House of Commons Hansard #30 of the 35th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.
Sergio Marchi LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I try to study as much as I can. I do not claim perfection nor does this side claim a monopoly on virtue.
Jean-Robert Gauthier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Speak for yourself.
ImmigrationOral Questions
The Speaker
I am sure that is precisely what the hon. minister is going to do.
Sergio Marchi Liberal York West, ON
Mr. Speaker, we do not speak for a few, select numbers of special interest groups. I find that statement offensive. We speak and we decide and we make policy based on the national interest. We did not hide our immigration policies anywhere. They are found in the red book; the red book was distributed across the country and we got a tremendous national majority government as a result.
Consequently we proceed in the national interest. I have cited a number of reports. The member continues to cite the C.D. Howe report, or used to, and it was quite specific in saying that at the very worst, net immigration is neutral to the economy. We are not misleading, we are simply using the facts and evidence before us to build a case.
John Harvard Liberal Winnipeg—St. James, MB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence.
Bristol Aerospace is one of the largest employers in my riding. It employs hundreds of well trained men and women. After this week's budget, however, fears were raised that severe job losses would occur at Bristol as a result of possible changes to the CF-5 repair program for the military. This is of great concern to Bristol employees, it is of concern to me and I know it is of great concern to the minister of defence.
Can the minister tell the House what discussions he has had concerning this matter and can he offer some encouraging news for Bristol employees this morning?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, it is well known that we have had to cut back in a number of areas. As a result we do not need the original number of CF-5s to be refurbished. Most of them have either been completed or are in the workshops at Bristol in Winnipeg. We have had some discussions with Bristol Aerospace to see what our future requirements would be, to see what kind of arrangement we could make. We do not anticipate any immediate job losses.
However, I do have to underscore to the hon. member and the people of Winnipeg that our needs will not be as high as before the cuts in the budget last week.
François Langlois Bloc Bellechasse, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada recently made public a report detailing the shameless waste of public funds in the management of the Canadian Museum of Nature. Glaring cases of contract antedating and contract splitting as well as many other irregularities, especially with regard to management salaries, were reported. This has prompted the Institute to ask the minister to intervene.
Can the minister indicate whether he intends to intervene to put a stop to this case of mismanagement and how exactly he plans to do that?
Michel Dupuy LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I have spoken to the Auditor General of Canada who, as far as I am concerned, is the best-informed source. He assured me that this museum would be undergoing a special audit in a matter of months. So, when we have all the facts, as audited by the Auditor General of Canada, we will be in a position to judge.
François Langlois Bloc Bellechasse, QC
Mr. Speaker, I think that the hon. minister should also maintain a direct, open and honest dialogue with the officials of the agencies involved.
In light of this new example of mismanagement, does the minister still contend to have clean hands? Will he do the responsible thing and intervene to force another agency, namely the National Capital Commission, to stop meeting behind closed doors and show more transparency?
Michel Dupuy LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure this is a genuine supplemental, as we are moving to another subject, the National Capital Commission.
I am well aware of what is going on in the agencies in my jurisdiction. I am in constant contact with them and I frequently meet with the heads of these agencies to ensure that public funds are well spent and that programming is both serious and useful.
I have had the opportunity to talk about public consultations with the Chairman of the National Capital Commission. I was pleased to hear him assure me that, in the coming months, consultations would intensify to make sure that all the concerns of the people in the National Capital Region are taken into consideration when the Commission makes a decision.
Jean Charest Progressive Conservative Sherbrooke, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am not deluding myself, it will not last.
My question is for the Minister of Finance who, I notice, tends to systematically blame the previous government, whereas the Prime Minister promised during the election campaign not to do so.
We heard today that he artificially inflated the deficit for partisan purposes. However, since he seems to be saying in his answers that he follows departmental rules, I would be curious to see if the Minister of Finance would share with this House the analyses done by his department on the impact of his budget on employment.
Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance and Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development-Quebec
Mr. Speaker, when Reform members asked me practically the same question, I offered to sit down with them and, of course, with Bloc members to share all our analyses and all our information, so that we can work together on solving our financial problems.
I would be pleased to share with the hon. member our information on the impact of our measures on employment because we are very proud of them; they will really have a significant impact on employment, in comparison with the previous government's record.
I would like to say one thing in closing. All members of the House must be very happy to finally see the Conservative caucus united.
EmploymentOral Questions
The Speaker
I am sure all hon. members would want this exchange to continue, but you have instructed your Speaker to terminate questions. We will now go to the next order of business.
Ronald J. Duhamel Liberal St. Boniface, MB
Mr. Speaker, I was so eager today to reply to the question I was asked that I made a mistake. Instead of $2 million, I should have said $100 million over two years. I am sorry for the mistake. And I should also have mentioned the $120 million that will be spent on other social housing programs.
Myron Thompson Reform Wild Rose, AB
Mr. Speaker, earlier in Question Period I attempted to question the expenditures of the highest office in the land. I would like to know if I could be provided with the standing order that does not permit that. If there is a proper way of doing it I would like to know because I wish to do it in the proper manner.
Point Of OrderOral Questions
The Speaker
The hon. member will have the information at his disposal. My clerks will get the information that is needed for him.
Jean Charest Progressive Conservative Sherbrooke, QC
Mr. Speaker, I want to raise a point of order in relation to question period.
You and other members of the House will have noticed that twice I rose in my place to try to get your attention to put a supplementary question to two questions asked of the Minister of Finance.
I know members of the House would want to remember it has been a practice during question period that if there is a supplementary question to a main question and another supplementary asked by another member, the Speaker recognizes that.
Given the circumstances of the particular role in the House where there are independent members who may want to pursue a matter further, Mr. Speaker, you and the House may want to consider the practice of allowing members to ask a further supplementary question so that Parliament and question period can fulfil their true role of getting to the bottom of a matter and drawing from the government the basic information Canadians are seeking on a specific issue.
I wanted to raise that matter on one specific point of order. I will stop here, but I do have another point of order I want to raise in relation to an answer the Minister of Finance gave to my question.
Point Of OrderOral Questions
The Speaker
With regard to the point of order the member raised, I am sure all hon. members would realize the Chair is always guided by the House. I would imagine on every question posed the Chair could recognize a member saying: "supplementary".
The Chair is trying to be as fair as possible in the distribution of questions. I am sure the hon. member, who is a veteran of the House, will realize where it is possible for the Speaker to accommodate members I will do my utmost to do so and see that they are recognized.
Alfonso Gagliano Liberal Saint-Léonard, QC
Mr. Speaker, as regards the point of order raised by the hon. member for Sherbrooke, I want to say that I have been here for close to ten years and it was never the custom to recognize a second or a third supplementary question. A question is asked and then followed by one supplementary.
Also, if the hon. member reads the January 18 issue of Hansard , he will see that not only members from the three recognized parties asked questions during Question Period, but also independent members.
I suggest that hon. member for Sherbrooke come here frequently. I am sure he will get his share of opportunities to rise.
Point Of OrderOral Questions
The Speaker
A point of order was raised about the questions as we have them. We now have a committee on House affairs; it is presently meeting. I am sure all hon. members would want to avail themselves of appearing before the committee if they have changes that could be inaugurated.
I would also ask hon. members to refrain from making any comments about attendance in the House. I know that many times it is inadvertent. I would hope all hon. members would take that into consideration.