House of Commons Hansard #68 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was claims.

Topics

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Okanagan—Coquihalla.

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Conservative

Stockwell Day Conservative Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC

Mr. Speaker, the indication is that we only have three troops in the area.

China is once again showing aggressive action toward Taiwan through its anti-secession law, threatening military action as a possibility. Some of Taiwan's allies, Japan, the United States, have publicly raised their voice of concern.

When a democracy is threatened by a dictatorship, should we not be speaking up for the democracy? Why the silence?

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, I do not know what my colleague refers to when he talks about the silence. We have never lost an opportunity of engaging with the Chinese leadership. The Prime Minister was just in China and raised the issue of the human rights situation.

The government has been committed to the promotion of democracy and human rights around the world. We are a country that believes in the rule of law. We are a country that supports democracy everywhere. We never shy away from our responsibilities, engaging the actual leaders in it.

I did exactly the same thing when I was in Syria last week, and in Lebanon at the same time. We always do it.

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Menzies Conservative Macleod, AB

Mr. Speaker, next Monday, China will pass a law authorizing the use of its massive military, including 700 missiles pointed at Taiwan, to enforce its one-China policy.

In the past decade the Liberal government has spent a billion dollars in foreign aid to China, despite its violent human rights record and authoritarian regime. This does not reflect Canadian values of good governance or respect for human rights.

Will the minister promise to remove China from CIDA's list of targeted countries today?

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Barrie Ontario

Liberal

Aileen Carroll LiberalMinister of International Cooperation

Mr. Speaker, no I will not. The reason I will not is China is the force that the hon. member has described. China influences hugely and will continue to influence the international scene. As such, it is very much incumbent on Canada to continue to work with the groups to build freedom in that country, to develop human rights and to develop a rules based society. We are doing that with the Canadian Bar Association. We are helping China grow and influence it in the right way.

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Conservative

Ted Menzies Conservative Macleod, AB

Mr. Speaker, that concerns me greatly that missiles play into international aid policy.

The government also argues that China should not take responsibility for its own poor. Even the UN says China is eliminating poverty on its own. China is a nation that can and should take responsibility for its own development efforts.

Will the minister take the hint and promise to remove China from CIDA's list of targeted countries today?

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Barrie Ontario

Liberal

Aileen Carroll LiberalMinister of International Cooperation

I believe, Mr. Speaker, that the Chinese government is becoming more and more responsible to the fact that 25% of the world's poor live in China.

However, the Canadian government, through its development programs, is able to assist China to deal more and more with those issues by helping it, through sending experts, to improve its judicial and legislative system and to enable that government to build the capacity to accomplish the objectives the hon. member would have it accomplish.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

Denise Poirier-Rivard Bloc Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC

Mr. Speaker, grain producers are suffering huge losses following the collapse of world prices. Our producers are faced not only with the federal government's withdrawal, but also with European and American governments' generous subsidies to their own producers. As a result, our producers are at a clear disadvantage and have been for years.

Does the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food intend to review the Canadian agricultural income stabilization program in order to provide support for our grain producers as rival countries do for theirs?

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Parry Sound—Muskoka Ontario

Liberal

Andy Mitchell LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, assisting our grains and oilseeds sector is a priority for the government. That is why we have in place an income stabilization program. That is why we have a spring and fall advance program. That is why we are working within the World Trade Organization to create a level playing field between the various trading partners so that our producers have an opportunity to compete in a fair and equitable situation.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

Denise Poirier-Rivard Bloc Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC

Mr. Speaker, the government cannot remain indifferent to the financial drama in which grain producers find themselves. They are victims of unfair competition and they need our support.

Why does the minister refuse to help them compete with producers who receive assistance from their governments?

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Parry Sound—Muskoka Ontario

Liberal

Andy Mitchell LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, since it obviously was not heard the first time, let me say it clearly the second time.

The Government of Canada does help our producers, including grains and oilseeds producers. We have an income support program. We have production insurance. We have a spring advance program. We have a fall advance program.

We are working within the WTO to deal with the structural issues, so that our producers can compete on a level playing field in the international market.

Canadian Space ProgramOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Conservative

Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON

Mr. Speaker, in December 2002 changes were made in the way the United States and Canada structured North American defence. The Prime Minister unilaterally decided not to have ballistic missile defence debated openly in Parliament as agreed to in the throne speech. Canada may no longer have privileged access to the U.S. space program.

Has the government received assurances that Canadian companies will still be able to bid on contracts for the United States space program?

Canadian Space ProgramOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, we have a very strong defence procurement arrangement with the United States which has been working for many years. I am sure that with the very strong Canadian technology that exists in this country that the Americans will always go and get the best possible technology that is available, some of it being in Canada.

We are confident that with the defence procurement arrangement that has served our industry and the defence realities in North America very well over the last few years, we will be there.

Canadian Space ProgramOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Conservative

Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON

Mr. Speaker, the United States space command, SPACECOM, was merged with strategic command, STRATCOM, which is integrated with its missile defence program. The Prime Minister's broken promise to have a full discussion on ballistic missile defence prior to a decision being made may have ended joint Canada-U.S. outerspace development.

Can the Minister of Industry guarantee that no Canadian jobs will be lost?

Canadian Space ProgramOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Vancouver Kingsway B.C.

Liberal

David Emerson LiberalMinister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, our trade relationship with the United States has hit a few bumps along the road, but it is stronger than ever. NAFTA has created hundreds of thousands of jobs in this country. It continues to do so and it will continue for years to come.

Canadian ForcesOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Liberal

Navdeep Bains Liberal Mississauga—Brampton South, ON

Mr. Speaker, in light of today's announcement by the Governor General of the awarding of the Pearson Peace Medal to Lieutenant General Roméo Dallaire for his contributions to peace, can the Minister of National Defence update the House on what the Government of Canada is doing to promote peace and stability around the world?

Canadian ForcesOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Toronto Centre Ontario

Liberal

Bill Graham LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased to be present this morning at the ceremony when the Governor General presented the Pearson Peace Medal to Lieutenant General Roméo Dallaire. I was touched by his dignity and his simplicity as he received this much deserved honour and recognition for his service not only to Canada but to the world. As force commander in Rwanda he risked his life daily for those of others, and he represented the best of Canada and of Canadians.

I am proud to say that there are more than 1,500 Canadian Forces members around the world following in General Dallaire's footsteps as they work in Afghanistan, Bosnia, the Golan Heights and elsewhere in the world, bringing stability and allowing people to work in peace and develop democracies.

Equalization ProgramOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Conservative

Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week the finance minister declared that he had delivered $710 million to the province of Saskatchewan. What the finance minister fails to understand is that this was not his money to deliver. This was not the government's money to deliver. This money belonged to the people of Saskatchewan. Simply put, the failure of the government to eliminate the clawback provisions on non-renewable natural resources is a betrayal to the people of Saskatchewan.

Will the minister stand today, stop betraying the people of Saskatchewan and commit to the elimination of the clawback provision?

Equalization ProgramOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say that effectively for the current fiscal year we have in fact done just that. We have eliminated the clawback provision and because of that, Saskatchewan has benefited by $590 million. On top of that, we have corrected some of the old anomalies in the calculation. That has added another $120 million. Indeed it is true. Under the tenure of this finance minister, we have delivered to Saskatchewan an extra $710 million.

Border SecurityOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Conservative

Russ Hiebert Conservative South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC

Mr. Speaker, a CBC report yesterday focused on illegal border crossings in my riding. People are just walking across the border at the Peace Arch crossing while the new border service is powerless to do anything. Officers cannot arrest suspects more than 100 feet away and so must call the police, who face the challenge of arriving before these illegals vanish.

The U.S. border service has doubled the enforcement on its side and the power to arrest people anywhere. How many more dangerous weapons and narcotics is the Deputy Prime Minister going to allow across the border before she acts?

Border SecurityOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

Edmonton Centre Alberta

Liberal

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

Mr. Speaker, in fact we have acted. The amount of money that we have put into the newly created CBSA, Canada Border Services Agency, speaks to the government's commitment. In fact, the Minister of Finance provided significant additional resources in this budget to ensure that we can increase the number of officers on our borders.

I also want to reassure the hon. member that we do ongoing job safety and hazard analysis to ensure that our border agents have the tools they need to keep--

Border SecurityOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

The Speaker

The time for question period has expired.

Presence in GalleryOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

The Speaker

I would like to draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of His Honour Sergey Gaplikov, Prime Minister and Chair of the Cabinet; His Honour Peter Krasnov, Chief of the President's Administration and Minister of Culture; and Her Honour Nina Souslonova, Minister of Health, all from the Chuvash Republic of the Russian Federation.

Presence in GalleryOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear!

Presence in GalleryOral Question Period

3:05 p.m.

The Speaker

I would also like to draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the Honourable Richard Neufeld, Minister of Energy and Mines of British Columbia.