsible as I can, and I will be concluding this matter as quickly as I can, well before the date the hon. member mentioned.

National Defence
Oral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

NDP

Alexa McDonough Halifax, NS

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the defence minister.

One trillion dollars is the total cost for a space based weapons system according to the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. If the minister has not heard of the threat of nuclear tips, he is even more out of touch than even we have feared.

If Russia's testing of hypersonic weapons and the Americans' putting weapons into orbit is not a new arms race, what in the name of heaven would the Minister of National Defence call it?

National Defence
Oral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

Nepean—Carleton
Ontario

Liberal

David Pratt Minister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, a good portion of this boils down to basic arithmetic. The missile defence agency in the U.S. is spending $9 billion per year on missile defence. At the rate of spending that would be required in order to reach $1 trillion, it would take over 100 years to achieve that.

This is not something that is of concern to us certainly in terms of the $1 trillion figure because I think it is patently obvious that the figure has no substance. What is more important is the fact that Canada will continue to work through international fora to limit the proliferation of weapons.

Agriculture
Oral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

Canadian Alliance

Lynne Yelich Blackstrap, SK

Mr. Speaker, the agriculture industry is the third largest employer of Canadians. It is one of our top five industries. Agriculture is in a crisis. The industry is sinking and the farmers are going down. Their loans are being called in. The industry is on the verge of collapse. This is an emergency and needs to be treated like an emergency.

I would like the Deputy Prime Minister to tell me if she will ask the Prime Minister to take emergency measures to address this crisis and to do it now.

Agriculture
Oral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

Sydney—Victoria
Nova Scotia

Liberal

Mark Eyking Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (Agri-Food)

Mr. Speaker, we are taking measures on all angles to deal with this agriculture issue. It is not the third but the second most important industry in this country. We are dealing with it in Washington. We are dealing with it on an international basis. We are dealing with the farmers and we are working with the stakeholders and the beef industry to deal with this issue down in the United States.

Foreign Affairs
Oral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

Bloc

Benoît Sauvageau Repentigny, QC

Mr. Speaker, Canada's advice to travellers is clear. Its web site states: “Canadians should not travel to Haiti. Canadians in Haiti should leave while commercial means are available.” Yet there are some people in Canada awaiting deportation to Haiti.

In light of the circumstances and the violence at this time, can the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration assure us that Canada will deport no one else to Haiti and that she will immediately declare a moratorium on deportations?

Foreign Affairs
Oral Question Period

Noon

Brossard—La Prairie
Québec

Liberal

Jacques Saada Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister responsible for Democratic Reform

Mr. Speaker, I will be pleased to forward this question to the minister, who will respond as quickly as possible.

Firearms Program
Oral Question Period

Noon

Canadian Alliance

Garry Breitkreuz Yorkton—Melville, SK

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the Minister of Public Safety did not have her facts straight. I would like to quote what the minister said:

In fact, we have asked Radio Canada to provide us with its numbers and its calculations which to date it has refused to do.

The producers of CBC's Zone Libre said that no one from the Canada Firearms Centre or the minister's office ever contacted them.

My question is very simple. Why did the minister mislead the House? Why?

Firearms Program
Oral Question Period

Noon

Edmonton West
Alberta

Liberal

Anne McLellan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Mr. Speaker, immediately after question period I will be rising on a point of order, but let me reassure everyone in this House that I did not mislead this House.

Firearms Program
Oral Question Period

Noon

The Deputy Speaker

I have a matter raised yesterday by the hon. member for Yorkton--Melville and as just mentioned, by the hon. Deputy Prime Minister.

Debates of Feb. 20th, 2004

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