Debates of May 8th, 2007

Jean-Yves Roy Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC

Mr. Speaker, if the government dared to eliminate supply management, this would have an impact on many regions of Quebec. After the devastation felt in the manufacturing sector, the regions do not need another hard blow.

When we see Preston Manning, who is close to the Prime Minister, when we see the Minister of Industry, who is from the Montreal Economic Institute, and when we bear in mind that the Minister of International Trade has already questioned supply management, we have good reason to ask more than once if the government really intends to defend supply management?

Chuck Strahl Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting this party campaigned on support of supply management. We have taken measures in Geneva. I was with the Minister of International Trade in Geneva. We were there in Davos. We made representations internationally at the WTO negotiations and elsewhere in support of supply management.

What is more, we are the first government, after years of failure by the member for Wascana, to actually take steps to use article XXVIII to protect supply management, something the Liberals failed to do. We are used to failure on the Liberal side, but do not pin that kind of blame on us. We support supply management. We actually take steps to make that a possibility.

Dan McTeague Pickering—Scarborough East, ON

Mr. Speaker, in an age where the rest of the developed world is trying to move toward better environmental stewardship, the government is deliberately going in the opposite direction. The government falsely claims it wants to clean up our environment, but today we learned that it has voluntarily agreed to loosen Canadian restrictions on pesticides for hundreds of fruits and vegetables, all in the name of loosening and lowering our standards to match those of the Republicans.

The integrity of Canada's food supply and health of Canadians should not be for sale or indeed placed in jeopardy. Why is the government once again bowing to the U.S.?

Tony Clement Minister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the hon. member and this House that the hon. member is quite mistaken. This government takes its responsibilities to protect the health and safety of Canadians very seriously. Indeed if there is any harmonization, it will be to the highest standards as we protect Canadians on their health and safety when it comes to pesticide management.

Chris Warkentin Peace River, AB

Mr. Speaker, yesterday afternoon I was shocked and saddened to learn that one of my constituents, Jeff Toews, had been attacked and severely injured while travelling in Mexico. My and my family's thoughts and prayers are with Jeff and his family during this difficult time.

I would ask the foreign affairs minister to update this House and my community on the actions that are being taken to support the Toews family.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Peace River for his timely and very compassionate action in bringing this to our attention. We share that support and send condolences to the Toews family as well. We certainly find this event very tragic and troubling. The member brought this to our attention yesterday and simultaneously we received word from Mexico from family members.

We are remaining in contact with them, providing them assistance as well as focusing on having local authorities investigate this case and the cause of the injury. We wait for the police to report on that. The government remains very concerned about Canadians injured in Mexico. I raised this with my counterpart, as well as the president, Mr. Calderón. We continue to discuss this in the light of recent security and prosperity partnership meetings.

The Speaker Peter Milliken

The hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs.

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

Mr. Speaker, I know the hon. member has a long and abiding interest in the subject matter. As the member is also aware, this is something very near and dear to the heart of the group from Pugwash who have long been advocates of this.

I recently took the opportunity while in Oslo, Norway at a NATO meeting to discuss this subject with the German foreign minister who is currently serving as president of NATO.

This particular subject matter will remain very important to all Canadians. We take opportunities to raise it at multilateral forums. She knows, of course, that Canada is a signatory to the non-proliferation treaty and the ban remains in place.

Alexa McDonough Halifax, NS

Mr. Speaker, it is not just policy talk, it is policy action that is needed.

However, speaking of leadership, the minister will know that non-governmental organizations and Sudanese Canadians came together today with students from across Canada under the umbrella of STAND, Students Taking Action Now in Darfur.

These concerned citizens challenged all parliamentarians and all political parties to take a strong stand and respond decisively to the deepening tragedy in Darfur. All who gathered were deeply disappointed when only one government member even bothered to show up.

What is the government's response to the plea issued again today for a robust, comprehensive, inclusive--

The Speaker Peter Milliken

The hon. the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

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

Mr. Speaker, that is always of great concern when we have issues related to Sudan and Darfur.

Canada recently received a commendation. I will quote from the latest report of the UN Watch on the Human Rights Council which identified Canada as the most active advocate for the world's human rights victims.

The report states:

Canada and the European Union, which had [persistently urged] the Council to address Darfur since June [of this year], [had] sought amendments to the African Group draft that...would at least have emphasized its “primary obligation... to protect all individuals against violations.”

That is high praise coming from the UN Watch.

Susan Kadis Thornhill, ON

Mr. Speaker, Canadians were appalled to learn that Conservative members voted against a motion by my colleague, the member for Mount Royal, to refer the genocidal comments of the Iranian president to the International Criminal Court.

The Iranian government has become a haven for those who deny the horrors of the Holocaust and who incite genocide against Israel but the Conservatives have no problem accepting this behaviour.

Does the Minister of Foreign Affairs support his caucus in its recent offensive actions at the subcommittee on international human rights last week?

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

Mr. Speaker, once again, righteous indignation and allegations from the member opposite that are not supported by facts.

I commend the member for Mount Royal for his initiative in moving this issue forward. Those are absolutely outrageous remarks by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The government would never associate itself with anything that would in any way condone those actions or those words. It is abysmal and it is disgusting and it is condemned to the highest by this government. For that member opposite to suggest otherwise is way outside the bounds of proper etiquette.