Debates of March 27th, 1995

Trade

[Roy MacLaren, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, the discussions that were held on March 16 were part of an ongoing process of consultation with the United States. When we have had a chance to review further the United States information and material given to us on March 16, we will again be consulting the United States.

[Ray Speaker, Reform, Lethbridge]

Mr. Speaker, my supplementary question is for the same minister.

Could he indicate what approach the government is taking with regard to sugar? Is sugar being negotiated as one commodity alone, or is it a commodity being negotiated with a package of goods relative to the GATT?

[Roy MacLaren, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, the question of sugar is being negotiated alone.

La Relance Job Search Project

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development.

The federal government has just granted a subsidy to the job search project La Relance in order to help young people with no income find a job. Until now, the Department of Human Resources Development had funded only the program for young unemployed workers.

How can the Minister of Human Resources Development explain his department's decision to give financial assistance to La Relance when it withdrew funding from Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi because that centre dealt with young welfare recipients?

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

Mr. Speaker, we did not withdraw funding from the Carrefour Jeunesse. In fact the department is supplying something like $200,000 worth of project support this year.

As far as the project Relance is concerned, we are providing an additional $20,000 at the end of the year to make up a backlog of cases. I am not sure why the hon. member would be so critical of any attempt to help young people in the province of Quebec.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, am I to understand from the minister's answer that, from now on, he intends to support all groups pursuing the same objectives, whether they deal with people on unemployment insurance or with people who do not receive unemployment insurance benefits?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the House before, in the spirit of the new federal philosophy of decentralization where we want to give far more responsibility to our officers at the local region who make decisions about their priorities, we will be responsive to those kinds of decisions.

It indicates a new kind of federalism. We want the programs to be tailored to the actual needs and priorities as determined by people working in those communities.

Firearms

[Jack Ramsay, Reform, Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, a Court of Queen's Bench in Alberta has found the orders in council passed by the past Tory government pertaining to firearms legislation to be invalid because section 116(2) of the Criminal Code had not been adhered to.

My question is for the justice minister. Why has he followed the same procedure in passing orders in council before Christmas, a procedure that has been declared invalid by the courts of this land and has not worked its way through the appeal courts? Why did the minister choose to follow a procedure that has been declared invalid by the courts?

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

Mr. Speaker, the judgment that has been referred to is under appeal because the federal government believes at first instance it was simply wrong. Without meaning any disrespect to the court, we have every confidence in the validity of the order in council.

The appeal is pending yet government must continue. The government has exercised an authority which it believes has been done validly and lawfully in the best interest of the public.

[Jack Ramsay, Reform, Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I understand the response of the justice minister. However, he could have followed the procedure outlined in section 116 of the Criminal Code. I observe that in Bill C-68 he has made that provision.

Why would the minister not follow the procedure set out in the Criminal Code and have the orders in council passed by the elected representatives of the people as section 116 of the Criminal Code demands and as the Court of Queen's Bench in Alberta has indicated is a valid procedure?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is because that section is not relevant to this exercise.

Two sections in the code speak of orders in council. One has to do with the general power on the part of government to prohibit. That order in council need not be placed before the House. The second and different kind of order in council deals with such matters as regulation, fees, businesses selling firearms. Those orders in council must be placed before the House.

We have distinguished between the two. We are confident of the validity of the steps we have taken. We feel in good faith the judgment at first instance in Alberta was wrong. We will pursue the appeal with every confidence that we shall win it.

Education

[Jean Charest, Progressive Conservative, Sherbrooke, QC]

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

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Jean Charest, Progressive Conservative, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as usual I am flattered by all of the attention.

My question is for the Minister of Industry who is responsible for the Canada scholarship program for science and engineering students. The government's main estimates in 1995-96 said the "program was very successful in encouraging Canadian students, particularly women, to enter and stay in post-secondary science, engineering and technology studies".

Given the evaluation and the success of the program with the private sector and the rhetoric of the government on post-secondary education and R and D, why did the minister cut the program?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to receive a question from the leader of the fifth party, particularly one who will know that the funding for the Canada Scholarship Plan has been fulfilled to the extent that it was approved and put in place by the previous government. Nothing was cut. Rather the funding accorded by the previous government has run out.

I would like him to know that we are working very hard to find means to supply the Canada Scholarship Program in other ways and perhaps with the participation of the private sector so that a program like this is able to continue.

[Jean Charest, Progressive Conservative, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have a supplementary question.

Given the fact that the government will not continue to reward the excellence of students in the area of science and post-secondary education, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development.

Why is it that his department has not continued a stay in school program that seeks to help young Canadian men and women to pursue their studies so that we as a society can do everything we can for young men and women to obtain all the skills they need in their lifetime to participate fully in Canadian society? Why has he cut that program?

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

Mr. Speaker, we were put in the unfortunate position that the previous government had only provided limited five-year funding. I have made a special effort in the past year to

provide an extension of the funding so that I could then use the time to begin to recruit the assistance and enlistment of the private sector.

We have been able to obtain a number of private sector sponsors as part of the stay in school program. Next fall when the new national basketball association team opens up in Vancouver and Toronto the stay in school logo will be part of its promotion. It has become one of the major sponsors of the program.

It shows we are interested in maintaining the very valuable necessity of keeping our young people in school.

Unemployment Insurance

[Rose-Marie Ur, Liberal, Lambton—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, congratulations are in order to the hon. member for Restigouche-Chaleur on his private member's bill which will allow UI claimants to serve on jury duty without losing their benefits.

Could the Minister of Human Resources Development assure us that there will be no delay in implementing the measures and that individuals receiving UI will be immediately entitled to their benefits while serving on a jury?

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

Mr. Speaker, I certainly join in congratulating the hon. member for Restigouche-Chaleur who for the first time has established a precedent. His private member's bill has not only received royal assent but royal recommendation for the spending of government money.

I am pleased to report to the House that with its passage yesterday in the Senate and the giving of royal assent, at two minutes past midnight this morning all persons asked to serve on jury duty who receive UI benefits can continue to collect them.

Presence In Gallery

[The Speaker]

I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Simon Upton, Minister for the Environment, Research, Science and Technology and Minister for Crown Research Institutes of New Zealand.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

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 25 petitions.

Petitions

[Gar Knutson, Liberal, Elgin—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have six petitions with a total of 471 names to present.

The petitioners are praying and requesting that Parliament not amend the human rights code, the Canadian Human Rights Act or the charter of rights and freedoms in any way that would tend to indicate societal approval of same sex relationships or homosexuality, including amending the human rights code to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the undefined phrase of sexual orientation.

[Walt Lastewka, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I should like to table a petition signed by over 2,000 Canadians from the Niagara peninsula, Hamilton, London, Burlington, Toronto and surrounding areas, and other Ontario cities.

The petitioners call on Parliament to condemn the actions of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in its application to televise the Paul Bernardo trial.

[Jan Brown, Reform, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition in a course of action undertaken on behalf of constituents who wish to halt the early release of Robert Paul Thompson from prison.

The petitioners I represent are concerned about making the streets safer for 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 murders.