House of Commons Hansard #35 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was devco.
Lawrence MacAulay LiberalMinister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, it is hard to imagine this party criticizing the Minister of Labour for protecting the collective bargaining system in an attempt to gain short-term political gain. Shame on the opposition.
Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC
Mr. Speaker, small and medium size businesses are the engine of this economy. For weeks the effects of a mail strike have been looming over their heads. Now we are into the third day of a full-blown strike costing the economy hundreds of millions of dollars a day.
How many more millions of dollars will small businesses have to lose before this government legislates the post office back to work?
Lawrence MacAulay LiberalMinister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, under the collective bargaining system the parties have the right to strike. It is unfortunate when we get to this point, but it is the right under part I of the Canada Labour Code and we must adhere to the laws of the land.
Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC
Mr. Speaker, the minister continues to defend a system that history shows has failed. Four strikes in ten years. There have been seven months of failed negotiations.
Meanwhile, small and medium size businesses are losing millions of dollars during their busiest season, not to mention the collateral damage of lay-offs and lost jobs.
I will ask the minister again, when will the government come to its senses and order back to work legislation?
Lawrence MacAulay LiberalMinister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, we are going through a process, a process that has worked well for this country.
My colleague mentions the process and the number of strikes that have taken place. Over the last year, 94.5% of the companies under the federal jurisdiction have been settled without a work stoppage.
In the seven months of this year, there have been fewer days lost than that.
Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Mitis, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the acting Prime Minister.
The bad odour surrounding the Option Canada affair is getting worse. This organization had nothing but a fake headquarters, its financial statements and minutes are mysteriously unlocatable, and its administrators mere figureheads. All that we do know about this organization is that it is a creation of the Council for Canadian Unity.
Can the Acting Prime Minister tell us how, under such conditions, Option Canada was able to receive $4.2 million in funding from the Minister of Canadian Heritage?
Andy Mitchell LiberalSecretary of State (Parks)
Mr. Speaker, this hon. member and hon. members from that party have asked this question over and over again in the House.
The Minister of Canadian Heritage has provided clear and concise explanations. If the hon. member has something new to add, I suggest that she bring it forward in the House today.
Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Mitis, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Junior Acting Prime Minister is not very well informed about the responses by the Minister of Canadian Heritage, because they are far from clear.
The Acting Prime Minister, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the administrators of Option Canada, and those on the Council for Canadian Unity are unable to tell us why and how the money was used.
Can we have an explanation of how it can be that all of these people involved to varying degrees with Option Canada have suddenly been struck with collective amnesia?
Andy Mitchell LiberalSecretary of State (Parks)
Mr. Speaker, two years ago during the referendum in Quebec, the citizens of Quebec voted to stay in Canada.
This party has never been able to accept that verdict. They continue to fight a battle of two years ago. They are stuck in the past. They have no vision for the future and this clearly demonstrates that.
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister.
Canada's ambassador in environmental matters, John Fraser, added his voice to that of all environmental groups in denouncing the minor Regina agreement on greenhouse gases. He calls on the federal government to honour its earlier agreements.
Is the government committed to reviewing its position and agreeing to that proposed by the Quebec government, as its own ambassador of the environment is suggesting?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of the Environment said here in the House of Commons, the government is currently consulting all interested parties in order to prepare Canada's position for the conference coming up in a few weeks.
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont, QC
Mr. Speaker, what we want to know on this side of the House is whether the government is prepared to set the example, as it did in the case of the anti- personnel mines, and to sign the Kyoto agreement even though the United States and other countries might refuse?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, as the minister said in this House, we intend to propose a position for Canada that reflects the best interest of the people of Canada and elsewhere. This is what we will do at the conference in a few weeks.
Bill Blaikie NDP Winnipeg—Transcona, MB
Mr. Speaker, the government appears to be sticking by its decision to end the TAGS program in Atlantic Canada by May 1998.
I want to ask the minister of human resources why the government persists in doing something that it knows will create a veritable explosion of legitimate and justifiable anger in so many Atlantic Canadian communities.
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, we are conducting right now an important review of the post-TAGS situation. I have asked one of my very senior and trusted officials to look into the situation. This gentleman is meeting with the provinces, the fishermen, the associations and the communities. We will be looking very carefully into the post-TAGS situation and the government will behave appropriately.
Bill Blaikie NDP Winnipeg—Transcona, MB
Mr. Speaker, talking about appropriate behaviour, I wonder if the minister could tell us why we have been able to access a document that shows that the human resources department, in collaboration with the RCMP, the PCO and Treasury Board, has hired a consultant, Stonehaven Productions, to train senior managers on how to deal with, and I quote: “life threatening, explosive, dangerous situations after the end of the TAGS program”.
Why is the government conspiring against the legitimate anger of its citizens and planning to end the TAGS program while going through the sham of this review, instead of changing its mind and doing the right thing?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, I am going to look at this very bizarre way of addressing the situation. We are well aware of the situation in Newfoundland and in the maritime provinces and in Quebec as well. I can say one thing. We are well aware of the very difficult situation in which these people live.
This is why we have brought forward this important program for crisis and emergency situations. We are conducting an important review of the post-TAGS situation and we will take the appropriate decisions.
Bill Matthews Progressive Conservative Burin—St. George's, NL
Mr. Speaker, Marine Atlantic is presently phasing out its headquarters operation in Moncton, New Brunswick.
I would like to ask the government what guidelines or instructions it has given Mr. Morrison of Marine Atlantic in carrying out the relocation process and if indeed he has been instructed to relocate Marine Atlantic headquarters in Newfoundland and Labrador?
Stan Keyes LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.
Marine Atlantic is an important vestiture within the Atlantic community and Marine Atlantic serves our country well on the east coast.
I want to inform the hon. member that the file on Marine Atlantic is presently being examined by the Minister of Transport to look at all the permutations and possibilities for Marine Atlantic's location in Atlantic Canada.
Bill Matthews Progressive Conservative Burin—St. George's, NL
Mr. Speaker, I am sure that the parliamentary secretary must realize that the only purpose for Marine Atlantic now is to provide a very important and essential service to Newfoundland and Labrador. There are no other operations for Marine Atlantic.
I would like to ask the parliamentary secretary, has Mr. Morrison of Marine Atlantic been instructed to locate Marine Atlantic headquarters in Port aux Basques, Newfoundland, the centre of Marine Atlantic operations in Newfoundland and Labrador?
Stan Keyes LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I am sure the hon. member can appreciate that no one is going to be directing anyone to do anything until all the discussion takes place, all the input is made from the various stakeholders and all the concerned entities who are affected by the Marine Atlantic organization are consulted so that a decision will be made in the best interests of east coast Canada, in the best interests of Marine Atlantic and the people it serves.
Bill Gilmour Reform Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, we now know, courtesy of Premiers Klein and Tobin, the government's position on fossil fuel emissions that it is going to take to Kyoto. It will be 1990 levels by the year 2007.
Why did the Prime Minister choose to whisper this to the premiers instead of informing the House? We cannot get the government's position in this House. Is it because there is going to be an economic hit of $33 billion?
Who is going to pay for this?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I think it is important that instead of relying on speculation and piecemeal press reports we await the development of a position that takes into account all the points of view on this issue.
I hope the hon. member is not surprised that the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Environment are consulting with provincial premiers on these issues. I hope the hon. member favours consultation with provincial partners because they are very much involved.
The effort has been to develop a position which reflects all interests, and that is what we will do.
Bill Gilmour Reform Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, it is rather humourous and absurd that our prime minister's sole position is to produce less gas than President Clinton. That is their whole goal over there.
However, it is tragic that in doing so they are prepared to accept the loss of 40,000 jobs, a lower standard of living and the destruction of some economic sectors.
Again, who is going to pay for this position?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of the Environment has made it very clear that our intention is to bring to Kyoto a position which reflects Canadian interests in general. We are consulting with all stakeholders.
The provinces are very much involved in this process. At Regina, just 10 days ago, a conference was held to ensure that the position reflects their interests as well. That is what we are going to do.