Debates of Nov. 19th, 1997

Monetary Policy

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what a revelation!

Has the Minister of Finance, who during the 1995 referendum campaign was saying that a sovereign Quebec would be in a losing position because it would have no control over monetary policy, just admitted candidly that even he has no control over monetary policy?

Is the Minister of Finance aware that his lack of monetary policy in the last three years is hurting the unemployed in Quebec?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, if the member is so concerned about the economic situation in Quebec, perhaps he should read the study by the French Ministry of the Economy, which calls for a temporary lifting of the referendum burden.

Perhaps he will listen to the French people who blame the whole referendum question and the political uncertainty in Quebec for Canada's high interest rates.

Environment

[Eric C. Lowther, Reform, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am going to ask another question on Kyoto today because we are still waiting for real answers from the government. Before I ask it, however, I am going to give the government's response, or at least the tired old comments it has made to avoid giving a real answer.

The environment minister will say what is Reform's plan, which is typical of a government that has run out of ideas. Or, the minister will say they are taking this very seriously, which is a nice thought but does not answer the question I am about to ask.

The real question Canadians want to know is will the government raise taxes to pay for the Kyoto agreement.

[Christine Stewart, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government will work with all partners in Canada to implement a plan to deal with the issue seriously, the real issue of climate change. There will be a package of measures on the table and there will be a consensus in the country about what we do.

What will the Reform Party do? Everybody in the country would like to know. Their gases could be reduced.

[Rick Casson, Reform, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we still do not know what the government will do in Kyoto, and it is 13 days away.

We know two things, though. The government will sign a binding agreement. It wants to be greener than the U.S. The Prime Minister wants to be greener than the U.S. The minister will not tell us what she will do and what the promises will be.

The first thing we want out of the government is a commitment on how much the CO2 reductions will be. Next we want tabled in the House what it will cost Canadians.

[Christine Stewart, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, before the conference in Kyoto the federal government will make known its targets and timetables.

We will work out an implementation scheme with all of our partners after Kyoto. All Canadians will be engaged in the issue of reducing climate change.

Many of the measures that can be taken will be beneficial to the economy of Canada. They will help all Canadians, not only in their pocketbooks but also in their health.

Drug Patents

[Hélène Alarie, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this spring the Standing Committee on Industry submitted its report on its examination of Bill C-91 on the protection of drug patents. The government is preparing its response to the report.

My question is for the Minister of Industry. Could he confirm that the government has no intention of shortening the 20 year period drug patents are protected, by amending neither the act nor the regulations, as the committee recommends in its unanimous report?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I said earlier and I confirm that we will honour our international commitments. We will, in other words, honour the 20 year period patents are protected.

[Hélène Alarie, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to hear that, because according to some sources quoted in today's papers, the Minister of Health wanted to change the regulations on drug patents.

Would the Minister of Industry guarantee once again that the term of drug patents will in no way be reduced by amendments to the regulations?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, the aim of the regulations was to give 20 years of protection to drug patents and not to extend or lessen the protection. Any changes to the regulations will be to—

[The Speaker]

I am sorry to interrupt the hon. minister. The hon. member for Nanaimo—Cowichan.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Reed Elley, Reform, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are very concerned about the devastating effects of alcohol and drug addiction on our native population.

The auditor general again confirms the vastness of this problem. For 10 years Health Canada has known of and done nothing to correct the widespread abuse of easy access to prescription drugs.

Given the inaction by this government, is it really the health minister's policy to pay for and condone the illegal use of prescription drugs within our aboriginal communities?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, what the hon. member should know is what we said three weeks ago when the auditor general's report was tabled, namely that we have been at work in Health Canada for some years putting in place across the land technology to ensure that pharmacists will be able to ascertain that every prescription presented is legitimate and should be filled.

That will be in place by the end of this calendar year. It will save money and, more important, it will save lives.

Tobacco Sponsorship

[Maurice Vellacott, Reform, Wanuskewin, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the government's previous minister of health made two conflicting promises. First in the interest of Canadians' health he promised to ban sponsorship advertising of cigarettes. Then later under pressure from the tobacco lobby he promised to reverse that ban for auto racing events.

Which of these two promises does the current health minister believe to be more in keeping with the obligations of a minister of health?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should know that this is a government that respects all its commitments.

That includes first of all—

[Some hon. members]

GST, GST, GST.

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Health has about 15 seconds.

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our commitment to public health in reducing the levels of smoking, especially among young people, is well expressed in the Tobacco Act. We are proud of that legislation. We will soon be spending effort in a co-ordinated way across the country to educate young people about the perils of smoking, to influence them in the choices they make about—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert.

Military Procurement

[Pierrette Venne, Bloc, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

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

Yesterday, the minister confirmed that the government still intended to purchase several billion dollars worth of military equipment, such as tanks, submarines and so on.

Since there have already been special debates in this House on significant issues, such as the deployment of troops to Bosnia, Haiti and other places, why does the government stubbornly refuse to hold a special debate on this issue, when several billion dollars are at stake?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

These purchases, Mr. Speaker, have been around for some period of time and certainly there has been every opportunity for the opposition to ensure that discussions were held and questions were in fact put on all these issues.

These matters are a point of making sure that we get the kind of equipment, the kind of tools that our Canadian forces need to be able to do their job.

National Defence

[John O'Reilly, Liberal, Victoria—Haliburton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, a recent newspaper article quotes Lieutenant-General Pike of the British army. He believes that the Canadian military is not capable of engaging as a fighting force.

Can the Minister of National Defence confirm that the Canadian military is indeed capable of any mission that it is asked to perform? Will the Minister of National Defence tell General Pike that his attitude is not suitable to lead a high profile campaign in Bosnia and reaffirm that the Canadian military is second to none in the world? Tell General Pike to take a hike.

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

You bet, Mr. Speaker.

When I was in Bosnia recently, I met with General Ramsay, a British army officer who was in charge of the sector that the Canadian troops are serving in. He had the highest praise for the capability, the professionalism and the performance of the Canadian troops in Bosnia and their humanitarian work. I think that is more indicative of what the British army thinks.

In terms of Lieutenant-General Pike, it seems he does not think that women can reflect—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Surrey North.

Justice

[Chuck Cadman, Reform, Surrey North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, some months ago, the Minister of Justice tried to score points by expressing an interest in improving the rights of victims. She stated: “We have not done enough to accommodate the interests of victims within the criminal justice system”.

On October 7 she mocked a statement from this side of the House concerning a murdered woman by saying “and blah, blah, blah, blah”. Now she has suggested an ombudsman for crime victims.

Will this proposed appointee actually be authorized to enforce victims rights or will this just be another case of powerless blah, blah, blah Liberal patronage?