Debates of Oct. 25th, 1995

Quebec Referendum

[Ben Serré, Liberal, Timiskaming—French-River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of International Trade.

Can the minister explain to this House why the members of the Canadian Exporters Association, through their president, Mark Drake, have expressed such concern about the possible consequences a victory for the Yes side might have on their future?

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

Mr. Speaker, we are not only pleased but proud to announce that Canada's 1995 exports are 20.3 per cent higher than the same period last year.

Our trade surplus with the United States is nearly $5.4 billion higher than for the same period last year. To date our trade surplus with the world is more than $7.1 billion from 1994. This is testimony to the dynamic nature of the business women and men working together across the country.

Canada's membership in OPEC, the World Trade Organization and NAFTA places it in a position to do business in the international markets, unlike individual provinces.

This is testimony that on Monday if we want this prosperity to continue through trade, if we want jobs to increase through exports, we will vote no.

Employment

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development concerning the role a company called Jobs Incorporated Canada of Campbellton, New Brunswick seems to be playing in the Canada employment department. I am referring to the fact that this company advertised at the CEC office in Winnipeg for a position that would have had the successful applicant greeting clients and explaining programs at the Canada employment office in Selkirk, Manitoba.

I ask the minister: Who is this company? How much privatization is going on in the Canada Employment Centres? And why is this going on without any consultation with the union?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development and Minister of Western Economic Diversification]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is very simple. Jobs Canada as an organization has established a coast to coast job bank, which takes application forms from prospective employers and résumés from prospective employees. It provides a nationwide service to enable job seekers to find the best possible jobs.

What we are testing out on a pilot project basis in three locations across the country is how we can take advantage of that vast network of job applications and openings at Jobs Canada and build them into our own job bank so we can substantially expand the job offerings for people who come to the CECs. It is simply one way of using new technology and developing a partnership with a private sector firm to help get Canadians better, higher paying jobs.

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

I ask the minister: Why was this done apparently without any consultation with the union in Manitoba? Will he undertake to consult with them and hear their concerns on this matter?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development and Minister of Western Economic Diversification]

Mr. Speaker, yes I will.

[The Speaker]

Colleagues, this concludes question period.

Point Of Order

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of my point of order is to correct Hansard to bring it in line with reality.

During question period, the Minister of Labour no doubt misunderstood what the hon. member for Saint-Hubert said and attributed words to her that she never spoke. She never described the Prime Minister as the "prime minister of English Canada". She did say, and I have her text in front of me: "Are we to understand that the premiers of English Canada-" This was therefore not a reference to the Prime Minister of Canada, which led to a correction and to applause from our friends across the way. Sorry, but this was not the case.

[The Speaker]

This is perhaps a point of clarification, but it is not a point of order.

Colleagues, I do not see any other points to be raised at this time.

[The Speaker]

I would like to make a statement regarding the point of order raised last week by the hon. member for Winnipeg Transcona. I would also like at this time to thank the hon. member for Kindersley-Lloydminster and the parliamentary secretary to the government House leader for their contributions to the discussion.

On October 18 the hon. member for Winnipeg Transcona rose to question the admissibility of the auditor general's report tabled in the House on October 5. The report, which was sent to the public accounts committee for examination, contained what in the opinion of the member were "politically biased statements".

The hon. member contended that the auditor general had "overstepped the legal and customary boundaries of his duties as a servant of the House". He requested that I rule the tabling of the auditor general's report out of order, ask that the auditor general submit an amended report, and refer the terms of reference for auditor generals' reports to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.

The auditor general's importance to Parliament is indisputable. This House relies on the auditor general to help it ensure that taxpayers' dollars are spent for the purposes approved by Parliament and to assist it in holding the government to account for its actions. Under the terms of the Auditor General Act, the auditor general is empowered to report to Parliament. Under the provisions of Standing Order 108(3)( d ), these reports are then deemed referred to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

With all respect, my colleagues, any ruling that is made here in this House affects all hon. members. If any business is to be conducted other than the hearing of my decision, I respectfully ask that it be done outside.

The hon. member for Winnipeg Transcona has long taken an interest in the form and content of auditor generals' reports. I recall that he made a member's statement in the House on this very subject on November 23, 1994. It is clear that his view of the appropriate role of the auditor general is not necessarily shared by the auditor general.

Those who follow the proceedings of the public accounts committee know that this is an issue that is regularly the object of some discussion in the committee.

The hon. member is absolutely correct in his assertion that the auditor general is an officer of Parliament. As a servant of parliamentarians and especially of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, the auditor general must pay particular attention to whatever difficulties members encounter with his reports in the exercise of their parliamentary responsibilities.

Like any officer of the House, the auditor general should be diligent in responding to the views expressed by members, especially when there is a pattern to their complaints, lest there result an erosion of a very special relationship.

That being said, I must point out that the auditor general's co-operation with the House of Commons and the Standing Committee on Public Accounts is well known.

As the Chair has ruled on a number of occasions, it is not my role as Speaker to interpret the laws of Canada. The Auditor General Act lists a number of matters to be treated by the auditor general in his reports to the House of Commons. I do not feel, however, that it is up to me to interpret whether or not what is contained in the auditor general's report meets the criteria of the law. Therefore, I can neither rule the tabling of the report out of order nor demand that the auditor general submit another report, as the hon. member requested.

Finally, I must stress the fact that the auditor general is not an agent of the government. If there is to be a review of his performance, I must agree with the parliamentary secretary to the government House leader that the proper place to do so is in the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. The estimates and the reports of the auditor general are dealt with in this committee on a regular basis. It is within the committee's mandate to bring to the attention of the House, by way of report, any aspect of the auditor general's report and the conduct of the affairs of his office the committee feels the House should be apprised of and should act on.

Should the hon. member for Winnipeg Transcona still wish to pursue this matter, he has every opportunity to bring it to the attention of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

I thank all hon. members for their contributions to this discussion.

Government Response To Petitions

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's responses to eight petitions.

Committees Of The House

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 94th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs in relation to the list of members of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.

With leave of the House, I intend to move for concurrence in this report later today.

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 95th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs in relation to the business of supply. In this report the committee respectfully requests that its deadline for reporting to the House be extended to March 29, 1996.

Also, if the House gives its consent I intend to move the adoption of this report later today.

[Roger Simmons, Liberal, Burin—St. George's, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Health, which is on Bill C-7, an act respecting the control of certain drugs, their precursors, and other substances, and to amend certain other acts and repeal the Narcotic Control Act in consequence thereof, with amendments.

I acknowledge the excellent work done by my colleague, the hon. member for Mississauga South, and his subcommittee in dealing with this legislation.

Criminal Code

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

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-354, an act to amend the Criminal Code (transmission of HIV).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce my second private member's bill today, seconded by the hon. member for Crowfoot and co-sponsored by a number of my colleagues.

If passed by Parliament, my bill will improve the possibility of obtaining a criminal conviction of anyone who knowingly infects another person with HIV, thereby exposing the victim to the fear and risk of contracting AIDS and certain death if he or she does.

If enacted, my bill will create two new offences related to wilful or reckless acts by a person infected with HIV or a person who has AIDS. If the act results in infection with HIV, the offence is criminal infection, with a maximum sentence of imprisonment for life, the same maximum penalty now imposed for manslaughter. The rationale is that victims infected with HIV face a life of fear of contracting AIDS and certain death if they do. In the event the infection with HIV is not proven, the offence is reckless infective behaviour, punishable by imprisonment for up to seven years.

Consent is often an issue in prosecutions under other provisions of the Criminal Code, and this creates problems for the courts. For example, the question of whether a victim consents-

[The Speaker]

I think we have the general idea. I thank the hon. member very much for his explanation.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)

Committees Of The House

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move that the 94th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House earlier this day, be concurred in. This is the membership change report, in case members are confused.

Also, if the House gives its consent, and I believe there is consent forthcoming, I move that the 95th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House earlier this day, be concurred in. This report is the one that deals with the extension of the deadline for the report of the committee on the business of supply.

(Motions agreed to.)

Petitions

[Ronald J. Duhamel, Liberal, St. Boniface, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and a privilege for me to present a petition from my constituents stating the importance of young people and how their voices must be heard when we make decisions that will inherently affect their future.

A healthy and safe environment, meaningful employment and education are issues that affect all of us but they have a more profound effect on our country's youth, as does a united Canada, a country which includes Quebec.

These petitioners want to make sure that, when making decisions that affect young people, whether these decisions concern employment, learning, retraining or training, the constitution or this country in general, we take into consideration our young people in Quebec and the rest of Canada.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have two separate petitions to present.

The first one is signed by constituents of the Yorkton-Melville riding concerned about the port of Churchill. They feel that the full utilization of the port of Churchill will improve the economy not only of the province of Saskatchewan but of Canada as well. There is a need to develop a strategy to utilize this important seaport to ship other exports as well as grain.

Therefore they urge that the upcoming shipping season usage of the port of Churchill be maximized at the very least to 5 per cent of Canada's annual grain shipment.

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

Mr. Speaker, I should like to present a second petition on behalf of 796 concerned citizens from my riding of Yorkton-Melville regarding S-241 of the Criminal Code of Canada which was enacted to protect all individuals. If S-241 were struck down or amended, protection to the disabled, the terminally ill, the depressed, the chronically ill and the elderly would no longer exist and our most vulnerable members of society would feel an implied pressure to end their lives.

Therefore, the House is urged not to repeal or amend S-241 of the Criminal Code and to uphold the Supreme Court of Canada decision of September 30 to disallow assisted suicide or euthanasia.

[Murray Calder, Liberal, Wellington—Grey—Dufferin—Simcoe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am presenting two petitions today.

The first contains 25 signatures and calls on the government to amend the Young Offenders Act.

[Murray Calder, Liberal, Wellington—Grey—Dufferin—Simcoe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition contains 175 signatures and calls on the government to remove impediments to the mining industry such as overlapping regulations.

The petitioners pray and call on Parliament to improve the investment climate to stimulate the industry and to keep mining in Canada.

[John Solomon, NDP, Regina—Lumsden, SK]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present to Parliament a petition from the professional teaching staff of Martin Collegiate Institute in the constituency of Regina-Lumsden.

The teaching staff strongly object to the present status of Canada's Young Offenders Act. They feel the Young Offenders Act has failed to address the issue of youth crime and its negative results in our schools, communities and society in general.

They call on Parliament to enact legislation to significantly toughen the Young Offenders Act as quickly as possible, with a view to making young offenders responsible for their actions, making names of young offenders public and increasing severity of consequences for repeat offences.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I wish to present a petition that has been circulating all across Canada. It has been signed by a number of Canadians from Surrey and Delta, British Columbia.

The petitioners should like to draw to the attention of the House that managing the family home and caring for preschool children is an honourable profession that has not been recognized for its value to society. They also state that the Income Tax Act discriminates against families who make the choice to provide care in the home to preschool children, the disabled, the chronically ill or the aged.

The petitioners therefore pray and call on Parliament to pursue initiatives to eliminate tax discrimination against families who decide to provide care in the home to preschool children, the disabled, the chronically ill or the aged.

[Cliff Breitkreuz, Reform, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to present a petition signed by constituents of Yellowhead who are strongly opposed to the universal registration provision in Bill C-68. They want protected the right of law-abiding citizens to own and use recreation firearms.

They also are concerned that with Canada's serious deficit and debt problem such costly and unproven legislation should not proceed.