Debates of Feb. 24th, 1995

Petitions

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

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of presenting five petitions on behalf of residents of Carleton-Gloucester.

The first petition is signed by 60 residents of my riding and deals with the Canadian Supreme Court decision that freed an alcoholic who raped an elderly disabled woman.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to enact legislation to review the Supreme Court ruling file 23435 rendered September 30, 1994 and to enact legislation to address the repercussion of this ruling.

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

Mr. Speaker, my second petition is signed by 40 of my constituents. It calls on Parliament to extend the same protection to the unborn child enjoyed by born human beings by amending the Criminal Code.

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

Mr. Speaker, the third petition is signed by 149 people. They are asking Parliament not to amend the human rights code, the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in a way that would tend to indicate societal approval of same sex relationships.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions signed by 71 constituents that call for Parliament to ensure that the present provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada prohibiting assisted suicide be retained without change and enforced in order that Parliament not sanction or allow the aiding or abetting of suicide or euthanasia.

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

Finally, Mr. Speaker, the last petition was signed by 25 of my constituents who are asking that Parliament amend the Young Offenders Act to allow the courts to punish more severely those who are convicted of crimes with violence.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present three petitions on behalf of my constituents from Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt.

The first one contains 73 signatures. The petitioners are requesting that Parliament oppose any attempt to alter our ability to provide for a secure retirement by way of taxation of assets or income from RRSPs and pension plans.

The second and third petitions contain a total of 225 signatures and deal with the same subject matter. They are calling on Parliament to reduce the federal deficit by reducing government spending and to refrain from any form of increased taxation.

I agree with my petitioners.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, it is my duty and honour to rise in the House to present a petition, duly certified by the clerk of petitions, on behalf of 120 constituents of Saanich-Gulf Islands and surrounding area.

The petitioners humbly pray and request that Parliament reduce government spending instead of increasing taxes and implement a taxpayer protection act to limit federal spending.

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present a petition on behalf of some constituents of Simcoe Centre, requesting that the Government of Canada not amend the Human Rights Act to include the phrase sexual orientation.

The petitioners fear such an inclusion would indicate societal approval of homosexual behaviour. The petitioners believe the government should not legitimize this behaviour against the clear wishes of the majority.

Questions On The Order Paper

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

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 104 and 110.

Question No. 104-

[Elwin Hermanson, Reform, Kindersley—Lloydminster, SK]

Is there, or has there ever been an audit of the Canadian Wheat Board accounts and if so, ( a ) by whom, ( b ) are the audits publicly available, ( c ) how much money is owed to the CWB by foreign governments and ( d ) how much of that debt has been written off as uncollectable?

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

(a) The Canadian Wheat Board accounts are audited by an independent external auditor, Deloitte and Touche, Chartered Accountants. In addition, management of the Canadian Wheat Board is responsible for having good internal controls and formal policies and procedures to ensure the integrity and reliability of accounting and financial reporting. Management continually evaluates policies and procedures to ensure they meet the needs of the board and comply with current Canadian accounting standards. An internal audit group independently assesses the effectiveness of internal controls and recommends improvements.

(b) Audit results are published each year in the annual report of the Canadian Wheat Board which is tabled in Parliament and publicly available.

(c) As of 30 September 1994, the Canadian Wheat Board accounts receivable due from foreign customers totals $6.901 billion.

(d) The Canadian Wheat Board has not written off receivables from foreign governments. The Canadian government has, however, agreed, along with other creditor countries to implement multilateral, Paris club, debt relief initiatives for Poland and Egypt. Zambia and Ethiopia received much smaller debt relief packages. The Polish debt relief package was created to assist that country in its transition to a democratic state in pursuit of market oriented reforms. The Egyptian debt relief agreement was made to enable Egypt to recover from the aftereffects of the gulf war. In neither case was the debt relief granted because the debt was considered to be uncollectible.

About $522 million will be drawn down in this fiscal year from the allowances of the Government of Canada for general contingencies which were created in 1990. Further drawdowns will be made in fiscal year 1995-96 to complete debt relief operations for Poland and Egypt.

Poland's debt to Canadian government agencies has been reduced by about $216 million. After debt reduction, Egypt's debts will be reduced by $279 million. Egypt and Poland are servicing the remainder of their debts punctually.

Question No. 110-

[Colleen Beaumier, Liberal, Brampton, ON]

With respect to reports by non-governmental organizations that Vietnamese refugees interned in Southeast Asian camps are being subjected to inhumane treatment by host governments, ( a ) is the government investigating these reports and ( b ) what action does the government plan to take with respect to these alleged human rights violations?

[André Ouellet, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

The specific non-governmental report cited by the member in this question is Amnesty International Calls for Action to Protect Asylum-Seekers, Al Index ASA 19/WU 03/94.

Although cognizant of allegations of human rights abuses in Hong Kong refugee camps, the government was not aware of this specific report prior to the member's question.

As an active supporter of the comprehensive plan of action, CPA, on indochinese refugees, Canada recognizes that persons who are not refugees should return to their countries of origin. The group under discussion was determined by authorities not to be refugees. At the same time, the Government of Canada prefers that humane methods be used to ensure the safe repatriation of these individuals.

The Government of Canada recognizes that the protection of refugees and asylum seekers falls under the mandate of the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, UNHCR, and will continue to work with the UNCHR to bring the CPA to a successful conclusion.

[The Deputy Speaker]

The questions as enumerated by the parliamentary secretary have been answered.

Starred Questions

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

Mr. Speaker, would you be so kind as to call Starred Question No. 86.

*Question No. 86-

[Bernard Deshaies, Bloc, Abitibi, QC]

Regarding service, supply and leasing contracts awarded by Public Works and Government Services Canada, (a) how many such contracts have been awarded in Abitibi since October 25, 1993, ( b ) what amounts are involved, ( c ) to whom were these contracts awarded?

[David Dingwall, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

The information requested is not available in an existing document and it cannot be produced within the department's routine operations. The manual and electronic data banks of the four distinct organizations which existed prior to the merger forming the department of Public Works and Government Services have not as of yet been integrated or updated. To compile information which represents the contracting activities of the entire department, an in-depth search would have to be conducted throughout the many sectors of the department and their data banks.

The department does not currently have the capability within its routine operations to produce accurate statistical information for all of its contracting activities within electoral boundaries.

The department is presently considering the various options available to it to update and integrate its various information holdings.

As an alternative approach to providing contracting information to members of Parliament, efforts have been made to facilitate access to the open bidding service, OBS. The OBS is a user-pay electronic bulletin board which publicly advertises contract opportunities, notices of planned sole-source contracts, as well as notices of contract awards. Through the OBS, contract histories are also available, allowing subscribers to find information on OBS contracts that have been awarded in the past, to whom, and for what amount.

In addition, PWGSC's publication, "Government Business Opportunities", GBO, is published three times a week and provides similar information on federal government procurement. The GBO is available to members of Parliament free of charge through the federal government depository services program.

Please note that this type of information for the whole province of Quebec is available in the answer to question Q-93 tabled this day.

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Due to the length of the answer I ask that it be printed in Hansard as if read.

Questions Passed As Orders For Returns

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

Mr. Speaker, if Question Nos. 21, 85, 93 and 124 could be made Orders for Return, the returns would be tabled immediately.

I want to say with respect to Question No. 21 that it is a long outstanding question on the Order Paper. I am pleased the answer has been completed and I know the hon. member will find it quite marvellous.

With respect to Question No. 93, we have had a lot of bleating and whining in the last few days from the hon. member for Quebec East. I am pleased to table the answer to the question. This is the French version. I have an English version that is of similar size. I am only tabling one copy in the House to avoid having six boxes here today.

The hon. member says that it has taken a long time to answer this question. He is correct. Over 1,000 pages of material have been gathered painstakingly by the department. When I assured him the other day that public servants were working on this matter I was correct. I know now that he will see I was correct and I hope he has a nice weekend reading the answer.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is it the pleasure of the House that Questions Nos. 21, 85, 93 and 124 be deemed to have been made Orders for Return?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No. 21-

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

What are the Departmental and Ministerial guidelines that the Minister of Transport uses in the determination of awarding a specific international air route to a specific Canadian airline?

(Return tabled.)

Question No. 85-

[John Cummins, Reform, Delta, BC]

In regard to Dr. Paul LeBlond, Joe Scimger, Dr. Dick Routledge and David Brander-Smith (members of the Independent Review Board inquiring into the government's management and enforcement effort on the Fraser River), ( a ) what departmental advisory committees (including the Pacific Salmond Commission) do these individuals sit on or have sat on since 1980, ( b ) what work, papers, reports, or the like have been or are being undertaken by these individuals, their firms, or their respective university departments on behalf of federal departments, and their agencies (including the Pacific Salmon Commission) since 1980, ( c ) what submissions or proposals have been submitted by these individuals, their firms, or their university departments in 1993 or 1994 to government departments, and their agencies (including the Pacific Salmon Commission) that have been approved, turned down, deferred, or have yet to be fully considered, ( d ) what is the amount of payment that

these individuals, their firms, or their university departments have received from the Federal Crown, and its agencies (including the Pacific Salmon Commission) since 1980, ( e ) what remuneration will these individuals receive for their participation on the Independent Review Board?

(Return tabled.)

Question No. 93-

[Jean-Paul Marchand, Bloc, Québec-Est, QC]

What contracts for services, supplies and leasing have been awarded by Public Works and Government Services since October 25, 1993, in all federal constituencies in Quebec, and what federal government properties are located in those same constituencies?

(Return tabled.)

Question No. 124-

[Elwin Hermanson, Reform, Kindersley—Lloydminster, SK]

With regard to regional ministerial offices, for every year since 1988, ( a ) what is the number of regional offices, ( b ) where are these offices located and ( c ) for each office (i) what was the date of opening, (ii) what was the date of closure (if applicable), (iii) how many persons are/were employed by each office, (iv) what is/was the budget of each office, (v) what proportion of that budget was spent, (vi) what percentage of these funds were spent on office administration, salaries, capital costs, outside contracts and hospitality, and (vii) what are the guidelines under which these expenditures are made?

(Return tabled.)