Stephen Owen

[Oral Question Period, October 24th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for St. Albert, to whom you just referred, asked a question of me in the House yesterday with respect to one of my employees. In addition to the answer I provided to him yesterday, I have provided him with a detailed letter this morning setting out the comprehensive issues with respect to that employee.

Pursuant to the Standing Orders of the House, it is my wish to now table it in the House as it is a matter of interest to the House. I do so with two copies of the letter in each official language.

[Ethics, October 23rd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the employee mentioned is a valued and highly respected member of my exempt staff. She is not employed on contract at this time. She is employed as a direct employee.

[Aboriginal Affairs, June 11th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, under provision of Standing Order 32(2) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, copies of the 2001-02 annual report of the implementation committee of the Gwich'in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement, the 2001-02 annual report of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement Implementation Coordinating Committee, and the 2001-02 annual report of the implementation committee on the Sahtu Dene and Métis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement.

[Softwood Lumber, June 4th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, it was not last October. It was on December 19 that the Minister of Industry announced a $110 million program for economic adjustment in forest dependent communities across the country. Over 50% of that money will flow to British Columbia workers and communities.

The minister appointed a high level, multi-sector committee to review these proposals. The call for proposals has gone out. They are being received and reviewed by community futures development corporations at this point. Money will be flowing very soon.

[Science and Technology, May 27th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, fuel cell technology has great potential to contribute to the diversification and the growth of the western Canadian economy.

Since 1990 Western Diversification Canada has invested $15 million in the development of this important industry, particularly through the development of Fuel Cells Canada at the University of British Columbia. This is a partnership between the British Columbia government, the federal government, research institutes, and small technology companies.

We have the opportunity through fuel cell technology to meet Kyoto standards, improve the health of Canadians, and develop a vibrant export industry of environmental technology.

[Aboriginal Affairs, May 16th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, native people across the country have had opportunities to express their concerns, their support and protests against Bill C-7.

This is a normal legislative process. Hundreds of witnesses have been heard by the aboriginal affairs committee of the House. I think all of our congratulations and sympathies should go out to the members of that committee who have spent long hours night after night considering this extremely important legislation.

It will be passed in due course with amendments as suggested, as this House decides. Regulations will also be--

[Aboriginal Affairs, May 16th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Indian Affairs this week announced a detailed program to spend $600 million extra over the next five years on top of the $600 million that would be spent anyway to introduce a very structured plan to improve the situation of water and sewage systems in aboriginal communities.

This will deal with structural repair as well as new structures and training and monitoring of personnel, as well as specific guidelines for training to go ahead.

This is a quality of life issue that is top of mind for the government for aboriginal--

[Points of order, May 15th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. In a question during question period the hon. member for Skeena made reference to the softwood lumber community adjustment initiative as being $110 million for the Province of British Columbia.

The national program announced earlier by the Minister of Natural Resources is actually for over $340 million for the country, $110 million of which is for softwood adjustment across the country. Somewhat over 50% of that would be available for community adjustment in British Columbia.

[Softwood Lumber, May 15th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of taking care to review through community future development bodies in resource based communities is to ensure that the proposals are realistic, that they are tested with due diligence, and that they are committed to by the people who will have to implement them and benefit from the adjustments that are made.

[Softwood Lumber, May 15th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the community adjustment fund to deal with the softwood lumber pressures on resource communities in British Columbia and across the country has been established in British Columbia. The calls for proposals have been out and many are being received from resource towns all over British Columbia. These will be dealt with very quickly over the next two months.