House of Commons Hansard #81 of the 35th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was senate.
Marcel Massé LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Mr. Speaker, the object of the ongoing negotiations with the government of Quebec is to adequately solve the issue of the military college in Saint-Jean. It is much more important to find the right solution and solve the problem for good than to make a hasty decision which might leave some issues unresolved.
There is no doubt that the teachers at CMR can find jobs in Kingston and elsewhere, but there is no great need to hurry. The hon. member should not worry about imaginary problems.
Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC
Mr. Speaker, how must we interpret the minister's comments? He says that there is no great need to hurry, but his government is shutting down the military college in Saint-Jean.
After creating all kinds of problems for the region with the unjustified and unjustifiable closure of the college, does the minister not realize that people in Saint-Jean and in Quebec are tired of his apathy, his lack of initiative and his inability to propose any solution to that issue?
Marcel Massé LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Mr. Speaker, getting carried away will not help solve the issue. The military college in Saint-Jean will remain open until the spring of 1995. Consequently, the important thing to do right now is to arrive at a solution which solves all the problems regarding the college, and which meets the needs of both the province of Quebec and the federal government. There is no doubt that the spending cuts which were made in the defence budget have served Canada well, since they allow us to put our budget back in order. This issue is of much greater scope than the problems related to the military college in Saint-Jean.
Preston Manning Reform Calgary Southwest, AB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister.
The Canadian government has already approved a deal to sell helicopters to Columbia and is now considering the sale of coastal frigates to Taiwan. Concerning these sales the Minister of Foreign Affairs said last week that we have a process of reviewing our sales of arms abroad. We are doing it only under very specific conditions and every sale is reviewed carefully before being allowed.
Can the Deputy Prime Minister explain whether the guidelines used in reviewing these sales are the guidelines established and employed by the previous government or whether this is a new set of guidelines developed by the present government?
Raymond Chan LiberalSecretary of State (Asia-Pacific)
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the question. Absolutely no consideration is being given by the government to sales of Canadian patrol frigates to Taiwan right now.
Preston Manning Reform Calgary Southwest, AB
Mr. Speaker, that was an interesting reply but it had nothing to do with my question.
Maybe I can repeat the question. We are simply asking if the guidelines that are being applied to these arms sales are the guidelines that were developed and used by the previous government of which many members were critical or are these new guidelines developed by the current government? If they are, could the parliamentary secretary tell us what they are.
Raymond Chan LiberalSecretary of State (Asia-Pacific)
Mr. Speaker, that is a hypothetical question but I will answer part of it.
The sale of military equipment to Taiwan is subject to standard export control procedures and policies. We consider any such sales on a case by case basis and consistent with our one China policy.
Preston Manning Reform Calgary Southwest, AB
Mr. Speaker, a further supplementary question.
The sale to Columbia involves so-called civilian versions of the Bell model 212 helicopter. This civilian distinction avoids the necessity of gaining approval under federal defence export regulations. Concerns have arisen however because it is relatively easy to convert the model 212 into a military attack vehicle.
In light of these facts can the parliamentary secretary please explain what the guiding philosophy of the government is regarding international sales of arms, especially to countries
like Columbia whose military has a history of human rights violation.
Jesse Flis LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, in the absence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs I am pleased to notify the hon. member that these helicopters are certified as civil by Transport Canada. They are not certified as military helicopters.
This was raised in our foreign affairs review policy by some witnesses. It came out that some of these helicopters will be used to fight the drug trade which is affecting our society in Canada. The hon. member also knows the country has just gone through an earthquake so these helicopters will come in handy for rescue and humanitarian relief.
Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC
Mr. Speaker, the CRTC commissioners, who were unable to reach a consensus, refused to issue a licence for one of the two French-language pay-per-view proposals. This decision was roundly criticized by many parties, including the Government of Quebec, since it would deprive Francophones of an important cultural tool.
How can the Minister of Canadian Heritage justify a decision that is blatantly unfair to Francophones, in Canada and Quebec, when Anglophones have enjoyed a similar service for some time?
Canadian Radio-Television And Telecommunications CommissionOral Question Period
Laval West Québec
Liberal
Michel Dupuy LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, it was not my decision and consequently it requires no justification on my part. I explained yesterday that there was a procedure for parties to appeal or to ask the Government of Canada to refer the decision back to the CRTC for review. I understand that the Quebec Minister of Culture and Communications is interested in taking this route, but I have not yet received official notice from the minister.
Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC
Mr. Speaker, will the minister confirm that this decision came about as a result of a split between the CRTC's Anglophone and Francophone commissioners who were unable to agree on one of two projects, with the Francophones supporting the Chapiteau project from Quebec and the Anglophones favouring the project by Astral, from Toronto?
Canadian Radio-Television And Telecommunications CommissionOral Question Period
Laval West Québec
Liberal
Michel Dupuy LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I explained that I could not judge and be judged. If and when I become the judge, I will have an opinion, but meanwhile I will remain silent.
Ed Harper Reform Simcoe Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance.
In 1987 the Conservative Minister of Finance, Michael Wilson, excluded his home town of Toronto from the list of international banking centres in Canada. The opposition Liberals opposed this exclusion and the mayor of Toronto, now a Liberal cabinet minister, initiated a lawsuit against the federal government. He described the Tory decision as crass politics at its worst.
Will the minister now reverse this unfair Tory decision and designate Toronto as an international banking centre?
Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance and Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development-Quebec
Mr. Speaker, the pros and cons, the benefits of an international banking centre, in fact the whole concept of designating certain areas of the country for specific tax treatment, is something the government has under examination.
When we have completed the examination I will be delighted to respond to the member.
Ed Harper Reform Simcoe Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have a supplementary question.
On Monday the Toronto Star reported that the lawsuit against the government has recently been revived. Will the Liberal government act swiftly to prevent the useless waste of taxpayers' dollars for unnecessary legal defence?
Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance and Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development-Quebec
Mr. Speaker, I will take the question as notice. I thank the government House leader for giving me advice.
Gilbert Fillion Bloc Chicoutimi, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Yesterday in the National Assembly, the Quebec Minister of Culture asked the federal government to review the CRTC's decision on pay-per-view television, in French of course, and I quote: "I would ask my colleague Michel Dupuy to submit to his cabinet a memorandum aimed at persuading the CRTC to review its decision. Pay-per-view is the way of the future-"
Does the Minister of Canadian Heritage intend to act on this urgent request from his Quebec counterpart and will he personally intervene in cabinet, which can instruct the CRTC, as provided under Section 18(1) of the Act-
Canadian Radio-Television And Telecommunications CommissionOral Question Period
The Speaker
The question, please.
Gilbert Fillion Bloc Chicoutimi, QC
Of course, Mr. Speaker. Will the minister have to ask cabinet to change this decision, as provided under Section 18(1) of the Broadcasting Act?
Canadian Radio-Television And Telecommunications CommissionOral Question Period
Laval West Québec
Liberal
Michel Dupuy LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, the answer is substantially what I said in reply to a question from the hon. member for Rimouski-Témiscouata.
I read the papers, of course, including the article that attracted the attention of the hon. member. I said that I was waiting for the Quebec Minister of Culture and Communications to get in touch with me. Yesterday, I mentioned that I had asked for an analysis of the CRTC's decisions. Once I have heard from the minister and the analysis is ready, I will be able to make some decisions.
Canadian Radio-Television And Telecommunications CommissionOral Question Period
The Speaker
The question, please!
Gilbert Fillion Bloc Chicoutimi, QC
Mr. Speaker, on a supplementary. Does the Minister of Canadian Heritage think it is acceptable and fair for the CRTC to have granted eight licences out of ten, all to English-language channels, which means that once again, Francophones will have to pay for channels whose programming does not reflect their cultural interests?
Canadian Radio-Television And Telecommunications CommissionOral Question Period
Laval West Québec
Liberal
Michel Dupuy LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I trust that I expressed myself clearly in French. I said that as soon as the minister is approached for his views on changing the CRTC's decision, the minister becomes a judge and it is therefore inappropriate for the minister who may have to act as a judge to give his views before hearing all sides of the case. That is where the matter stands now, and I hope I made myself sufficiently clear in my answers to previous questions and to the question that was just put.
Ted White Reform North Vancouver, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister.
At a time when social programs are being reviewed because of a lack of funds and health care transfers are being cut back because of a lack of funds, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is still dishing out ridiculous grants like $94,000 to study the resolution of unfinished emotional business with a significant other.
When will the government take action to put an end to this sort of nonsensical waste of taxpayers' money?