Debates of Dec. 3rd, 1997

Charities

[The Speaker]

The hon. Deputy Prime Minister.

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the leader of the Conservative Party for having giving us notice of this question late this morning. As soon as we received notice we asked officials in finance and national revenue to begin looking into the matter.

I have not received an answer as yet but I or the Minister of Finance will get back to him as soon as possible. I thank him for giving us the opportunity to look into this issue.

[Jean Charest, Progressive Conservative, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the government of our support for this initiative, and that of all members of this House except the Reform Party, which clearly would not.

While we are on the issue of expenditures, could the government explain to us the logic that allows it to dispute and have some discussion about spending new taxpayer money? If there is new taxpayer money to be spent, why is it not offering Canadians a tax reduction instead?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, because the Reform Party abandoned the approach it claimed it was coming into the last Parliament with, a courteous and constructive approach to Parliament, it is now spending more time hooting and hollering unnecessarily. Frankly, I did not hear my hon. friend's question. If the Speaker would allow him to repeat I would attempt to give him an answer.

Fisheries

[Gary Lunn, Reform, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister of fisheries in Washington just announced that if there is no deal with the U.S. by the start of the next fishing season he might have to cut Canadian quotas by 40% to 50% for the 1998 northern B.C. fishery.

When is the government going to stand up for Canadians and British Columbians and fight for us? The minister is down in the United States giving our quotas to the Americans. When is he going to stand up and do something?

[Ted McWhinney, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we are engaged in a diplomatic bilateral process with the United States. We are expecting it to terminate shortly. It is an obligation under international law to conduct and complete in good faith those negotiations. We will leave any speculation as to what we might do after the event until the process is completed.

[Gary Lunn, Reform, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, let me tell members about the diplomatic process this government is engaged in. The minister of fisheries is down in Washington right now announcing that if there is no deal he is cutting Canadian quotas by 40% to 50%.

Who is this government standing up for, Canadians or Americans? Which is it? When is the government going to get on its feet and do something for Canada?

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, the minister of fisheries is making no such announcement. The minister of fisheries has been in Washington a number of times and across several states trying to establish an agreement that will protect Canadian fisheries interests.

If the member would not be trying to make the political rhetoric he is he could be helpful to us in terms of encouraging the Americans to come on side and reach an agreement with us.

Tainted Blood

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Quebec National Assembly unanimously passed a motion urging the federal and provincial governments to consider establishing as soon as possible a compensation plan for the victims who received contaminated blood or blood products, including those infected with hepatitis C.

How will the Minister of Health respond to this urgent request?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to see that the National Assembly has now adopted the position I myself had taken upon receiving Justice Krever's report, which is that it is better to avoid spending a decade in court over these issues. It is better to hold, with the provinces and territories, consultations to deal with the recommendation made by Justice Krever.

I hope therefore to soon have the opportunity of having discussions with Mr. Rochon and the other ministers.

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, can the minister give us the assurance that this potential compensation plan will apply not only to primary victims but also to secondary victims?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the whole question of victims' compensation will be discussed among provincial, territorial and federal ministers. As I said, I hope discussions will be held soon.

National Energy Board

[Grant McNally, Reform, Dewdney—Alouette, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the abuse of expense accounts is not limited to Ted Weatherill. Access to information documents reveal that Ken Vollman, the vice-chair of the National Energy Board, charged taxpayers a whopping $26,000 for just one trip to Halifax. Perhaps he was on his way to Paris for lunch with Ted.

Will the government undertake to investigate the free spending of this appointee?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, the National Energy Board is one of the most distinguished regulatory agencies in this country.

There has been nothing drawn to my attention that indicates any irregularity whatsoever. Because an hon. member has inquired, I too will inquire, but there is nothing on the record that is known to me that would justify that kind of slur.

[Grant McNally, Reform, Dewdney—Alouette, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is in the public accounts and Mr. Vollman's expenses are twice that of other members on the board.

Under Treasury Board guidelines, it would have worked out for his hotel and per diem to be about $10,000. He spent $26,000. We are wondering where the cash is.

Will Canadian taxpayers have to wait six months before the minister takes action against Vollman, or has this government learned its lesson from the Weatherill fiasco?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, inquiries by members of Parliament with respect to particular spending items are perfectly legitimate and the government should inquire into those items when they are raised.

However, I think it is going far beyond the bounds of reason and fair play for the hon. member to leave that kind of slur on the record without providing the official even an opportunity to respond.

Research And Development

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

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

After several years of cuts to the research and development sector, the government tried to save face in its latest budget by announcing the establishment of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, with an $800 million budget over a five-year period.

Since the foundation has now been in place for ten months, how can the minister explain that the foundation's board of directors just met for the first time?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I think the establishment of the Canada Foundation for Innovation is the single most important initiative of the federal government's research and development program in the last 20 years or so.

I should also point out to the hon. member that the board members have already met. They appointed directors and so did the government. They are now ready to begin their work, less than 10 months after the announcement was made in the budget.

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

Mr. Speaker, the auditor general deplores the fact that the foundation is not required to submit to Parliament an annual report on how it uses this $800 million.

Will the minister agree to have the foundation report its results to Parliament on a regular basis, so that taxpayers know whether or not they are getting their money's worth?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that the foundation is a body independent of the government. The majority of its members are not appointed by the government.

However, I think I can assure the member that the foundation will be very proud to make known to all Canadians the successes that will undoubtedly flow from investments in research and development at Canadian universities and research hospitals.

Transport

[Lee Morrison, Reform, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, there are millions of Canadians who cannot afford to travel by Challenger jet at Christmas or any other time.

They are understandably outraged that a group of busy little bureaucrats is sitting there poised to kill the discount and charter air businesses in this country, the only way that travel is affordable to average folks.

Yesterday the transport minister brushed my question aside, and so I will ask him again will he make his bureaucrats back off and tell them—

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Transport.

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I welcome the hon. member's question and welcome the point of emphasizing not only to him but to the Canadian public that there has been no change in the government's policy with respect to air charters. There is no change in regulations.

There has been no change in the enforcement. There is a process by the Canadian Transportation Agency to consult with stakeholders on future regulations that, even if they did come to me, would have to be approved by cabinet. Let us not alarm Canadians.

[Lee Morrison, Reform, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, it looks like the hon. minister is not singing off of the same song sheet as his bureaucrats.

Yesterday in the Toronto Star he was reported as having said exactly what he said here today, but the bureaucrats do not say the same thing. Who is right? Who are we to believe here, the bureaucrats or the minister who is supposed to be in charge?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, despite all the mischievous rhetoric of the hon. member, I can assure him that there has been no change in the policy, no change in the regulations, no change in enforcement.

When he has a view on these particular matters, he should let the Canadian Transportation Agency know his feelings and they will be taken into account, as will the feelings of all the stakeholders. Not one Canadian is going to be affected this Christmas. Not one Canadian is going to be affected until regulations are approved by the Government of Canada and that is not forthcoming at this time.