Debates of Oct. 24th, 1995

Canada Social Transfer

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

Mr. Speaker, our attitude is reflected in the statements made by the premiers of the other provinces, who not only recognized Ottawa's flexibility but also recognized that the country as a whole wants changes and wants co-operation between the provincial and federal governments, and said so.

Whether the issue is harmonization with the minister responsible for public service renewal, harmonization in regional development or discussions on human resources, all the other provinces are co-operating to improve life for Canadians.

One government refuses to co-operate and will not look for solutions to help its population: it is the separatist PQ government in Quebec.

Canadian Reserves

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence.

It seems that budget cuts are threatening the existence of the Queen's York Rangers, a Canadian reserve unit with a 250-year history. A special commission will report in the next few weeks on the future of Canada's reserves.

Could the minister confirm that no decisions with respect to the future of the reserves will be made before the commission reports?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the Queen's York Rangers is but one of many distinguished regiments that have contributed much over the years to Canada's security with long and noble traditions going back, in the case of the Queen's York Rangers, to the time before Canada became a country in assisting the British in the American revolution.

This heritage is vital to Canada's military preparedness. Earlier this year when we were discussing the rationalizations taking place in national defence I asked Hon. Brian Dickson, former Chief Justice of Canada, to chair the commission on the reserves but in the meantime gave instructions to the department not to effect any changes that would have an impact on reserve regiments until such time as the commission has reported and the parliamentary committee of the House and the Senate reviews the commission's conclusions.

Mining

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley East, BC]

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

Two years ago the minister promised regulatory reform to help industry in Canada. Last December he tabled a report in the House in which he offered specific changes to the mining industry in order to help it some time in 1995.

Will the minister table those reforms now, soon or can the mining industry expect something in its stocking by Christmas?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Industry and I are working very closely with the mining sector to ensure an efficient regulatory system.

Last Thursday my department organized in co-operation with the Mining Association of Canada a regulatory reform workshop which brought together representatives of the Minister of Industry's department, the Department of the Environment, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Department of Transport.

Very constructive recommendations came out of that day-long workshop which we will be working on to ensure that the regulatory regime supports and does not interfere with a viable, productive mining industry.

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I think the day-long workshop is already a two-year workshop. We need action more than just words.

New regulations being considered by the environment department have scared officials within the Minister of Natural Resources' own department so badly that they have leaked a 75-page memo to the press saying, among other things, they are scared to death of what this will do. It may harm the Canadian economy, inflame federal-provincial relations and may even affect Canadian sovereignty.

Will the minister table that 75-page memo in the House and does she share the concern of her officials?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, let me assure the hon. member that neither my officials nor I are scared in relation to what I think he is referring to, the recommendations of the standing committee on the environment.

My commitment as Minister of Natural Resources is to work collaboratively, co-operatively with my colleagues, the Ministers of the Environment, Industry, Fisheries and Oceans, and Transport. At this point I am willing to go on record to the minister that working together we will ensure a regulatory regime that supports the mining industry.

Canada Social Transfer

[André Caron, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

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

Despite the efforts made by the government to keep bad news under wraps until the day after the referendum, we know that unemployment insurance and old age pensions will be affected considerably by federal government cuts.

When the Minister of Finance states that a no will make it possible for Canada to continue to evolve since change is already underway, as he says, is he giving us confirmation that Canada will continue to evolve along the path of cuts to education, health, unemployment insurance, old age pensions on which it has already set out?

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

Mr. Speaker, first of all the Minister of Human Resources Development has indicated very clearly with respect to the whole consultation process on unemployment insurance that it is far from finished, but that our objective is employment insurance, i.e. getting Canadians back to work. That is, moreover, the goal of his reform.

On the other hand, concerning old age security, the Prime Minister has already stated very clearly here in the House that the federal government will never, never do anything to compromise the economic security of our seniors.

[André Caron, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, will the minister admit that the federal government's choice to transfer its enormous deficit to the provinces by cutting Canada social transfer payments promises nothing positive for the future if Quebec were to say no, for Ottawa will be the one to set the national standards and Quebec will have to manage as best it can to apply them, with consequences one can well imagine for social programs?

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

First of all, Mr. Speaker, with respect to the Canada social transfer, it is very clear that the national standards involved are the principles of health insurance, to which Quebecers strongly subscribe. Secondly, a great deal of flexibility has been built in to allow the provinces leeway for innovation and for tailoring their programs to their own population.

As for dollar figures, the difference between today and the first year will be $350 million, or less than 1 per cent of Quebec's revenue.

Gun Control

[Garry Breitkreuz, Reform, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to get back to the issue of gun control which the justice minister says enjoys such wide support.

Opposition to Bill C-68 continues to grow: 100 per cent of the chiefs in the province of Saskatchewan are opposed, 85 per cent of the RCMP in Alberta, justice ministers in four provinces and territories.

Does the justice minister not realize he is destroying the trust people have in the criminal justice system by forcing through a law that a large segment of society, including the police, does not support?

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

No, Mr. Speaker.

[Garry Breitkreuz, Reform, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, last Thursday the Ontario Provincial Police Association at its annual meeting voted on a motion to not support Bill C-68, the gun control bill. That motion passed nearly unanimously.

We have been saying all along that the frontline police do not support the justice minister's bill and yet he repeatedly says he is bringing in the gun registration and that the police requested it.

Now that it is obvious the police oppose gun registration, will he act on the wishes of the police even though they conflict with his personal views?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is telling that on an occasion when the rest of us are engaged in debate on important matters of the future of Canada, when we speak of the economic future of Canada, indeed the future of the confederation, the hon. member for Yorkton-Melville rises to ask questions about the right to bear firearms. It is fitting.

If I must address the substance of his question, the group to which he referred forms part of the Police Association of Ontario which represents all the frontline officers in Ontario. The Police Association of Ontario forms part of the Canadian Police Association. I was present on March 30 of this year in Ottawa when the Canadian Police Association, the national group of frontline officers, debated and voted on Bill C-68 and I was there to see it support the bill.

I was in Markham, Ontario, on August 14 this year when the Police Association of Ontario voted in support of Bill C-68. I was in Regina in late August when the chiefs of police voted in favour. The police of this country are behind this bill.

Quebec Referendum

[Ted McWhinney, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

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

Has the minister seen the text of remarks on the Quebec referendum attributed to French President Jacques Chirac in New York yesterday? Is the minister in a position to comment now on those remarks?

[André Ouellet, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I looked at the transcript of President Chirac's remarks yesterday.

At the outset I want to say it was far from the endorsement the hon. member for Verchères was pretending at the beginning of question period.

President Chirac said: "If the referendum is positive the government will recognize the fact". In other words, the French authorities will arrive at the same conclusion as everybody else, that they obtained the majority. That is all.

President Chirac's policy on Canada and Quebec is one of non-indifference and of non-interference, as has always been the case with him and with the French authorities.

Research Periodicals

[René Laurin, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Industry. In July, the Social Sciences and Humanities Council implemented a new policy on funding for research periodicals, which would cut funding to French language periodicals in half.

Will the Minister of Industry confirm that, as the result of the Social Sciences and Humanities Council's new policy, research periodicals in French will bear the brunt of most of the cuts, whereas the ones in English will escape them for the most part?

[Jon Gerrard, Liberal, Secretary of State (Science]

Mr. Speaker, it is important to recognize the important role the Social Sciences and Humanities Council has played in social science and human research. This role is well recognized from coast to coast.

In looking at how it deals with the fiscal situation the council has drawn on its experience and has made very careful, fair and peer reviewed decisions for the best interests of Canada.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, many people are employed making commercials and videos and that kind of thing for businesses and advertising agencies.

Unbelievably the CBC has recently announced it will be going into direct competition with these private sector audio and video production houses, specifically in Toronto. It is actively today trying to steal their clients. Clearly this is a violation of the CBC mandate.

Why is the minister allowing the CBC to kill jobs in downtown Toronto? Why are Toronto MPs not standing up in outrage about this? Why in the world are we allowing the CBC to kill these businesses which pay the taxes that actually fund the CBC?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member does not have to convince the House the Reform Party does not support public broadcasting. The hon. member can lip-sync my answer by now that the CBC is in charge of its own management and makes its own decisions to the best of its ability.

The hon. member should well know that on the committee we have been looking for ways the CBC can look for new efficiencies. That is exactly what it is doing.

Environmental Protection Act

[Len Taylor, NDP, The Battlefords—Meadow Lake, SK]

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

Since the release last June of the environment committee's proposal to overhaul and update the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, some industry officials have said the committee proposals are a threat to the country's investment climate, costly to implement and grounded on shaky science.

It is important these myths be dealt with.

Will the minister join with his colleague, the Minister of the Environment, who is expected to respond positively to the committee's impressive set of recommendations and take the opportunity to turn Canada into an international leader in green legislation or is he going to accept the arguments of some of the officials in his department and back away from the committee's critical recommendations on pollution prevention?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I can really do no better than to associate myself with the remarks of my colleague, the Minister of Natural Resources. In responding to an earlier question she made it clear that we in government believe that both sustainable development and economic growth are important parts of our mandate as government.

As we prepare the government's response to the standing committee's report, we will ensure the concerns of the sustainability of development are front and centre.

I remind the hon. member that when the Department of Industry Act was introduced in the House it contained a mandate to pursue the objectives of sustainable development. That was a mandate I sought to add to the old industry, science and technology department act. I am proud to say that I was able to introduce it in the Department of Industry Act.

Presence In Gallery

[The Speaker]

Colleagues, as you are all aware, today is the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. We have in our galleries today some 17 Canadian recipients of the United Nations Association of Canada Medals of Honour recognizing their outstanding contributions to the UN.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.