House of Commons Hansard #182 of the 35th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.
Presence In The GalleryOral Question Period
The Speaker
Also, colleagues, today is a rather special day for 23 remarkable young Canadians. They are with us as guests of the House, of the National Capital Commission and the surrounding area.
These young Canadians have distinguished themselves through their talent, their determination and their achievements.
They are the winners of the 1995 YTV Achievement Awards.
Government Response To PetitionsRoutine Proceedings
Kingston and the Islands Ontario
Liberal
Peter Milliken LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 16 petitions.
Peter Milliken LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present the 71st report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the associate membership of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
Madam Speaker, with the consent of the House and the support of the Chief Government Whip, I move that the 71st report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, tabled in the House today, be concurred in.
(Motion agreed to.)
Dan McTeague Liberal Ontario, ON
Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present a petition signed by 25 members of my riding. They call upon Parliament to oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act or to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which provide for the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation.
Ronald J. Duhamel Liberal St. Boniface, MB
Madam Speaker, these petitioners are concerned with the amount of violence and abuse in our society. They point out that violence and abuse in the media are of particular concern to them and to the people whom they know, particularly as it affects younger children. They are concerned about all types of abuse and violence.
They ask the government to ensure that the CRTC takes the necessary measures in order to reduce it and if possible to eliminate it. They point out that often what happens counters what it is they try to do in raising their families. They do appreciate some of the recent initiatives undertaken by the CRTC and they want to applaud those.
Dick Harris Reform Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC
Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present four petitions containing over 1,000 names.
The first one is from Mr. Kralkay of Prince George, B.C. The second one is from Mr. Hackman and others of Prince George, B.C. The third one is from Mr. Carvell of Houston, B.C. in my riding. The fourth one is from the Fort Trap and Handgun Club in Fort St. James which is in Prince George-Bulkley Valley riding as well.
These petitions and the 1,000 names contained therein request that Parliament support laws that will severely punish all violent criminals who use weapons in the commission of a crime. They request also that Parliament support new Criminal Code firearms control provisions that recognize and protect the rights of law-abiding citizens to own and use recreational firearms.
They request the support of legislation that will repeal and modify existing gun control laws which have not improved public safety, have proven not to be cost effective, or have proven to be overly complex so as to be ineffective or unenforceable.
I personally support these petitions 100 per cent.
John Murphy Liberal Annapolis Valley—Hants, NS
Madam Speaker, I rise today to present a petition signed by 37 constituents of my riding of Annapolis Valley-Hants.
This petition calls on Parliament not to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act or the charter of rights and freedoms to indicate societal approval of same sex relationships, including amending the Canadian Human Rights Code to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the phrase sexual orientation.
Bob Mills Reform Red Deer, AB
Madam Speaker, I would like to present two petitions today. The petitions are signed by constituents of the riding of Red Deer.
In the first petition, the citizens express their disapproval of special privileges being extended to same sex relationships and the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation in the Canadian Human Rights Act. Therefore, the petitioners humbly pray and request that Parliament oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act.
Bob Mills Reform Red Deer, AB
Madam Speaker, the second petition is signed by 257 constituents.
The petitioners humbly pray that Parliament support laws that will severely punish all violent criminals who use weapons in the commission of crimes and that Parliament support legislation that will repeal and modify existing gun control laws which have not improved public safety or have not proven to be cost effective.
Peter Adams Liberal Peterborough, ON
Madam Speaker, I have two petitions concerning the extradition of Leonard Peltier.
The first petition notes that at the time of Leonard Peltier's extradition from Canada to the United States, the information provided to the Canadian government regarding Mr. Peltier's case was fabricated by the U.S. authorities. Since that time, new information has emerged which indicates that Leonard Peltier was framed for a crime he did not commit and for which he has spent the last 18 years in prison. Key evidence was suppressed, as found out under the freedom of information act. Perjury was rampant throughout the trial and the key witness, Myrtle Poor Bear, recanted her evidence publicly.
Therefore, the petitioners request that Parliament lobby the U.S. government for Mr. Peltier's return to Canada.
Madam Speaker, the second petition is similar to the first.
It asserts that Leonard Peltier is innocent but still remains in prison after 18 years. Under the U.S. freedom of information laws it was found that the FBI had withheld certain evidence which would have been helpful to Mr. Peltier's case. At Mr. Peltier's first appeal in 1986 the court concluded that his defence at the trial had been hampered by misconduct and perjury.
Therefore, the petitioners request that Parliament lobby and advocate on behalf of Mr. Peltier to obtain a prison transfer to Canada.
Nelson Riis NDP Kamloops, BC
Madam Speaker, it is an honour to present a petition called the Melanie Carpenter petition which includes another installation of a few thousand names.
The petitioners believe that many violent offenders and sex offenders are being paroled prematurely or are being released without proper treatment and rehabilitation. They also believe that those convicted of dangerous and sexual offences should remain incarcerated until they have successfully undergone treatment and can demonstrate unequivocally that they have been completely rehabilitated.
The petitioners ask the Minister of Justice and the Government of Canada to take whatever steps are necessary to amend Canada's Criminal Code and the parole system to ensure the safety and peace of our neighbourhoods.
Len Hopkins Liberal Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Madam Speaker, I have two petitions.
Several citizens of Canada state that because the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation in the Canadian Human Rights Act will provide certain groups with special status, rights and privileges, and because the inclusion will infringe on the historic rights of Canadians such as freedom of religion, conscience, expression and association, they petition and call upon Parliament to oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which would provide for the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation.
Peter Milliken LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Madam Speaker, the following question will be answered today: No. 105.
Question No. 105-
John Cummins Reform Delta, BC
With regard to the mandatory use of mefloquine by Canadian forces personnel, ( a ) what clinical or field studies did the Department of National Defence undertake or fund into the possible adverse effects including the impairment of judgment of the mandatory use of mefloquine by Canadian forces while in Somalia, both while the personnel were in Somalia and on their return to Canada, ( b ) what clinical or field studies did the Department of National Defence undertake or fund into the possible adverse effects including the impairment of judgment of the mandatory use of mefloquine by Canadian forces while in Rwanda, both while the personnel were in Rwanda and on their return to Canada, ( c ) what amount of alcohol was available on a daily basis to Canadian forces personnel in Somalia and later in Rwanda who had received the mandatory dosage of mefloquine, what adjustments or precautions were made to the dosages by those administering the drug and what advice was given to persons required to take mefloquine who might be expected to use alcohol during their tour of duty, ( d ) what screening and other precautions were taken by those administering mefloquine, and what advice was given to Canadian forces personnel in regard to self-administered recreational body building, locally grown stimulants and other such drugs that it could reasonably be expected that personnel might be taking concurrent to their usage of mefloquine, ( e ) what ranks and occupations in the Canadian forces were not subject to the mandatory use of mefloquine in either Somalia or Rwanda and why were they not subject to the mandatory requirement to take mefloquine and ( f ) why is the effective dosage of mefloquine taken by Canadian forces stronger than the equivalent dosage given U.S. military personnel and what are the possible adverse effects of such stronger dosages?
Questions On The Order PaperRoutine Proceedings
Bonavista—Trinity—Conception Newfoundland & Labrador
Liberal
Fred Mifflin LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs
(a) None was conducted and none was deemed necessary.
(b) None was conducted and none was deemed necessary.
(c) The specific policy regarding the consumption of alcohol is left to the field commander who determines the amount of alcohol permitted per day during deployment. In Somalia, members were not permitted any alcohol during the first six weeks of their deployment, following which each member was allowed two beers per day, except on special occasions where no restrictions were imposed, e.g. regimental birthday. In Rwanda, members are permitted two beers per day for six days of the week with no alcohol one day a week. The field commander may remove these restrictions for special occasions.
Until quite recently, there was no scientific evidence that personnel taking mefloquine were at an enhanced risk of a serious adverse interation when drinking alcohol. Further, the prescribing information for mefloquine does not mention concern about such an interaction. Thus, when Canadian forces members were deployed to Somalia and Rwanda, there was no evident need to warn those taking mefloquine about an interaction with alcohol. However, a Canadian medical journal has recently, on February 15, 1995, reported a single case of a likely serious interaction between mefloquine and copious alcohol ingestion which resulted in a temporary psychotic state in the patient. This is the first reasonably documented reported case among the millions of persons who have taken mefloquine worldwide in the last decade, many of whom likely drank alcohol, even substantial quantities, hence the risk of such an interaction would seem quite small. In light of this report, it is felt by the Surgeon General that it is prudent specifically to caution members taking mefloquine against the concurrent excessive use of alcohol; the necessary direction is being drawn up. Reducing the mefloquine dosage to minimize potential
mefloquine/alcohol interaction was not and is not recommended since this would enhance the risk of getting malaria.
It is important to state that responsible use of alcohol is already the expected norm in the Canadian forces for other substantial reasons, e.g., injury control, whether inside or outside Canada.
(d) The usual precautions for the prescribing of mefloquine were employed. The Canadian forces have an education based drug and alcohol prevention program, DAPP, to which personnel are to be exposed annually. The Canadian airborne regiment had a DAPP session for the junior non-commissioned members in the fall of 1992 and for senior non-commissioned members and officers before departure to Somalia. At the time of deployment, there was no published literature that indicated an adverse interaction between recreational drugs and mefloquine; therefore, specific advice was not given to those who might use recreational drugs when taking mefloquine, although it is standard policy that recreational drugs are not to be taken by Canadian forces members.
(e) There has been a longstanding caution against using mefloquine among persons for whom dizziness might be particularly detrimental. While there is no evidence that this caution is necessary, out of prudence, the Canadian forces follows it and mefloquine was not and is not used in certain occupational groups, primarily pilots and divers. Hence, in Somalia and Rwanda, pilots and divers were not to be prescribed mefloquine.
(f) Mefloquine marketed in Canada is the European formulation which has 250 mg of base drug. The U.S. formulation has 228 mg of base drug, or 9 per cent less active drug. Medical studies have been done on both formulations with similar conclusions. It is unlikely that the minimally lower dose in the U.S. preparation is of practical significance.
Question Passed As Order For ReturnRoutine Proceedings
Kingston and the Islands Ontario
Liberal
Peter Milliken LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Madam Speaker, if Question No. 77 could be made an Order for Return, the return would be tabled immediately. For the record, I note that Question No. 77 is a starred question.
Question Passed As Order For ReturnRoutine Proceedings
The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Maheu)
Is that agreed?
Question Passed As Order For ReturnRoutine Proceedings
Some hon. members
Agreed.
*Question No. 77-
Francine Lalonde Bloc Mercier, QC
For each program respecting a component of unemployment insurance, employment, child tax benefit, children's special allowances, negotiation and administration of international social security agreements, income security and social programs, namely EIC 1 to EIC 45, HWC 26 to HWC 42 and LAB 112, what have been the ( a ) annual budgets and ( b ) administrative costs for each province and territory since 1989?
Return tabled.
Peter Milliken Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
I ask, Madam Speaker, that the remaining questions be allowed to stand.
Question Passed As Order For ReturnRoutine Proceedings
The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Maheu)
Is that agreed?
The House resumed consideration of the motion that Bill C-76, an act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on February 27, 1995, be read the second time and referred to a committee; and of the amendment.
Derek Wells Liberal South Shore, NS
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on Bill C-76, an act to implement certain provisions of the 1995 budget. I would like, however, to preface my discussion on the specific aspects of this bill with a few general comments about the budget.
The Liberal agenda with regard to deficit reduction was clearly outlined in the red book and has been reiterated by the Minister of Finance many times over the past 18 months.
Unlike the Reform Party we have not made unrealistic promises to reduce the deficit overnight. Rather we have set, and will continue to set, realistic goals until such time as the deficit is eliminated.
There is no denying that some of the measures announced in this budget are tough. However, the reality is that the time has come to make these changes. The Liberal Party campaigned on providing good government, and this budget underscores that commitment by taking on the challenge of reducing the deficit and modernizing government. I acknowledge that adjustments will have to be made, but I believe that this will be for the long term good of this country.
Personally, I was relieved to note that the cuts announced in the budget are fairly uniform from region to region. Unlike last year, for instance, when I had to deal with the closure of two Canadian forces stations in my riding, Atlantic Canada has not received a disproportionate share of the cuts.
That said, I would now like to concentrate on the bill before us. Where possible I would like to discuss the various aspects of this legislation by focusing on the effect that these measures will have on the province of Nova Scotia and, in particular, my riding of South Shore.
One of the most important facets of this legislation is the establishment of the Canadian health and social transfer. This initiative, which converts established programs financing for health and education and the Canada assistance plan into a single consolidated block transfer, is a fundamental structural change that will result in decisive deficit reduction. The result will be a transfer system that is fiscally sustainable and more effective in meeting contemporary needs.
This approach provides real benefits to both levels of government and will reduce a number of longstanding irritants. For example, the provinces will be free to pursue their own innovative approaches to social security reform and will have more control over how they meet their priorities. They will no longer be subject to rules stipulating that certain expenditures are eligible for cost sharing and others are not. As well, the expense of administering cost sharing will be eliminated.
Some people have expressed concern that this change in funding methods will result in the disintegration of national standards. This is simply not so. The transfer will not be totally unconditional, nor, as the Minister of Finance stated in his budget speech, does flexibility mean a free for all. The principles of the Canada Health Act will continue to be enforced. There will be no change in the principle that provinces must provide social assistance without minimum residency requirements. Rather a set of shared principles and objectives will be developed in concert with the provinces to underly the new transfer.
It is also important to note that the equalization program will remain intact and will continue to grow. This ensures that provinces like Nova Scotia will have the ability to provide all Canadians with a reasonably comparable level of service regardless of where they live. Overall in the Atlantic provinces equalization growth offsets Canada health and social transfer reductions so that overall transfers will increase slightly to these provinces. In fact, in Nova Scotia the percentage change in provincial transfer entitlements has increased by .09 per cent for 1996-97.
The next facet of this bill that I would like to cover is the elimination of the Atlantic freight subsidies under the Atlantic Region Freight Assistance Act and the Maritime Freight Rates Act.
These subsidies were provided to rail, trucking and marine companies to defray the cost of shipping goods within the Atlantic region and to central Canadian markets. However, a recent analysis of this program has shown that they are no longer serving their original purpose.
For instance, almost half of the $99 million spent annually goes to ship goods within provincial boundaries. High tariff barriers that restricted access by regional producers to markets in the United States and abroad no longer exist.
Shipments to central Canada represent a small and declining portion of the Atlantic region's market. In fact, only 13 per cent of goods produced are sent to central Canada. Goods are also being shipped further than need be in order to collect the subsidy.
The elimination of this tariff will lead to increased efficiency and, very importantly, will reduce the burden on taxpayers and shift the cost of providing transportation onto those who use and directly benefit from the system.
I was pleased to note that Transport Canada will be providing $326 million in transitional funding to the Atlantic provinces to alleviate shipper hardship, upgrade highways and transportation infrastructure on a cost shared basis.
By turning away from broad subsidization and toward focused and responsible investment in infrastructure and technology, Transport Canada is helping to build an integrated and affordable national transportation system, something that will benefit all of Atlantic Canada rather than just one specific sector.
Bill C-76 also contains amendments to the workforce adjustment directive, the Public Service Employment Act and the Public Sector Compensation Act that will facilitate a fair and orderly downsizing of the public service.
It is estimated that about 45,000 federal public service jobs will be affected by the measures implemented in this budget as a result of program review. Some of these jobs will be transferred to the private sector. Other reductions will be realized through attrition, voluntary departures and layoffs. The impact that this will have on the Atlantic region has not yet been determined, but all indications are that a large portion of these cuts will be made in the national capital region. This is due to the fact that approximately one-third of the total public service workforce is located in this region.
These cuts are the unfortunate part of the transition from a public service that tries to be all things to all people to one that offers Canadians a more limited number of high value programs and services. The approach taken by previous governments of
implementing across the board cuts is no longer a viable solution.
This government is at the point where such a measure would only result in good programs being penalized and working conditions suffering. For too long federal employees at every level have had to contend with heavier workloads and fewer resources. It is now time for government to change, to streamline its operations. As was noted in the 1994 budget announcement, it is time to ensure that government's diminished resources are directed to the highest priority requirements, to those areas where the federal government is best placed to deliver services.
As a result of this review, it has become necessary for the government to enact changes to the various pieces of legislation that govern the public service. These changes are necessary to achieve our fiscal objectives.
Over the next three years there will be major changes to the way government services are delivered. As a result, some temporary measures are required to ensure that where there is no work there is no pay.
Another measure in this legislation will see the termination of payments under the Public Utilities Income Tax Transfer Act. This program involves the federal government transferring to the provinces and territories 95 per cent of federal income taxes paid by privately owned electrical and gas utilities. In turn, the provinces were to transfer this amount to privately owned utilities. Nova Scotia is the only province that actually utilizes the transfer as it was intended, and I anticipate that Nova Scotia Power and its customers throughout the province will bear the brunt of this budget measure.
I am against this particular cut because it means that power bills in Nova Scotia will increase. However, I realize that other provinces are going to have to deal with the loss of this transfer money as well in one way or another.
In closing, I would like to reiterate my overall support for the 1995 budget. I am very pleased to be part of a government that has the will and determination to tackle this country's deficit problem. It is about time that concrete action was taken.