Debates of May 31st, 1994

National Forum On Health

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, frankly, it is a word I have been hearing in this House since 1963. Every time members want to speak against the federal government, they say it wants to centralize, when there has been such a major decentralization that Canada has become one of the most decentralized countries, like Switzerland. But we are still willing to look at suggestions. We have a national health act passed by this Parliament, which requires us to offer free, universal and publicly administered health-care services so that we do not have hospitals for the rich and other hospitals for the poor. That is the goal we will continue to pursue with the conference on health that I will chair.

Correctional Service Canada

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Solicitor General.

I have in my possession lists of prisoners in federal penitentiaries that are receiving old age security, Canada pension plan and GST rebates. Among these lists are murderers, rapists and thieves that get room and board, education and recreational facilities in addition to old age security.

These are better benefits than many senior citizens are receiving. Could the Solicitor General explain to Canadians, in particular the senior citizens of our country, why in the world the government treats criminals better than our senior citizens?

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

Mr. Speaker, this issue is one that I am looking at in the context of updating and improving our parole and correctional system.

In the meantime, contrary to the suggestions of the Reform Party, I do not think our senior citizens would like to be put in prison.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that one stupid answer deserves another stupid question, but I will not do that.

[The Speaker]

Order. I would ask the hon. member to put his supplementary question.

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

Mr. Speaker, in the investigation and research the Solicitor General is doing I would like to ask if the Solicitor General would act and stand in the House today to eliminate this entitlement, or at least charge them for the meals they receive, their racquetball usage, the swimming pool or tennis court usage, or their room usage.

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

Mr. Speaker, again I repeat this is an issue I am looking at in connection with the tightening up of the parole and correctional system.

I also want to say the hon. member has proven that while I do not attempt to give stupid answers it does not prevent me from receiving stupid questions.

[The Speaker]

Perhaps hon. members could refrain from using adjectives which might inflame one another.

Right To Education In French

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister. Yesterday, the Deputy Prime Minister justified the decision of the Kingston city council to block the construction of a French-language high school by stating, and I quote:

-city council decided to oppose the relocation of the school. The proposed site was only steps away from a dangerous toxic waste treatment site-

Yet, a verification reveals that this dangerous toxic waste treatment site simply does not exist.

Does the Prime Minister endorse the statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister, who justified the decision of the Kingston city council by using reasons which, as we now know, do not exist?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Kingston Roman Catholic Separate School Board unanimously supported the idea of building a school in an appropriate location, but the proposed site is deemed inadequate by the municipality.

Based on the information I received, that location is used as a dump.

[An hon. member]

That is not true!

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Listen. I am saying that the school board is in favour of building a French-language school. They want to find the best possible site. They are considering two or three locations. This is an issue which concerns Kingston city officials and the Department of Education in Toronto. It is not a federal issue.

I want to emphasize that I asked if there was any objection to building a French-language school in Kingston. I was told: Absolutely not! We want such a school as soon as possible and in the best possible location.

I was given the assurance that a site would be found very soon.

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

Mr. Speaker, the site already exists, but they want to change the zoning to allow a company to build a treatment plant, instead of the school. Those are the facts which should have been told to the Prime Minister. Mr. Speaker, francophones have paid $4.2 million; yes, $4.2 million!

Will the Prime Minister personally take action to ensure that francophones in this country are treated fairly?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I am deeply moved to see Bloc Quebecois members care about francophones outside Quebec, considering that they want to isolate them completely by promoting Quebec's separation.

I am prepared to pledge that a French-language school will soon be built in Kingston.

Fisheries

[Ron MacDonald, Liberal, Dartmouth, NS]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.

Just two weeks ago in a rare expression of unanimity, this House passed legislation enabling Canada to take enforcement action against flags of convenience and stateless vessels pilfering our fish stocks just outside the 200-mile limit.

On Friday cabinet approved regulations that are in effect today which give force to this law. Does the Prime Minister believe these measures will be effective in dealing with this problem? When does the government intend to use these powers to rid our continental shelf of these high seas pirates?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the regulations were proclaimed and are in force today.

After a quick check all ships under flags of convenience or pirate ships have left the area because they do not want to face the wrath of my excellent minister of fisheries.

Federal Grants

[Darrel Stinson, Reform, Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

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

Over the weekend, the Alberta Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting in Red Deer. One of the proposals put forward at that meeting was that the Alberta and federal governments should refrain from making any new grants or loan guarantees to business. This proposal should really come as no surprise to anyone who has followed the pathetic tales of Gainers or NovoTel, to name just two examples of public money gone bad in Alberta.

Is the minister prepared to accept the Alberta Chamber of Commerce's suggestion to refrain from making any new grants or loan guarantees to business?

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

Mr. Speaker, as the member knows the entire question of grants and subsidies to business is under review. We have severely cut back already. A number of the regional agencies have gone to loans and no more grants.

The member however will also recognize that the way the federal government carries its accounts a number of matters appear under grants or subsidies to business which of course involve agriculture and transportation or certain corporations having to do with access to foreign markets.

The basic concept that the government should get out of the way and let business do its job, which is to create jobs, provided this country essentially has a structure that will let them do so is one we share.

[Darrel Stinson, Reform, Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the minister's answer.

I would suggest that the minister grab on the suggestion from the Alberta Chamber of Commerce strongly. Chamber members themselves have stated they want a level playing field and government handouts often distort competition rather than help business. I would like the minister to guarantee that he will look at the suggestion from the Alberta Chamber of Commerce.

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

Mr. Speaker, we most certainly will look at the suggestion from the Alberta Chamber of Commerce. We have already met. As the minister for western diversification can say, he has already brought in a great deal of that philosophy for example in terms of the way he is dealing with small business.

I do share that philosophy. However I would simply ask the member to understand when he talks about a level playing field, that level playing field we have to establish is not one which simply exists within Canada but one which exists in Canada vis-à-vis the rest of the world. We want to make sure Canadian companies are not penalized when they compete with the markets in the rest of the world. We are going to make sure that happens.

Hepatitis C

[Pierre De Savoye, Bloc, Portneuf, QC]

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

We have repeatedly asked the minister in the House whether she intends to act responsibly and make arrangements to inform people infected with Hepatitis C of their condition and the risk of transmitting the disease to others. The minister tends to evade the issue while the lives of thousands of Canadians are in danger.

Has the minister finally realized that her first duty is to inform people who may have been infected in order to slow down the development of the disease and stop its transmission?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I always take my responsibilities very seriously, but the government has several partners. I have to work with the Red Cross and the provincial governments, and we each have to do our share.

Regarding the hon. member's question, this issue is mainly a matter of provincial jurisdiction. Does the hon. member for the Bloc Quebecois really want me to take the responsibility for telling the provinces what they should do? On all other issues, the Bloc québécois says: "Do not interfere in matters that come under provincial jurisdiction, and we even intend to leave this country to make sure that will not happen".

That being said, I will continue to work with all the parties concerned.

[Pierre De Savoye, Bloc, Portneuf, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister lets the provinces take the blame, and meanwhile, the lives of thousands of people are at stake.

When will the minister realize that the problem is at this level, that it must be solved at this level and that she is responsible for doing so?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, they change their tune when it suits them.

I can inform the House that hepatitis has been found in the blood supply since the 1940s. In 1990, a way was found to test blood for Hepatitis C. Since that time, all prospective donors are tested. Although many people give blood, it was found that, in a given year, the number of people who tested positive for Hepatitis C was 0.3 per cent.

Fisheries

[John Cummins, Reform, Delta, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

It would appear we are poised on the brink of a salmon war on Canada's west coast. I would like to know what steps the government has taken to ensure that Canada's salmon stocks are not decimated by this action.