Debates of Feb. 10th, 1994

Fisheries

[Dianne Brushett, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

My question is: What is the government going to do about this blatant injustice?

[Brian Tobin, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Cumberland-Colchester for her excellent question. I assure her the government shares the emotions she feels with respect to the importance of putting an end to foreign overfishing of endangered cod stocks. I am sure all members of the House share the member's concern about this important issue.

I tell the member that on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week representatives of all the Atlantic provincial governments, all the fishermen's organizations, associations and unions, and all the sectoral industry groups under the leadership of the national government will be in Brussels to make the case before a special committee of the NAFO scientific council, asking for a review of NAFO's decision to fish endangered 3NO cod.

We are going to point out that we have stopped fishing here. We have stopped even the food fishery here. Canada can do no more for conservation and the EC can do no less than to stop the fishery of 3NO cod.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for nearly three weeks now, the Prime Minister and the Solicitor General have been telling us every chance they get that the law in Canada applies everywhere, and equally to everyone.

Moreover, in his action plan, the Prime Minister states that there will be no "no go" zones and that the law will be enforced everywhere in Canada.

My question for the Solicitor General is the following: Can he tell us, yes or no, whether he gave assurances to Mohawk leaders during their meeting yesterday that the RCMP would intervene on native reserves?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, my answer is very clear. Yes, I did.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, how can the Solicitor General say that he gave his assurances to Mohawk leaders that the RCMP would not intervene?

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

He said the opposite.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Could the Solicitor General explain why each time a meeting is held with Mohawk leaders, his version, the government's version, of what transpired always differs from that of the Mohawk leaders? Why is this?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot speak for the Mohawk leaders, but I can speak for myself and for the government. I stated clearly to the Mohawk leaders and to the media that the RCMP was not planning to carry out any massive, military style raids. I did, however, say very clearly that if the RCMP felt such action was necessary, it would step in and investigate to ensure that the law is obeyed everywhere in this country.

Justice

[Myron Thompson, Reform, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Solicitor General.

Convicted killer and murderer Colin Joseph Wood, a non-citizen, recently escaped from a minimum security prison. Mr. Wood has a long history of various crimes such as drug trafficking, arson, fraud, break-ins, weapons charges as well as the brutal murder of Karen Ann Thomson.

Could the Solicitor General explain to Canadians why such a serious offender was in a minimum security prison in the first place?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I have asked Correctional Service Canada to give me a full report on this matter. It is one I am concerned about, as is the hon. member. The police are continuing to investigate the escape. I will be happy to provide the hon. member with further information in due course.

[Myron Thompson, Reform, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that answer.

As well, could the minister explain to Canadian officials and as a matter of fact to all Canadians why were we not able to kick Mr. Wood, a non-resident, out of Canada after he committed his first serious offence?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, it is the policy that somebody convicted of an offence should serve the sentence imposed by law.

If my hon. friend's proposal was followed we would be doing the convicted foreigner a favour by getting him out of the country before he paid the penalty required by Canadian law. I do not know why the Reform Party would want that to happen if its members are interested in law and order.

Beer Industry

[Yves Rocheleau, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of International Trade.

Once more, the federal government is under great pressure from the United States to force the opening of our markets to American products. In the case of beer, the United States demand the reopening of the agreement reached last August. They want new concessions from Canada, especially the removal of a minimum price on the beer sold in Quebec.

Is it the position of the federal government to ask provinces to make new concessions in order to meet the demands of the United States, even though the practices of the provinces have been found to be in agreement with the GATT rules?

[Roy MacLaren, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I stated the other day in response to a similar question that it is the federal government's policy to support the provincial governments in their GATT consistent beer practices. We shall continue to do so.

We have worked with the Government of Quebec both in Washington and in Canada to ensure that its policy of a minimal price for beer in Quebec is recognized as GATT consistent and therefore compatible with the NAFTA.

[Yves Rocheleau, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

On a supplementary, Mr, Speaker. Could the minister tell us what he is waiting for to demand that the United States also open their markets to Canadian beer, something they stubbornly refuse to do?

[Roy MacLaren, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, in the jargon of the trade world, the member opposite has raised "beer one" and now he raises "beer two". Beer two is a problem with the United States. The GATT has ruled in Canada's favour in that instance. The United States has responded by saying this is largely a matter for states to implement. However the states have been tardy in so doing. In fact only one of a total of 39 has so far taken any action.

There are also, however, some actions that the U.S. federal government itself should be taking. We have been pressing the United States hard and consistently to implement the GATT panel ruling.

Taxation

[Keith Martin, Reform, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health.

As a physician I am appalled at the reduction of taxes on tobacco. It is going to create a quarter of a million new smokers among children. One-half of those children are going to die of smoking related illnesses and each of those children is going to have up to 20 years knocked off his or her lifespan.

Given the cost of the number one deterrent to young would be smokers, does she support her government's decision to reduce tobacco taxes?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I support my government's decision 100 per cent. It is a balanced and comprehensive plan. It is the toughest anti-smoking package anywhere in the world.

Bosnia-Hercegovina

[Ted McWhinney, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Given the sustained failure of United Nations and western European diplomatic efforts to end the armed conflict in Bosnia-Hercegovina, will the minister consider utilizing the provisions of the Treaty of St. Germain-en-Laye, which created Yugoslavia in 1919 and of which Canada is a full legal party, to ensure a peaceful solution to state secession problems in Yugoslavia, including in addition to Bosnia-Hercegovina, the Skopje region?

[André Ouellet, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his suggestion. I think he based his question on the premise that the efforts of the UN and NATO will not be successful.

Obviously we are hoping the decision taken yesterday will lead to a peaceful solution, but if it fails I certainly will consider very carefully the element of le traité de Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

Health Care

[Audrey McLaughlin, NDP, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health.

The Minister of Health has refused to stand up for the health of Canadians by supporting the lowering of taxes on cigarettes. Today in newspapers across the country we see ads by the Distillers Association of Canada to lower the taxes on alcohol. The minister is aware of the costs and health care risks of alcoholism in our society.

Will the minister stand up today in this House and say that she is against the lowering of taxes on alcohol, as she did not do on cigarettes, clearly another health care risk?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, some very tough actions had to be taken. We are pleased at having been tough enough in showing the kind of leadership Canadians wanted on the matter of contraband. We are convinced the networks will be destroyed as a result of the measures and the decisions we have taken.

Railways

[Gilbert Fillion, Bloc, Chicoutimi, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport.

The Canadian government has decided to pull up railroad tracks without knowing what the impact of such a measure would be and has penalized eastern Canada more than the other regions by allowing branch lines to be abandoned. Half of the railway network in eastern Canada will be either closed or sold off by 1995.

Would the minister tell us if he will support the merger of Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways in eastern Canada?

[Douglas Young, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

This week, I had the opportunity to meet the executive officers of Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways and, as my hon. friend surely knows, they have already indicated that they plan to propose a merger project to the Canadian government. We have received no proposal yet. We are still waiting for such a proposal and when it comes, in due time, we will make a decision.

Privilege

[Svend Robinson, NDP, Burnaby—Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I gave notice of a question of privilege this morning to Your Honour with respect to certain statements involving the hon. member for Okanagan Centre and a quotation from Adolf Hitler.

However I did hear the statement that was made during the period for statements under Standing Order 31. If I might just seek clarification, if the hon. member was indeed extending an apology for these deeply offensive comments certainly I do not intend to pursue the question of privilege, but I would seek clarification from the hon. member.