House of Commons Hansard #44 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was cpp.
Lloyd Axworthy LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member had bothered to look at the United Nations decision, he would know that the reality is that the new mandate established by the security council is to provide police for technical assistance, backed up by a rapid response team which will be supplied by the Argentinians, which will have the full capacity to ensure the security of all the police forces in Haiti.
It would help to read, once in a while, what decisions have been made by the United Nations.
Ghislain Fournier Bloc Manicouagan, QC
Mr. Speaker, on November 5, the Sept-Îles chamber of commerce complained to the Minister of Transport about the attitude of the Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway company, which had decided to privatize its depot for goods destined for northern cities. This decision will cost Sept-Îles merchants several million dollars.
What does the Minister of Transport intend to do to restore the business of transporting goods to northern cities such as Fermont and Shefferville to normal?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, the government is obviously concerned about the state of Canada's highways. The federal government has been involved in assisting the provinces since 1919 in highway construction.
We have about $2.3 billion in existing commitments, some of which will have to be renewed over the next few years.
The hon. member makes a good point about the need in remote communities, but those priorities are set by provincial governments. The federal government then matches funds in any particular agreement.
Grant Hill Reform Macleod, AB
Mr. Speaker, Quebec has now agreed to cut a cheque for the victims of hepatitis C. Will the health minister admit that the real reason he is not ready to give them compensation before Christmas is that his leadership rival down here in finance will not show him the money?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has been reading science fiction again. He really should stick to the facts. The facts of this matter are very clear.
This is the minister and this is the government which have been signalling for months that hepatitis C victims should not have to spend a lifetime in court in order to get some kind of redress. Mr. Justice Krever's recommendation helps in that regard. The development in Quebec is very welcome.
As the hon. member knows, I will be meeting with my counterparts in the next little while to discuss where we go from here in the face of that recommendation.
Rick Laliberte NDP Churchill River, SK
Mr. Speaker, I would like to address my question to the prime minister.
The federal government has up to 5,000 contaminated sites across Canada and it has no plan to clean them up.
The auditor general estimates a minimum price tag of $2.8 billion and further inaction will only increase these costs. PCBs, military sites, ports and harbours, government lands, old bases and dumps need to be cleaned up and the government has no idea where most of these sites are.
When will the government stop dragging its feet and stonewalling, clean up these sites and get Canadians back to work restoring our environment?
Karen Kraft Sloan LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.
This issue was raised in the auditor general's report. It was a very important report. The minister is appreciative of this report because it brings to light a number of concerns. When she returns from Kyoto, she will be following up with officials on many of these important issues.
Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Mr. Speaker, I need a little help from the Minister of Transport today.
Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
A lot of help is right.
I have in my hand the strategic highway improvement program agreement which manages $55 million of taxpayers' money and it states that it will be managed by two members, one member to be appointed by the federal minister and one by the provincial minister, and all decisions must be unanimous.
However, when I ask the minister a question about the 104 highway toll fiasco in Nova Scotia, which is already the most frequently closed highway in Canada, he says it is a provincial problem.
Can the minister please explain why the agreement in my hand states that it is the federal government?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, as I have explained to the hon. member before, this is a highway which was built, designed and operated under the auspices of and for the province of Nova Scotia. The federal government contributed $27 million toward that highway construction and that was the extent of its involvement. We feel that there have been no other problems associated with the highway from our point of view.
If he has a problem, he should address it to the government of Nova Scotia.
Dan McTeague Liberal Pickering—Ajax—Uxbridge, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Natural Resources.
The government keeps telling industries and individuals to do something about the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
I would like to know if the government is prepared to put its money where its mouth is and specifically tell Canadians here and now what we are prepared to do as far as reducing those dangerous, noxious gases?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to tell the House that the Government of Canada is fully on track, not only to meet but likely to beat its commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions from its own government operations. That commitment was to get to 20% below 1990 levels by the year 2005.
Based on our progress to date, total greenhouse gas emissions from federal facilities will be down 18% by the year 2000 and 27% by 2005.
John Williams Reform St. Albert, AB
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the auditor general confirmed that the duty free shop that by-passed the tender process is located in Windsor, Ontario.
Will the Minister of National Revenue please tell the House why there was no national tender call and why the licence was given to a front for a foreign national, all contrary to Treasury Board guidelines.
Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. I want to inform him that the decision made in 1995 was based on the fact that there were unique circumstances with regard to this. I want to emphasize to the member that Revenue Canada fully complied with the law and with all the regulations that exist. This decision was very much supported by the community.
Michel Guimond Bloc Beauport—Montmorency—Orléans, QC
Mr. Speaker, we have learned that Transport Canada has just limited the products that may be transported on type 111-A wagons because they are not safe.
Yet 35,000 such wagons are still in use in North America and it will be recalled that there was a spill of 80,000 litres of sulphuric acid because of a derailment involving this kind of wagon on November 24.
My question is for the Minister of Transport. In the interest of public safety, will the minister undertake to order an immediate moratorium on the transportation of toxic materials in 111-A wagons?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I am aware that these types of wagons were involved in the accident that happened the other week in terms of the chemical sulphuric acid coming out of the air. We have been assured that by and large, overall most of these wagons are in good shape, although some of them have to be inspected.
I will take the hon. member's suggestion under advisement and get back to him at an early opportunity.
Dick Proctor NDP Palliser, SK
Mr. Speaker, the government has been dithering for months and even years on the helicopter question and endangering people's lives in the process.
The latest example was at Hibernia last Sunday when 107 folks had to be evacuated off the rig. They could not use the search and rescue planes out of Halifax. They used leased helicopters.
My question is for the Minister of National Defence. When is the minister and the government going to make an announcement about replacement helicopters? Can he assure us that the process he is using will be both fair and transparent?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, of course it will be fair and transparent. It is a decision that is going to be made soon. It is one though that is far better than the decision that might have been made by another government a few years ago which would have cost the government far more money than what a helicopter purchase will cost us today.
National DefenceOral Question Period
The Speaker
That would bring to a close our question period today. I am going to go immediately to the question for Thursday.
Randy White Reform Langley—Abbotsford, BC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the government House leader to inform the House of the nation's business for the next week.
Mr. Speaker, there has been a leaked document from Santa's office apparently. This document that we have our hands on seems to indicate that next Friday, December 12 this House will not be sitting. I would like the government House leader to tell us whether this information is in fact true or a rumour.
Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I cannot speak about Santa Claus because that would be out of order.
I can inform the House that tomorrow we will deal with the third reading of Bill C-9, the marine legislation.
On Monday the House will debate the motion with reference to the terms of union with Newfoundland. I understand that there is a will in the House to sit late if necessary to debate this motion with any division bell being deferred until Tuesday afternoon.
On Tuesday we hope to deal with Bill C-17, the Teleglobe bill and Bill C-5, the co-operatives bill if the House is willing to do so.
On Wednesday and Thursday the House will debate the second report of the finance committee which constitutes the annual prebudget debate.
Next Friday remains to be scheduled.