House of Commons Hansard #144 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was system.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister says he needs a consensus before he will budge. In St. Andrew's, all the premiers asked him to review his GST harmonization program, which unjustly deprives Quebec of $2 billion in compensation. Even Jean Charest thinks that Quebec was had.
If the Prime Minister is serious, why does he refuse to budge?
Harmonization Of The Goods And Services TaxOral Question Period
LaSalle—Émard Québec
Liberal
Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, in circumstances such as those described, the government provides compensation when there has been a loss. In Quebec's case, there was no loss. We compensated the provinces that suffered losses, but if there was no loss, there was no compensation.
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said a consensus had to be achieved before he could act. In Quebec, there is a strong consensus against the millennium scholarships. Quebec wants to be able to opt out with full compensation.
If the Prime Minister is serous, what is he waiting for to act?
Millenium Scholarship FoundationOral Question Period
Saint-Laurent—Cartierville Québec
Liberal
Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the broadest consensus in Quebec is about not having another referendum.
On May 14, 1998, the national assembly unanimously passed a motion proposing an approach, and the Prime Minister has responded to premier Bouchard, saying that the foundation has every flexibility and power necessary to enter into specific agreements with the Government of Quebec, and this, in the spirit of the May 14 motion, which the premier's government itself approved. That is what the consensus is about.
Derrek Konrad Reform Prince Albert, SK
Mr. Speaker, we have had reports of children living in poverty, reports of band accounting irregularities and reports of band leaders living jet-set lifestyles. We have been calling for forensic audits on reserves from the start.
I want to quote what one person from the Waterhen reserve in Saskatchewan said: “We will not ignore this continued problem in mismanagement at the expense of our children and for our future generations”. It is over a year since those words were said.
When will the minister quit ignoring the problem, take the matter seriously and announce a forensic audit?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, I take the challenges facing aboriginal people in Canada very, very seriously.
I can say that the solutions being recommended by the opposition will not work. They are the solutions we have been trying to apply for the last 100 years and we still have real challenges.
Rather, this government understands that if we are going to build sustainable solutions that will make the lives of aboriginal people in Canada better, we have to do it together. We have to do it with a planned approach. We have to change the relationship we have had in the past by building human capacity and develop our communities as entities in and of themselves.
Derrek Konrad Reform Prince Albert, SK
Mr. Speaker, we have seen nothing but problems on this minister's watch. We are calling for a forensic audit of all of this. On the Waterhen reserve in Saskatchewan they have uncovered accounting irregularities that date over a year and there has not even been a response.
When will the minister look at her partnership with the leadership and develop a partnership with the people, the rank and file natives who are asking for a forensic audit?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, let me give an example of how this partnership is working.
They have called for a forensic audit which we know will not help in the sustainable development—
Jane Stewart Liberal Brant, ON
Mr. Speaker, if we look at the Sahtu First Nation for example, there are real challenges there. What has happened is the chief and council are working with their community members. They have established a commission of inquiry that has made reports to the chief and council—not by the chief and council—with a number of recommendations that are now being worked on by the grassroots aboriginal people and their leaders to make sustainable development changes for that community.
Hélène Alarie Bloc Louis-Hébert, QC
Mr. Speaker, the minister of agriculture has just established a program recognizing that sheep producers struggling with scrapie could lose $600 a head.
Now that the minister recognizes the amount of the loss, why is he not being fair with all producers by permitting compensation to be retroactive, which is possible under an ad hoc program, as he did for the western grain producers in crisis.
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, I pointed out to the hon. member before that retroactivity is illegal according to Canadian law. We do not wish to participate in that for that very reason.
What we have done is pay $2 million over the last two or three years to sheep producers who have been unfortunately affected. We doubled the cap for animals yesterday for compensation.
I remind the hon. member again that the retroactivity is illegal under the existing law. We are also putting $1 million into animal identification in Canada. We are putting close to $400,000 into research to work on the disease that is affecting sheep in Canada.
The Farm Credit Corporation has put a 24 month loan deferral program in place. In the last three or four years we have given over $200 million to the province of Quebec on an equitable basis to assist its farmers in unfortunate farm income situations like this.
Sarmite Bulte Liberal Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
The National Arts Centre is a very important Canadian cultural institution. In light of the recent changes at the National Arts Centre, could the minister tell the House how she intends to ensure the continued success of the NAC?
National Arts CentreOral Question Period
October 28th, 1998 / 2:45 p.m.
Hamilton East Ontario
Liberal
Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member and members opposite who have raised questions about the recent changes at the NAC.
I underscore how much the National Arts Centre is important not only for the Hull-Ottawa region but also as a cultural centre for the whole of Canada. I am confident that if we respect the arm's length autonomy of the board and we respect the principle that the government should not be manipulating behind the scenes we will see the resurgence of the National Arts Centre as a centre where all Canadians can see our culture on Canada and the world stage.
Rick Casson Reform Lethbridge, AB
Mr. Speaker, we need to stop interrupting question period for these Liberal commercials.
The EnvironmentOral Question Period
The Speaker
My colleagues, all questions in this House have equal value. The hon. member for Lethbridge.
Rick Casson Reform Lethbridge, AB
Mr. Speaker, I will get right to my question. It has been almost a year since this government came back from Kyoto with its climate change position. We have a week to go to Buenos Aires and the minister claims to be ready. However, the commissioner for the environment says different. He says that Canadians have not seen a written agreement with other levels of government. They have not seen an implementation plan and they have seen very little leadership from this government on this issue. So why go to Buenos Aires? Where is the plan or is just another holiday in the sun?
Christine Stewart LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, this government is acting with all partners across this country, the provinces and the territories.
The Minister of Natural Resources and I met with our energy and environment counterparts in Halifax a couple of weeks ago. We are working together with 450 experts across the country to put in place an implementation strategy. At the same time we announced in Halifax new measures to engage the public at the grassroots level because we know Canadians are concerned about this issue and they want to set their own targets for reductions of greenhouse gases so that we as a nation can meet our target.
Bill Gilmour Reform Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, what my colleague asked was what is the plan going to Buenos Aires. Next week 160 countries are meeting to go over the Kyoto protocol at the negotiating table. However, according to foreign affairs and environment Canada officials testifying before committee, Canada does not have a plan. We still do not have a plan.
We are going to negotiations next week. Will the minister state now what is Canada's plan going to those negotiations in Buenos Aires next week?
Christine Stewart LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, last year in Kyoto Canada set a very important target for itself along with other members of the developed world.
When we go to Buenos Aires next week we will be discussing how we can put in place a plan of action internationally. We want to make sure we have an internationally acceptable definition for emissions trading, clean development mechanism, joint implementation and sinks. We are going to work very actively in showing leadership in getting consensus on these timetables.
Michelle Dockrill NDP Bras D'Or, NS
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.
Last week it was reported the number of middle class Canadians has dropped by 16% in the last two decades. The wealthiest 10% of families now make 314 times more than the poorest 10%. This is not a surprise.
Since taking office this government has cut social programs, broken its promise on child care and gutted unemployment insurance.
When will this government stop pursuing policies that continue to widen the gap between the rich and the poor?
Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, the figures on the widening gap between the rich and the poor are obviously a concern in every industrial country.
Canada suffered a very deep and profound recession in the period 1989 to 1992 which certainly traumatized a series of Canadian families. That is what we are in the process of seeing. That is why when this government took office not only did it proceed to eliminate the deficit but it brought in the national child tax benefit and put another $1.8 billion into it.
That is why we put a series of measures into helping mothers go back to school. That is why we put in a series of measures helping the working poor. It is why we dealt with education. It is in fact—