Debates of Dec. 4th, 1995

Implementation Force

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

Mr. Speaker, again this does touch to some degree the debate that is before the House.

The troops of the Canadian forces proved what the appropriate actions are when faced with the genocide in the former Yugoslavia. Were it not for the presence of our forces and the UN in general many more thousands of lives would have been lost.

The Canadian Armed Forces need no lessons from the hon. member across the way with respect to dealing with difficult situations. In any combat or any engagement the forces are committed to they will operate to the best of their abilities. They will use the Canadian standards of fairness and tolerance in the application of their duties including the application of force.

Information Highway

[Michel Bellehumeur, Bloc, Berthier—Montcalm, QC]

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

We just learned that the Minister of Industry is about to award a $100,000 contract, to write his speeches and advise him on the development of the information highway, to the company that lobbies him on behalf of businesses having an interest in the information highway, including Astral, Unitel, Western International Communications and many others.

By letting lobbyists representing these companies write his speeches and dictate to him his policies on the information highway, how can the minister claim to protect the interest of Canadians in that regard?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, first I remind the hon. member that it was not that long ago that we brought forward the toughest, most extensive lobbyist registration legislation in the western world and he did not support it.

Second, I would indicate to him that in the matter he has raised, the issue of conflict of interest was raised with the ethics counsellor. He reviewed the arrangements the firm in question had put in place with a view to applying the same principles which apply within the legal profession, as approved by the Canadian Bar Association.

The ethics counsellor indicated that in his view there is no conflict of interest that would arise if the contract in question were to be awarded.

[Michel Bellehumeur, Bloc, Berthier—Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my supplementary is to the Prime Minister, who is the one in charge of preserving the integrity of this government.

Does the Prime Minister not find it unacceptable that the industry minister should be the spokesperson of companies having an interest in the information highway, and what should we think of an ethics counsellor who sees nothing wrong with that?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure whether the member had trouble understanding the answer, but what he needs to understand is that questions of conflict are ones which are taken extremely seriously.

The moment such a conflict was raised by a competitive firm for a contract which was being offered in response to a request for proposals, that matter was investigated thoroughly. The undertakings given and the oaths given were judged by the ethics counsellor to be sufficient to give us the confidence that no conflict would prejudice the work that was being done.

I want the hon. member to understand that the issue of integrity and conflict are very important. If he has any basis on which to suggest that we should not accept the oath or the systems that are in place, then let him come forward with specifics as to what his problem is in particular.

Canadian Wheat Board

[Jake Hoeppner, Reform, Lisgar—Marquette, MB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Prairie farmers are outraged at the recent revelation that Canadian Wheat Board commissioners were given severance packages of up to $290,000. In November 1994 I submitted an access to information request for all available information on pension plans and wages for Canadian Wheat Board commissioners. Agriculture Canada replied "no such documents exist" regarding my request.

In August I challenged that reply but got no response. Why was the minister hiding this information?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I will check the paper trail to which the hon. gentleman refers and I will ensure that all requests for information are properly responded to.

However, the hon. member should know that the severance arrangements to which he has referred in his question with respect to the Canadian Wheat Board were developed about 15 years ago with the concurrence of the Privy Council at that time. When those severance arrangements were developed, none of the current commissioners was in office.

This year, in consultation with the Privy Council Office, I have made arrangements to modernize those severance arrangements, to bring them into line with other requirements.

The hon. gentleman can point no finger of blame at the current commissioners of the Canadian Wheat Board because they were not in office at the time when the severance arrangements were put in place.

[Jake Hoeppner, Reform, Lisgar—Marquette, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the last time I asked for information in the House, the RCMP were accused of using improper procedures. I wonder which cowboy in the agriculture ministry threw the lariat the wrong way. It was the Liberal government who 15 years ago allowed these excessive perks and privileges to infiltrate the Canadian Wheat Board.

Why does the minister not make these perks and privileges retroactively disappear, like the government did with the Pearson airport deal?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, the arrangements under which the current commissioners came into office were legally in effect at the time when their services were engaged by the Government of Canada.

The Economy

[Gary Pillitteri, Liberal, Niagara Falls, ON]

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

The Standing Committee on Finance, of which I am a member, has been listening to Canadians' suggestions for the 1996 budget.

When will the minister appear before the committee to provide us with his views on the deficit problem and other economic issues? What message will he bring?

[Doug Peters, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the Minister of Finance will appear before the Standing Committee on Finance the afternoon of Wednesday, December 6.

In his appearance last year the minister requested the help of the committee in suggesting appropriate actions to hit the 1995 deficit target. This year, however, we are firmly on track for our target. Last year the minister laid out the principles of deficit reduction and this year he will confirm his commitment to those principles. The committee will be asked to focus on reflecting the priorities of Canadians as the 1996 budget is prepared.

Employment

[Simon de Jong, NDP, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, my question is also addressed to the Minister of Human Resource Development.

In 1990, 87 per cent of unemployed Canadians were eligible for unemployment insurance. Two years ago the Liberals drove it down to 50 per cent. The CLC predicts that the latest announcement means that two-thirds of out of work Canadians will no longer be eligible for unemployment insurance, around the same level that exists in Mississippi.

How can the minister claim that this will benefit working Canadians? Surely they are trying to balance the deficit on the backs of out of work Canadians.

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

Mr. Speaker, the one thing I sincerely wish the president of the CLC for Christmas is a pocket calculator so he can get his figures right.

Quite clearly the economist who made those statements is a prime candidate for the remedial training programs that we are prepared to offer under the new employment package. He simply does not know what he is talking about.

Human Rights

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Deputy Prime Minister or to the parliamentary secretary.

Last Monday night, a Radio-Canada documentary on the television program Enjeux showed us the terrible fate met by infant girls in government operated nurseries in China. One million girl babies are literally left to die of neglect in institutions.

Will the Deputy Prime Minister indicate to us whether the Prime Minister intends to voice his condemnation of these unacceptable acts instead of settling for addressing human rights behind closed doors, thus condoning this shameful practice?

[Raymond Chan, Liberal, Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific)]

Mr. Speaker, the human rights situation in China has always been a priority with the Canadian government. As a matter fact recently at the APEC summit meeting our Prime Minister had the opportunity to have bilateral talks with the president of the Chinese government, Mr. Jiang. He raised the human rights issue with him. We raise those issues not only in the bilateral forum but also in the multilateral forum, such as the UN High Commission on Human Rights.

We want to assure every member of the House that the Canadian government has put human rights on an equal priority with trade. We will continue to press those issues with the Chinese government.

National Defence

[Jim Hart, Reform, Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Reform Party and every member of this House would like to congratulate the performance of the captain and crew of the HMCS Calgary and the captain and crew of the Sea King helicopter in the rescue operation this past weekend.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[Jim Hart, Reform, Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt, BC]

I would like to ask the Minister of National Defence: When can Canadians expect to hear about the bidding process to commence on the new shipborne helicopters?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is indeed heartening to have the hon. member at last congratulate the armed forces on one of its particular exploits. It was of heroic proportions and all Canadians should be proud of those members of the crew of HMCS Calgary .

With respect to the question of maritime helicopters, this is a matter, as I have said publicly before, that will be decided before the end of the fiscal year.

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 response to six petitions.

Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation And Safety Board

[John English, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to present, in the two official languages, the report of the auditor of the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board.

This report deals with the financial year ending March 31, 1995. The report stands referred to the Standing Committee on Transport.

Petitions

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions today. I wish to present a petition which has been circulating all across Canada. This particular petition has been signed by a number of Canadians from Fenelon Falls, Ontario.

The petitioners draw to the attention of the House that managing the family home and caring for preschool children is an honourable profession which has not been recognized for its value to our society.

The petitioners also state that the Income Tax Act discriminates against families who make the choice to provide care in the home to preschool children, the chronically ill, the disabled or the aged. The petitioners therefore pray and call upon Parliament to pursue initiatives to eliminate tax discrimination against families who decide to provide care in the home for preschool children, the disabled, the chronically ill or the aged.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

The second petition has to do with fetal alcohol syndrome. The petitioners would like to draw to the attention of the House that consumption of alcoholic beverages may cause health problems or impair one's ability. Specifically fetal alcohol syndrome and other alcohol related birth defects are 100 per cent preventable by avoiding alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

The petitioners therefore pray and call upon Parliament to enact legislation to require health warning labels to be placed on the containers of all alcoholic beverages to caution expectant mothers and others of the risk associated with alcohol consumption.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the final petition was submitted to me by Mrs. Betty Pellier. It has to do with section 43 of the Criminal Code.

The petitioners would like to bring to the attention of the House that section 43 of the Criminal Code allows school teachers, parents and those standing in the place of the parent to use reasonable force for the correction of pupils or children under their care, and that the reasonable force has been interpreted by the courts to include spanking, slapping, strapping, kicking, et cetera.

The petitioners therefore pray and call upon Parliament to end legal approval of this harmful and discriminatory practice by repealing section 43 of the Criminal Code.

[David Iftody, Liberal, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have two petitions to present on behalf of people in the riding of Provencher.

The first petition concerns abortion. It was signed by a number of constituents from Niverville and Morris. These constituents respectfully pray that Parliament act immediately to extend protection to the unborn child by amending the Criminal Code to extend the same protection enjoyed by born human beings to unborn human beings.