Mr. Speaker, how can the minister explain that there was no mention of the interest-free loan granted to Mr. Tellier in the annual information circular tabled last April by CN, CN declaring at the time that no loans had been made to any of its administrators or officers?

Canadian NationalOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Acadie—Bathurst New Brunswick

Liberal

Douglas Young LiberalMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, this is undoubtedly a very serious matter.

As I indicated, the salary paid to the president of CN is set by order in council. The question of other benefits is an arrangement between the president and the board of directors of CN. I believe, as is the case of every member of the House and any person who is working in the public sector, they have an absolute obligation to explain exactly what the arrangements are.

I fully expect the president of CN will avail himself of the opportunity to come before the press to explain to the hon. member who has raised the question or to anyone else exactly what arrangements he has concluded with his board of directors in a crown corporation that operates at arm's length from the government.

FirearmsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Reform

Jay Hill Reform Prince George—Peace River, BC

Mr. Speaker, immediately after firearms were stolen from a store in B.C. a man arrested with them was only charged with possession of stolen property. For this he received a six-month jail term. In Ontario an individual apprehended with a fully automatic sub-machine gun received a $1,000 fine.

Could the Minister of Justice explain to Canadians demanding sentences that would prove to be a real deterrent why the penalty for the theft of firearms or the possession of prohibited weapons is so lenient under the government?

FirearmsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I will not comment on the sentences in those specific cases because I do not know the facts beyond what the hon. member has said.

The hon. member and I are on common ground in terms of the need for stern and certain punishment for the kinds of offences he has described.

The government will be introducing in the House during the coming weeks specific proposals in relation to firearms that will include very significant changes to the penalty provisions for the kinds of crime he has described.

FirearmsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Reform

Jay Hill Reform Prince George—Peace River, BC

Mr. Speaker, a young man in my riding had his .22 stored under the seat of his truck as the current storage regulations call for. When he lent his truck to a friend who was stopped for speeding the young owner was charged with lending a firearm to someone who did not have a valid FAC. This can be an indictable offence punishable by up to two years in jail.

While it seems harder to get a straight answer from this minister than it is blood from a stone, would he care to comment on the gross inequity whereby a criminal possessing stolen or prohibited firearms receives a slap on the wrist yet this young man is facing a criminal record because he lent his truck to a friend?

FirearmsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, rather than comment on specific cases that have been selected for the member's own purposes I would like to speak about the criminal law in general.

We are in the course of preparing for presentation to the House of Commons comprehensive proposals with respect to firearms that will disclose the government's priorities in relation to safety and criminal law.

The hon. member will find, when they are presented, that they are entirely consistent with the public interest which is safety in Canadian society.

Child PovertyOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Liberal

Paddy Torsney Liberal Burlington, ON

Mr. Speaker, there are nearly 1.3 million poor children in Canada.

When releasing his discussion paper the Minister of Human Resources Development said that reducing child poverty would be a central objective of social security reform.

What measures is the minister considering to ensure that Canadian children, our national resource, no longer go hungry?

Child PovertyOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Winnipeg South Centre Manitoba

Liberal

Lloyd Axworthy LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development and Minister of Western Economic Diversification

Mr. Speaker, certainly the eradication or elimination of child poverty is a major objective in the proposed social security reform.

As the hon. member knows, one of the most important ways of doing that is to change the conditions under which people can get back to work and to provide much better child care and employment assistance services, particularly for single mothers faced with the most serious child poverty situations.

In the last several months under the strategic initiatives program of the government over 20,000 Canadians have been given direct assistance in an innovative, flexible, creative way to enable them to get back into the work market, the job market, so we can ensure that their children have a proper income and proper upbringing.

Presence In GalleryOral Question Period

3 p.m.

The Speaker

I draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of the hon. Ishmael Alphonsa Roett, MP and my brother Speaker of the House of Assembly of Barbados.

Presence In GalleryOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear.

Point Of OrderOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Bloc

Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC

Mr. Speaker, I think you will find that there is unanimous consent to now proceed with Ways and Means Motion No. 16 instead of Routine Proceedings and, if necessary, to immediately vote on it, without ringing the bells.

Point Of OrderOral Question Period

3 p.m.

The Speaker

Is there unanimous consent?

Point Of OrderOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Ways And MeansOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Victoria B.C.

Liberal

David Anderson LiberalMinister of National Revenue

moved that a ways and means motion to amend the Income Tax Act and income tax application rules, laid upon the table on Tuesday, November 22, 1994, be concurred in.

Ways And MeansOral Question Period

3 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

Ways And MeansOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Ways And MeansOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Some hon. members

No.

Ways And MeansOral Question Period

3 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.

Ways And MeansOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Some hon. members

Yea.

Ways And MeansOral Question Period

3 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

All those opposed will please say nay.

Ways And MeansOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Some hon. members

Nay.

Ways And MeansOral Question Period

3 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

In my opinion the nays have it.

And more than five members having risen:

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Ways And MeansOral Question Period

3:10 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

I declare the motion carried.

Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Kingston and the Islands Ontario

Liberal

Peter Milliken LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 48 petitions.

Interparliamentary DelegationsRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Liberal

Charles Caccia Liberal Davenport, ON

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the reports of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association regarding the annual OECD debate at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which took place in Strasbourg from October 4 to October 6, 1994.