Debates of Dec. 6th, 1994

Social Program Reform

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development.

Yesterday, the minister claimed that 96 per cent of Canadians supported an in-depth reform of social programs. The minister even had the nerve to claim that these 96 per cent supported his approach. However, he should know that Canadians do not support a social program reform which will be effected at the expense of the poor.

How can the minister claim that his reform is supported by a majority of Canadians when over 80 women's groups, including the National Action Committee on the Status of Women, clearly reject his UI reform because it is discriminatory and primarily targets women?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development and Minister of Western Economic Diversification]

Mr. Speaker, what I said yesterday was simply to repeat the results that were taken by a nationwide survey.

What is important to note is that when the survey is broken down by region as many people in Quebec support the social reform proposals of the government as in the rest of Canada. What is equally important is that according to the survey as many women support the programs for social reform as do men. There is absolute equality among genders in supporting our social reform proposals.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when will the minister realize that his reform will make women more financially dependent on their spouses, since their eligibility for UI benefits as well as the level of those benefits will depend on their spouses' income?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development and Minister of Western Economic Diversification]

Actually, Mr. Speaker, it is quite the reverse.

If one looks at the proposals for two tiers established by some income test the fact of the matter is low income women in poorer regions would be the major beneficiaries of that proposal. That is the point of debate. The facts and analysis being presented by the hon. member have no root whatsoever in the real analysis and evaluation. I would be glad to share that with the hon. member as it was contained in the unemployment insurance papers.

That is the point. Let us get away from mythology. Let us get away from exaggeration. Let us get down to the facts. The facts are that under our proposals for improved child care, improved working opportunities and improved benefits, women will be much better off in terms of gaining equal access to the workforce.

Violence Against Women

[Beryl Gaffney, Liberal, Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for the Status of Women.

It has been five years since 14 women, all student engineers, died at l'École polytechnique in Montreal. It has been four years since the all-party report on violence against women was tabled in this House of Commons.

Since none of the report recommendations have been implemented to date, could the minister tell this House when we might see action on the proposals contained in the document?

[Sheila Finestone, Liberal, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)]

Mr. Speaker, I know my colleague has been very committed to the whole field of action against violence and was a very important member of that committee that deposited that report.

Violence against women and children is a question which we have addressed in our red book. It is a question to which this government is very committed. It is a multifaceted program which includes legislative action, educational activity and co-operative development with our federal, provincial and territorial partners as well as with police, the advertising industry, et cetera.

I think the Minister of Justice has brought in a very significant package that does answer many of the reports. The fundamentals and our first task in this House is to bring forward legislation that will set the guidelines, the yardstick, the measurement against which we will attend to people who commit and continue violence against women.

I say that the other role we have to play is educational.

[Jim Abbott, Reform, Kootenay East, BC]

Time.

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

More.

[Sheila Finestone, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

You are not the Speaker.

[The Speaker]

I was going to say once you sit down, you are out of the game.

Employment Equity

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development.

Although employment equity already exists in practice across much of the federal government, the minister will soon legislate hiring in the public service based on race, gender and disability. The minister says that he does not believe in hiring quotas, but his legislation will instead require numerical goals.

Will the minister tell us the difference between numerical goals and hiring quotas in the fulfilling of the demands of the employment equity program?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development and Minister of Western Economic Diversification]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows that was a clear commitment we made during the last election campaign, that we would reform the employment equity programs. I would remind hon. members we have over 170 members to prove just how many Canadians supported that mandate.

The importance of ensuring equal access and equal opportunity in the workplace is one of the primary objectives to ensuring a good effective economy as well as ensuring the rights of men, women and all those who have disabilities or are visible minorities.

I will be tabling legislation next week in co-operation with my colleague the President of the Treasury Board. At that time the hon. member will get a full view of what is presented in the legislation. I cannot pre-present myself. I think the hon. member should wait and see what the bill has to say.

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the public service has always prided itself on the fact that it has always done its hiring based on merit and merit only. The managers who fail to meet these numerical targets, goals, quotas or whatever the minister may want to call them will inevitably be disciplined.

What will the minister do to ensure that the managers who are doing the hiring and firing in the civil service are doing it based on merit and merit alone?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development and Minister of Western Economic Diversification]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should know that the public service of the Government of Canada has been subject to a series of guidelines related to employment equity going back to the previous Liberal government when the then Solicitor General who was responsible established a very good regime.

We want to ensure in the legislation that there is clear parity and balance between the rules that apply in the private sector and the public sector. This is something that was asked for by the public servants of Canada.

Bovine Somatotropin

[Michel Bellehumeur, Bloc, Berthier—Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Health.

I would like to remind the minister that the director of the bureau of veterinary drugs at Health Canada, and I think she should know this, the boss of the bureau that is examining somatotropin to advise the minister on the approval being sought for this drug, is lobbying on Parliament Hill to promote the advantages of this hormone.

How can the minister blatantly use her director's leave without pay as an excuse, as she did yesterday, to condone this conflict of interest?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the person in question has been on leave of absence for a year and a half. During his leave of absence, he does work for Health Canada and does not speak on behalf of Health Canada.

That being said, I am aware of the hon. member's concerns about this matter, and I have asked my deputy minister to look into the matter in order to give everyone the assurance that the conflict of interest guidelines for the Public Service have not been circumvented.

[Michel Bellehumeur, Bloc, Berthier—Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, how can the minister guarantee that her director, who is on leave without pay and is lobbying on behalf of a number of drug companies, will not influence the recommendations of the bureau of veterinary drugs of Health Canada regarding somatotropin, since the director did not reveal his connection with the department?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I may remind the hon. member that bovine somatotropin has not been approved and that this drug will only be approved once the department's researchers have the assurance it will have no negative effects on either Canadians or cows.

Canadian Wheat Board

[Leon Benoit, Reform, Vegreville, AB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister of agriculture defended commissioners of the Canadian Wheat Board by stating that they participated in

public meetings by "discussing a broad variety of aspects pertaining to the marketing of western Canadian grain".

The minister also said: "None of the commissioners were actively involved in any campaign for the advisory committee". It seems curious that the minister did not see the article written by commissioner Richard Klassen in various farm papers promoting not a variety of views but one particular view on the Canadian Wheat Board.

Will the minister review the actions of Mr. Klassen and the other commissioners to see which commissioners violated the stance of political neutrality?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, it seems to me not unusual that a commissioner of the Canadian Wheat Board would from time to time defend the policies and practices of the Canadian Wheat Board. That seems to be quite logical in the ordinary course of events of being a commissioner of the wheat board.

If the hon. gentleman has any specific allegation that he would care to make with respect to any kind of impropriety on behalf of any particular individual or commissioner associated with the Canadian Wheat Board, I suggest that he should bring that allegation forward specifically and not engage in these broad based innuendos.

[Leon Benoit, Reform, Vegreville, AB]

Mr. Speaker, section 17(4) of the Canadian Wheat Board Act states: "It is the duty of the board to exercise direction and supervision over the administrative conduct of an election of members of the advisory committee". Therefore the role of the commissioners is parallel that of Elections Canada in a federal election.

Several commissioners by promoting the point of view of one group of candidates violated the Canadian Wheat Board Act. Will the minister call for the resignation of all commissioners who actively campaigned during the period leading up to the election of the Canadian Wheat Board advisory committee?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, the short answer to the hon. gentleman's question is no because I have no information before me at the present time that would justify any of his allegations.

Pearson International Airport

[Gurbax Malhi, Liberal, Bramalea—Gore—Malton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport. Transport Canada has more than doubled the parking meter rates at Pearson International Airport terminals 1 and 2, hiking the rates from $3 per hour to $8 per hour.

Will the minister explain why such huge increases are being levied on the travelling public at a time when disposable income is on the decrease?

[Joe Fontana, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I know that the member is concerned with the safe and efficient operations at Pearson as the minister is. I want to tell the member that the rates have not been changed since 1991 except for the changes necessary because of the Ontario tax changes. Also, the parking meters are provided at the most congestion sensitive areas of the airport and are only meant to provide short term parking for luggage and dispersing of passengers. If people want to park for longer periods of time then the parking garage at Pearson is only $3 per half hour. That is how we are going to deal with the congestion problems at Pearson.

Fisheries

[Yvan Bernier, Bloc, Gaspé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

At the last federal-provincial Conference of fisheries ministers, on November 1, the Government of Quebec ask the federal government to transfer a portion of the fisheries management function to the province. Soon after, the minister of fisheries announced in this House that he intended to reorganize fisheries, stating that he was looking forward to pursuing productive exchanges and discussions with all the provinces, including Quebec.

Why has the minister not yet responded to the request from the Quebec fisheries minister, when he is about to table a fisheries plan that will affect the entire industry in the Atlantic zone? Why?