Debates of March 10th, 1994

Publishing Industry

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, it is not customary in this House to make accusations against people whom one names. I would not want to either make an accusation or name names, but there are dates. The date is 1992. And I believe that I said that the ministerial responsibility must be borne by those who held the portfolios in question in 1992.

Of course, this is a complicated and sensitive issue. I have already expressed my opinion on this subject. I think that some decisions were made. We had to follow up on those decisions. That is what we did, to the benefit of the publishing industry in Canada.

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

He is all mixed up, read my career.

[Gaston Leroux, Bloc, Richmond—Wolfe, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a minister is confused-

[The Speaker]

Order. The hon. member for Rimouski-Témiscouata has the floor.

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC]

Mr. Speaker, how can the minister go on supporting the transaction involving Ginn Publishing when he and his colleague in Industry said yesterday, on leaving the House, that they had never seen the legal opinion of the Department of Justice on which they base their support for this controversial transaction?

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that is not quite what I said. I said that I did not see the contract, since it was an oral one and naturally could not be seen. I said that these oral exchanges leave traces.

I can reassure our colleague. Yes, I saw the opinion that was issued. So I answered her question and I can assure her: I saw the opinion that was issued.

Aboriginal Self-Government

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister of aboriginal and northern affairs.

Yesterday in the House the minister announced that Manitoba would be a test case for aboriginal self-government. Since this will involve tens of thousands of aboriginal people and will ultimately affect all Canadians, will the minister tell the House exactly how he defines self-government for Manitoba's aboriginals?

[Ron Irwin, Liberal, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, that is a difficult question.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Ron Irwin, Liberal, Sault Ste. Marie, ON]

Really. Seriously. I do not analogize numerical superiority with intellectual superiority. I would like to work with my hon. friend because if the Reform Party truly wants self-sufficiency and self-government and self- determination, these are issues that we have to define collectively.

It is not like doing a budget. It is not like altering a figure. It is really altering opinions or mindsets. We want to work together. Consequently, we have entered into what will be extensive discussions with the Manitoba chiefs. They will be difficult, they will be hard. We are not kidding ourselves. But they will be done.

Our commitment to self-government, self-determination and self- sufficiency is in the red book. Because it is difficult does not mean that this government will shy away from it. I hope that my hon. friend will work with us.

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

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that defining self-government may be difficult but when the Government of Canada makes a commitment, an agreement to enter into self-government, I think somebody had better know what agreement they are entering into. That is what we are getting at.

Will the minister tell the House who he is negotiating with and how he is going to let the aboriginal people ratify any final self-government agreement?

[Ron Irwin, Liberal, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

My hon. friend I think should know that there is a system in place through the First Nations, through the assemblies, through the various tribal councils, to do just that.

As we said initially, there will be six months of discussions with these people. As we said, we will do it within a timeframe that is acceptable to the First Nations. It will be done. There will be ratification. It will be done very democratically. I am sure at the end we will collectively have something that my friend will be very proud of as a Canadian.

Goods And Services Tax

[Pierre Brien, Bloc, Témiscamingue, QC]

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

Some economists and tax experts are recommending that the GST be applied to food items. In November 1989, the Liberal opposition said, in a report tabled in this House: "The Liberal members of the Finance committee cannot accept that basic food items be taxed".

Does the minister intend to act upon the recommendation to apply the goods and services tax to the food sector?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance and Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development-Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, I am asked to answer a question which is already being reviewed by a parliamentary committee. As you know, the mandate of that committee is really to listen to Canadians and get their opinion.

It is certainly not the role of the government to tell Canadians that they have no right to express their views. This is one of the fundamental freedoms in our country. I think the committee is doing an excellent job and we support it.

[Pierre Brien, Bloc, Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to know the minister's opinion.

Will the Liberal government immediately rule out taxing food items, as the same Liberals did when they were in opposition?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance and Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development-Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about a committee which includes several colleagues of the hon. member. This committee has a very important role to play before the end of June, when it will table its report. It is not the government's intention to stifle debate. We want this committee to sit and listen to Canadians, and I am surprised to see the hon. member afraid of letting Canadians express themselves.

Peacekeeping

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister and it relates to the position of our Canadian troops in the former Yugoslavia.

It is my understanding that the government's present commitment to retain troops in that area expires on March 31. Will the Prime Minister advise this House whether it is the government's intention to maintain troops in the former Yugoslavia or in the Balkans area after the expiry of our present mandate.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, there will be a statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs later today on this issue.

I would like to inform the House that all the troops have been successfully taken out of Srebrenica. Tonight they will complete their mission very successfully. On behalf of all Canadians I would like to congratulate them. They were in an extremely difficult situation. They have protected the lives of 30,000

Muslims for a long period of time under extremely difficult circumstances.

I am very happy to report to the House that they are out of there.

I also want to say that a press release received just a few moments ago informed us that the Pope had met 50 soldiers from the Royal 22nd Regiment. His Holiness praised them for their efforts to maintain peace in the former Yugoslavia. I think we should also congratulate those soldiers who have gone through very difficult times and who have done an excellent job.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

Gun Control

[Garry Breitkreuz, Reform, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

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

On Friday, March 4 I attended a rally with over 1,200 gun owners in Preeceville, Saskatchewan. They are extremely upset with the government's new gun control regulations.

There are two types of gun owners in Canada: law-abiding citizens and criminals. According to the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics less than one-tenth of one per cent of registered handgun owners commit crimes with guns.

Could the minister explain how putting more controls on responsible gun owners better protects law abiding citizens?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the legislation in place today to ensure the safe use, storage and maintenance of firearms is intended to reflect that firearms are themselves inherently dangerous.

Whether it is the intention of the owner to use it lawfully for proper purposes or otherwise, the fact of the matter is that this government has decided and I believe it is quite correct, that anyone who wishes to acquire or use a firearm should be subject to the reasonable controls in the law today.

In terms of the use of firearms for criminal or improper purposes, we are taking a variety of steps to ensure that does not occur. We are tightening up border controls with respect to illegal smuggling of weapons from the United States.

The hon. member knows our platform has specific proposals for strengthening measures to ensure that criminals do not have weapons in their hands. We will be introducing measures to ensure that occurs so the people of Canada can feel safe from the improper use of firearms.

[Garry Breitkreuz, Reform, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Saskatchewan gun owners are not against safety and training in the use of firearms. They asked me to ask the minister how does putting more restrictions on law abiding and responsible gun owners in any way deter criminals from illegally acquiring these guns?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I have met with chiefs of police in Moncton, Fredericton, Edmonton and last week in my own riding in Etobicoke near Toronto.

Those chiefs of police made the point very forcefully to me that weapons used in criminal offences are often stolen from lawful gun owners who keep them improperly or in insecure circumstances or do not look after them with a reasonable degree of prudence.

The laws, regulations and administrative controls to which the hon. member has referred are intended to bring home to every person in this country who owns a firearm that a reasonable standard of safety and security is required. In that way we can limit the prospect of someone stealing that weapon and using it for criminal purposes.

Trade

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, at the conclusion of a recent visit to Washington, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said that Canada had made a number of major diplomatic concessions to the United States, particularly on the issue of air strikes in Bosnia, the Freedom space station and the North American Free Trade Agreement. The minister expressed the hope that this would have some impact on certain trade issues between our two countries.

Following the incredible, in-your-face ruling of the United States International Trade Commission reversing the decision on softwood lumber reached by a panel of experts, and given that we are facing an unprecedented US offensive with respect to such products as uranium, beer, wheat and steel, does the Minister of International Trade really believe that his colleague, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, has adopted the right strategy?

[Roy MacLaren, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, there are ongoing discussions with the United States on a number of trade issues.

The United States has indicated it intends to pursue the issue of softwood lumber when there is no basis for any further movement by the United States, except to find that the panel's conclusions are correct.

We also have seen progress in recent days on the wheat issue that has separated our two countries. We look forward through the continuing discussions on agricultural issues to a final resolution in that area as well.