Debates of Nov. 19th, 1997

Justice

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

Mr. Speaker, let me reassure the hon. member that this government takes very seriously the issue of victims and victims rights. In fact, that is why I intend to discuss this important issue with my provincial counterparts in Montreal a week and a half from now.

Firearms

[Howard Hilstrom, Reform, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the firearms act is being implemented in 1998. Manitoba and three other provinces will not use provincial resources to force law abiding citizens to register their recreational firearms. This leaves the federal RCMP.

How does the solicitor general expect an understaffed, underfunded RCMP to register millions of dastardly duck hunters?

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP is fully prepared to do its job with regard to firearms legislation. The regulations are being reviewed now and the RCMP is fully prepared to do its job.

Ports

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

Mr. Speaker, by now most of the members of this House and I am sure the Minister of Transport have heard the disturbing news reports of allegations made by Mr. Bruce Brine, the former director of the Halifax ports police. He has made serious allegations of corruption and fraud by senior officials within the Canada ports police.

My question is for the Minister of Transport. Can the minister tell the House how much the minister knows about these allegations, when he knew and what steps his ministry and Canada Ports Corporation have undertaken to address these most—

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Transport.

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I have been informed by Ports Canada that there have been allegations of wrongdoing involving the police detachment at Halifax. This is now being looked into by the RCMP. Beyond that I have no further information.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the minister has no further information. On June 17, 1996 Mr. Brine met with senior officials of the Canada Ports Corporation. At that meeting he detailed his allegations of corruption.

Either the minister does not know about these allegations or someone in the corporation saw fit not to tell him. Will the minister assure the House that these allegations of criminal wrongdoing will be thoroughly and impartially investigated and not covered up?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot think of a more thorough and impartial investigation than the one being conducted by the RCMP. It will take all these matters into consideration.

Canada Pension Plan

[Jean Dubé, Progressive Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Speaker, in 1995 the Department of Finance conducted a study on the impact of the increase in CPP premiums between 1986 and 1995. The department estimated that the increase in CPP premiums would lead to a loss of some 26,000 jobs.

Could the Minister of Finance inform this House how many jobs will be lost this time with a 70% CPP increase in premiums and is there a job impact analysis?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, what the study demonstrates is that as a result of the confidence that will be engendered in the Canada pension plan and the confidence that workers can have it will be there for them and over the long term this will lay a very strong foundation for increased employment.

[Jean Dubé, Progressive Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers had better keep their eyes open on this one.

Until now, the Minister of Finance has shown no interest whatsoever in reducing employment insurance premiums. If these are not reduced, the employment insurance account will have a $7 billion surplus, a $7 billion tax on jobs. When Canada pension plan contributions are raised, still more jobs will be jeopardized.

Would the Minister of Finance commit, once and for all, to offset the increases in pension plan contributions by reducing employment insurance premiums?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Human Resources Development has already indicated, we have cut employment insurance contributions every year since we came to power. It must be pointed out that they were raised for three years during the previous government.

At the same time, looking at CPP contributions, I can state that it is true that, along with the provinces, we will be forced to raise them. It is too bad that the previous government did not act in 1984 when there was still time.

Nunavut

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

Mr. Speaker, the implementation of the Nunavut government will take place on April 1, 1999, and as part of the land claim agreement the public service is to be staffed by a 50% Inuit workforce.

Can the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development tell the House what steps her department is taking to ensure that Inuit are full participants in the public service of Nunavut?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, the creation of the new territory of Nunavut is a priority for this government, as it is for the people of the Eastern Arctic. It is our belief that the success of this initiative will be dependent on the degree to which Inuit people are part of the administration of that government. To that end a unified human resource strategy has been signed with all the parties.

I had the benefit of travelling with the hon. member to Iqaluit to announce a $40 million federal investment to that strategy. To date 800 Inuit people have received training under this program.

I know that in April 1999 we will welcome them to their responsibility.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

[Jim Pankiw, Reform, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

Mr. Speaker, according to the 1997-1998 supplementary estimates, ACOA will receive an extra $22 million for government handouts. That is in addition to the pre-existing $250 million for government handouts.

Last month former Liberal premier Frank McKenna stated that the answer to the Atlantic problem is not more government handouts but tax cuts for business. And the next day the prime minister agreed by saying that the problem cannot be solved by sending money. So why now the extra $22 million in government handouts?

Has the prime minister simply had a change of heart or is he trying to buy his way back into the hearts of maritimers?

[Fred Mifflin, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure where the hon. member is getting his figures from. What the prime minister said in the Atlantic visions conference was basically that the government supports Atlantic Canada in every way and will do the best it can for its recovery.

With respect to ACOA, I can spout a lot of statistics here but I want to inform the House that in its relatively short existence, ACOA has provided just short of 100,000 jobs, and I think that speaks for itself.

Dairy Industry

[Jean-Guy Chrétien, Bloc, Frontenac—Mégantic, QC]

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

We know that the Americans are challenging the price of Canadian milk for export. The World Trade Organization was hearing the American complaint this morning. This is a major issue for Quebec and Canadian dairy producers.

Does the minister intend to vigorously defend the dairy producers of Quebec and Canada by taking a clear and firm stand in the face of American claims?

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, yes I will confirm that we will defend the Canadian dairy industry vigorously. The government did that successfully when the United States challenged us in the NAFTA panel. We defended the industry vigorously. We succeeded then and we will defend the industry vigorously today and in the future.

Canada Post

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the House the minister of public Works passionately said that he wanted a negotiated settlement between Canada Post and CUPW. Last night the parties were that close to a collective agreement.

Also last night Eda Irwin, the spokesperson for Canada Post, then revealed to the press that she does not have a mandate to negotiate with this union. What is going on?

For the sake of all Canadians and Canadian business, when will this minister get off his chair and negotiate properly and give Canada Post the mandate it requires to negotiate?

[Alfonso Gagliano, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, Canada Post has a mandate to negotiate and to have a negotiated settlement. As the hon. member said, last night they were so close, and that is true. We hope they can go back to the table and reach a settlement.

Employment Insurance

[Gilles Bernier, Progressive Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, we have received dozens of calls from Canadians who depend on government assistance cheques but who have not received them this month. One gentleman said that he did not have enough money to purchase insulin because his EI cheque did not come. Last night a lady from St. John's had to rush her son to the hospital but did not have enough gas to get there.

How does the minister plan to immediately deliver these urgent cheques, or is he hoping that Santa Claus will deliver them?

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

Mr. Speaker, we have looked very carefully at this situation. Most of the cheques that my department is delivering are going through the post. We made an agreement last night with Canada Post which the postmen have accepted to deliver all delayed cheques today and tomorrow in case there is no agreement. That has been done.

As a responsible government and as a responsible department this is what we have done because of the possibility of a strike. We have organized 400 sites across the country for distribution in case of such a strike.

Foreign Affairs

[Stan Dromisky, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Atikokan, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Despite the efforts of others to dictate Canadian foreign policy, Canada continues to develop a relationship with Cuba.

Can the minister describe the latest developments in this relationship and explain how both countries will benefit?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his timely question. In a series of these bilateral agreements we signed a joint declaration with the Cuban government which includes a series of meetings on human rights issues. We have had very good meetings on women's rights and children's rights. We are working with the Cubans on developing a covenant signing for the United Nations, another agreement on terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, you have received a delegation of Cuban parliamentarians to help shape the legislative system and legislative reforms in that country. It shows real progress in constructive engagement.

Veterans Affairs

[Peter Goldring, Reform, Edmonton East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, while a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, I recall a conversation with a Hong Kong veteran. Tom spoke of the brutality and torture he endured at the hands of the Japanese army during enslavement. I find it unconscionable that our government 52 years later has still not insisted that Japan, one of the richest countries in the world, provide proper compensation for this enslavement and forced labour.

Will the Minister of Veterans Affairs and the government act now for our Hong Kong veterans' dignity and arrange proper compensation?