Debates of Oct. 2nd, 1996

Museums

[Gaston Leroux, Bloc, Richmond—Wolfe, QC]

Mr. Speaker, applications for museum financing under the Museums Assistance Program were filed with the Department of Canadian Heritage as of February 15 this year. Some Canadian museums received their replies at the end of June, but most did so at the end of August. In Quebec only one museum received a reply, and it happens to be in Shawinigan, in the Prime Minister's riding.

My question is directed to the Minister of Canadian Heritage. What explanation does the minister have for the delay in responding to museums in general and those in Quebec in particular, and why does she let small museums languish for as long as seven months before bothering to answer their applications?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, in the same article it says that the McCord Museum received $100,000. What he says is not true.

[Gaston Leroux, Bloc, Richmond—Wolfe, QC]

Mr. Speaker, if I may refresh the minister's memory, scarcely two years ago, in 1994, corporate services asked her to reply within four months of the mailing date on grant applications.

If this is due to a considerable lack of efficiency, I would ask the minister to explain why she is super-efficient when she hands out flags and so negligent when dealing with museums in Quebec?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I am very particular about how we spend $8 million of Canadian taxpayers money. Since we received some applications only a few weeks ago, our purpose is to protect both the museums that filed proper applications and taxpayers in Quebec and Canada.

Land Mines

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Canadian summit on land mines begins tomorrow, with more than 70 countries represented. Parliamentarians from the new Republic of South Africa visiting this House today told us last evening that in Mozambique alone at least one child per day, every day, is killed by a land mine while walking to school. What does the minister hope to achieve that will stop this human tragedy?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for the question. The purpose of this conference that begins here tomorrow is to bring together over 70 countries to begin organizing the move toward the total global elimination of land mines. It is a very significant landmark.

I would like to point out that as part of the leadership that Canada has taken, I think the House should applaud the decision taken today by the minister of defence to move toward the elimination of the Canadian stock of land mines beginning with a two-thirds reduction immediately.

That is the kind of leadership and dedication that we see taking place and I would invite members of Parliament to attend the exhibit that was opened today on land mines where we can see the professionalism, competence and courage of our armed forces today as they work around the world on the elimination of mines.

Justice

[Jack Ramsay, Reform, Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is evident that the justice minister continues to support the right of murders to a full judge and jury review of their parole ineligibility after serving just 15 years of a life sentence. By doing so, the justice minister continues to support the criminal and ignores the pain and anguish of the families of murder victims.

The minister and his government have repeatedly taken the side of the criminal at the expense of law abiding Canadians. Why does the minister of justice not eliminate section 745 of the Criminal Code completely and deny all first degree murderers, including Clifford Olson, any opportunity for early release and demonstrate his willingness to come down on the side of the victim?

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge the hon. member to support Bill C-45 which we put before this House to improve the current provisions of the Criminal Code so far as they relate to applications for early parole by those sentenced to prison for longer than 15 years.

In that bill we have proposed a tightening and a toughening of that provision to ensure it is available only in exceptional cases. What is most important of all, apart from the fact altogether that it would make applications of that nature impossible if one is

convicted of multiple or serial killing, it puts the ultimate decision in the hands of the community, the community jury, the very Canadian people for whom this hon. member purports to speak.

[Jack Ramsay, Reform, Crowfoot, AB]

Of course, Mr. Speaker, we recognize in the minister's response that he is forgetting one more time about the victims of crime.

Fourteen years ago Darlene Boyd's teenage daughter was raped and murdered, her body burned by Jim Peters. In four months this murderer can apply for early release under section 745 of the Criminal Code.

How can the justice minister justify putting Darlene Boyd through this torment and anguish one more time?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have met with Darlene Boyd. I have spoken to her directly about this issue. I saw for myself the enormous tragedy she has had to endure and live through.

I know I speak for all members of this House when I say our hearts go out to Darlene Boyd and to others who find themselves facing those types of tragedies.

If the hon. member and his colleagues in the Reform Party would co-operate with us and support Bill C-45, as I urge them to do, we will change the provisions of the Criminal Code so that before anyone who is in custody can bring such an application they would first have to have it screened by a judge of a superior court to demonstrate, and they would bear the onus, that there is a reasonable prospect of their success in front of a jury.

Second, they would have to persuade a jury unanimously, as opposed to the present two-thirds rule, that they should be given permission to apply early to the parole board.

I believe those changes allow us to retain this provision, which has been part of criminal law for 20 years, while improving it and ensuring that it is available only in exceptional cases. I urge the member to join us in passing that legislation.

Railway Safety

[Paul Mercier, Bloc, Blainville—Deux-Montagnes, QC]

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

This summer, we learned from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada that the number of main line derailments in Canada in the first seven months of 1996 was 50 per cent higher than in the same period last year. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 146 accidents, compared to only 97 last year, for an average increase of seven accidents per month.

Does the minister not think that this disturbing rise in the number of rail accidents is due partly to the appalling condition of the rail system itself, especially in Quebec where, according to a 1995 Transport Canada study, the number of problems on Quebec's main rail lines is three to ten times-

[An hon. member]

Question.

[The Speaker]

I am sorry, but I must give the floor to the hon. Minister of Transport.

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the subject is a very serious one and safety is in fact Transport Canada's preoccupation in all its activities.

I point out to the hon. member that it is certainly correct, there has been an increase in mainline accidents. I would suggest, however, the figures should be looked at rather carefully to see what level those accidents are on. In fact, in terms of the more serious accidents there is a very slight change.

I can also assure the member that only an hour ago I was meeting with the presidents of Canadian National and Canadian Pacific to discuss this very issue and I certainly welcome his concern on this account.

[Paul Mercier, Bloc, Blainville—Deux-Montagnes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister apparently cannot see a cause and effect relationship between the appalling condition of Canada's rail system and the record number of accidents.

Will he at least admit that his negligence in the recent closing of some rail carriers' maintenance facilities is partly responsible for the increase in the number of accidents?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, certainly not. The situation is not related, as the hon. member suggests.

This is not the easiest question to deal with when one is analysing statistics, but I would suggest that the hon. member compare the enormously successful Canadian system with others.

If the member compares the record of both CN and CP to those lines across the border, he will find that we have a very safe system. However, inevitably in a country with the amount of rail traffic that we have there will be some accidents. I certainly welcome his concern and interest in the subject because it is, as I said earlier, the most important priority of my department.

Canadian Wheat Board

[Elwin Hermanson, Reform, Kindersley—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, evidence shows that the Canadian Wheat Board has not performed well with its sales of barley. The agriculture minister has sat back and twiddled his thumbs over marketing reform while barley growers have lost millions of dollars.

The minister knows that the Alberta plebiscite and several prairie polls, including his own, indicate barley growers support voluntary participation in the Canadian Wheat Board.

My question is for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Will he stop twiddling his thumbs and implement his panel's recommendations or at least hold a plebiscite soon asking barley producers if marketing barley through the Canadian Wheat Board should be voluntary?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, on the first day of this session of Parliament, September 16, I was asked a question by the hon. member for Provencher as to the timing of the government's reaction to the controversy in western Canada about western grain marketing. I indicated in that reply that we would be in a position to announce our policy decisions before Thanksgiving.

I am pleased to confirm that we are on track with that timing. I will be in a position to make an announcement of the government's policy decisions within the next several days.

On the specific allegations the hon. gentleman has made with respect to barley marketing, I presume he is referring to recent media reports carried in Winnipeg and elsewhere. I can assure him those media reports are grossly inflated and are not an accurate representation of the facts.

[Elwin Hermanson, Reform, Kindersley—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, if the minister wants to talk about gross misrepresentation, he should talk about his own Angus Reid poll which was a crude manipulation, attempting to swing support behind the monopoly selling of barley. That is why a plebiscite is so important.

I would really like the minister to commit today to call a plebiscite with a clear and honest question, which he has said is important, that will allow all prairie barley producers a vote on their marketing choice in the future.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the Angus Reid organization will be intrigued with the hon. gentleman's allegation of manipulation. I will be certain to draw that to the attention of Mr. Reid and he can take whatever response he deems appropriate.

With respect to the barley issue, as I have said, the government is on the verge of making its policy pronouncements. The hon.

gentleman has only a few days to wait and I think he may be intrigued by the position we announce.

Fuel Imports

[Pat O'Brien, Liberal, London—Middlesex, ON]

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

Atomic Energy Canada and Ontario Hydro are proposing to import plutonium fuels from the United States. If the federal government agrees to this proposal will the minister commit our government to a full environmental assessment with public hearings to afford Canadians a fair and full opportunity for meaningful input?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, let me reassure the hon. member that any decision in relation to the importation of MOX fuel is a very long way off.

Feasibility studies are presently being done in relation to the possible use of MOX fuel in Candu reactors. If it proves feasible then obviously there still has to be a decision made by the United States or perhaps Russia as to whether they choose the Candu as an option for disposal.

In relation to the hon. member's specific question, let me reassure him that all relevant federal and provincial environmental health and safety assessment processes and licensing processes will be followed. Many of those processes involve full opportunity for the public to participate and to offer its point of view.

Let me reassure the hon. member that the public will have ample opportunity for input into any final decision-

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

Telecommunications

[Pierre De Savoye, Bloc, Portneuf, QC]

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

On December 20, the minister stated that he did not want the rate restructuring in the field of telecommunications to be done at the expense of accessibility. The minister said: "Accessibility is currently not at stake and we will make sure that it will not be in the future".

Since the minister and the CRTC authorized significant increases in the cost of local services, with more to come, what measures is

the minister contemplating to make sure local services remain affordable for everyone?

[Morris Bodnar, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, the position of the government has been to continuously allow competition to play an important role in the provision of services, including the area of telecommunications.

During this process, the CRTC has been involved. It is very important to recognize that during the restructuring in this area of telecommunications there may be inconveniences that arise.

However, the marketplace is an important place that sets the fee structures, and when the marketplace takes priority it comes up with a level of funding and a level of pricing that is superior with lower costs for the consumer.