Debates of May 14th, 2007

Steven Fletcher Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health

Mr. Speaker, it is a bit rich for a Liberal member to raise this issue since the harmonization began in 1996 under the Liberal government.

Moreover, there is no political interference with any scientific procedures put in place by Health Canada, and there is no intention that there would be political interference as the member suggests. We will have the best standards based on scientific evidence, period.

Claude DeBellefeuille Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Natural Resources claims to be a strong supporter of nuclear power, which he says is “very clean”. No doubt the minister is not aware of the many warnings that have been issued concerning the potential danger of the intensive use of nuclear power to extract oil from the oil sands.

Can the Minister of Natural Resources explain why he has a plan that could lead to the construction of 10 or even 20 nuclear reactors even though we are not even close to solving the problem of nuclear waste disposal?

Jacques Gourde Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her interesting question.

This matter falls under provincial jurisdiction. The provinces are the ones to decide what kind of energy can be used to exploit the oil sands.

Claude DeBellefeuille Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources is clearly not aware that nuclear power falls under federal jurisdiction.

Is the minister aware that his position runs counter to the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources, which stipulates that “no decision be made on using nuclear energy to extract oil ... until the repercussions of this process are fully known and understood.”

Will he put a stop to these plans?

Jacques Gourde Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, any increase in oil sands production falls under provincial jurisdiction. We are working with Alberta to make this decision.

Ken Dryden York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, because of repeated statements by Iranian officials, including the president of Iran, for the annihilation of Israel and for Israel to be wiped off the map, a foreign affairs subcommittee passed a motion for the government to ask the United Nations, under its charter, to stop this incitement to commit genocide and to refer the matter to the International Criminal Court.

Of all the members on the subcommittee, only the two Conservative members voted against it, no one else. Why?

Peter MacKay Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the member for Mount Royal for bringing this motion forward.

All members of this House agree with the substance, and the sentiment is shared. President Ahmadinejad's comments with respect to Israel are hateful. Canada does not accept such hatred, such intolerance and anti-Semitism of any kind. This motion calls for a referral to the courts, which would give President Ahmadinejad a platform to proclaim his noxious views on Israel and the Holocaust.

It is highly unlikely that this motion would pass. With respect to that, Canada will continue to have its voice heard loud and clear in the international community on the promotion of hatred as we have seen coming out of Iran.

Harold Albrecht Kitchener—Conestoga, ON

Mr. Speaker, our government is proudly moving forward with human rights protection for first nations citizens through Bill C-44, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act. However, while the government is looking to rectify this long-standing inequity, the opposition parties continue to dither and delay.

How much longer do first nations citizens need to live without the protections that are taken for granted by all other Canadians?

Could the Minister of Indian Affairs please highlight the importance of the bill now before the committee?

Jim Prentice Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians

Mr. Speaker, the Senate is not the only place where the opposition is denying justice to Canadians.

The operative clause of Bill C-44 is only nine words long but the House of Commons standing committee has been studying these nine words for 14 weeks and the opposition MPs have now decided to continue their searching analysis into October.

Therefore, first nations Canadians, who have been deprived of human rights in this country for 30 years, will remain so for another summer while the opposition members retire to their golf clubs and tennis clubs.

Josée Verner Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, we have just received this preliminary report. We will respond to the commissioner within the 30-day deadline.

That said, our government has clearly shown its constant support for linguistic duality. As far as official languages are concerned, we have signed agreements with the provinces, territories and the communities. In the last budget, we announced an additional $30 million for communities and the NDP voted against that.

Yvon Godin Acadie—Bathurst, NB

Mr. Speaker, these are hard times for bilingualism in Canada.

Justin Trudeau is in favour of abolishing separate English and French education systems. The Conservative chair of the Standing Committee on Official Languages is cancelling committee sessions, and the federal government is making more unilingual appointments.

What is more, we cannot ask much of the Bloc Québécois because it is too busy doing its spring cleaning.

Will the Prime Minister defend the minorities and could he start by relieving the chair of the Standing Committee on Official Languages of his duties?

Josée Verner Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows full well, the Standing Committee on Official Languages makes its own decisions. I have full confidence in its chair.

The hon. member knows very well to what extent, both on the world stage and here in Canada, our Prime Minister and our government are committed to promoting linguistic duality.

Could the hon. member explain why he is opposed to granting an additional $30 million to official language minority communities?

Raymond Chan Richmond, BC

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government has failed Canadians on the passport issue and now the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs is blaming Canadians because they are applying for their passports at an unprecedented rate.

It is unacceptable that the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Public Safety have refused to respond to the calls from the media.

Who is in charge over there and why will someone not take responsibility for this bungling?