Debates of Feb. 27th, 1995

Social Housing

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

Mr. Speaker, last Friday the Quebec minister of municipal affairs and housing rejected the federal government's proposal to increase the amount individuals must pay for social housing from 25 to 30 per cent of their income.

My question is for the minister of public works. Since the Quebec government has decided not to increase the amount to be paid for social housing, can the minister tell us whether he

intends to reverse his position and maintain at the current level the amount to be paid for social housing?

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

Mr. Speaker, I suggest that the hon. member be somewhat patient. The Minister of Finance has the representations and has had them for quite some time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would have expected a better answer from the minister who has nevertheless found $600,000 to build a brick wall in his honour in his riding.

Are we to understand that, by virtue of this measure which serves to increase requirements made of individuals in social housing, the federal government would once again download the burden of its deficit onto the backs of the most destitute and that the 110,000 affected households in Quebec can expect nothing further from this federal government?

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

Mr. Speaker, in terms of the premise of the hon. member's question, I disagree totally. Perhaps he could be a little more patient. His answer will come later this afternoon.

Health

[Grant Hill, Reform, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Krever inquiry has just tabled its interim report. It has some very specific recommendations on how to decrease the amount of AIDS in our country. Since lives could be saved, will the health minister move quickly to implement those recommendations?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the member will understand that we have made the report public. We are funding the Krever commission. We are very interested in taking whatever actions are necessary. The member must remember that there are other players in the blood supply system, including the provincial governments, the Canadian Red Cross, and other partners. They are also taking this very seriously.

[Grant Hill, Reform, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, there is some degree of inconsistency in this minister's response. On the issue of testing for AIDS for immigrants, the minister said no. Since this particular issue will save lives, I simply ask: Will the minister take haste to look after these recommendations?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, we have taken haste and we have not waited for the recommendations to take action. Many of the recommendations have already been acted on. We will take action on any others that are within our responsibilities.

Human Rights

[Sarkis Assadourian, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa.

In Pakistan, Salam Masih, 14, and his uncle Rehmat were convicted to die for writing anti-Islamic slogans on a mosque wall. I am pleased to hear that the conviction was overturned by the high court.

What action has the secretary of state taken on behalf of the Government of Canada to ensure that human rights of minorities are protected in Pakistan?

[Christine Stewart, Liberal, Secretary of State (Latin America and Africa)]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is very pleased, as is my colleague, that the appeal court overturned the conviction and execution of Salam Masih and his uncle in Pakistan. We believe it was in part due to our government's representations to the Government of Pakistan, along with representations by other members of the international community.

We remain very concerned about the human rights abuses particularly as they are brought against religious minorities in Pakistan. We will continue to work with the Government of Pakistan along with the NGO community to correct this.

Trade

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.

As part of the Prime Minister's promise on February 14 to this House, would the Prime Minister please inform Parliament as to the outcome of his discussions with President Clinton regarding the American restrictions on Canadian sugar and products containing sugar?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I was asked by many members on this side to raise that question with the President of the United States. I mentioned it to him and made it very clear that in our view there was no problem at all. It is an area where there is a perfect balance of trade. There is no surplus on either side. Therefore, we do not understand why the United States would like to undo what is working very well at this moment.

Forestry

[Audrey McLaughlin, NDP, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the parliamentary secretary for northern affairs.

Today, budget day, we are expecting to see cuts for every Canadian. I would like to suggest that the government is overlooking a source of revenue because of its inability to act on stumpage fees in the Yukon. It would be environmentally sustainable and would in fact generate revenue.

Right now stumpage fees are 20 cents as compared to $60 in northern B.C. That is one-third of 1 per cent of what the northern B.C. stumpage fees are. The federal government could raise $19 million a year on stumpage fees. Why is the government not acting now?

[Jack Iyerak Anawak, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is personally interested in this. The department has put aside some time to study this area. As the hon. member mentioned, stumpage fees in the Yukon are only 20 cents per cubic metre and $30 per cubic metre elsewhere. Indian affairs is now looking at the whole issue in order to ensure that the Yukon people benefit from the stumpage fees as well as to make sure environmental measures are put in place so that the Yukon forest is not decimated.

Fishery Resources

[Yvan Bernier, Bloc, Gaspé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

The European Union does not accept NAFO's decision regarding turbot quota allocation between NAFO member countries. If no agreement is reached, turbot stocks could be decimated, like other overfished species in the past.

Does the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans see that urgent measures are needed to protect fishery resources in the Atlantic and does he intend to do all in his power to have the Minister of Foreign Affairs convince the European Community that protecting this resource makes good sense? What does he intend to do?

[Brian Tobin, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I welcome the member here today and thank him for his excellent question. I know he has been busy with the hearings in the province of Quebec. Obviously he has been listening and that is why he is having trouble speaking. He has come to the conclusion that the future is here in a united federation and it is where we solve our problems. We are delighted to have him back.

We had a very good decision.

At the NAFO conference in Brussels, we made good decisions for the fishermen of Quebec and Canada. We gave Quebec fishermen new opportunities.

I assure the member that we are not going to throw away that opportunity. We are going to preserve the stock because we have the united will of all of the fishermen, tous les pêcheurs du Canada, behind the government to solve this problem.

Immigration

[Art Hanger, Reform, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the youngest minister eligible for the full, unreduced pension.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

My colleagues, usually when we put questions we address the minister by his or her correct title. I know the hon. member will want to do that as he puts his question now.

[Art Hanger, Reform, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, late Friday a press release was circulated which announced officially that the minister for immigration intended to sign a treaty with the United States that would allow Canada to share responsibilities for refugee claimants with the U.S.

I ask the minister of immigration, what exactly will the terms of this treaty be and why did he refuse to sign the treaty one year ago?

[Sergio Marchi, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

I did not know he was addressing it to me, Mr. Speaker.

We should look at what the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of the United States did over the two days. Much was accomplished. There was a good mood among Americans and Canadians in the type of relationship we have.

The President and the Prime Minister have mandated their respective ministers to report back in six months with respect to negotiating a memorandum of understanding on asylum seekers. It will not only be on the basis of the integrity of the system so that refugee claimants can take one good kick at the can either in the United States or in Canada, but also with the view to better protecting those refugee claimants.

It is a positive undertaking. The Americans were not ready one year ago. I am confident that after six months of discussions we will be able to have an agreement that not only protects the North American context but leads the way for good agreements based on integrity and protection.

Justice

[Warren Allmand, Liberal, Notre-Dame-De-Grâce, QC]

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

Recently the government announced that the war crimes unit in the justice department would be cut from 24 to 11 employees. In January the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and the Minister of Justice announced a strategy to deport war criminals currently in Canada. The minister stated that Canada would not become a safe haven for such criminals.

Would the minister say how the government can maintain these policy goals when the war crimes unit will be so drastically reduced?

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

Mr. Speaker, we can achieve those goals by taking action. That is exactly what we have done in the case of suspected war criminals.

Working closely with my colleague, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, we have identified a number of cases involving persons from the second world war in respect of whom we have instituted or will institute civil proceedings for their denaturalization and deportation.

Second, in relation to more modern wars and conflicts, we have already instituted a proceeding in respect of a suspect from the conflict in Rwanda.

We are committed to the principle that Canada will not become a haven for those suspected of war crimes abroad. We are keeping resources, both in justice and in immigration and citizenship, sufficient to allow us to achieve that objective.

Committees Of The House

[John Harvard, Liberal, Winnipeg—St. James, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the report of the Standing Committee on Government Operations on Bill C-58, an act to amend the Public Service Staff Relations Act and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act, without amendment.

Petitions

[Jan Brown, Reform, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise before the House once again to present the 16th petition in this course of action undertaken on behalf of constituents who wish to halt the early release from prison of Robert Paul Thompson. April 11, 1995 is the date set for the parole hearing.

The petitioners I represent are concerned about making the streets safer for our citizens. They are opposed to the current practice of early release of violent offenders prior to serving the full extent of their sentences.

The petitioners pray that our streets will be made safer for law-abiding citizens and the families of the victims of convicted murderers.