Debates of May 27th, 1994

Young Offenders Act

[Elwin Hermanson, Reform, Kindersley—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I think my concerns are being verified with the suggestion that perhaps age will not be dealt with promptly and that is of course a major concern of Canadians.

The minister has said that he has received correspondence, and we know that he has a paper called "Toward Safer Communities". The minister has invited public submissions on judicial reform in this effort.

I would invite the minister to table these letters before the House so that all members can review the suggestions that Canadians have offered to the Minister of Justice. Would he table these responses?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to provide the hon. member or any other member of the House with copies of suggestions I have received about the Young Offenders Act.

I can warn the hon. member that I have received quite a few suggestions for changes to the Young Offenders Act. Last month my office received 12,000 letters from Canadians and many of

them dealt with this issue. I would be happy to share those letters with the hon. member or any other member of this House.

Indian Affairs

[André Caron, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

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

After trees were cut in the Oka pine grove, the Kanesatake band council yesterday authorized removing the pavement from a private road leading to the golf course, in order to expand the Indian cemetery. The Mayor of Oka called this action a provocation.

Does the Minister of Indian Affairs, who is the guardian of the Mohawks' rights, intend to intervene directly with the Kanesatake band council to convince it to stop the work and to follow through the negotiation process which he just set up and entrusted to Michel Robert?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.

In the past four or five weeks, I had several meetings with Christos Sirros, the official in charge for the Province of Quebec, with people who want to sell their homes south of highway 344, with the Chief of Kanesatake and with my Cabinet colleagues.

We have been working diligently to calm the situation and I think we have. Moreover, on the property south of 344, which had been raised several times by hon. members opposite-

-a decision was made. The federal government will buy the houses south of highway 344.

I am sure he will be happy with that. We have looked at the grievances of the people in the area. We think they are legitimate. They should not be responsible for the drop in value of their houses. It was not their doing. We have authorized the federal negotiator to proceed in an orderly fashion to negotiate with them at pre-Oka prices, to negotiate with Kanesatake on most of the issues and we are hoping to bring the matter under control and calm the matter. I am sure that is what all members want, to bring the matters under control in a reasonable manner.

[André Caron, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, can the minister tell us exactly and directly what measures he has specifically taken to stop the cutting of trees in the pine grove and the work on the golf course road?

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

Mr. Speaker, I was running out of time. I am glad you asked me that.

We are working with the peacemakers in the other two First Nations to come in and give a hand. We are working with the RCMP and with the Sûreté, but mostly we are working with the people of Kanesatake. It serves no useful purpose to do these inflammatory things.

Oka served no purpose at all that helped the people. I am going to do my best and my officials will do their best, so will our negotiator and mediator, to convince the people of Kanesatake that is not the way to proceed.

If they want to help the people, the leadership there has to be more calm in the situation. We are making progress and I hope to report in the next couple of weeks.

[The Speaker]

Just a simple reminder. It has been a long week. All questions and answers should be directed to the Speaker.

Canadian International Development Agency

[Bob Mills, Reform, Red Deer, AB]

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

Yesterday we questioned the government on both the accountability and the effectiveness of CIDA. Contrary to what the parliamentary secretary has told us, the Auditor General did not praise CIDA with a glowing report as was suggested.

The Auditor General exposed serious deficiencies in CIDA; for example, a poor managerial system, a lack of focus, conflicting objectives, not to mention a lack of accountability. Will the minister now make a commitment that CIDA will become responsible to Parliament through real legislation?

[Jesse Flis, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for that question.

As I mentioned yesterday, although maybe I did not make it too clear, CIDA is responsible to Parliament and very accountable through the annual estimates. The committee on foreign affairs and international trade can call the appropriate ministers before it. We can question the ministers and the bureaucracy of CIDA through the estimates.

I mentioned yesterday that the Auditor General's office did audit three CIDA projects in three Asian countries. It chose three countries because it thought they would reflect the rest of the countries.

In its report it had some severe criticisms of CIDA, et cetera, but what I want to stress is when the Auditor General and the director of CIDA appeared before the accounts committee and the foreign affairs committee, the Auditor General praised CIDA for how quickly it acted to the recommendations of the Auditor General.

[Bob Mills, Reform, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we appreciate that response but I still think it comes down to legal accountability to the House.

It is one thing to say that the accounts are there, but I think all of us realize how difficult it is to really look at those and to really analyse those as to the costs.

Can the minister commit to making a legal accountability directly to the House?

[Jesse Flis, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know how more authoritarian one can make an accountability than through Parliament which is elected by the people of Canada. That is the ultimate accountability.

I welcome the hon. member's intervention. He and I are on the foreign affairs committee and, as he knows, we are doing an in depth foreign policy review. I hope he will raise that in committee again-he has already-so that the committee can take that under consideration when it is making its report to the government.

Sales Tax

[Pierre Brien, Bloc, Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. Last May 12, the opposition asked the Minister of Finance if he could confirm whether negotiations were under way with provincial governments to combine provincial sales taxes and the GST into a single national sales tax. The minister replied, and I quote: "The answer is no".

Yet, we recently learned from the Canadian Press that a task force of federal and provincial officials was set up last March to try to establish a single national sales tax.

Does the minister not realize that he misled Quebecers and Canadians by stating that no negotiations were under way with provincial governments to create a single tax, when in fact a federal-provincial task force has been looking at the issue since last March?

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

Not at all, Mr. Speaker. First, we have always said clearly that we believe, like the vast majority of consumers and businesspeople, that harmonizing federal and provincial sales taxes was desirable.

I am sure the hon. member realizes that discussions are always taking place between federal and provincial officials. There are many issues and we certainly have to get ready for the report of the GST committee, on which the hon. member sat. I certainly hope that my officials and those working for the other ministers of Finance are getting ready for that report!

[Pierre Brien, Bloc, Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, if provincial sales taxes and the GST were replaced with a single tax, do the federal government and the Minister of Finance realize that they would be encroaching on Quebec's jurisdiction and directly interfering with its fiscal autonomy?

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

Mr. Speaker, again I say not at all, and the hon. member knows it full well since he worked rather hard on that issue. What we are trying to do is to give consumers and businesspeople across Canada, including Quebec, what they want.

By setting up an harmonized tax we are certainly not invading an area of provincial jurisdiction. This is merely an administrative agreement between two levels of government to better serve Canadians.

Indian Affairs

[Dave Chatters, Reform, Athabasca, AB]

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

On May 5 the minister stated: "The next legislation that will be before the House dealing with aboriginal people will clearly show that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms will apply".

Last week at the Liberal convention here in Ottawa the justice minister said: "Individual rights of natives under self-government need not be guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms".

Will the minister of Indian affairs affirm that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms will apply to any legislation regarding aboriginal people?

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

Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the Minister of Justice said last week. I know that the Minister of Justice did say in the House to a question a week or so ago that the charter of rights should apply, and in the supplementary said clearly the charter of rights will apply.

The legislation that will be tabled will not specifically mention the charter of rights but will be pursuant to the Constitution of Canada which encompasses the charter of rights and the charter of rights will apply.

[Dave Chatters, Reform, Athabasca, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a supplementary question.

Many Canadians would judge that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms perhaps goes to the very heart of what being a Canadian is and why Canada is such a desirable place to live. If we would allow different versions of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms for different groups of Canadians we would perhaps destroy what it means to really be a Canadian.

Will the minister of Indian affairs state that the same charter will apply to all Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is talking to the wrong minister. I agree with him entirely. There is one charter. There are certain basic rights that are common to most people and cherished by most people. I cherish them and I am sure the hon. member does, as he has so stated. I agree with him.

Canada's French-Speaking Community

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadiennes complained about the federal government's indifferent attitude and asked the government to do what it is supposed to do. A tall order, Mr. Speaker!

So far, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has responded rather contemptuously by dismissing the executive of the Federation as a bunch of malcontents.

My question is directed to the Acting Prime Minister. Considering the ravages of assimilation and the widening income gap between francophones and anglophones, would the Acting Prime Minister agree that instead of attacking francophones who invited the leader of the opposition to explain his position, his government should concentrate on implementing a comprehensive policy for the development of Canada's French-speaking community, as requested by the Federation?

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

Mr. Speaker, we are focusing our efforts on keeping this country together, and that is the best way to prevent the assimilation of francophones in this country wherever they happen to be.

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

Mr. Speaker, as it pursues this objective, does the government intend to act on a request from the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadiennes to create a central agency responsible for implementing a comprehensive policy for the French-speaking community? Yes or no? People are waiting for an answer.

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

Mr. Speaker, we already have a central agency. We have the federal government which stands up for the rights of all Canadians everywhere in this country, not like the Bloc québécois.

The Economy

[Sarkis Assadourian, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

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

Canada is beginning to see some improvement in its economy due to the promises of the government. Canadians are still worried, however, about reports of uncertainty in the financial markets and concerned over the highly unacceptable unemployment rate.

Would the Minister of Finance tell us what steps the government is taking to improve prospects for Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member not only on his question and his tremendous interest in this matter but on his analysis of the reasons.

I simply point out that the member's position is shared by many others. Today the Conference Board of Canada released a report stating that Canada's economy would outperform all other G-7 members over the next two years.

The Conference Board's report is similar in this respect to a report by the International Monetary Fund which recently said that as far as growth and productivity are concerned, Canada will rank ahead of all G-7 countries.

I must say the member demonstrates as well how much he is a true Liberal when he raises the issue of unemployment. The government is dedicated to creating jobs for Canadians. That is why the 115,000 jobs we created are so important. Our social program reform and the rollback in UI premiums-