Debates of Feb. 3rd, 1997

Tainted Blood

[David Dingwall, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the hon. member opposite in her comments with regard to destroying of documents, but let us be very clear so that all members of the House fully understand, this was an incident which occurred in 1989.

The commissioner's report is comprehensive. We in Health Canada have followed and accepted all of his recommendations as they relate to that particular incident. We will adhere to the recommendations of the commissioner to ensure that it does not happen again in the future.

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, even today, nothing prevents similar incidents from occurring. Nothing prevents other officials from concealing or destroying documents to avoid disclosure.

Will the Prime Minister promise to amend the Access to Information Act so as to prevent any recurrences?

[David Dingwall, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member must realize that the contents of the commissioner's report have been forwarded to Justice Krever. He will then have an opportunity, if he so desires, to comment on the substance of the commissioner's report and make recommendations thereto.

The hon. member is fully aware that the commissioner has also made recommendations to Parliament, of which the hon. member is a member, in terms of recommendations and sanctions which may or may not take place as they relate to officials in the future if in fact actions of that nature do take place.

Microcredit

[Robert Bertrand, Liberal, Pontiac—Gatineau—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Cooperation and Francophonie.

Last weekend, a microcredit summit was held in Washington. Could the minister explain what Canada is doing in this respect and how microcredit can help developing countries?

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Minister for International Cooperation and Minister responsible for Francophonie]

Mr. Speaker, the issue of microcredit is of great interest to Canada.

Since this week is International Cooperation Week, I would like to point out that, through the Canadian International Development Agency, Canada supports microcredit projects in several countries, including Vietnam and Haiti.

Last week, in Montreal, I had the opportunity to announce a microcredit project to take place in the Czech Republic, in partnership with Développement international Desjardins. We are

pleased to support this kind of project and we intend to increase our efforts in this area.

Pearson International Airport

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, restoring integrity to government went out the window in the first 60 days of this government.

On the basis of a 30-day partisan review, the Pearson airport contract was cancelled and the Canadians involved would be denied access to our courts. They would have no chance to defend their reputations or their contract.

My question is for the Prime Minister. In view of the shameful attempt to deny justice, why should Canadians trust the government or this Prime Minister?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the Pearson contract was cancelled after it was determined it was not in the best interests of the Canadian taxpayers.

We prefer to have airports in the hands of not for profit corporations similar to those in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. It is an approach that has proven its worth. We now have that type of organization in Toronto, and I look forward in co-operation with it to making the airport in Toronto the best airport east of the Mississippi.

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the courts have proven that that deal was a good deal for the taxpayers and that it was cancelled strictly for partisan reasons. The only question remaining about Pearson is how much it is going to cost the taxpayers for nothing. Thirteen million dollars have already been spent and hundreds of millions more are at stake. Who is going to be held accountable for this waste of taxpayers' dollars? Who in this government?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, what we want at Pearson is to have an airport which will serve as the funnel for the eastern seaboard of North America for Europe, just as Vancouver now is beginning to serve as the point of transfer for all Asian, North American and indeed South American flights.

I would like to say to the hon. member that certainly this government would be happy to have this settled for substantially less than the sums he is talking about and fully expects it to be settled for substantially less, if in fact the people who have concerns on the other side wish to settle.

I should say that it is quite, quite unacceptable to the Canadian taxpayer and it should be quite unacceptable to members of the third party and their Tory senator friends to settle it for anything more than the taxpayer should pay. In other words, that is for reasonable expenses incurred in the preparation of the bid submitted and nothing, nothing, nothing for unearned profit or for lobbyists fees.

Canada Information Office

[Gaston Leroux, Bloc, Richmond—Wolfe, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after The Price is Right and La Poule aux oeufs d'or , we now have Attractions Canada , a quiz where people can fly to any Canadian Airlines destination if they get the right answer to a question put by the Canada Information Office, the office of federalist and federal propaganda.

Are the Deputy Prime Minister and all of her cabinet colleagues the only ones not to realize how ridiculous and sad it is to try to sell a country to its own people by using techniques such as a quiz, a free flag program and info-commercials?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, one of the promises our government made during the last election campaign was to work at the national level to promote tourism. We know that, this week, with the help of Attractions Canada , we will be able to promote the Quebec City Carnival to Canadians throughout the country.

Through Attractions Canada , we will be able to promote the Grands Ballets Canadiens, which are very important to the city of Montreal. We will also be able to promote Cap-Saint-Jacques, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Montreal Botanical Garden, Mont-Saint-Bruno, the Plains of Abraham, the Royal 22nd Regiment Museum, the old port.

[Gaston Leroux, Bloc, Richmond—Wolfe, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Canadian Heritage likes quizzes, I am going to ask her a question; she should listen carefully to the choice of answers I will give her.

How much will the overall propaganda campaign she has set up since her appointment to Canadian Heritage cost us: (a) $50 million, (b) $75 million, (c) never too much, or (d) submit a request pursuant to the Access to Information Act and never get an answer?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I know the Bloc Quebecois and the Quebec government, its allies in Quebec, have a hard time promoting tourism throughout the province of Quebec and the rest of Canada.

I know however that the Montreal Biosphere, the Sir George-Étienne Cartier national historic site and the Montreal Botanical Garden are some of Canada's jewels. I hope that, through TV ads and a small investment from the government, who will work in partnership with the private sector, we can revive Canadian tourism in Quebec, a jewel among our tourist attractions in Canada.

War Crimes

[Ian McClelland, Reform, Edmonton Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, like millions of Canadians, I was both appalled and embarrassed when Irving Abella of the Canadian Jewish Congress told the television program "60 Minutes" former Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau would not prosecute war criminals living in Canada.

My question is for the Prime Minister. Does this reprehensible abdication of responsibility continue to be the Liberal government policy as evidenced by recent botched deportation proceedings and foot dragging?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the record of this government is clear. Unlike the last government, from the beginning we have committed ourselves to acting decisively and effectively where there are people in respect of whom there is evidence of complicity in war crimes or crimes against humanity to have them removed from the country.

In January 1995 a few months after the Supreme Court of Canada had decided the Finta case, that it is very difficult to proceed through the criminal law, this government committed itself to starting by April 1997, 12 deportation and denaturalization cases where there was evidence of complicity in war crimes. We have now started 10 of those cases. The other two will be started by our target date of April of this year. That is evidence of this government's commitment.

[Ian McClelland, Reform, Edmonton Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canada should never again be a haven for any war criminal.

My question again is for the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister doing anything to ensure that no other war criminal will ever find a safe haven in Canada?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, this government fully agrees with the sentiment expressed by the hon. member.

Canada cannot be a safe haven for war criminals, for those who commit crimes against humanity. Every effort is made to ensure that does not happen. Indeed in recent months we have succeeded in having just such a person sent back out of the country where the evidence justified it.

The hon. member should also know that Canada very proudly contributed one of its best judges, the hon. Madam Justice Louise Arbour, to serve as chief prosecutor for the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, and that notwithstanding the opposition in various quarters.

Taxation

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after three budgets, the finance minister's record is dismal: unprecedented attacks on the poor, radical cuts in social programs such as health care and welfare, the shameless dumping of the deficit problems onto the provinces, the promise of a tax reform that never came true, privileges still in place for the rich. After three and a half years under the Liberals, it is a disgrace.

My question is for the Minister of Finance. When will he clean up this mess, in other words, when will he table his next budget?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, as is customary in this House, where the date of the presentation of the budget is announced in response to a question from the finance critic for the official opposition-usually it is a question, not a speech-I am pleased to announce that the budget will be tabled on Tuesday, February 18, at 4.30 p.m.

There is a custom in this House that the date of the budget is announced in response to a question from the finance critic of the opposition. I am therefore delighted to announce that the budget will be tabled in this House on Tuesday, February 18 at 4.30 in the afternoon.

Krever Commission

[Grant Hill, Reform, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the government says that its record is clear when it comes to integrity. What about the Krever commission? The contempt for the Krever commission is palpable.

The government has blocked Krever in court. It has shredded documents and will not deliver important documents from cabinet. If we cannot trust the Prime Minister on the Krever commission into tainted blood, what can we trust him with?

[David Dingwall, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the tone and the accusations of the hon. member are absolutely false. Just like the record of the Reform Party, when it comes to health related measures it is all over the map.

Presence In Gallery

[The Speaker]

I wish to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of Mr. Jure Radic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development and Reconstruction of the Republic of Croatia.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[The Speaker]

Also I wish to draw to your attention the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Stockwell Day, Minister of Family and Social Services of the Government of Alberta.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.