Debates of March 17th, 1994

The Globe And Mail

[Laurent Lavigne, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Globe and Mail carried a report filled with sensationalism unworthy of a serious daily newspaper. On page one of its Report on Business section, the Globe linked the explosion of a home-made bomb at the base of a hydro pylon tower to a lowering of the value of our dollar.

The Globe also took advantage of the opportunity to keep alive the fear of its readers by brandishing the threat of those ``bad separatists'' in Quebec.

The Canadian dollar, which has lost close to 4 per cent of its value since January, is affected by a whole slew of factors, of which the appalling state of the nations finances is certainly not the least.

For the benefit of this House, I would like to inform the Globe and Mail that yesterday the dollar closed up, despite the discovery of numerous acts of vandalism against Hydro-Québec facilities.

Apple Growers

[Jim Hart, Reform, Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt, BC]

Mr. Speaker, world renowned Okanagan valley red Delicious apples are a major crop in my riding of Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt.

This industry is also a major employer in the area. Recently apple growers have been threatened by the dumping of apples into Canada at prices below the American growers' cost of production. This not only affects Okanagan growers but apple producers across Canada.

Unless fair trade provisions under the current Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement are enforced, our apple producers may soon be forced out of business.

On behalf of the growers in my riding, I call on this government to immediately protect Canadian apple producers before severe damage is done to this important industry.

Canada Pension Plan

[John Harvard, Liberal, Winnipeg—St. James, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned about the distribution of survivors' benefits under the Canada Pension Plan.

A surviving spouse can be either a legal or a common law spouse to qualify for the survivor's benefit. A common law spouse must have been living in a conjugal relationship for at least one year. This is controversial because often a common law spouse gets all the survivor's benefits after a brief relationship. Meanwhile the legal spouse who was part of perhaps a much longer relationship gets absolutely nothing. This is just not fair. The government has already established the principle of dividing pension credits.

In 1978 provisions were introduced into the CPP providing for the division of pension credit on divorce or annulment. In 1987 this was extended to marriage breakdown resulting from separation.

I urge the government to apply this principle to split survivors' benefits for legal spouses. Surely if this principle is sound for one, it is sound for another.

Jeanne Sauvé Award

[Albina Guarnieri, Liberal, Mississauga East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in June 1993 the Department of Canadian Heritage established the Jeanne Sauvé award for women in communications in memory of the former Governor General of Canada who had a long and distinguished career in media and in federal politics.

The award entitles recipients to a three-month internship with the Department of Canadian Heritage to gain first-hand knowledge of how policy and legislation are developed in the federal government. The award program is administered in conjunction with Canadian Women in Radio and Television.

On behalf of the Department of Canadian Heritage I congratulate Jeanne Sauvé award recipients Susan Brinton, Manager of Business Affairs with Canwest Global, and Kirsten Embree, Director of Regulatory matters for Unitel.

I welcome them most heartily and I hope that they will find their stay interesting and informative.

Aluminum Industry

[André Caron, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as the member of Parliament for Jonquière, I wish to inform this House that a committee of aluminum workers laid off by Alcan was set up, with a membership of 500. This committee has contacted the Prime Minister to let him know how disappointed it was because the federal government seems to pay little attention to those affected by unemployment in the aluminum industry.

These unemployed workers are asking for investments from Alcan in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region in return for the privilege of using the hydro-electric power of our rivers. They also ask for job creation to be promoted by limiting overtime.

These workers denounce Canada's financial support for the construction and modernization of aluminum plants in South Africa and Russia while Canadian aluminum workers are being laid off. The committee therefore asks the government to develop consistent economic and employment policies.

Members Of Parliament

[John Williams, Reform, St. Albert, AB]

Mr. Speaker, what seems to be happening in this House is most disquieting.

I believe that millions of Canadians share my very deep concern that certain members opposite are trying to undermine, perhaps even destroy, the reasons and ideas on which this place is built.

The result is that ideas, honest and vigorous exchanges and debate are being stifled by certain members opposite who label their opponents racist, redneck, bigoted and prejudiced.

It is a habit of certain members opposite to stand in this House and hurl insults or to go outside this House and amplify their remarks to the media.

Canadians want to know why the Prime Minister tolerates this behaviour. Does he truly believe that is Liberalism? Does he believe that this is what is called democracy?

St. Patrick's Day

[John Murphy, Liberal, Annapolis Valley—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, today millions of people around the world are celebrating St. Patrick's Day. It is a day when our thoughts turn to our faith, shamrocks and the wearing of the green.

For me this is a special day. It is a chance to reflect on and celebrate my heritage and the important role our Irish ancestors have played here in Canada.

Irish people, like my family and those throughout this land, have made a significant contribution to help keep Canada whole.

In the mid-1800s thousands of Irish immigrants fleeing famine and poverty came to Canada for a better life. Many settled in Nova Scotia and the Annapolis Valley and helped make it the very special place it is today.

To paraphrase a famous saying, it is on a day like today when we realize there are only two types of people in the world, those who are Irish and those who wish they were Irish.

South Africa

[Jesse Flis, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, two years ago today South Africa made a bold choice to end the system of apartheid and instead embark upon democracy.

As Canadians we can take a great deal of pride in the fact that Canada has always stood on the forefront of international efforts aimed at promoting change in South Africa. We can also be proud of the fact that Canada is continuing assistance during the national elections taking place in South Africa on April 26.

Our Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa will lead a delegation of election monitors and observers which will be necessary in order to ensure a free and fair vote.

I wish the Canadian delegation every success and hope that all of South Africa puts violence aside and in the interest of peace takes part in the democratic process.

Standing Committee On Agriculture And Agri-Food

[Bob Speller, Liberal, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate members from all sides of this House who came together in an agriculture committee this week.

This committee, which I chair, deals with a very important issue called BST which is bovine somatotropin. It is an issue that divided a number of members who had a number of different views. However, for the first time since I have been in this House we had a committee that worked across party lines and came up with what I believe to be some very concrete recommendations to this government.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, the rules in this House have been changed to allow all committees more say in their agenda and the setting of their agenda and more power in making stronger recommendations to government.

I thank the Prime Minister and the leaders of all parties for giving individual members of Parliament more powers through our committees and more ability to work together in this House.

Child Support Income

[Randy White, Reform, Fraser Valley West, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is tax time once again and I implore the Minister of Finance to change the laws affecting the taxation of child support income.

A woman named Joan from my riding of Fraser Valley West is about to lose her home because she is being forced to pay $1,300 in income tax this year on the child support money she receives from her ex-husband. Joan makes only $9,800 a year in personal income and receives $12,000 a year in child support payments to raise her children. She has to claim child support as taxable income while her ex-husband, who has already paid income tax on the money, gets to claim the child support as a tax deduction.

Joan says the government is literally taking food out of her children's mouths and she will have to move out of her home to pay the tax bill. I agree with Joan and thousands of single mothers like her. It is simply not fair.

Human Rights

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

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

In a surprising statement, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has announced that Canada will no longer tie Canadian foreign assistance to a country's human rights record. In so doing, the government is casting aside the policy announced at the 1991 Commonwealth Summit in Zimbabwe and later reaffirmed at the Francophone Summit in Dakar, a policy which ties Canadian foreign assistance to respect for human rights.

Are we to understand from the minister's statement that the government had a sudden change of heart and decided that from now on business comes first, even if it means willingly ignoring systematic human rights abuse in countries under dictatorial rule, just to establish trade relations with these countries?

[André Ouellet, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian government obviously has no intention of turning a blind eye to human rights abuse which may be reported in a certain number of countries around the world.

In the speech I made before the House, and in the presence of the Leader of the Opposition, I very clearly expressed the desire to pursue, but in a different way, our goal of getting all countries to respect these most fundamental civil rights. I also stated that it was not wise or appropriate to sever our ties with countries which may not pursue the same democratic goals as we do.

The Leader of the Opposition knows full well that we are confronted with high unemployment which has to be dealt with, that our government's priorities are economic recovery and job creation and that, consequently, part of our economic recovery plan depends on greater efforts to promote international trade.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the problem is not with the minister's speech in this House, because it was an excellent speech espousing a very generous vision of Canada's contribution to restoring a kind of balance between countries of the South and the North. We even praised the minister for his magnanimous remarks. The problem is the surprise we had on hearing the minister say one thing outside this House, whereas he had said the opposite in this chamber. Outside the House, the minister said that Canada's trade policy was not tied to the issue of human rights.

I would like to know if the minister recognizes that this new policy, which he defined outside the House-because there are two policies, one for the House, and one for outside the House-would not have allowed Canada to take part in the trade embargo which ultimately brought about an end to apartheid in South Africa. Furthermore, should we expect Canada to ease the trade sanctions imposed on Haiti to force the return of President Aristide?

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[André Ouellet, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I see that Bloc members are applauding their leader for expressing a desire to support President Aristide. They are well aware that the government is stepping up its efforts to bring about the Haitian President's return to his country as soon as possible. Therefore, in response to the opposition leader's question, obviously we will not yield on the sanctions issue. We will continue to push for President Aristide's return to his country.

As for the other part of his question, as to whether what I said in this House differs from my statement outside the Chamber, I want to thank the Leader of the Opposition for praising my speech in the House. However, I would remind him that one should always proceed with caution and check to see if the newspapers have reported all, and not just some, of the facts.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, never in my five years in politics have I denied statements which the print media ascribed to me. I am not one of those who deny statements which the newspapers attribute to us.

Mr. Speaker, there appear to be two policies, one for poor countries which are guilty of human rights violations-and here, Canada takes a very harsh stand-and another for wealthy countries which are also guilty of human rights violations. In their case, however, the government turns a blind eye.

Does the Prime Minister not recognize that the Minister of Foreign Affairs was laying the groundwork for his trip to China, a wealthy country, when he made this statement outside the House? Could it be that the Prime Minister, in an attempt to restrict the focus of his trip to China to trade issues, was hoping not to have to deal with the human rights issue in China, even though dissidents have been waging an admirable fight to bring democracy to that country?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken with the President of China and each time Canada has diplomatic contacts with the Chinese, we remind them that we are not pleased with the human rights situation in their country. However, this does not mean that we will not do business with them.

If the hon. Leader of the Opposition is telling us that we should have nothing to do with China, then we will take note of his position. However, if we refuse to do business with every country having a political system that is not to our liking, then we will not be doing business with very many countries. We are monitoring the human rights situation in China, but it is equally important-and this may be the best way to improve human rights in countries such as this-that we do business with them to open the country up to the world. This is the way to achieve democracy. This is precisely what happened with the Soviet Union. When the Soviets finally understood that human rights and democratic freedoms, as enjoyed by the Western world, were the right choice, that is when the Berlin Wall crumbled.

Publishing Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

According to information received from the publishing industry Mr. Ward Pitfield, who was in charge of the Ginn Publishing file at CIDC, admitted last January to an attorney for Canada Publishing that CIDC did not intend to sell Ginn Publishing. Then a week later CIDC sold Ginn to Paramount. Furthermore Mr. Pitfield confirmed recently that he had never seen a written contract between CIDC and Paramount.

Is the Minister of Canadian Heritage aware of the fact that Mr. Pitfield, the representative of CIDC on the board of directors of Ginn Publishing, has never seen a contract of sale between CIDC and Paramount, and can the minister tell us whether or not the deal has effectively been completed?

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the question put by the hon. member of Rimouski-Témiscouata was intended to scare me.

I will continue in English as she used the other official language.

I take note of the information that was provided by someone and I am going to look into it.

The CIDC, according to the information I have, and I have checked, was determined to sell Ginn for reasons which I have considered and which appear to me to be legitimate reasons.

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

Mr. Speaker, the president of Canada Publishing has informed me today that his publishing company is willing to acquire control of Ginn Publishing for the same price offered by Paramount. In these circumstances, is the Minister of Canadian Heritage

prepared to stop the deal between CIDC and Paramount with regard to Ginn Publishing?

[Doug Peters, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, the government made a legal obligation some while back. It was committed by the previous government to complete the sale to Paramount. The legal obligation was there.

I might add, however, that it was made in January 1989 when the secretary of state in the cabinet of the previous government happened to be the current Leader of the Opposition.

Aboriginal Self-Government

[Preston Manning, Reform, Calgary Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

The minister has been consistently unable to define the government's vision of aboriginal self-government except to refer to vague generalities in the red book. I ask the minister, whatever new order of government is negotiated with aboriginals, can he assure the House that the spirit and the letter of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms will be respected?

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

Mr. Speaker, certainly.

[Preston Manning, Reform, Calgary Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for that assurance.

As the minister knows the Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees everyone: aboriginal, non-aboriginals, Reformers, even the member for Athabasca, freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression.

How tragic it would be if a House which professes a profound respect for the charter would become the place where anyone who questions language policy is accused of being anti-Quebec, where anyone who questions immigration levels is denounced as being anti-immigrant and where anyone who questions a non-existent aboriginal policy is denounced as anti-Indian.

Why should Canadians believe any of the minister's assurances regarding respect for the charter when he denounces members of Parliament who disagree with him as racist and rednecks.

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

Mr. Speaker, throughout the campaign and our four months here it is apparent we have a different philosophy and it usually involves groups at risk, whether it is linguistic groups in the province of Ontario where we have a half million francophones, whether it is women, whether it is aboriginal people or whether it is multicultural groups or whether it is what we talked about yesterday.

I am not questioning freedom of expression. You are invited to make the expression. But certainly you cannot disagree with my right to disagree with your freedom of expression.