Debates of May 5th, 2004
House of Commons Hansard #48 of the 37th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was first.
Topics
- The Environment
- Sudan
- Asian Heritage Month
- Projet Jeunesse Saint-Michel
- Canadian Rangers
- The Love Boat
- Permanent Joint Board on Defence
- Université de Sherbrooke
- Canadian Apparel and Textile Industries
- Senior Citizens
- Emergency Preparedness Week in Canada
- Status of Women
- Public Service
- Centre for International Governance Innovation
- Special Olympics Winter Sports
- Taxation
- Sponsorship Program
- Gasoline Prices
- Iraq
- VIA Rail
- Government Appointments
- Canada Health Infoway
- Gasoline Prices
- Taxation
- Royal Canadian Mint
- Public Safety
- Pay Equity
- Child Poverty
- Air Canada
- Foreign Affairs
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
- Public Works and Government Services
- Trade
- Health
- Public Service
- Grain Transportation
- Business of the House
- Government Response to Petitions
- Mathieu Da Costa Day Act
- Committees of the House
- Statements by Members
- Petitions
- Committees of the House
- Questions on the Order Paper
- Question No. 76
- Motions for Papers
- Budget Implementation Act, 2004
- First Nations Fiscal and Statistical Management Act
- Budget Implementation Act, 2004
- Workplace Psychological Harassment Prevention Act
- Criminal Code
- The Income Tax Act
Royal Canadian Mint
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Liberal
Stan Keyes Hamilton West, ON
Mr. Speaker, I want to remind Canadians that the Mint is now doing its business in a fashion that is completely above reproach.
The roles and responsibilities of the board, the chair and the president were reviewed, and completely clarified to reflect best practices. Its corporate bylaws and policies, including hospitality, corporate ownership, and charitable donations were reviewed and updated. The Mint is doing its job.
Royal Canadian Mint
Oral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Jason Kenney Calgary Southeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, I apologize for offending the aging sex kitten community.
The minister is talking about what has happened at the Mint in terms of policy. Alfonso Gagliano was a Liberal minister, a colleague--
Royal Canadian Mint
Oral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
The Speaker
Order, please. Perhaps if we stayed away from the subject of sex kittens in question period it might help because it seems to be creating disorder. I suggest we all drop the subject.
The hon. member for Calgary Southeast will proceed with his question.
Royal Canadian Mint
Oral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Jason Kenney Calgary Southeast, AB
Point taken, Mr. Speaker.
The minister is talking about policy changes at the Mint, a day late and several thousand dollars short.
The problem is Alfonso Gagliano was not president of the Mint. He was a Liberal minister of the Crown who abused tax dollars to finance a personal vacation.
Are those Liberal ethical standards? Will that former minister be required to repay the treasury for his abuse of the public trust?
Royal Canadian Mint
Oral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Hamilton West
Ontario
Liberal
Stan Keyes Minister of National Revenue and Minister of State (Sport)
Mr. Speaker, in a nutshell, I can assure the hon. member that since December 12, when this Prime Minister was put into office, it has been nothing but his goal to ensure complete accountability and complete transparency, and that goes for all crown corporations.
Public Safety
Oral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Liberal
Claude Drouin Beauce, QC
Mr. Speaker, we have all seen the images from Kanesatake recently. We have noticed that there are public safety concerns that the Bloc does not seem too worried about.
Public Safety
Oral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Some hon. members
Oh, oh.
Public Safety
Oral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Liberal
Claude Drouin Beauce, QC
Can the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness inform the House about the role the federal government will play in maintaining safety, even if the Bloc is not interested?
Public Safety
Oral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Edmonton West
Alberta
Liberal
Anne McLellan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member raises a very important question. Let me reassure everyone that the Government of Canada, the Government of Quebec, and the band council at Kanesatake are committed to restoring safety and security to the community. To that end, all parties are working together. I want to make it clear to everyone that the RCMP will support the SQ and the Kanesatake Mohawk police.
I call upon everyone in the Kanesatake community to respect the rule of law.
Pay Equity
Oral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
NDP
Judy Wasylycia-Leis Winnipeg North Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, enough of macho politics and sex kittens. I want to ask about pay equity.
The task force report came down today and it has the support of women across Canada. I want to ask the Prime Minister about this and only the Prime Minister.
After a decade of stagnation under the Liberals there is still a large gender gap in the workplace. The Prime Minister knows about gender gaps and credibility gaps too. He need only look at the list of Liberal candidates in this election.
If the Prime Minister will not run more women, will he at least commit to the recommendations released today? Will he commit to implementing those pay equity recommendations immediately and provide Parliament with a plan of--
Pay Equity
Oral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
The Speaker
The hon. President of the Treasury Board.
Pay Equity
Oral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Winnipeg South
Manitoba
Liberal
Reg Alcock President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the member for her question because this is a very important issue.
The report was commissioned by the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Labour. It will be released today. Once we have had a chance to study it and understand the implications, we will report back to the House.
Child Poverty
Oral Question Period
May 5th, 2004 / 2:45 p.m.
NDP
Libby Davies Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, we would never know it was an important issue especially when it is added to the latest reports from Campaign 2000 and the National Council of Welfare who have both come to the same conclusion that it is clearly within federal responsibility.
Why is it that after almost 15 years since Parliament passed a resolution to end child poverty, we still have an average poverty rate of one child in six in this country? Poor families cannot live on Liberal rhetoric and broken promises.
Why has the government failed yet again to deliver on affordable housing, on a decent federal minimum wage, and a long promised national child care program? What is the excuse this time? Why is there no action?
Child Poverty
Oral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Verdun—Saint-Henri—Saint-Paul—Pointe Saint-Charles
Québec
Liberal
Liza Frulla Minister of Social Development
Mr. Speaker, we are aware that there are still obstacles with regard to child poverty. That is true. Statistics Canada has said that child poverty decreased from 16.7% in 1996 to 11.4% in 2001, the lowest rate since 1980. We still have work to do.
We invested $8.1 billion in 2002-03 in the Canada child tax benefit, and of that amount $2.5 million on the national child benefit. We will reach $10 billion by 2007-08.
Air Canada
Oral Question Period
2:50 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
James Moore Port Moody—Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal approach to Air Canada has been to wish it well, hope for the best, but in fact do nothing. Over 30,000 jobs are at stake with Air Canada and the Liberals are doing nothing.
On April 11 of last year the transport committee recommended unanimously that the federal government suspend airport rents, eliminate the air security tax, and cut the fuel tax by 50%. The Liberals did nothing.
Will the transport minister do anything at all to help Air Canada or will he just sit there like the Liberals have for the past decade and fail yet again?