When the decision is made it will be done on the basis of what is the best value for the Canadian taxpayers and what meets our operational needs. It indeed will not be the Cadillac version that the Tory government was trying to push down our throats. It will be a more modest version of a helicopter. Without saying which one it is, it is going to be a lot cheaper than what the Tories would have foisted on us.

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

NDP

Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. It concerns the upcoming APEC summit.

Section 19 of Canada's Immigration Act bars the admission of persons who are heads of a government that is or was engaged in gross human rights violations or crimes against humanity.

Will the minister explain why Indonesian President Suharto, guilty of genocidal policies in East Timor and massive human rights violations in Indonesia, is not being barred under the Immigration Act or charged with war crimes if he sets foot on Canadian territory?

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Winnipeg South Centre Manitoba

Liberal

Lloyd Axworthy LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, as a lawyer the hon. member should know that any determination of that status is by the courts under international law. There has been no such decision by any international court under any international law.

President Suharto will be a guest of Canada at the APEC summit and I expect he will be given the proper courtesy that any guest of Canada is afforded.

Search And Rescue HelicoptersOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

David Price Progressive Conservative Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Speaker, in 1993, before I became a member of the Conservative caucus, the Tory government included in the helicopter contract the cost of training, spare parts, maintenance and any other costs incurred prior to the helicopters' coming into service.

Why is the Prime Minister swindling Canadians by not including in his contract all additional costs when taxpayers know full well they will end up paying the whole bill sooner or later?

Search And Rescue HelicoptersOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

York Centre Ontario

Liberal

Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, I heard the word helicopter so I jumped up. I did not hear much of anything else other than something to the effect that he was not part of the previous Conservative government prior to our taking office in 1993. Thank goodness for that. He is most fortunate because they really botched up the helicopter job when they were in power.

Search And Rescue HelicoptersOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

David Price Progressive Conservative Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is telling Canadians he is saving them a billion dollars. Does he think Canadians are not paying attention?

It would be nice if he tabled in Parliament all costs of cancelling the helicopters, but he will keep his partisan political secrets. When is the Prime Minister going to fess up and tell Canadians about the extra billion dollars it is costing to keep our three d helicopters, decrepit, dilapidated and dangerous, in the air?

Search And Rescue HelicoptersOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

York Centre Ontario

Liberal

Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, we do not fly dangerous helicopters. There is no doubt that these helicopters are getting toward the end of their lives. There is no doubt that they need to be replaced and will be replaced soon.

If the Conservatives had not botched this up previously, there might have been a helicopter long before this. We are going to get good value for the Canadian taxpayer. We are going to buy helicopters that are off the shelf type and not the developing kind of helicopter, a proposition that would have cost us a lot more money.

Even with the penalty that had to be paid to cancel the previous sad deal, we still will be saving taxpayers' money.

Regional DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Liberal

Aileen Carroll Liberal Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, ON

Mr. Speaker, this government is moving down the information highway and rural communities demand that they not be left behind. They demand a share in the economic benefits of this knowledge based society.

My question is for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry. What is being done to ensure that Canadians wherever they live share in the economic and social potential of these future developments?

Regional DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

St. Catharines Ontario

Liberal

Walt Lastewka LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, let me make it clear that the regional development agencies are working in regions across Canada to ensure that the regions are developed. In addition, communities futures programs across this country are assisting small communities to ensure that lending and information is available. The community access program which we have been promoting for the last number of years in 1,250 communities, 9,500 schools and 1,200 public libraries makes it easier for rural communities to have access. In addition the Canada community investment program has been assisting small and rural communities.

Correctional ServiceOral Question Period

November 6th, 1997 / 2:55 p.m.

Reform

Garry Breitkreuz Reform Yorkton—Melville, SK

Mr. Speaker, the solicitor general's own internal survey of nearly 5,000 prison guards said the solicitor general could do a much better job of protecting the public and his prisons were too cushy. Seventy-six per cent of prison guards said the correctional service could be more accountable to outsiders.

Can the government explain to Canadians why it is ignoring the prison guards' recommendations?

Correctional ServiceOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Vaudreuil—Soulanges Québec

Liberal

Nick Discepola LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Solicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, the survey which the hon. member refers to is the second in a series of surveys that are determined and designed exactly to find out the employees' opinions.

The survey itself as the member says reports that 50% of respondents claim that there would be much less crime if the prisoners were more uncomfortable. I do not understand from that how they can ascertain that the prisons are very cushy. Last week we had the same party saying that the prisons were too dangerous. This week they are saying that the prisons are too cushy. I wonder which wild rose the hon. member has been smelling lately.

Social HousingOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the minister responsible for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

The federal government has indicated that it intends to withdraw from social housing. At the present time, the federal government is spending about $2 billion on housing. To date, agreements have been signed with Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and New Brunswick.

Could the minister bring us up to date on the negotiations between his government and Quebec in the area of housing?

Social HousingOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel Québec

Liberal

Alfonso Gagliano LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, to start with I would like to tell the hon. member that we signed agreements with four provinces and territories, and that we are negotiating with other provinces. There are negotiations with the province of Quebec and, naturally, we hope that they will come to a satisfactory conclusion and that an agreement will be signed as soon as possible.

YouthOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

NDP

Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC

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

Yesterday the city of Victoria released a critical report on the problem of sexually exploited youth, many of whom trade in sex for the basic necessities of survival. This issue has been of serious concern for years but has been too often ignored.

Will the minister commit to review and act upon these urgent recommendations?

YouthOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Edmonton West Alberta

Liberal

Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question. In fact she raises a very serious issue and one that I can assure her my provincial colleagues and I will be discussing when we meet at a federal-provincial justice ministers meeting early in December.

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Gilles Bernier Progressive Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB

Mr. Speaker, the 1993 deal to purchase helicopters included an ironclad guarantee that at least 50% of the components would have been made in Canada and 10% of every EH-101 sold worldwide would have been Canadian made. This would have meant jobs for Canadians, new technology for Canadian businesses and a substantial increase in tax revenues for the Canadian government. These helicopters would have paid for themselves.

Will the minister of public works explain why Canadians have to pay extra money for his helicopters—

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. Minister of National Defence.

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

York Centre Ontario

Liberal

Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, I do not understand the audacity of the party that fouled up the previous deal on helicopters to stand up and say all these things.

Let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, there are going to be a lot of jobs in all parts of this country when this helicopter deal is finalized. That is something we are insisting upon in the bidding process. We want jobs created in this country.