House of Commons Hansard #21 of the 35th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was arrest.
Diane Marleau LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, as you know, and as the hon. member knows, Canada's health care system is one of the best programs ever set up by the federal government for Canadians.
Therefore, it goes without saying that, in the discussions which we had with the Minister of Finance, we emphasized the value of our health care system.
Walt Lastewka Liberal St. Catharines, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice.
The importation and sale of serial killer cards and serial killer board games is harming the fabric of our society. This offensive material is particularly harmful to young people and children.
The Minister of Justice has indicated he will take steps to modernize Canadian laws. This harmful material is already in Canada with more on the way. When will the minister introduce measures to ensure that this harmful material is kept out of Canadian society.
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I understand and share the revulsion and concern among Canadians that persons would disseminate and seek to profit from serial killer cards or serial killer board games. I can assure the hon. member that the Department of Justice is examining a number of options by which we might meet the concerns that have been expressed.
I might point out that the exact way in which we respond through legislation is affected by section 2(b) of the charter and the right of freedom of expression of which we must be mindful. We are designing approaches having regard to that freedom.
I can assure the hon. member we will soon be putting before Parliament means by which we can deal with this insidious prospect.
Sharon Hayes Reform Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
It has been reported in the Toronto Sun that a Mr. Henry James Halm, a convicted five time pedophile and member of the North American Man Boy Love Association has fled the U.S. to Canada. Mr. Halm has claimed refugee status in Canada and now must be put through our refugee determination process.
Will the minister promise today to exercise his ministerial authority and call a halt to this criminal's fraudulent refugee hearing? Will he immediately order the deportation of this sex offender?
Sergio Marchi LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, the member knows that this side, this minister and this government do not look favourably on those who wish to subvert our immigration and refugee laws. The member also knows that privacy laws prevent us from getting into the specifics of the case.
Suffice to say, I wish to reassure the hon. member and the House that I have asked my officials to put representations accordingly on this particular file. I can assure the hon. member we are standing up to the very letter of the law for those who legitimately seek assistance under our refugee and immigration laws.
Sharon Hayes Reform Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, not only in this case but in other cases we have seen a system problem. Canada's refugee system should act as a haven for genuine refugees, for people whose lives have been torn apart by war, famine and persecution.
Will the minister commit to proceed to overhaul the immigration and refugee system that seems to protect and harbour criminals at the expense of legitimate claimants?
Sergio Marchi LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, the member raises a certain frustration many Canadians feel.
Speaking generally, Canadians face and favour a system which is tolerant to those who legitimately wish to put their claims before the Immigration and Refugee Board. On the other hand they want a sense of balance for those who are convicted of heinous crimes or those who wish to clearly subvert the law. They do not want that tolerance abused.
As the minister I certainly share that frustration. I will be working at trying to come to grips with that balance by trying to keep out those who clearly do not require assistance, without closing the door under the Geneva international convention to those who legitimately seek it.
I would also like to point out to the member that those criminal cases are very few, in the minority in comparison to the general number. I am saying one is too many, but I am also cautioning the member in her leaving the impression that the IRB process is riddled, if I can use that word, with all sorts of criminal elements. It is not. We have to deal competently and quickly with those minority of cases.
Francine Lalonde Bloc Mercier, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.
The Quebec minister of employment is reported in La Presse as saying last evening that manpower clearly comes under Quebec's jurisdiction as an extension of education.
Can the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs tell this House whether he agrees with the Quebec minister of employment that manpower is an extension of education and therefore, that Quebec's jurisdiction is clear?
Marcel Massé LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Mr. Speaker, there is no question that, under the Constitution, education is an area of provincial jurisdiction.
Under the Constitution, manpower issues come under a shared jurisdiction because the responsibility for workers who cross the various borders is a federal one, while the responsibility for courses provided as part of the training process is a provincial one. That is why, for years now, this has been an area of shared federal and provincial responsibility.
Francine Lalonde Bloc Mercier, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by saying that the answer I was just given had never been provided until now and could prove to be interesting in the future. As far as the province of Quebec and myself are concerned, this is another example of the skilful sidestepping that has not prevented the federal government from actually refusing flatly to recognize Quebec's full powers in the area of manpower. My question is this: does the minister recognize that this has adversely affected Quebec and still does?
Marcel Massé LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Mr. Speaker, who initiated manpower training courses paid with UI funds, unemployment insurance being an exclusive federal jurisdiction, if not the federal government? It has over one hundred employment offices in Quebec, approximately 120 I believe, compared to only 30 or so provincial employment offices.
Obviously, when we want to develop manpower skills in a modern country, the plumber or electrician, as the case may be, must have abilities and skills that are equally usable in all provinces, not just in one. So, the standards applied to these skills are national ones. That is why this has been an area of shared jurisdiction for years.
Myron Thompson Reform Wild Rose, AB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice.
As was suggested to me after my speech on justice I did review the hon. justice minister's address to the House on January 27. In that address, as reported on page 514 of Hansard , the hon. minister stated that the justice agenda included modernizing our laws so they reflect current values.
According to all polls, current values include stopping automatic parole, deporting non-citizens committing serious crimes and the return of the death penalty for first degree murder.
Will the minister assure the House that the current values of Canadians will be included in the government's agenda for justice?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, sometimes the perception of current values is in the eyes of the beholder. There are those of us who would contend that the position of Canadians generally on the subjects to which the hon. member has referred are not exactly as perceived by the hon. member for Wild Rose.
I can tell the hon. member that so far as the Ministry of Justice is concerned and as evidenced by the speech I gave in the House to which the hon. member has referred, we are very much concerned with ensuring that all of our laws, criminal and otherwise, conform with current values. With the agenda we have put before the House I believe we have done exactly that.
Myron Thompson Reform Wild Rose, AB
Mr. Speaker, I refer to several polls. If one were to talk to Canadians on any street anywhere in Canada I am sure one would find these are the things they want. One does not have to have the brains of a professor to understand what Canadians want.
The biggest fear that Canadians and I have is that the voice of special interests which does not represent the majority of Canadians will be heard while the majority's wishes will go unheard as they have in the past.
Can the minister state to this House that this will not be the case, yes or no?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, the platform upon which this party gained office in October last contained at length recommendations, proposals and initiatives we intend to take with respect to Canada's justice system. Among others are important reforms to the young offenders legislation and as the Solicitor General can tell the House, changes in respect of parole in order to conform with needed changes we see in the system.
I can assure the hon. member this is not a reaction to special interests. This is prescribing a Liberal view of what is good for Canada and in the public interest. That is exactly what we are going to do.
Beryl Gaffney Liberal Nepean, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.
Canadians have expressed a very strong interest in public service renewal, as have most members. It is normal that a report be given to the House once a year, yet I am shocked to discover that it is a year and a half since a report has been presented to the House.
Could the minister please tell me what are his plans to present a report to the House of Commons?
Marcel Massé LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question.
First let me underline how important it is to have such a competent and devoted public service as we have. Good government would not be possible without a public service of that quality. The annual report to the Prime Minister on the public service is still in the process of being drafted.
It has been somewhat delayed by the events of the summer. It is intended it will be sent to the Prime Minister after the tabling of the budget.
Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development. A while ago, the Minister of the Environment announced that a consulting firm had been hired to advise her on the choice of the Canadian city that will host NAFTA's commission on environmental co-operation. During the last election campaign, the current Minister of Finance promised to make every effort to bring the headquarters of international organizations to Montreal and to turn Quebec's largest city into a world environment centre.
My question to the finance minister is this: Will the minister keep the promise he made to Montrealers during the election campaign?
Sheila Copps LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, of course, the Liberal government's promise is the same one we made in the red book. Our government is transparent and open to the public. And I am very happy to inform all members that the applications to host
NAFTA's environmental centre were filed on February 4. Three of the 22 applications came from Quebec cities. The process, that will be conducted in a very open manner, will close on February 30. We will pick the Canadian city which is the most open with respect to the environment and all other infrastructures.
Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, I understand that there may be some problems with the report if it is expected by February 30.
Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
I also understand that this promise was made not only in Montreal during the last election campaign but that it may have been made by chance in Hamilton as well. I am therefore asking the minister responsible for the federal office of regional development whether he fears that the manoeuvres of his colleague, the Minister of the Environment, will deprive Montreal of this environmental centre.
Sheila Copps LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, obviously, even the Liberal government cannot change the calendar; it is true that the results are expected not by February 30 but by the end of February.
That being said, I do not know if the hon. member knows that three Quebec cities have applied, namely Montreal, Kirkland and Hull. I am sure that members of the Bloc Quebecois do not want to deny a process open to all Canadian cities interested in applying, including the three Quebec cities wanting to be considered in an open and transparent manner to become, in effect, a centre for Canada.
Leon Benoit Reform Vegreville, AB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.
Recently myself and other members of the Reform Party have been contacted by constituents of an Ontario riding seeking our help in resolving the problem of their representation in the House. They have come to us requesting action, knowing the Reform Party's clear position on recall of members of Parliament.
In light of the fact that constituents and the Liberal, Reform, Conservative and NDP constituency associations in this riding are organizing in an attempt to force a byelection, when will the Prime Minister recognize and support the merits of recall?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, this process has not worked in Canada in the past and will not work. It was tried once by the Socreds in Alberta. A member of the cabinet at that time is the father of the leader of the Reform Party. A year and a half later there was a recall of the leader of the party and the party decided to recall the recall so it would not lose its leader.
It is not something that is a high priority for this government.