Debates of Nov. 28th, 1997

Employment Insurance Fund

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Papineau—Saint-Denis, QC]

No, I mentioned it because the member for Lac-Saint-Jean had opened the door.

What I can tell you—

[Jean Charest, Progressive Conservative, Sherbrooke, QC]

We understand.

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Papineau—Saint-Denis, QC]

I hear the Conservative leader, who certainly does not want us to point out that he was a member of a government where surpluses—

[Jean Charest, Progressive Conservative, Sherbrooke, QC]

It is other people's fault.

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Papineau—Saint-Denis, QC]

—were unheard of. Our government has surpluses, while the Conservatives had deficits. We manage the employment insurance fund in a responsible way.

[Stéphan Tremblay, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I remind the minister that the fund is there to protect workers, should they become unemployed.

When will the minister finally admit that it is not his money and that he is using the surplus to reduce the government's deficit?

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

Mr. Speaker, our government has lowered employment insurance premiums four times in the past four years.

We implemented the largest employment insurance reform to modernize the system and adapt it to today's labour market. We must maintain the necessary flexibility to follow up on this reform and to react to any demand with regard to the most important reform of the past 25 years. That is responsible fiscal management.

Canada Post

[Jim Gouk, Reform, West Kootenay—Okanagan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there is a tired old cliché that the cheque is in the mail. Instead of corporations, let us take a look at the effect this postal strike is having on ordinary Canadians.

Let us take the case of Judy Gillespie from Union Bay, B.C. who went to the unemployment office to get her cheque and was told the cheque was in the mail. However it was not delivered. It is lost somewhere in post office limbo. Amid tears she tells a tale of two young children with nothing, I repeat nothing to eat.

What does the minister who has denied the urgency of this matter have to say to this mother and her young children? Judy Gillespie and thousands of others like her are listening to his answer right now.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, there is never a good time for a strike and there is never a good time for a lockout. There is also never a good time to talk about legislation until it is introduced.

I have asked my mediator to meet with me this afternoon and I will evaluate the situation.

[Jim Gouk, Reform, West Kootenay—Okanagan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the government has set up distribution centres for government cheques but in sprawling rural areas that does not work. Many communities are a long way from these centres and people who cannot afford food, never mind gas, have no way to get there. This is an overwhelming hardship on Canadians most in need.

Why can the minister not understand the damage he is doing to thousands of Canadians who count on this government and are being let down? When is he going to legislate an end to this devastating and harmful strike?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is important for Canadians to realize that this government is quite aware of the hardship that this strike is creating. The government and my department, Human Resources Development Canada, have set up 500 sites across the country for people to pick up their cheques. We made an agreement with the postal people to deliver certain government cheques and most of them have been.

Accommodations can also be made for hardship cases such as for those for whom this system has failed. This is the best system that we could provide during this difficult time.

France-Quebec Agreement

[Pierre Brien, Bloc, Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Yesterday, officials from Quebec and Canada had a meeting to try to find a compromise solution regarding the judicial co-operation agreement between France and Quebec. The federal government's stubbornness still stands in the way of any progress being accomplished on this important issue.

Why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs maintaining an inflexible position when Quebec is showing obvious openness and suggesting possible compromises? Such a position prevents a mutually acceptable compromise.

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, a convention between Canada and France is required under French law for an agreement between any Canadian province and France to have force of law.

Unfortunately, the Government of Quebec will not recognize this fact and reality and, as a result, Quebeckers have to do without judicial assistance in relation to alimony and support. I would like to have an agreement with Quebec, but it does not want to—

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

The hon. member for Témiscamingue.

[Pierre Brien, Bloc, Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the minister should look in the mirror before pointing a finger.

On the one hand, the federal government passed a meaningless resolution recognizing Quebec's specificity in terms of civil law but, on the other hand, it wants Quebec's civil law to be subject to Canadian law.

Does the minister recognize that he is speaking from both sides of his mouth and that what he really wants to do is to “Canadianize” Quebec's civil law?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, Quebec's position is that Canadian conventions between France and Canada do not apply to Quebec. We can go nowhere from there. It is difficult to negotiate with the Government of Quebec when it will not recognize conventions between Canada and France.

Canada Post

[Ken Epp, Reform, Elk Island, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this postal strike is making it impossible for charities to send out their solicitations and for donors to respond at this most important time of the year.

For example, the New Brunswick Lung Association in Fredericton is stuck with 300,000 Christmas seal envelopes which now need to be delivered by hand. With the mail not moving at Christmas, its receipts from donors for this most worthy cause will just get hammered.

What does the minister have to say to these charities and the people who rely on them?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated previously, there is no good time for a strike or a lockout. Also I have indicated quite clearly that I have asked my mediator to meet with me. I will meet with him after question period and evaluate the situation.

[Ken Epp, Reform, Elk Island, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this evaluation should have been done months ago. Christmas is now only weeks away and needy families will have a tough Christmas because of this mail strike.

The Ottawa Food Bank for example is down to one-third of its usual funding. Thousands of needy children will have a bleak Christmas because of this do nothing government.

Surely this government can do better than merely watch from the sidelines while this government authorized monopoly takes the joy of Christmas away from thousands who need it.

Does the minister have any plans at all on solving this thing in the long term?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, quite simply we call it the system. If hon. colleagues would just listen, what I indicated to the hon. member previously is that I am going to meet with my mediator following question period, evaluate the situation. Then if there are any decisions to be made, they will be made.

Algeria

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Laurentides, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

More than 80,000 people have died since 1991 as a result of the civil war in Algeria. This tragedy has people throughout Quebec speaking out in support of the Algerian people and expressing their indignation at the international community's failure to act.

What specifically are Canadian diplomats doing to mobilize the UN Commission on Human Rights with respect to Algeria?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I share the hon. member's concern about the serious situation in Algeria. We have held several discussions with Algeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs. During my last visit to the Middle East, I spoke with other ministers from that region.

I am happy to learn that European parliamentarians will be going to Algeria next week. Canada is certainly prepared to undertake—

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

The hon. member for Sault Ste. Marie.

Foreign Affairs

[Carmen Provenzano, Liberal, Sault Ste. Marie, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The United States has not yet declared whether Canadians will receive an exemption to a new American entry law that threatens to cause major delays at our borders which is an inconvenience to Canadians.

Could the minister please inform the House of the status of negotiations aimed at ensuring a Canadian exemption from this law to allow continued easy access to the United States?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, last weekend in Vancouver the Prime Minister in a meeting with the President had the occasion to raise the issue, as I did with the secretary of state.

The United States administration is very sympathetic to the need. What is really happening is that a number of amendments are now before the U.S. Congress which would obviate the necessity for the kind of rules which exist.

We are working very closely with those congressmen and senators. We are quite satisfied that the situation will be resolved within the next several months.