House of Commons Hansard #162 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was farmers.

Topics

HealthOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

The Speaker

I remind hon. members to address their remarks to the Chair.

HealthOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Reform

Deborah Grey Reform Edmonton North, AB

Mr. Speaker, the erosion is 50% down to 10%. That is the erosion the government is responsible for.

We have Liberal health care havoc. Thousands of hospital beds have been closed under the government. Thousands of hepatitis C victims have been abandoned. There are nearly 200,000 people in waiting lines. These are the people who do not get headlines.

That is what happens when the Prime Minister guts $7 billion in health cuts. It was the Prime Minister who got us into this health care mess. How is he to get us out of it and when?

HealthOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Willowdale Ontario

Liberal

Jim Peterson LiberalSecretary of State (International Financial Institutions)

Mr. Speaker, I just want to talk a little about some of our commitments to health care.

Since we took office and in spite of our difficult fiscal circumstances we have contributed to the Canada health services research fund $65 million over five years; the health transition fund, $150 million over three years; the Canada health information system, $50 million over three years; the Canada breast cancer mission, $35 million; the aboriginal health initiative, $45 million; and the private health dental insurance initiatives, about $200 million over two years.

Ice Breaking PolicyOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Bloc

Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC

Mr. Speaker, on the ice breaking issue, two weeks ago, the minister said he had accepted the fee schedule proposed by the coast guard.

Since then, he has been confronted on a daily basis with the inconsistencies and inequities of this schedule. Finally, last week, he said no decision had been made and a new schedule was under consideration.

In light of the fact that the new rates are to take effect within three weeks and that the minister is obviously not ready, would it not be safer and wiser to announce a moratorium, so that he can complete his homework?

Ice Breaking PolicyOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Victoria B.C.

Liberal

David Anderson LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the hon. member did not hear clearly, but my position has not changed in any way.

I have said from the start that there was a rate schedule in place and that we would be reviewing it after receiving feedback from the industry. The industry has made counterproposals, and we are looking at them.

Ice Breaking PolicyOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Bloc

Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC

Mr. Speaker, not only did I listen, but I also took the time to read what the minister said because it is not always clear when he speaks.

What does Hansard of November 17 say? It says:

They proposed a rate scale. We accepted it. This is exactly what happened.

Could the minister make it clear to us whether the truth is what he said on November 17, what he is saying today or what he will say next week? When will we know what he is saying, if he even knows himself?

Ice Breaking PolicyOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Victoria B.C.

Liberal

David Anderson LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, I said today the exact same thing I have been saying for weeks. We are considering counterproposals from the industry. I can assure you that even the industry has not suggested a moratorium on rates.

Ice Breaking PolicyOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Bloc

Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Mitis, QC

Mr. Speaker, with regard to the icebreaking issue, it has been six months since the minister released his new rate scale. Now, two weeks before the adjournment of the House and three weeks before the implementation of these rates, the minister is now telling us he is looking at another proposed fee schedule.

Is the minister resorting to the ploy used by the government whenever it has some nasty trick in mind, that is to announce something unacceptable once the session has ended, to avoid being questioned about it?

Ice Breaking PolicyOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Victoria B.C.

Liberal

David Anderson LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, the premise of the hon. member's question includes the same error as the premise of the other Bloc Quebecois member who spoke about this.

Our position has not changed. We had a proposed rate scale from an industry committee. We are now looking at a counterproposal made two weeks ago. We are reviewing it and, as soon as a decision is made, we will announce that decision.

Ice Breaking PolicyOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Bloc

Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Mitis, QC

Mr. Speaker, there are limits to playing with words. Let me quote Hansard, on November 17, 1998:

They proposed a rate scale. We accepted it.

Since “we” means the minister himself, did he accept it, yes or no?

Ice Breaking PolicyOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Victoria B.C.

Liberal

David Anderson LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, this is precisely what I just said. We accepted the proposed rate scale. Afterwards, we received a counterproposal from the industry and we are taking it seriously. We are reviewing that counterproposal. I even reviewed the criticism made by the Bloc Quebecois members.

What are we supposed to do? Ignore the industry and the politicians representing the region affected? No. Upon receiving a counterproposal, we looked at it. As soon as our review is completed, we will announce the government's decision.

Canadian CultureOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

NDP

Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS

Mr. Speaker, last spring the trade minister claimed that he was prepared to fight for cultural protections in the MAI. Today that same trade minister is pressuring Canada's heritage minister to water down the magazines bill.

Which minister speaks for the government, the heritage minister who espouses cultural protection or the trade minister who advocates more concessions to appease American interests?

Canadian CultureOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Hamilton East Ontario

Liberal

Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to protecting Canadian culture and ensuring Canadian voices will be heard into the next generation the Minister for International Trade and I speak with one voice.

Canadian CultureOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

NDP

Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS

Mr. Speaker, those sure are brave words for a government that sold out the RCMP to Disney Corporation.

Now the trade minister wants to negotiate the magazines bill directly with the Americans. So much for Canadian sovereignty. No wonder Canadians have been participating in large numbers in the citizens inquiry into the MAI. No wonder Canadians do not trust the government to protect Canadian culture.

Will the government assure Canadians of real cultural protection and not another cave-in to American interests?

Canadian CultureOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

York West Ontario

Liberal

Sergio Marchi LiberalMinister for International Trade

Mr. Speaker, the NDP just confirmed my worst fear, that it basically cannot read or that it cannot read beyond the headlines.

If the leader had actually read the article she would have found that I support the possibility of constructive amendments, as does the minister of heritage, as long as they do not change the bill. I said in the article that the American ambassador has to recognize that we fully complied with the WTO decision. He has to recognize that it is our sovereign right to promote and protect our culture.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Rick Borotsik Progressive Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Mr. Speaker, this past week I was in western Canada listening to farmers share their experiences during this very difficult period in their lives in the farm income crisis. In some cases they said to me that they want a government to listen. They want a government to put into place the necessary programs to make them able to go back to the land next spring.

The minister of agriculture still does not have in principle an agreement from his cabinet colleagues. When will the Government of Canada find the political will to support our agriculture industry before it is too late?

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, this government in the past has shown and continues to show our political will to support the agricultural industry in this country, not only at the farm level but also through the whole agri-food chain. It will continue to do that.

Maybe the hon. member was talking to farmers, but I can tell him I have been talking to a lot more than farmers, the farm leaders, and my provincial colleagues and I will continue to do so. I will work with them to put in place an effective assistance.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Rick Borotsik Progressive Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Mr. Speaker, this government has been aware that the crisis situation in farming communities has been there for more than a year. The problem with this government is it waits until there is a crisis situation before it acts. It does not try to prevent the crisis. It is reactive as opposed to proactive. It is like the government did with the helicopter deal, like it did with the department of fisheries, and like it did with the Canada pension plan.

I ask the minister of agriculture, why does the government always wait too long and do too little when there is a problem now in the agricultural industry?

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, I could give a number of reasons the government is taking a look at this as serious as it is. Number one is because it is serious. Another is there is a difference in the way the government looks at things on this side and the way the Progressive Conservative Party looks at it. The PC party wanted to get rid of the ministry of agriculture and take $600 million out. If the Tories thought this was happening and knew all about this a year ago, how come a year ago they were still saying they wanted to get rid of the ministry and the support to agriculture?

TradeOral Question Period

November 30th, 1998 / 2:30 p.m.

Reform

Charlie Penson Reform Peace River, AB

Mr. Speaker, today the Minister of Foreign Affairs has gone to Washington cap in hand to try to quell another agriculture blockade. The problem is the heritage minister has poisoned any goodwill with the Americans with her protectionist split-run legislation.

Who let the heritage minister loose and how is this going to help Canadian farmers?

TradeOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Hamilton East Ontario

Liberal

Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that four of the five political parties of the House support the position of the government. There is only one party here in the Parliament of Canada that is speaking for the Americans and that is the Reform Party.

TradeOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Reform

Charlie Penson Reform Peace River, AB

Mr. Speaker, why are we jeopardizing important trade relations with the Americans for a bill that not even the minister's backbench supports?

When will the Prime Minister rein in the heritage minister and her cultural cops and look after the interests of our farmers? Should that not be our top priority?

TradeOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we are working together to protect Canadian culture. It is a shame that the Reform Party does not have that same commitment. Its commitment to Canadian culture is so weak it undermines anything it says about Canadian agriculture which is not only important to our economy but to the basic principles of Canada.

The Reform Party is undermining what Canada stands for by those kinds of silly questions.

Ice Breaking PolicyOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Bloc

Gérard Asselin Bloc Charlevoix, QC

Mr. Speaker, the ferry between Baie-Sainte-Catherine and Tadoussac is a vital and unique link between two parts of the riding of Charlevoix.

Can the minister tell us whether this ferry will be exempt from ice breaking fees and treated the same as the Quebec City-Lévis ferry, given its very numerous daily crossings and the fact that it is the only road link across the Saguenay in my riding?

Ice Breaking PolicyOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Victoria B.C.

Liberal

David Anderson LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, I listen with interest to the hon. member's arguments, which are much more to the point and effective than the protestations of the two members who have already spoken.

Under the present proposal, ferries run by the province and not covered by the terms of union, depending on the body of water in question, will have to pay, such as the Marine Atlantic ferries running between North Sydney and Port-aux-Basques.