Debates of May 18th, 1995

Canadian Armed Forces

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I must thank the hon. member for his question. Contrary to certain allegations that the closure of the Saint-Jean military college would negatively affect the recruitment of francophones in the armed forces, I am pleased to announce that we met our recruitment objective this year for francophone officer cadets, which was 30 per cent.

This clearly shows that francophones still and will always consider a career in the Canadian forces to be worthwhile.

Cultural Policy

[Ian McClelland, Reform, Edmonton Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the American government is developing a hit list of Canadian communication and entertainment companies in retaliation for Canada's policy of cultural isolationism, a policy that has already denied Canadian country music artists a worldwide audience via country music television. Now Much Music and Teleglobe are among companies who may be sacrificed with this isolationist policy.

My question is for the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Can the minister deny that this government's anti-competitive cultural policies will cost Canadians jobs and Canadian country music artists worldwide exposure?

[Roy MacLaren, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I can confirm for the hon. member that I did indeed receive a letter from the United States trade representative that indicates the intention to embark on a section 301 action against Canada if in the time immediately ahead it is not possible for us to reach agreement on the issues the hon. member has raised.

[Ian McClelland, Reform, Edmonton Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we will try again with perhaps the heritage minister or the Minister of Industry.

Canadians have made it very clear: we support choice and competition. These should be the guiding principles of a cultural policy. Instead, it would appear that the Liberals favour competition when it benefits the Liberal family compact.

Why is the minister sacrificing Canadian artists, Canadian jobs, and consumer choice at the altar of Canadian cultural isolationism?

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, the decision to delist CMT was made by the CRTC pursuant to a long-standing CRTC policy. When CMT entered the Canadian market it was aware of the CRTC policy that it could be de-listed if a competitive Canadian service so requested. That is the rule of the game.

The follow up is naturally in the hands of the American authorities concerned. They have threatened retaliation. The minister of commerce and foreign trade has indicated that the letter from the secretary of state's Mr. Kantor received by him will be replied to in due course. However, the policy is clear.

Official Languages

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the President of the Treasury Board. The official opposition checked the information network Internet and found that at least 10 federal government institutions provide information exclusively in English. Among the guilty you will find the Department of National Defence, the Royal Military College of Kingston, the Department of Industry and the Department of Natural Resources.

Does the President of the Treasury Board, who is responsible for applying the Official Languages Act, intend to take immediate action to ensure that these federal institutions and organizations start offering information in both official languages on Internet on the double?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated before in the House, we certainly intend to have the Official Languages Act and its regulations upheld. Canadians should be able to get service in the official language of their choice.

I understand the Internet primarily deals in the English language. What we need to do, in terms of ensuring that our government services are provided in both official languages, is take the necessary action to help ensure that happens.

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC]

Mr. Speaker, federal documents should be released to the public in both official languages simultaneously, not just in English and later in French whenever they have the time. We must all be treated equally. All that they have done is put a French title page in front of an English document. That is what I call a one way highway.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC]

In these hours following the release of the CRTC's recommendations regarding Canadian content on the information highway, is the President of the Treasury Board not ashamed to face francophones, knowing that some of the information the federal government puts on Internet is only available in English?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, there is changing technology. The government certainly is committed to moving as quickly as it can to ensure that people can have the services of this government in the official language of their choice. A great deal of progress has been made by this government to do exactly that.

I have indicated before in the House the new publications that have been brought out to assist our departments in making sure that happens, providing information to the public on where they can get service in the official language of their choice and publishing it in minority language newspapers. I can go on and on.

The government intends to ensure that the Official Languages Act and its regulations are followed so that Canadians can have service in the official language of their choice.

Election Advertising

[Stephen Harper, Reform, Calgary West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, you will know that the government has been appealing the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench ruling that the gag law against third party election advertising and free speech is unconstitutional.

According to recent press reports, the government's appeal in Alberta is all but being laughed out of court. Will the solicitor general save the taxpayers further expense and withdraw his appeal of the undemocratic gag law?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have found from my long experience arguing in courtrooms that it is very difficult to predict from newspaper reports what the result of a case will be.

I would caution the hon. member to be patient. We have made our submissions, and out of respect for the court I think we will await the judgment before making further comment.

[Stephen Harper, Reform, Calgary West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this has already been defeated twice in the courts in the past.

Will the minister admit that the real reason for trying to preserve this gag law in court is the same reason as that of the previous government-that it is worried about organizations and citizens who are going to make their obscene pension plans an issue in the next federal election?

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

Mr. Speaker, the position we advanced as counsel for the federal government was argued in the courtroom, where it should be argued. That judgment is now in reserve and I do not propose to comment on it until the court has had an opportunity to express its opinion.

However, I can tell the hon. member that the next time this government goes to the electorate it will do so very proud of the fact that it fulfilled its red book commitments with respect to pensions and every other matter.

Tourism

[Dianne Brushett, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of National Revenue.

Tourism is a substantial industry, worth billions of dollars to the Canadian economy. On Sunday the minister announced the opening of a new facility at the Vancouver international airport to assist foreign travellers. Would the minister tell the House how the new facility will help the economy and the thousands of cruise ship passengers travelling through Vancouver?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly can.

We have approximately 700,000 cruise ship visitors coming through Vancouver. These people put millions upon millions of dollars into the economy of Vancouver. Yet I found to my surprise when I became minister that they were waiting for up to three hours at the Vancouver airport before moving down to the ship terminals.

We have a new facility in place. It is temporary until the new building is put in next year. Instead of wasting their time at the airport, the cruise ship passengers will now have the opportunity to spend their time in downtown Vancouver and spend their dollars along with it.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Claude Bachand, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Indian affairs minister.

In a controversial move, Mohawks in Kanesatake are getting ready to bury two of their members in the pine grove, in Oka, on land belonging to the municipality of Oka. Meanwhile, negotiations have been suspended because their friend, Michel Robert, has been appointed to the bench.

Can the minister confirm that, for the past several years, the municipality of Oka has been offering land to the federal government-which it has not agreed to buy yet-in an effort to put an end to the tensions between itself and the Mohawk community in Kanesatake?

[Ron Irwin, Liberal, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, this is potentially a very volatile situation, and with my knowledge of the hon. member I am sure he would not want to exploit it.

The situation is that two individuals, two Mohawks, drowned. The Mohawks say that there is not enough property in which to bury them and they have cleared a small plot of ground, which I think is 20 feet by 20 feet. The mayor of Oka says that it is his property. Judge Réjean Paul has been there. I think the minister of security for Quebec has looked at it. We are trying to keep a lid on it, and I think it would be highly inappropriate in the circumstances for me to comment on it. It is better done quietly and privately under the aegis of Judge Réjean Paul.

Immigration

[Art Hanger, Reform, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Immigration Association released a new poll that confirms that even after having broken every promise it made to Canadians on immigration, this government is still woefully out of touch.

Seventy-six per cent thought bogus refugees should be turned around at the border with no appeal, and the majority agreed with the Reform Party that civil servants and not politically appointed friends of the minister should determine refugee status.

Will the minister finally listen to Canadians, put their interests first and scrap the Immigration and Refugee Board?

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

Mr. Speaker, is it a surprise after his trip to Washington where he and his party allowed Newt Gingrich, Pat Buchanan and that great visionary Sonny Bono to dictate immigration policy? Those three want to bring the United States back to the dark ages and this member wants to hook Canadians' wagon to that. We say no thank you.

Winnipeg Jets

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister, who has been doing a lot of skating around the Winnipeg Jets issue.

Call it what you might, $20 million is being generated to rescue the Winnipeg Jets. If the government is to proceed with the rescue package would it at least consider taking an equity position in the hockey club so it will be an investment as opposed to simply turning its money over to the development of an arena which is really a black hole?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, we are not in the business of investing in hockey teams. We are in the business of investing in facilities. Because the city of Winnipeg wants to proceed with this project, it is quite eligible under the infrastructure works program.

The infrastructure works program has created to this point some 100,000 jobs, which is what this is about, creating jobs in our communities, strenghthening the infrastructure. That is where we have made our investment.

Presence In The Gallery

[The Speaker]

I draw the attention of the House to the presence in the gallery of the hon. Darlene Marzari, Minister of Municipal Affairs for the Government of British Columbia.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.