Debates of Oct. 22nd, 1997

Tobacco Act

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, our commitment is very clear. As stated in the letter sent out a few months ago by the Minister of Health, we clearly committed ourselves to introducing an amendment to the Tobacco Products Act to allow events such as formula 1 racing to take place in Montreal. As I said, we are fully aware of these commitments and intend to fulfil them.

Canadian Armed Forces

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence.

Recently a Bloc Quebecois member charged that the Department of National Defence has not done a thing to recruit women. Will the minister give us the facts? What steps is he taking to integrate more women into the Canadian forces?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, the Department of National Defence and the Canadian forces are committed to the elimination of any discriminatory practices and attitudes. We are making substantial progress.

We have implemented a number of measures, including Operation Minerva, a series of nine initiatives instituted to increase gender integration and awareness in the Canadian forces. We have a gender integration committee of citizens to oversee this matter; modifications to uniforms and equipment to improve performance and comfort for women; the inclusion of integration and—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Calgary Northeast.

[Art Hanger, Reform, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, while the defence minister is concentrating on Operation Minerva, in this country some Canadian soldiers are already forced on to the bread lines. Now the government is going to cut the support program that pays for soldiers and their families to move by one-half.

My question is a simple one. Why?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry the hon. member makes light of our gender integration policy. Let me say that there has been no decision with respect to how budget cuts will be made. We are implementing budget cuts, as are all departments and all parts of the government, in order to get our fiscal house in order and get into a balanced budget situation.

There are cuts that still have to be made in our department but we have not made any decision as to where exactly we are going to make those. Therefore he is far too premature in his assumption as to where they are coming from.

[Art Hanger, Reform, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, soldiers and their families at the food banks, slashes to training programs, old equipment and threats of more cuts; with the morale in the forces already at an all time low, why is the minister intent on demoralizing our troops even further?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, there are no new cuts. We are just implementing the cuts that were made in previous budgets as a result of the program review process. Those are still being carried out and will be completed by next year.

There will be pay increases this year for the Canadian forces. Many of the other issues in terms of the social and economic needs of our forces and the quality of life issues they and their families face are will be addressed. They are a high priority with this government.

Education

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

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

Today the Canadian Federation of Students and B.C.'s minister of education joined forces to condemn schemes for income contingent loans. As the minister is well aware, these schemes have nothing to do with easing student debtload and everything to do with this government's lack of commitment to funding post-secondary education.

Will the minister once and for all reject income contingent loans? Will the minister instead restore hope to Canada's youth and commit to reducing—

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Human Resources Development.

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, I think the question has been put in a rather irresponsible way. I am sorry to hear this because this is a very serious issue. There are a lot of students who like income related repayment as an option.

This government is acting in a responsible way. Right now we are talking with all the provinces, the lenders and student associations. We are going to provide as many options as possible to help youth to go to university as long as possible.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, that is not enough. It is blatantly obvious that the Liberals are not listening to young Canadians. The despair felt by young people is real.

A survey today revealed that 78% of young Quebeckers believe poverty has increased. Most of them even think that the situation will continue to worsen.

Is this government prepared to invest in young people in this country by making access to post-secondary education a national priority? In addition to setting objectives and creating jobs for young people, will this government stop forcing them to eat Kraft dinners?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to draw the member's attention to the government's youth employment strategy, which is working very well and which is beginning to produce some very interesting results.

I cannot criticize the hon. member for not having been here when my colleague, the Minister of Finance, tabled his latest budget, which contained significant measures to encourage students and ease their burden by extending the period for paying interests from 18 to 30 months and offering greater possibilities for saving in this area.

We continue to work very hard. I am currently meeting with the provinces and lenders, and we are working to give the students as many options as possible.

Justice

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the solicitor general.

Six years ago James Mills was murdered while in his own cell at the Renous correctional facility in New Brunswick. Corrections Canada officials came in, removed the body, cleaned up the cell, then called the RCMP.

Because of that, for six years Mr. Mills has been haunted by the loss of his son. He has been trying to get answers. He has been trying to get justice, and he deserves it.

Will the minister, on behalf of the Mills family, take charge of this situation, find a resolution for it and give the Mills family a little piece of mind?

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I know how deeply he feels about this.

The member is aware, I believe, that arrangements have been made for the commissioner of corrections to visit the region, to meet with the family and also to meet with the member at the family's request.

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that effort but on two occasions now the RCMP has recommended charges be laid. Nothing has happened.

After six years of investigation, two recommendations by the RCMP, will the minister tell Mr. Mills why no charges have been laid and what they are doing to get charges laid against the people the RCMP said committed the crime?

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, again, I believe the meeting is scheduled for some time next week.

It is the first time that the corrections service has been able to reveal its report. Until this point, the RCMP was still investigating.

Violence

[Shaughnessy Cohen, Liberal, Windsor—St. Clair, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the YWCA's Week Without Violence reminds Canadians of this serious social problem.

Throughout Canada, agencies like Windsor's Hiatus House have dedicated themselves to support for victims of violence. Can the Minister of Justice tell us what steps the federal government is taking to eradicate violence in Canada today?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I acknowledge the YWCA for the commencement last year of this very important week in Canadian society.

This government has a comprehensive family violence initiative. This initiative involves a number of departments in this government, including the Department of Health, HRDC and my own.

To give a few examples of what the Department of Justice has done in relation to violence against women, we have strengthened the peace bond provisions, we have made spousal abuse an aggravating factor in sentencing and we have strengthened—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Qu'Appelle.

Banking

[Lorne Nystrom, NDP, Qu'Appelle, SK]

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

There is a letter in the Globe and Mail this morning from a concerned citizen quoting a statement by Allan Taylor, CEO of the Royal Bank of Canada.

Mr. Taylor referred to social spending in this country. He said that any assistance that might be considered useful should be willingly offered by the private sector.

In light of that, is the Minister of Finance willing to accept this offer of Mr. Taylor and commit himself to working with the banks to reduce service charges in this country that are such a regressive burden on ordinary people?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Industry and I have on numerous occasions met with the banks. We have discussed the issues of service charges. We have looked at their adequacy. We have looked at the loss provisions that are there, and it is something we will continue to monitor.

Incidentally, Allan Taylor is no longer the president of the Royal Bank.

France-Quebec Agreement On Collection Of Support Payments

[Jean Charest, Progressive Conservative, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister, and it is in fact a different question.

Given the absurdity of the debate going on between the Canadian and Quebec governments, at the expense of the children and women being held hostage in this debate, could the Deputy Prime Minister not ask the Prime Minister to phone the Quebec premier himself to immediately settle the issue, so that children and mothers are no longer caught in the middle of this absurd conflict between the two levels of government?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we have already invited the Government of Quebec to meet with us so that we can clarify the text that could be signed under the proper international conventions. If the Government of Quebec is prepared to meet with me to work out the proper wording, we can resolve the matter very quickly. All it requires is an act of political will on behalf of the Government of Quebec.

Small Business

[Tony Ianno, Liberal, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

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

Taking into account that this is national small business week and there are 2.3 million small businesses creating many of Canada's new jobs, what will the government do to facilitate the commercialization of new technologies being developed by our many innovative small and medium size businesses?