Debates of June 16th, 2005
House of Commons Hansard #117 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.
Topics
- Government Response to Petitions
- Committees of the House
- Petitions
- Committees of the House
- Questions on the Order Paper
- An Act to Authorize the Minister of Finance to Make Certain Payments
- Bastille Day
- Transportation
- Education
- Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention
- Diabetes
- Turnaround Achievement Awards
- Pay Equity
- Canadian Cancer Society
- Conservative Party Youth Caucus
- World Scout Jamboree
- Magog Region
- Wind Energy
- Kingsclear Reformatory
- Debt Forgiveness
- Conservative Party Youth Caucus
- Devils Lake Water Diversion
- Logilys
- National Security
- Border Security
- Older Workers
- Health
- Border Security
- Transfer Payments
- International Trade
- Foreign Affairs
- Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board
- Government Appointments
- Natural Resources
- Marriage
- Whistleblower Legislation
- Health
- National Defence
- Natural Resources
- Agriculture
- Firearms Registry
- National Defence
- Fisheries
- Foreign Affairs
- Business of the House
- Budget Implementation Act, 2005
- An Act to authorize the Minister of Finance to make certain payments
- Criminal Code
- An Act to Authorize the Minister of Finance to make Certain Payments
International Trade
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Bloc
Pierre Paquette Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, currently, only companies are authorized to file complaints with the Canadian International Trade Tribunal to protect themselves from unfair competition. Unions are calling for this same right.
Does the Government of Canada realize that not only companies but also unions need the right to file complaints in order to defend jobs threatened by dumping or other unfair trade practices?
International Trade
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
The Speaker
The hon. minister—
International Trade
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Some hon. members
Oh, oh!
International Trade
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
The Speaker
The very popular and honourable Minister of International Trade obviously wants to respond.
International Trade
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Willowdale
Ontario
Liberal
Jim Peterson Minister of International Trade
Mr. Speaker, if there are problems being caused in this country by unfair trade practices, we have our remedies under the NAFTA and we have our remedies under the WTO. We will work as we have in the past, such as with softwood lumber, in order to protect the rights and the jobs of our workers.
International Trade
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Bloc
Pierre Paquette Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, the world has changed and the Liberals are confused. It is the Minister of Finance who is responsible for the Canadian International Trade Tribunal. Clearly, trade legislation in Canada is outdated. These days, companies here often outsource part of their production.
Will the government admit that some companies sometimes refuse to file a complaint simply because it suits them not to and that the workers who do not have this right are left powerless to do anything in situations that may mean loss of jobs?
International Trade
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
London North Centre
Ontario
Liberal
Joe Fontana Minister of Labour and Housing
Mr. Speaker, I beg to differ. The unions and workers in this country and those working for foreign companies have the opportunity to lodge any complaint against unfair working practices. It is this government that protects workers' rights. They do have the right to complain. We have an agreement with NAFTA. We have agreements with other countries to protect working conditions, working standards and labour standards.
Foreign Affairs
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Bloc
Francine Lalonde La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Mr. Speaker, a jurisdictional dispute, which has been going on for two years now, is preventing Quebec parents wishing to adopt children from Vietnam from doing so. As it happens, the President of Vietnam will be visiting Canada in late June.
Ottawa has been dragging its feet on this matter for two years. Does the Minister of Foreign Affairs intend to at last sign an agreement during the President of Vietnam's visit to Ottawa later this month?
Foreign Affairs
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Papineau
Québec
Liberal
Pierre Pettigrew Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the negotiations have intensified and considerable progress has been made in recent days. I hope that this difficult situation can be resolved, for the sake of those wishing to start or expand their families, and for the sake of these Vietnamese children, whom their government is anxious to protect with an international treaty having the effect of international law. I very much hope that we will be able to conclude the negotiations within days.
Foreign Affairs
Oral Question Period
2:35 p.m.
Bloc
Francine Lalonde La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Mr. Speaker, using China as an example, the federal government had signed a comprehensive agreement, but the appendix on adoption mechanisms was signed by Quebec, since it has exclusive jurisdiction over adoption procedures.
Why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs hesitant to use the same procedure here? Why not sign the comprehensive agreement with Vietnam as soon as possible, and then let Quebec integrate its own agreement on adoption mechanisms subsequently, particularly since Vietnam and Quebec reached agreement on that two years ago?
Foreign Affairs
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Papineau
Québec
Liberal
Pierre Pettigrew Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, Vietnam requires its children to be protected by an international treaty with the legal effect of international law. We must respect that reality.
We do, of course, respect Quebec's jurisdiction over adoption, but we have succeeded in reaching agreement with all the provinces and territories of this country. We will also be successful with Quebec, for the sake of the adopting families in this country and the children in Vietnam who need to be adopted.
Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board
Oral Question Period
June 16th, 2005 / 2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Jim Prentice Calgary North Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, on February 9 the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development appointed Mr. Todd Burlingame to the position of chair of the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board. The board is critical to the approval of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. Internal board correspondence in my possession confirms that this board is now in crisis.
Specifically, the new chairman is engaged in personal vendettas, board business has been unilaterally suspended, and other members say the board chair has subverted the fairness, independence and transparency of the board. Will the Deputy Prime Minister intervene and remove this individual?
Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Western Arctic
Northwest Territories
Liberal
Ethel Blondin-Andrew Minister of State (Northern Development)
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Burlingame's appointment is based on merit. He is absolutely the right person for the job. Reports today say that the board has had unanimous approval from its members to go forward with an integrated resource management strategy which will be needed for the Mackenzie Valley pipeline.
Further to that, no approvals on permitting and licensing have been delayed as the member opposite indicated. Everything is going--
Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
The Speaker
The hon. member for Calgary Centre-North.
Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board
Oral Question Period
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Jim Prentice Calgary North Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, that would be bull feathers.
This appointment has inspired anger across the north. This individual was not recommended by the board following a public nomination process. He was not recommended by the department. He did not even make the short list of candidates. The Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, who appointed him, has said he did not even know who he was.
The view in the north is that this person was appointed for one reason only, because he is a friend of the junior minister, the Minister of State for Northern Development.
Will the Prime Minister explain why he allowed the junior minister to circumvent the government's own--