Debates of Oct. 29th, 1997

Tip Employees

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

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

Starting next January 1, the Government of Quebec intends to require all tip employees to report all of their income. Therefore, unemployment insurance benefits for tip employees will be determined according to their total income, but this requires a minor regulatory amendment that will greatly simplify income reporting.

Can the minister make a firm commitment that Revenue Canada will make this regulatory amendment before the end of 1997?

[Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his question. I am working with my colleagues, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Human Resources Development, to respond to the letter which I received from Mr. Landry to look at EI earnings on their change in the way in which they collect their taxes on tips.

As soon as we are able to look at the details of that we will be getting back to Mr. Landry.

Trade

[Roger Gallaway, Liberal, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, because of the large number of departments involved, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister.

Following the passage of Bill C-29 last spring, the MMT bill, Ethyl Corporation launched a NAFTA trade challenge. Can the Deputy Prime Minister tell us what is the status of this case?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the panel to respond to the NAFTA trade challenge was launched on September 2. There was a meeting October 2 to discuss procedural matters. The next meeting of the tribunal will be in February.

I am sure we all look forward to a fair outcome in the interests of all sides.

National Defence

[Art Hanger, Reform, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the defence minister likes to talk about this new era of openness in his department, yet yesterday in committee I asked the defence minister about an incident involving a stray missile in the Pacific. Surprise, surprise, neither the defence minister nor his chief of defence staff had any idea of what I was talking about, but his department sure did.

If the department is so open, why was the minister kept in the dark?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated to the hon. member yesterday, I would look into the matter and have looked into the matter. Yes, there was during exercises in the middle of the Pacific back in the spring some firing of missiles. These are unarmed missiles. Some of them failed in their firing but that is why they have practice, so that in real conditions these kinds of things will not happen.

There was absolutely no damage to personal property, absolutely nobody injured.

[Art Hanger, Reform, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is trying to confuse the issue by talking about a couple of other matters that happened on the Vancouver . I am talking about what happened on the Huron . The minister is trying to confuse the issue. He knows it.

In the past few months the privacy commissioner, the information commissioner, the Somalia commissioner all reported there is a lack of openness at defence headquarters. I do not know how much more evidence the minister is going to need.

The next time a missile goes astray is the minister going to get a ship to shore or is the message going to come via carrier pigeon?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member is confused because back when this incident happened there was a report in the Vancouver Sun and in other western media. It seems that the hon. member is taking a long time to catch up with his press clippings.

Program For Older Worker Adjustment

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

Mr. Speaker, the BC mine near Thetford Mines will close Saturday. Three hundred jobs will be lost and this will have a serious impact on the region's economy.

There have been repeated requests for an adjustment program for older workers, but the Minister of Human Resources Development has rejected them all, saying that the workers had to report to the employment centre. Does this government take pleasure in seeing people suffer? Because of such heartless policies from the Liberals, all the communities in Thetford Mines will suffer.

Is the minister willing to set up an early retirement program for the BC mine workers, so that he can show that he cares a bit for the people losing their jobs?

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

Mr. Speaker, the general issue of older workers is a great concern because there is no doubt that many of them have difficulty re-entering the labour force.

I do know however that many of them prefer to work again when they still have 10 or 15 years ahead of them, instead of receiving money to stay home and do nothing. That is why this government is strongly committed to policies that actively help these people re-enter the labour force.

I am being asked to resuscitate a POWA program whose own criteria made it extremely unfair and unjust. It was great for people who could enter the program, but the majority—

[The Speaker]

The member from Burnaby—Douglas.

Fisheries

[Svend Robinson, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister of fisheries. As the minister knows, the recent report by Yves Fortier, Canada's chief Pacific salmon negotiator, noted that B.C. fishers and coastal communities wonder whether their livelihoods will survive another season of U.S. greed and violations of the treaty and MOU.

Does the minister endorse in full this very significant Fortier report and, specifically, will he insist that the equity issue be settled as a priority and oppose any U.S. efforts to two track these negotiations?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Fortier was our very distinguished negotiator in the very frustrating four years that led up to the impasse this summer which is left over from the Mulroney negotiated treaty of 1985. We certainly think he has outlined a situation, an historical build-up and the issues of equity and conservation effectively. Shortly after I took office I indicated my support for Mr. Fortier's work and I still have full confidence in him.

Highway System

[André Harvey, Progressive Conservative, Chicoutimi, QC]

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

The minister held an important meeting with the Quebec Minister of Transport, Jacques Brassard, who is also the MNA for Lac Saint-Jean.

Could the minister confirm that the priorities defined by the Quebec minister included highway 175, the most deadly highway in the country? I would like to know whether this road is one of the priorities the Quebec minister indicated.

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I did indeed recently meet my Quebec counterpart, Mr. Brassard, and we discussed a number of topics in the area of transport.

As he knows, this government is concerned about the national highway system. I would point out that since the last election we have invested $9.1 million on roads in his own riding. I think that is a strong response by our government.

[André Harvey, Progressive Conservative, Chicoutimi, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I was not elected to pretend to be humiliated during each Oral Question Period, but this agreement was signed in 1993 and has lapsed.

I would like to know whether the minister is prepared to make a commitment before this House and the 300,000 people I represent to make Talbot boulevard, the deadliest road in Quebec, a priority?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, once the federal budget is balanced, perhaps we can talk about more money for road repairs, but not right now.

National Parks

[Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Parks.

In June 1996 Tuktut Nogait national park was created. Recent concerns have surfaced surrounding the already agreed to borders of the park.

What is the Secretary of State for Parks doing to ensure that the borders of Tuktut Nogait national park are protected?

[Andy Mitchell, Liberal, Secretary of State (Parks)]

Mr. Speaker, the establishment of the park is subject to a tripartite agreement. As part of that agreement, all parties would have to agree to a change in the boundaries. As a signator to that agreement, the federal government has no intention of changing those boundaries.

With the amendments I intend to bring to the National Parks Act shortly, we will be establishing this as an official national park in the near future.

The Environment

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.

Canada remains the only G-7 country that does not have a position on the reduction of greenhouse gases in preparation for the Kyoto summit next week.

My question is a very simple one: How can the Prime Minister justify Canada's not yet having a position in preparation for the Kyoto summit, when the European Union, which is made up of 15 sovereign countries, managed long ago to reach agreement around a clear objective?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to answer that question both yesterday and today. We are in the process of consulting the provinces, the petroleum industry and the environmentalists in order to find a solution to the Canadian problem.

At the same time, we have positioned ourselves for discussions to ensure that progress is made in Kyoto. At this time, there are three different basic positions, and we are trying to get the supporters of those three positions to find a compromise in Kyoto which will advance the situation and make it possible to control the problems related to the global climate.

Justice

[Peter Mancini, NDP, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the inquiry into the wrongful conviction of Guy-Paul Morin heard allegations of judicial bias. In recent months the Supreme Court of Canada has been critical of federal court judges, and a retiring supreme court justice has called for a new process for judicial appointments.

The Minister of Justice has said she is open to suggestions. Will the minister take action to restore the public's faith in our justice system by creating a special committee of the House to examine proposals to reform the judicial appointment process?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in this House, I think Canadians, quite rightly, have the highest degree of confidence in the integrity of the Canadian judiciary.

I have also indicated on a number of occasions in this House that I am willing to look at mechanisms by which I can receive greater input from interested Canadians and other interested stakeholders as it relates to the judicial process.

Immigration

[Scott Brison, Progressive Conservative, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, Section 110 of the 1996 U.S. illegal immigration reform act will create long lines for Canadians at U.S. entry points, delaying and discouraging legitimate trade and travel.

This act was before Congress for 13 months. Where were Canadian diplomats during this period? Amending a bill that is already passed in Congress is very difficult.

Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs table a list of the specific representations made by our ambassador in Washington during the 13 month period?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I have to say that it would be a very long list to table. Within our embassy in Washington we have a very active program to ensure we are able to protect Canadian interest.

I give the hon. member full assurance that we are now working with a coalition of American business organizations, American congressmen, senators and others to ensure the open border stays open and that we are able to maintain the full flow of goods.

I enlist his support in this very important cause to maintain this open border.