Debates of Nov. 27th, 1997

Aboriginal Affairs

[Jay Hill, Reform, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister just identified the very problem. Talk, talk, talk and no action.

This report confirms aboriginals worst nightmares. They have been saying for years that corruption on many reserves is rampant. If they want to report instances of abuse, the aboriginal peoples must sneak into their MPs offices, pull the drapes just to sit down and talk to their MPs because they fear for their lives.

When will this minister choose to support the grassroots aboriginal people instead of their own officials and bureaucrats?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have every confidence that First Nations communities across this country have the capacity and the ability to govern themselves.

This side of the House believes fully in the inherent right to self-government. We are committed to working with those communities to build on what already seem to be effective practices of management, effective services.

We are starting to see increasing and modernizing democratic processes in all the 633 First Nations across this country. Our job is to encourage that and work together to strengthen it.

Krever Inquiry

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Justice Krever is very clear about the federal role in the blood scandal and the shortcomings in the health protection branch.

Everything he calls for flies in the face of the minister's own actions like the elimination of the Drug Research Bureau and his plans for further deregulation, privatization and cost recovery as outlined in his department's September discussion paper entitled “Keeping Faith with Canadians”.

Will the minister start by keeping faith with the victims of Canada's contaminated blood supply and send a message today that deregulation is over?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with the member that there is a role for Health Canada, a strong regulatory role, to ensure that the blood supply system in this country is safe.

Yesterday, Mr. Justice Krever identified some shortcomings in the past. He made strong recommendations for the future. We will take his recommendations as guideposts as we assemble a strong regulator in Health Canada.

I can assure the House that we have started already. We have doubled the amount of money available for regulation in Health Canada. We have established a blood safety council. We shall continue because safety is our bottom line.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, wrongdoings and shortcomings in the federal government are written all over the Krever report. The failure to demand surrogate testing, the failure to play an active role in the regulation of the blood supply and so on, all implicate the federal government.

Will the minister today agree to immediately review the Krever report to see if there was any dereliction of duty in the adherence and the enforcement of the Food and Drug Act and would he agree to refer this whole report to the solicitor general to see if there was any wrongdoing?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that the whole report and all recommendations about the regulatory role of Health Canada are under careful review.

Mr. Justice Krever has pointed us in a direction to assure the safety of the blood system in the future. That will be our first priority.

Rcmp

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

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

In the province of New Brunswick the provincial government is poised to remove the local police force and replace it with the RCMP even though the provincial labour board has ruled that the RCMP is acting without lawful authority.

My question for the solicitor general is has this government entered into an agreement with the Liberal provincial government in New Brunswick to allow police forces to be removed from municipalities and replaced with the RCMP?

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member better check her facts.

The reality is that the tribunal found originally that at the time there was no authority to proceed. It was not irregular for the RCMP to engage in discussions with the province and the municipality in the event those legislative actions were taken.

Those legislative actions have begun and, if called upon, the RCMP will act.

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, does the solicitor general know that the present premier of the province of New Brunswick told the mayor of Moncton, New Brunswick that either the mayor and the council agree to remove the police force and put in the RCMP or they will never receive another grant, or they will never receive another thing from the province of New Brunswick?

Does this government want to be part of that kind of an agreement?

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I would refer the member to our Conservative caucus in the legislature of New Brunswick to put the question to the Premier.

Climate Change

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

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

A couple of weeks ago the minister met with provincial ministers to discuss Canada's approach for the International Cconference on Climate Change.

My question is twofold: Why is it so important to have the provinces on side to act on climate change and what kind of consensus building role will Canada play in the Kyoto negotiations?

[Christine Stewart, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question. It is a very important question as our government goes into negotiations in Kyoto.

In this country, the federal government and the provinces both have authority and responsibilities in the area of environment. When we met in Regina, our provincial and territorial counterparts recognized that Canada has an important role to play in negotiating in Kyoto a successful agreement and that we need some flexibility.

With this co-operation from the provinces and territories, Canada will play—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Calgary Southwest.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, a few minutes ago the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development had the nerve to say that the difference between those members and these members on those issues is that Liberals care and Reformers do not. We resent those words.

The hon. member for Edmonton North spent 18 months living and teaching on the worst aboriginal reserve in the province of Alberta. This member has been a foster mother to six aboriginal children.

If credibility in this House on this issue depends on caring and contact with aboriginal people, will the minister—

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Indian Affairs.

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

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. Leader of the Opposition is so committed to aboriginal people in this country, I would invite him to support the newest senator who was named yesterday—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

Powa

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

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

The minister recently said that BC mine workers were not interested in a POWA. Yet, these workers are currently protesting in front of the minister's Montreal office. They are asking for a modified POWA.

Given the repeated requests made by the former BC mine workers, will the minister finally see the light and take the necessary steps to ensure their financial security?

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

Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear: our government acted very quickly following the closure of the mine. In late September, I asked my department to allocate close to $3 million for active measures to help these former workers, when no other action had yet been taken.

I draw the hon. member's attention to a letter, dated the 27 and signed by the union president, which I am prepared to table in the House. It says clearly that the workers want an improved POWA, that they are not interested in a traditional POWA, only in an improved one. Therefore, this has nothing to do with what the hon. member is asking for.

Human Rights

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

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

The Prime Minister committed our country to be part of a $43 billion bailout to the investors, the speculators and even dictators like Suharto in Southeast Asia.

How much is the Canadian taxpayer on the hook to bankroll regimes with little regard for human rights? What is it going to cost the Canadian taxpayer? What is that commitment? Are we being taken to the cleaners by the minister? Are we going to be Martinized by this minister?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, it was extremely fortuitous in fact that the APEC meetings took place in Vancouver under the leadership of the Prime Minister. It demonstrated to investors and to workers in all of Southeast Asia that in fact the major industrial countries were prepared to come together to make sure that the international financial system continued on at a stable pace.

What has happened, as the hon. member knows, is that negotiations have been taking place with the International Monetary Fund. We will be meeting a number of the countries in Chile over the next week—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Charlotte.

Krever Inquiry

[Greg Thompson, Progressive Conservative, Charlotte, NB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday in questioning the government in regard to compensation for the hepatitis C victims, the government basically said “wait 15 minutes for the Krever report to come down and we will act on it”. The minister indicated he would act on it. Today in the House, he is saying “I have got to consult with my provincial counterparts”.

There are 12,000 Canadians suffering. They have now suffered for 10 and 15 years with no financial reimbursement or support.

Will the minister show leadership and act unilaterally to help these people as we did in 1991—

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Health.

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, it was yesterday we received the report. Mr. Justice Krever made recommendations about compensation, findings about the past and recommendations for the future. I think the only responsible way to deal with those recommendations is to discuss the issue with those in the provinces and territories who are also involved so that we can furnish to the victims a response that is meaningful.

I have made it clear that I do not want this matter to languish in the courts for a decade. I want a solution but I first want to talk to my partners in the system who are in the provinces and territories.