House of Commons Hansard #139 of the 35th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was federal.
Bob Mills Reform Red Deer, AB
Mr. Speaker, the complete failure of the CSCE summit in Budapest and the failure of the Prime Minister to even state his position during the Bosnian debate proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Canadian and UN peacekeepers have done their best. However the situation is beyond their mandate. The government wants a negotiated peace. But it wants what it cannot have.
At what point will the government accept that no negotiated settlement is forthcoming and pull out our troops?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I have answered the specific question and so has the Prime Minister.
However, I take great umbrage. The hon. member has criticized our Prime Minister representing Canada in an international forum where he made Canada's position absolutely clear. I resent that.
Michel Bellehumeur Bloc Berthier—Montcalm, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Health.
Two weeks after we heard that the Director of the Bureau of Veterinary Drugs at Health Canada was lobbying on behalf of a number of pharmaceutical companies, the Minister of Health seems unable to say whether the behaviour of her official complies with the government's code of ethics on conflict of interest. I will give the minister a chance to give us a clear answer.
Could the Minister of Health tell us whether Mr. Ritter's behaviour violated the government's code of ethics on conflict of interest?
Diane Marleau LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, as I said before in this House, I asked my deputy minister to look into the matter, and I am sure she will give me a report very
shortly. When she does, I will be happy to share all the facts with the hon. member.
Michel Bellehumeur Bloc Berthier—Montcalm, QC
Mr. Speaker, the minister has been aware of this for two weeks. What kind of reassurance is this supposed to give the public, when Mr. Ritter, the lobbyist, was seen yesterday at the Bureau of Veterinary Drugs of Health Canada, the Bureau whose director he continues to be, Mr. Speaker?
Diane Marleau LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, as I said before, I am waiting for my deputy minister's answer. If the hon. member has any information that might be useful, he should get in touch with the department, and he is welcome to do so. That is how we run things here.
Charles Caccia Liberal Davenport, ON
Mr. Speaker, recently at the United Nations, Canada abstained on a resolution asking the International Court of Justice for an opinion on the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons.
In light of the minister of state for foreign affairs recent statement to the UN General Assembly in which she advocated strenghthening the human rights and environmental functions within the United Nations, can she assure the House that when the same resolution comes to a vote in the General Assembly, Canada will no longer abstain but vote for nuclear responsibility and support the resolution?
Christine Stewart LiberalSecretary of State (Latin America and Africa)
Mr. Speaker, it was in the General Assembly that Canada abstained on the resolution to which my colleague refers.
It is very important to stress that Canada's goal as a nation is the elimination of all nuclear weapons worldwide. We are trying to develop incrementally a consensus around the world on this issue. In the meantime, we will work very actively internationally to try to enhance a nuclear non-proliferation treaty and a comprehensive test ban treaty.
We consider this is very important for all the same reasons but including the protection of the environment and humanity.
Ed Harper Reform Simcoe Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, despite warnings from the OECD and the IMF about the need for deeper spending cuts, ministers, like the Minister of Justice, continue to lay legislative proposals before the House without a cost analysis or projections.
Will the finance minister agree, given our current financial situation, it is inexcusable for any minister to present any program or legislative initiative to the House without an analysis of the cost to the taxpayers?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I can respond on behalf of myself by saying that the government examined the cost implications of every element of its firearms control program.
In accordance with the ordinary parliamentary process those matters will be examined in detail before the relevant committee of the House.
Ed Harper Reform Simcoe Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have a supplementary question. The government continues to give fuzzy answers. Now is not the time for fuzzy answers, particularly on spending or taxation.
Will the minister calm concerned Canadians and state clearly that there will be no new taxes or tax increases in the February budget? The choice is the minister's: Santa or Scrooge.
Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance and Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development-Quebec
Mr. Speaker, I have stated on many occasions in the House that I am not going to comment on matters that will be brought forward in the budget. That is the answer to the member's supplementary question.
However, in response to his first question that basically said that one should provide for the impact of one's recommendations or one's legislation, I say that people in glass houses should not throw stones. Why is it that Reform Party members, when they come down with their studies, refuse to show the impact of what they are recommending? Is it because they know what those recommendations would do to the Canadian people and to the Canadian economy?
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.
Last week, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs turned down an invitation from the mayor of Saint-Jean who was hoping to resume discussions on the future of the Collège militaire de Saint-Jean, on the basis of his proposal. The minister has yet to respond to a letter sent to him on December 2 by his Quebec counterpart, inviting him to delegate officials for the purpose of resuming negotiations.
Does the lack of a prompt response from the minister mean that the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs is still refusing to delegate officials from his department to resume discussions on the basis of the proposal by the mayor of Saint-Jean?
Marcel Massé LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Mr. Speaker, we are now considering the proposals made by Minister Beaudoin and Mayor Smereka.
I think we should remember that a federal proposal was tabled, and signed and accepted by the Government of Quebec, a proposal in which the federal government offered $25 million over five years to cover the transition period.
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, since time is of the essence and, as of January, employees have to decide whether they will accept a transfer, how can the minister justify the delay in dealing with the matter of the Collège militaire de Saint-Jean? Is that his flexible federalism?
Marcel Massé LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Mr. Speaker, I find it difficult to take this question seriously, since we have on the table an offer dated July 19 that was signed by the Government of Quebec, and since September 12, the Government of Quebec has refused to budge. We have a situation where for months the Government of Quebec has undermined the financial security of the teachers at Saint-Jean and has prevented the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean from remaining open. The uncertain economic climate in the Saint-Jean area is being caused by the PQ government which, so far, has refused to implement an agreement that was duly signed.
Jack Ramsay Reform Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice.
Consideration by the Alberta government to use the notwithstanding clause of the Constitution to refute the impending new federal gun control legislation underscores the absence of any real consultation between the federal justice minister and provincial officials, in spite of assurances to the contrary by the minister.
As the opposition to his proposals begins to mount, will the Minister of Justice reveal which provincial attorneys general he consulted with and had the support of prior to November 30?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, consultation was engaged in continuously with officials in the offices of every provincial and territorial attorneys general, every one of them.
Let me add in response to the hon. member's question that consideration of invoking the notwithstanding clause in relation to the legislation reveals nothing more than a profound misunderstanding of the nature of the clause and the Constitution.
Jack Ramsay Reform Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, my supplementary question is for the minister.
The provincial justice minister states that Alberta is not prepared to pay the estimated half million dollar cost of establishing a registry in the province and therefore Ottawa would have to foot the bill.
What is the overall estimated cost for the national registration of rifles and shotguns? Who is going to pay for a registration system that will not reduce the criminal use of these weapons?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, the premise upon which the question is based is fundamentally flawed.
The introduction of a national registration system will not only enhance community safety, but it will choke off one of the important sources of supply for criminals getting hold of guns.
In terms of the cost, the provincial attorney general in Alberta is reported to have referred to the sum of $500,000. He did not indicate how he arrived at that sum.
Last week we published as a federal government our estimate of the cost. We fully expect that to be a very reliable estimate in all the circumstances.
Karen Kraft Sloan Liberal York—Simcoe, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of the Environment.
A Russian pipeline oil spill into the Arctic river system is rapidly becoming a major international ecological disaster. The region of the spill has no fish population to speak of and the deer population has declined by 30 to 50 per cent.
What is the government doing to protect the Arctic from the devastating results of the oil spill?
Sheila Copps LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, the member will know, because she is the vice-chair of the environment committee, that immediately upon learning of the bill I was in touch. It happens to be a very significant issue for the Arctic environment.
We wrote to the Government of Russia to see if we could be of assistance. The initial offer was declined. However we did receive contact via the United Nations last week that the Russians are interested in having international expertise. A ten person team including two Canadians are leaving today to go to the oil spill site to see if we might be of assistance to prevent potential devastation in the virgin Arctic.
Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral Bloc Laval Centre, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice.
While the Liberal government has been dragging its feet for over a year on the issue of new reproductive technologies, women are selling their eggs to the IVF Canada clinic in Toronto. It is increasingly clear that the commercialization of human genetic material, embryos and foetal tissue is growing in Canada.
Since new reproductive technologies are evolving much more rapidly than the government, can the Minister of Justice admit that several recommendations in the Baird report can be implemented quickly to regulate some embryo research practices and the sale of human gametes or eggs, as is happening at the IVF Canada clinic in Toronto?
Diane Marleau LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question. I am sure that the Bloc Quebecois member understands how complex the issue is and that she and her Bloc colleagues can appreciate the jurisdictional questions involved.
We are doing our job. We met with more than 40 groups, as well as representatives of the various provincial governments. We are preparing both a short-term and a long-term plan that will consider not only the technologies themselves but also sexual and reproductive health, because it is a matter not only of technology but also of prevention of infertility. We must do all we can to prevent potential problems.
Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral Bloc Laval Centre, QC
Mr. Speaker, does the Minister of Health seriously believe that the reasons she has just listed are sufficient to justify her department's delay in producing the report that the Minister of Justice needs to take action in this very urgent matter?