House of Commons Hansard #20 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was services.

Topics

SecuritiesOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

Mr. Speaker, to justify his interference in the area of securities, the minister mentioned normal competition between stock exchanges but not reasons that might encourage investments in that area, something the minister could act on. One thing has strictly nothing to do with the other.

Will the Minister of Finance not admit that there is no need for him to interfere in the area of securities, since all the problems he mentioned, including how complex the share issue process is, will be resolved by next September, when a harmonized system designed by the provinces will be put in place without the federal government getting involved?

SecuritiesOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance

The hon. member knows full well, Mr. Speaker, that we are in favour of harmonization, in terms of securities as well as taxation. That said, the situation is much more complicated and the problem much deeper that a mere matter of co-operation between stock exchanges.

This is not my own observation but rather the observation of the Montreal stock exchange president. In fact, the vast majority of stock brokers operating in Montreal know very well that co-operation is necessary. That is what we want to do, and I do not understand why the Bloc Quebecois is stalled in the sixties. They must stop looking at the future with their rear-view mirror. We must give the people of Quebec and Canada the ability to compete with anyone.

TaiwanOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Sarkis Assadourian Liberal Don Valley North, ON

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

Given the outcome of Saturday's presidential election in Taiwan, the first direct democratic election in that nation's 5000 year history, can the minister indicate to the House any foreign policy implications for Canada in southeast Asia?

TaiwanOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Winnipeg South Centre Manitoba

Liberal

Lloyd Axworthy LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, we know this country and its people support the emergence of the democratic process everywhere in the world. We want

to take this opportunity to congratulate the people of Taiwan for the very important step that was taken on the weekend.

The completion of the election provides a basis for the reopening of dialogue between the mainland and the island to ease the tensions that have been there, to begin developing the very extensive relations that were in place before the latest round of problems. We will use every opportunity we have in our discussions with both parties to encourage them to show restraint, to build creative relationships and we will offer all our good services toward that objective.

Nisga'A Land ClaimsOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Reform

John Duncan Reform North Island—Powell River, BC

Mr. Speaker, the Nisga'a deal was signed five weeks after it was initialled and made public. Despite assurances about consultation, the Nisga'a treaty negotiation advisory committee members, and these are the non-governmental people supposedly most in the know, did not recognize any part of the agreement.

Why is the minister so intent on fast tracking this process?

Nisga'A Land ClaimsOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Regina—Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, I would say that after 100 years this is hardly a fast track.

In the process leading up to the agreement in principle, very sincere efforts were made at consultations in over 200 public meetings, open houses and other consultative mechanisms. Now that the process has moved to and through the next stage of actually signing the agreement in principle, the effort to keep all parties informed and to make sure that consultations are sincere and genuine will continue. I would certainly welcome the support of the hon. member and his party in helping to encourage this process toward a historic and successful conclusion.

Nisga'A Land ClaimsOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Reform

John Duncan Reform North Island—Powell River, BC

Mr. Speaker, it has become very apparent that governments do not want public input into this deal.

During the five weeks since the Nisga'a deal was made public, many groups have struggled to digest the complex contents. No comprehensive independent analysis has yet been completed.

There is one sure way to tell if the public has a comfort level with this massive undertaking. Will the minister join with us in endorsing a provincially initiated binding referendum on the Nisga'a agreement in principle?

Nisga'A Land ClaimsOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Regina—Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, the minister of Indian affairs has obviously been participating in a genuine process to lead to a successful conclusion an outstanding matter that has been a glaring discrepancy for over 100 years. I think the hon. gentleman and his party would be well advised, rather than raising ideas and suggestions that could well scuttle the whole process, to be a slight bit more constructive and try to bring this to a successful conclusion as this government is trying to do.

Canadian Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Bloc

Yvan Bernier Bloc Gaspé, QC

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

Last week, the Coast Guard commissioner claimed that his new proposal for marine service fees was largely accepted by all stakeholders. Nothing could be further from the truth. Marine stakeholders from the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes firmly oppose the new service fees.

How can the minister sweep away the objections of the majority of industries and stakeholders in these two areas, considering that they represent close to 50 per cent of Canada's commercial marine traffic?

Canadian Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Bonavista—Trinity—Conception Newfoundland & Labrador

Liberal

Fred Mifflin LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, nothing has been swept away, as the hon. member knows. I would not call the consultations that have gone on since January the sweeping away of anything. There have been very sincere and very delicate consultations with all members and all interested parties.

Despite what the hon. member says, there is general agreement that the system we are now using is much better than the system we started out with. That was the purpose of the consultations.

I want to assure the hon. member that even though the prices may have fluctuated on a tonne basis, in the case of Quebec we are dealing with a one cent difference in the consultation that has taken place. I would not exactly call a one cent difference a sweeping away, particularly with respect to the consultations.

Canadian Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Bloc

Yvan Bernier Bloc Gaspé, QC

Mr. Speaker, some consultations may have taken place, but I am not sure that the minister followed up on what was said.

I remind the minister that, last week, the commissioner himself admitted that the Coast Guard needs adequate impact studies regarding these new service fees.

Will the minister recognize that it is unthinkable to impose new service fees while being totally unaware of their impact on the

marine industry, including shipowners in the St. Lawrence, and on related industries?

Canadian Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Bonavista—Trinity—Conception Newfoundland & Labrador

Liberal

Fred Mifflin LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, in response to the hon. member I would like to make three points.

The first point is there is an agreement in principle that access to public facilities managed at public expense has to be charged a fee. The second point is we are graduating these marine service fees at $20 million, $40 million, $40 million, $60 million over a period of four years. I want to remind the hon. member that we are dealing with a service that cost $384 million and we are charging only $20 million for it.

The impact studies he talked about will be done between the imposition of the collection of the $20 million and the $40 million. There simply is not time to do all the studies. We have done the consultations. We will impose the fees. We will do the impact studies before we go into the $40 million fees for services that cost $384 million. That is not a bad deal.

Dangerous OffendersOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Reform

Randy White Reform Fraser Valley West, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have a relevant question for the solicitor general.

The people of Toronto are now familiar with what kind of garbage this Liberal government dumps in their back yards. West Toronto residents were outraged to learn last week that Bobby Oatway had been secretly flown into their neighbourhood, leaving B.C. at five o'clock in the morning to avoid outraged residents and victims in my riding.

This pedophile originally faced 41 charges, mostly against children. Why did Corrections Canada shuttle this walking disaster out of B.C. and why were the Toronto police or the community advisory group in Toronto not advised?

Dangerous OffendersOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I am informed that Oatway reached the statutory release period of his sentence.

I am further informed that the Toronto police were advised that Mr. Oatway would be placed in the Keele centre the day before he arrived and that the advisory committee was informed the day after. I am further informed that Mr. Oatway is to be kept under strict supervision in the centre. The correctional service is taking his presence as a very serious matter.

Dangerous OffendersOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Reform

Randy White Reform Fraser Valley West, BC

Mr. Speaker, that is my point. This man is not rehabilitated and I have the corrections and parole documents to prove it. I have a couple of quotes. March 1996 from the parole board: "The concerns about your risk to reoffend remain", and September 1994: "The board concludes that you present an undue risk to reoffend, therefore day parole is denied".

Why will the solicitor general not give his people the tools they are asking for to keep our streets safe? Why will he not give them the power to keep pedophiles like this one behind bars until they can prove they are safe to law-abiding Canadian citizens?

Dangerous OffendersOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, in point of fact as the hon. member has indicated, Oatway was not released on parole. He is in the statutory release period of his sentence. Furthermore, there is a provision in the new Corrections and Conditional Release Act whereby, if there is a referral for that purpose to the parole board, the parole board can rule that somebody in Mr. Oatway's category can be held to the end of their sentence.

I further add that the Minister of Justice and I, after consultation with law enforcement and other groups, are working on measures to deal with the issue of post-sentence detention of high risk violent offenders. Furthermore, we do intend to bring forward a number of measures to make the dangerous offender provisions more easily usable by prosecutors at the time of conviction. We also indicated that we want to present to Parliament measures to create a new category of long term offender.

If my hon. friend is serious about his concern, I look forward to him giving his full support to the measures we want to take to deal with public concerns about this kind of issue.

LacrosseOral Question Period

March 25th, 1996 / 2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Roger Gallaway Liberal Sarnia—Lambton, ON

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

The House declared lacrosse to be Canada's national summer sport and at the same time Sports Canada stopped funding the Canadian Lacrosse Association. Will the minister recognize the more than 200,000 participants in this sport and acknowledge its place in our heritage by restoring funding to lacrosse?

LacrosseOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Hamilton East Ontario

Liberal

Sheila Copps LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge the work of the hon. member for Sarnia-Lambton who, in the first instance, introduced a private member's bill that was supported by all sides of the House which declared lacrosse as our national summer sport.

As the hon. member knows, there are 200,000 Canadians, including many in his own area, who are involved in the sport. We have been happy upon receiving his intervention and the intervention of many other members to increase and restore funding levels to lacrosse. It is not only a sport which is important to the national fabric, it also has great cultural significance.

Endangered SpeciesOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

Gérard Asselin Bloc Charlevoix, QC

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

In the throne speech, the government announced that it intended to introduce a bill on the protection of endangered species. When speaking to the media, the Minister of the Environment added that he was even prepared to extend the scope of the bill tabled by his predecessor, which for once respected Quebec's jurisdiction.

Is the minister aware of the serious warnings from the former Quebec environment minister to his predecessors, exhorting them not to provoke a new battle in an area of responsibility that comes under the exclusive jurisdiction of the provinces?

Endangered SpeciesOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

York West Ontario

Liberal

Sergio Marchi LiberalMinister of the Environment

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is correct that the government through its throne speech made a very determined effort to make the introduction of the endangered species legislation a priority. We make no apologies for that.

This issue is not one which should be posed as being of federal-provincial jurisdiction. Rather, in addition to federal legislation, there should be a determination across the country to have a national framework in place so that those endangered species as well as their habitats may be protected and that the federal-provincial jurisdiction take second seat. Of all the issues the public responds to in my ministry, this is the one issue which elicits the strongest and most emotional response by adults and young children alike.

Krever CommissionOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Reform

Grant Hill Reform Macleod, AB

Mr. Speaker, the federal government is fighting the Krever inquiry in the courts.

The Krever inquiry is ready to make its final report and there are specific allegations that the federal government has done something wrong. If the federal government is innocent of all wrongdoing, why is it taking such forceful legal action to prevent Krever from making his report known to every single Canadian?

Krever CommissionOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's description of what we are doing is not right.

We have said from the outset that we have done nothing to interfere with Mr. Justice Krever's findings. If he has the intention of making findings of wrongdoing, that is entirely up to him. We have supported and encouraged the inquiry at all points.

The only reason we are in court, and we are there on a very narrow ground, has to do with procedural fairness. We have made a submission to the court, which is best argued in court, with respect to the fairness of the way in which the commission went about its business in terms of providing late notice to certain individuals that they may have findings made against them.

As to the right of the commissioner to make findings of wrongdoing, we have never argued with that. We are happy to have him make his findings and to learn from the very good work he is doing.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

NDP

Vic Althouse NDP Mackenzie, SK

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

The GATT signing in Marrakech set in motion an ambitious round of trade talks to begin in 1999 aimed at agricultural subsidies, but also targeting state trading entities.

Since department of agriculture officials have begun to use the term "state trading entities" when describing the Canadian Wheat Board, having done so recently at the CFA convention, has the government already decided to rid itself of the wheat board, the dairy commission and the supply management boards by defining them out of existence through GATT as it did with the Crow rate?

AgricultureOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Regina—Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman can be absolutely assured that, as I have said in the House on many occasions, the government will defend staunchly those vital marketing agencies and institutions that are so valuable to Canadian farmers, including our supply management system and most certainly the Canadian Wheat Board.

Food SafetyOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Liberal

Glen McKinnon Liberal Brandon—Souris, MB

Mr. Speaker, statements have been made recently by the U.K. government concerning a possible link between the consumption of BSE infected beef and serious diseases in humans.

Could the minister of agriculture outline the measures he took to protect the safety of Canadian beef, consumers and producers?