House of Commons Hansard #49 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was nav.
Sergio Marchi LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I suggest that the question has more to do with the political reasons of a faltering Reform Party candidate in Hamilton than it does with the environmental issues that this member pretends to be genuine.
I do not need to defend the record of the former and future member of Parliament from Hamilton East. She has promoted and defended not only the best interests of Hamilton, but the best interests of the environment.
Paul Forseth Reform New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Mr. Speaker, Sheila Copps was environment minister and did nothing on this issue, even when it affected her own riding.
The leachate from the Taro dump will pollute the federal water of Lake Ontario. The environment is in danger in the Hamilton area all because Sheila Copps repeatedly ignored the concerns of her community.
Will the minister use his power and commit to launching a full environmental assessment of the Taro dump so all sides will be allowed real influence rather than just the political insiders of a very questionable deal?
Sergio Marchi LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I know that the Reform Party candidate fired his campaign manager. Maybe he has a new candidate right here because the member is only interested in political partisan gain.
That is the last thing that Canadian citizens want the environment to be. They do not want it to be a volleyball. They do not want it to be traded between federal and provincial governments. They want it to be respected. They want all levels of government to manage the environment in the best interests of people today and for those who inherit Canada and the world tomorrow.
Hazardous WasteOral Question Period
The Speaker
I mentioned earlier about imputing motives. That would go not only for the questions but also for the answers.
René Laurin Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Acting Minister of Canadian Heritage.
Heritage Canada has had three ministers in just under two and a half years and the new minister is a part time acting minister. Meanwhile, there are priority issues that require attention, issues like copyright legislation and the creation of a fund for the development of cultural products.
Does the latest heritage minister intend to act quickly on these issues and could she tell us what her priorities are and what time frames we are looking at?
Cultural Product Development FundOral Question Period
Saint-Henri—Westmount Québec
Liberal
Lucienne Robillard LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration and Acting Minister of Canadian Heritage
Yes, Mr. Speaker.
René Laurin Bloc Joliette, QC
I hope, Mr. Speaker, that my second question will elicit the same response.
The CBC, the NFB and Telefilm Canada are putting high hopes in the upcoming announcement of the cultural product development fund, which should be made sometime in the middle of May. Will the minister act on this commitment or leave these organizations high and dry?
Cultural Product Development FundOral Question Period
Saint-Henri—Westmount Québec
Liberal
Lucienne Robillard LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration and Acting Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, at present, work on all issues concerning Heritage Canada is continuing very actively, at all levels, both within the department and in co-operation with our various client groups and community partners. The same will hold true for the copyright legislation.
My colleague, the Minister of Industry, and myself intend to keep things moving along in this area. There is very clearly a very strong will to proceed as quickly as possible. As for the cultural product development fund, work is under way so that a decision can finally be made in the near future.
Val Meredith Reform Surrey—White Rock—South Langley, BC
Mr. Speaker, in 1990 when Bao Ngoc Lam, a refugee claimant and five buddies, were robbing a night club in Toronto, Lam put his handgun to the head of detective Peter Leung and threatened to kill him.
After serving a two-year sentence, Lam was held in custody by immigration. It was trying to deport him back to Vietnam but Vietnam refused to take him. After declaring that it took too long to deport Lam, an immigration adjudicator released him. Soon after being released, Lam disappeared and is now the subject of a Canada-wide warrant.
How can the minister ensure Canadians that her department puts public safety first when people like Lam are released?
Lucienne Robillard LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration and Acting Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, it is true that this individual was released as a result of an adjudicator's decision. As you know, this decision was made by a quasi-judicial organization, which is totally independent from the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
I can assure the members of this House that the department is doing all it can to deport this individual as soon as possible and in accordance with Canadian law.
Val Meredith Reform Surrey—White Rock—South Langley, BC
Mr. Speaker, the department does not know where this individual is right now.
On December 1, 1995 I asked the previous minister of immigration about the recently signed agreement with Vietnam that would allow for the return of criminal refugees and immigrants from that country. At that time, the former minister boasted that the agreement would permit the removal of: "individuals who should not have been here in the first place. And that is being done".
If the agreement is as great as the previous minister claimed it to be, why is Lam the subject of a Canada-wide warrant and not back in Vietnam?
Lucienne Robillard LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration and Acting Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that this government's policy is to deport people who have committed serious offences here in Canada.
We have no intention of giving special treatment to a serious offender. In this case, everything is being done to deport the individual in question.
John Finlay Liberal Oxford, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
A number of farmers in Oxford have received funding under the tobacco diversification program to help develop new crops and other opportunities in the tobacco producing regions of Ontario and Quebec. For example, Joe Strobel in my riding is experimenting with industrial hemp.
Could the minister update the House on the performance of the tobacco diversification program?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, the current tobacco diversification program in Ontario is a joint federal-provincial initiative. It totals about $5.7 million and has been in place since 1994.
As of March of this year, 88 projects submissions had been received; 44 had been approved for total of $2.5 million. The majority of these projects have been associated with commodity pioneering and value added activities. They have created in excess of 200 jobs and leveraged $15 million in new investment.
The government is obviously committed to assisting tobacco growing regions in diversifying through initiatives like the tobacco diversification program.
Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC
Mr. Speaker, Canada will host the 11th International AIDS Conference to be held in Vancouver from July 7 to July 12.
This conference is the largest in the world. It brings together the greatest scientists from every country, community groups and people with AIDS. Unlike his predecessor, Brian Mulroney, who opened the Montreal Conference in 1992, the Prime Minister has casually declined the organizers' invitation.
My question is for the Acting Prime Minister. Since the Prime Minister attended the Paris AIDS Summit last October, why did he decline the invitation to participate in the official opening of the International AIDS Conference in Vancouver, something that is unacceptable?
Joe Volpe LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, despite the rhetoric of the member, the Prime Minister's commitment to the issue of HIV-AIDS, stands without reproach. He knows quite well that the Minister of Health will be in attendance. He knows also that the Standing Committee on Health has commissioned a subcommittee, of which he is a member, to send two members and he is one of the two.
He knows also that the Prime Minister's commitment will be translated into over $2 million in contributions from five separate ministries of the government.
That is an indication that the Prime Minister is not only living up to the signatory obligations signed in Paris in December 1994, but that he is going well beyond it. He knows also that there is one other country which comes close, and that is France.
Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that, since 1987, all heads of state have opened the conference, and it is unacceptable for the Prime Minister to break with this tradition.
My supplementary question is for the parliamentary secretary or the Acting Prime Minister. Are we to understand from his refusal to open the Vancouver conference, the largest in the world, that the Prime Minister is no longer interested in the fate of people living with AIDS? Shame on him.
Joe Volpe LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, perhaps the public will be forgiven for thinking these kinds of theatrics are shameful. When one takes a look at the record of the country's and the government's commitment to solving the problems of HIV-AIDS, the member will retract his rhetoric.
He will know, as the House knows, that Canada commits in excess of $40 million per annum toward research and epidemiological monitoring, $5.5 million is administered through the national health and research development program, $1.5 million annually in national welfare research grants, an average of $3 million annually for infrastructure of Canadian HIV trials, the remainder is allocated through the health protection branch, and a further $2 million is directed through the medical-
International Aids ConferrenceOral Question Period
The Speaker
The hon. member for Calgary Northeast.
Art Hanger Reform Calgary Northeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Edmonton women's prison is a well publicized disaster: one inmate murdered, one-quarter of the prison population on the escape list, and a rash of attempted suicides, all within a few weeks of opening.
All the parliamentary secretary to the solicitor general can say is: "We believe this model of incarceration represents the best
approach to addressing a very special need that women have". God help us if this is the best Corrections Canada can do. One thing Corrections Canada could do is sell the place to the Holiday Inn before it is too late and someone else dies.
Is the solicitor general planning to provide room service for the remaining inmates or is he going to shut the place down and admit that his gender experiment has failed?
Nick Discepola LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Solicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I am touched by the rhetoric that goes on week after week. Shutting the place down will not solve the problem.
It has to be recognized that female inmates need special treatment, which is what has been done. There were two task forces in 1989 as well as the Arbour commission which stipulated that women's needs in terms of incarceration have to be looked at.
I agree the incidents which occurred in Edmonton were sad and deplorable. It is an underlying situation which is more symptomatic of the special needs of women. Often the histories of incarcerated women reveal abuse, for example, in early childhood. As a result, we are heeding the recommendation of the task force. We are opening five regional centres to better serve their needs.
One centre has had problems, while the other two have not. I would point that out to the member. Truro and Maple Creek, Saskatchewan have not had any problems.
Art Hanger Reform Calgary Northeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, after that reply is it any wonder that Corrections Canada is in such disastrous shape?
The Correctional Service of Canada has repeatedly stated that Warden Jan Fox at the Edmonton prison for women is one of our best. Yet Warden Fox has refused to take responsibility for a string of problems at the prison which includes assaults, escapes and inmate Fayant's death.
What will it take for the government to recognize that Warden Fox is incompetent? Will the solicitor general make her resign, yes or no?
Nick Discepola LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Solicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, we assumed responsibility immediately. We took almost 14 concrete measures, which included $400,000 of renovations. We made important improvements to assure that security would be addressed which included enhanced surveillance.
We are looking at a review of all the incidents which have occurred over the past several months to ensure the safety of people in the region is addressed before we open the other two centres. I believe that is very responsible action.
Derek Wells Liberal South Shore, NS
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
I have been hearing many concerns from the processors and importers of fish in my riding of South Shore with respect to inspection fees. Now that the 30 day prepublication period is over, will the minister indicate to the House what kind of reaction was expressed by the industry and whether he is prepared to consider making changes based on those expressions of concern to make this cost recovery program equitable for all sectors?
Fred Mifflin LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question and for the fantastic support he gives fishermen and other constituents in his riding.
The hon. member is right. The regulatory amendments were recently prepublished in Part I of The Canada Gazette and a final date for comments was May 13.
The department has received many comments and my officials are now in the process of reviewing them and re-evaluating the regulatory proposals in light of the comments and the proposals received.
My instruction to the officials is to make sure the many comments are reviewed with great care for the institution of these fees, of which the total has to be collected. The consideration will be for all plants and in particular for small plants so that smaller plants are not harmed to the extent possible that we can offer any relief.
I thank the hon. member for his question. I assure him we will give this matter great care and attention.