House of Commons Hansard #8 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was quebec.

Topics

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Victoria B.C.

Liberal

David Anderson LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased the hon. member has seen fit to point out that the programs of my colleague, the Minister of Human Resources Development, have in fact been very successful in dealing with many of the problems of those displaced due to rationalization of the Pacific salmon industry.

The issue concerning the $20 million that has already been spent by his department in this area was done, as was indicated, in connection with other organizations including the United Fishermen.

If the member will be slightly patient, we will make sure that the continuing programs are in place, as was always intended from the beginning.

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC

Mr. Speaker, B.C. fishers have been more than patient. It is their livelihood that is on the line.

The Liberal government has betrayed the people of British Columbia by time and again standing with the United States instead of with the province of British Columbia.

I want to ask the minister a supplementary question. Will he now withdraw his court challenge of the Nanoose shutdown? Will he start standing up for British Columbia instead of Washington, D.C., and will he finally end his treasonous sell-out of B.C. fishers—

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

The Speaker

I know question period is very quick and sometimes we use words which are not parliamentary. In this context I find the word treasonous is not parliamentary. With respect, and by not replacing it with any other word, I would ask my hon. colleague from Burnaby—Douglas to please withdraw the word treasonous.

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC

Mr. Speaker, I was sent here by the province of British Columbia and my constituents to—

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

I will deal with this matter after the question period. The hon. member for Burin—St. George's.

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Bill Matthews Progressive Conservative Burin—St. George's, NL

Mr. Speaker, many of the problems being experienced with the British Columbia salmon fishery have been caused by the present minister of fisheries and this government.

As the present minister and the former minister know, fishers in B.C. were promised flexibility in the expense of an income restrictive area management licensing system.

Will the minister immediately provide that flexibility to the system so that British Columbia salmon harvesters can achieve financial viability and at the same time protect stock sustainability?

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Victoria B.C.

Liberal

David Anderson LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the hon. member on his first question in the House and his first question as critic on fisheries.

The Pacific salmon treaty was in fact negotiated and signed in 1985 during the Shamrock summit in between verses of When Irish Eyes are Smiling .

The purpose of it was to get it there in a hurry because the then prime minister wished to have something to show for that meeting. It was defective then because indeed the provisions only lasted for seven years and had to be renegotiated on an annual basis thereafter.

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Bill Matthews Progressive Conservative Burin—St. George's, NL

Mr. Speaker, obviously the minister missed the question.

My question was pertaining to the area licensing system that is so restrictive to B.C. salmon harvesters that they cannot make a living.

I ask the minister a supplementary question. Will he immediately grant the flexibility that he and the former minister had promised so that British Columbia salmon fishermen can achieve financial viability with their enterprises?

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Victoria B.C.

Liberal

David Anderson LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is not from British Columbia and does not know that we cannot achieve financial viability for the industry by having the entire fleet chasing up and down the coast depending on where the fish happen to be.

By breaking up with regions for different gear types we are creating a system where fewer fishers are able to fish for longer periods and be more assured of an income and of a fishery than would otherwise be the case.

The answer to his question is no, we will not change the area licensing system. We will maintain it.

Law Of The SeaOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Liberal

Charles Caccia Liberal Davenport, ON

Mr. Speaker, in 1982 Canada was one of the first nations to sign the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

My question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. When will Canada ratify this convention and thus keep a red book promise and take an important step toward marine and fishery conservation?

Law Of The SeaOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Vancouver Quadra B.C.

Liberal

Ted McWhinney LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, Canada was one of the leaders and an inspiration to the third United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

We have also, however, pushed for a UN agreement on straddling fish stocks. This was opened for signature in December 1995. It is intended to catch those foreign fishermen and flags of convenience that try to catch fish stocks that straddle our 200 mile fishing zone.

Legislation to implement the 1995 straddling convention died on the order paper when the House was dissolved for the election. We are reintroducing—

Law Of The SeaOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Kootenay—Columbia on one question.

CrtcOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Reform

Jim Abbott Reform Kootenay—Columbia, BC

Mr. Speaker, this summer the CRTC awarded an FM frequency to the CBC after the heritage ministry interfered in the CRTC process. Naturally the other applicants were really upset about this matter.

The plot thickens because Perrin Beatty yesterday announced that he would be making some kind of financial arrangement so that an FM signal could reach the Toronto marketplace from Peterborough.

Could the minister tell us if this is just an effort to rub out her fingerprints on her interference in the CRTC process?

CrtcOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Hamilton East Ontario

Liberal

Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage

No, Mr. Speaker.

Policing Of AirportsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Beauport—Montmorency—Orléans, QC

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

Yesterday, the Minister of Transport once again invoked the work in progress at Dorval as an excuse to maintain an RCMP presence in international airports in Quebec, contrary to the practice elsewhere in Canada.

How can the minister keep using this excuse when we all know that extensive work is under way at other airports, including the one in Vancouver, and that the RCMP has nevertheless been replaced by municipal police forces everywhere except in Quebec?

Policing Of AirportsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Don Valley East Ontario

Liberal

David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, I have answered this question two or three times.

We made a certain evaluation. It is in our power to make that kind of evaluation and assessment. We believe it is in the interest of the people at Dorval and Mirabel to keep the RCMP at the airport during this period of change.

CsisOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

NDP

Peter Mancini NDP Sydney—Victoria, NS

Mr. Speaker, I am from the proud island of Cape Breton. My question is for the solicitor general who has already attempted to address this issue.

The solicitor general has said that CSIS only operates on court ordered warrants and points to the recent federal court ruling as proof of a rigorous method. Yet he himself said yesterday “I am advised this clause has been used and the courts have allowed it in the past”.

Could the solicitor general indicate how many times CSIS has wiretapped individuals in the past without seeking proper judicial authority?

CsisOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

The Speaker

I do not know that any minister could be expected to have the very precise and specific figures we are looking for today.

Perhaps an order paper question would be in order. I am going to permit the hon. minister to answer the question but the specifics are getting a little bit tight.

CsisOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Fredericton New Brunswick

Liberal

Andy Scott LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, never.

HealthOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Greg Thompson Progressive Conservative Charlotte, NB

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

During the election campaign the Liberal government promised a national pharmacare program but obviously had no idea of how it could or would be funded. To add to this, it had virtually no agreement with the provinces or territories with regard to implementation or compliance.

Is the government serious about its commitment to a pharmacare program, or is it just another campaign promise—

HealthOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

The Speaker

I would ask all hon. members not to use any props during question period.

I ask the Minister of Health to answer that question.

HealthOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, we intend to do exactly what we said we would, that is look at the concept of pharmacare as a long term objective with the intention of ensuring that everybody in Canada who needs medication can get medication without price being an impediment.

With my colleague, the minister of health of Saskatchewan, I am co-chairing a conference in January of next year which will bring together provincial ministers and other interested parties to look at all aspects of this issue. I will keep the hon. member posted.

Supreme CourtOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Independent

John Nunziata Independent York South—Weston, ON

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the prime minister.

Given the enormous power of the supreme court in setting public policy in Canada and given the fact the court often makes decisions that should be made by the House, will the prime minister agree that the appointment process for supreme court judges should include parliamentary ratification and, if so, will he refer today's appointment to the justice committee?