Debates of March 17th, 1995

Health

[Some hon. members]

Order.

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

I find it disgraceful that members of the Reform Party would be so lacking in respect for the very serious problems of women's health.

Department Of National Defence

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

Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention this government plans to spend $10 million to renovate the dilapidated World War II barracks at CFB Cornwallis for the international peacekeeping centre.

Could the minister of national expense, I should say defence, explain to Canadians why taxpayers must pay for this ridiculous renovation while modern DND facilities are available across the country?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows that a decision was made to establish a centre at Cornwallis. I am unaware of the details as alleged by the hon. member. I will take the question as notice, advise the minister and I am sure he will provide the hon. member with a fully satisfactory explanation next week.

Air Safety

[Bernard St-Laurent, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport. Part III of Transport Canada's Estimates indicates that steps were taken to implement Transport Safety Board recommendations regarding serious deficiencies in the inspection of commercial aircraft.

How can the minister hope to convince us that his department will be able to carry out more thorough inspections and improve follow-up when $12 million were cut from the $82.2 million budget of the departmental unit responsible for these inspections?

[Douglas Young, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague knows that air safety within Canada and on international flights out of Canada is absolutely essential, and crucial to the success of Air Canada, Canadian Airlines International and other carriers. I am sure that my hon. colleague would not want to raise questions that could cast doubt on the safety of these aircraft.

The main thing to remember in all this is that carriers, pilots, the inspection agency-Transport Canada, in this instance-everyone must do their job. But what was reported, and this is very important, is that the problem may not have been the inspections but the follow-up. In this context, we, at Transport Canada, have undertaken to ensure that, whenever deficiencies are found, they be followed-up much more seriously than in the cases reported by the commission.

Finance

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

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

Increasingly we are hearing the Canadian banks being referred to as international casinos as the global gamblers now using depositor's money are re-entering into a casino like existence.

Can the Minister of Finance tell us what he plans to take to the Halifax conference in terms of ensuring this is on the agenda and when some of the details of that will be made public?

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

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that first and foremost on the agenda is the reform of the Breton Woods Institutions. In that area of reform will be the whole question of surveillance and transparency involving sovereign nations and also the whole question of capital flows. I suspect what the member is referring to is the problem of derivatives and the consequences thereof.

I have met with the heads of most of the major Canadian financial institutions. In the course of those discussions they assured me we do have the controls to avoid the kind of problems that exist abroad.

We also have a financial culture which would not lend itself, although you can never tell what can happen, to the kinds of problems to which the member referred.

Cuba

[Judy Bethel, Liberal, Edmonton East, AB]

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

It was reported today that an American congressman suggested Canada defer to U.S. foreign policy on Cuba. He was supporting a bill before Congress that would punish countries that ignore the U.S. embargo.

How will this bill affect Canadian companies doing business in Cuba?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to respond to my colleague's important question. The United States has draft legislation in place right now which would have a negative effect, especially on the principals and families of some Canadian companies investing in Cuba.

We hope there will be amendments to this legislation before it is pursued in the United States. However, we have made it very clear that Canada will be pursuing and will continue to pursue an independent foreign policy. This is very well respected world wide.

This week we are very pleased to be celebrating 50 years of friendly relations with Cuba and we expect to have many more such years in the future.

Marine Atlantic

[Benoît Sauvageau, Bloc, Terrebonne, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for over a year, the official opposition has been asking the Minister of Transport to explain why Marine Atlantic, which is a Crown corporation, had been authorized to operate two of its ships under Bahamian flags, and to correct the situation as quickly as possible.

Can the minister confirm today that all Marine Atlantic ships now fly Canadian flags, and can he tell us what measures were taken to ensure that Canadian government agencies do not operate ships under convenience flags?

[Douglas Young, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, when the issue was raised some months ago, as the hon. member pointed out, we were looking at a situation which, in some cases, had been persisting for quite a long time. We have decided to commercialize Marine Atlantic's operations. In other words, we will sell all the ships.

Presence In Gallery

[The Speaker]

Colleagues, may I draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Rigoberto Ochoa Zaragoza, Governor of the State of Nayarit, Mexico, and an accompanying delegation.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[The Deputy Speaker]

May I also draw to your attention the presence in the gallery of His Worship Al Duerr, the mayor of Calgary.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

Small Business

[Dennis Mills, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 109, I am pleased to table, in both official languages, the government's response to the second report of the Standing Committee on Industry entitled "Taking Care of Small Business".

I am also pleased to table copies of a report entitled "Small Business: A Progress Report" together with the government's response to the report entitled "Breaking Through Barriers" from the private sector.

This is the private small business working committee established by the government in 1994.

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 66th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding supplementary estimates (D) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1995.

The committee considered supplementary estimates (D) referred to the committee as agreed, and report them to the House without any amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 67th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the membership of standing committees.

If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence in the 67th report later this day.

Farm Improvement And Marketing Cooperatives Loans Act

[Douglas Young, Liberal, for Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-75, an act to amend the Farm Improvement and Marketing Cooperative Loans Act.

(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 67th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House earlier this day, be concurred in.

(Motion agreed to.)

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

Mr. Speaker, I believe there is unanimous consent for the following

motion. I move that the following change be made to the membership of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs: Mr. Pickard for Mrs. Bakopanos.

(Motion agreed to).

Petitions

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to present a petition to the House bearing 904 signatures opposing further gun control.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a second petition bearing 550 names opposing amendments to the Criminal Code, the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to include consideration of same sex relationships.

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

Mr. Speaker, the third petition contains 51 signatures opposing assisted suicide.

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

Mr. Speaker, the final petition contains 254 signatures from petitioners opposing increased taxes.

I respectfully submit these petitions.