Debates of June 6th, 1994

Pearson International Airport

[Sergio Marchi, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

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

As he may know, the hon. Minister of Transport is away from the House of Commons on government business.

I would be more than happy to relay his question directly and try to get a generous and accurate response to the member as soon as possible.

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a supplementary question.

In anticipation of the response, would the minister assure the House-

[The Speaker]

We cannot have hypothetical questions or answers, nor hypothetical reception of answers that are not given.

Fédération Des Femmes Du Québec

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Deputy Prime Minister. The chairperson of the Fédération des femmes du Québec has sounded the alarm about the situation of women groups in Canada. These groups have not yet received the $9 million grant they were promised.

Will the Deputy Prime Minister see to it that her government fulfils its commitment and grant $9 million to the various organizations which protect the interests of Canadian and Quebec women?

[Maurizio Bevilacqua, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her question and I can tell her the reason why the funding has not been made available yet is that the federation did not give us the evaluation reports at the time it should have.

Obviously this matter will be resolved as soon as the evaluations are evaluated.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, will the Deputy Prime Minister recognize that the delay in the payment of the federal grant jeopardizes the operation of these women groups, including the Fédération des femmes du Québec , whose line of credit request was turned down by a financial institution?

[Maurizio Bevilacqua, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, it is extremely important that we review the evaluation but since the hon. member is extremely concerned about the government's commitment to women, a quick reading of the budget will illustrate to the hon. member that women's programs were not cut.

Foreign Affairs

[Eugène Bellemare, Liberal, Carleton—Gloucester, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we have learned that a Canadian Hercules aircraft was attacked yesterday in Kigali.

Can the Minister of National Defence inform this House on the status of the Canadian forces airlift operations in Rwanda?

[Fred Mifflin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, in response to the member's question, I wish to inform the House that yesterday, June 5, the Kigali airport came under artillery fire during the unloading of a Hercules aircraft. The operation was ceased and the aircraft took off, returned to its base in safety, and there were no injuries nor any damage to the aircraft.

The airlift has been suspended until the investigation into this incident has been completed and assurances given from both sides that the safety of the airlift operation will be respected.

I also want to inform the House that Canadian forces right now are providing the only airlift into and out of the airport in Kigali and it is the only means of communications right now into and out of Rwanda. I want to report that they have airlifted 1,600 people to safety to date and continue to do their job, as they do in other peacekeeping operations, with professionalism and in this case with outstanding service to an essential operation.

National Forum On Health

[Keith Martin, Reform, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

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

Last week in this House the minister refused to release the terms of reference for the national health forum. The minister said: "The terms of reference of the forum will be released when we are ready to release them".

If the minister is truly interested in using the national forum to stimulate a nation-wide debate on the future of our health care system which is currently falling to pieces, why is she unwilling to release the terms of reference?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, we are trying to work as closely as possible with the provinces in order to accommodate their role.

It is very important that we do our very best to make sure they participate in this forum, to make sure it is as effective as we would like it to be. We will be releasing the terms of reference very shortly.

[Keith Martin, Reform, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this health forum seems to be a bit of a farce. The Prime Minister says one thing, the Minister of Health says something else. The terms of reference were supposed to be released. They have not been.

What, if anything, specifically does the minister know about this health forum? What are its terms of reference? When is it going to be?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, as much as the Reform Party would like to set the agenda, we set the agenda. If the hon. member wants to know more about the forum on health perhaps he should read the red book for starters.

We are continuing to negotiate. The Prime Minister and I are working very closely on the health forum because we think it is a very important exercise. We will, when we are ready, release the terms of reference.

Foreign Affairs

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister. After trying for days to convene talks on a permanent ceasefire in the former Yugoslavia, the special envoy of the Secretary General of the United Nations decided yesterday to abandon his efforts aimed at bringing together all of Bosnia's warring factions in Geneva.

Can the Deputy Prime Minister confirm that the United Nations and the great powers have failed in their diplomatic efforts to get the parties involved in the conflict in the former Yugoslavia to negotiate a lasting ceasefire in Bosnia-Hercegovina?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, we are all aware of the diplomatic efforts that are being made. We are also aware that the best way to solve these problems is through negotiations, and that is exactly the avenue that we are pursuing with our Minister of Foreign Affairs.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, can the Deputy Prime Minister tell us if the United Nations and the great powers intend to propose new peace initiatives in Bosnia-Hercegovina?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, obviously the Canadian government is very concerned about the situation there. We are anxious to pursue a negotiated settlement.

We have, along with other members in the United Nations, been sending very strong messages to the belligerents that we would like to see the ceasefire hold. Obviously the foreign minister, who is now in Europe, will be dealing very specifically at the negotiating level with these issues.

Canadian Vietnam Veterans Memorial

[Jack Frazer, Reform, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

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

On Friday the minister said the decision to offer space for the Canadian Vietnam veterans memorial in the capital region is to be taken by the National Capital Commission.

However, we have been told by the NCC that if the minister or cabinet so instructs, the NCC will give permission for such a memorial.

This government has the authority to make this decision if it so desires. Will the minister take action now to ensure that the NCC will make available a site for the Canadian Vietnam veterans memorial?

[Albina Guarnieri, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to take note of the member's question and will relay his request to the minister.

[Jack Frazer, Reform, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to make it plain that over 10,000 Canadians served in the American forces in Vietnam; hundreds of them lost their lives.

Canadians have placed a memorial at Arlington to honour Americans who served in the Canadian Armed Forces during the second world war. We would like the minister to allow Americans to honour Canadians who served with the American forces in Vietnam.

Fisheries

[Derek Wells, Liberal, South Shore, NS]

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

In recent days questions have arisen about the tuna fishery and especially about Japanese involvement in this fishery.

Does this government intend to permit a Japanese tuna fishery in 1994 in Canadian waters?

[Brian Tobin, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, the panel on the use of foreign vessels in Canadian waters, otherwise known as the Harris panel, met in Halifax last week and heard representation from appropriate members of the appropriate gear sectors in Nova Scotia. The panel's advice or recommendations will be forthcoming to me in the next few days at which time I will make a decision.

Let me remind the House that the Japanese have been taking a share of an international tuna quota in Canadian waters with Canadian consent since 1977. Canada enjoys an excellent relationship with the people and government of Japan. All of this will be taken into consideration in making our decision this year.

Tobacco Advertising

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

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

On May 31 last, the Minister announced that the government would allocate $55 million for the development of an advertising campaign aimed mostly at young people to make them aware of the damaging effects of tobacco.

Can the Minister of Health tell us whether the government intends to call for tenders for a $55 million advertising contract, or are we to understand that the McKim Communications agency will be responsible for this advertising campaign through the extension of its previous contract?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, for the moment, we are working with our provincial counterparts and with anti-tobacco groups to develop a campaign which will really do the job we want it to do. We have not yet decided how we will proceed.

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, before investing $55 million in a new advertising campaign with an agency very well known to the Minister of Human Resources Development, what new guarantees of success does the Minister now have, since the last campaign, as she admitted herself, has been a complete failure?