Debates of Dec. 3rd, 1998

Agriculture

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I repeat, as it seems the hon. member does not hear very well, that we have said very clearly that if and when there is a program we will announce it before Christmas so producers know the support will come from the federal government in co-operation with provincial governments.

Transport

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, in 1995 the New Brunswick government wrote a letter to Doug Young, then minister of transport, asking for clarification on government policy about charging tolls on the federally funded highway between Moncton and River Glade.

Doug Young responded by saying “Yes, you can charge tolls on one condition. The federal contribution will still have to be cost shared by the province”. Then Doug Young reversed his position completely and led the consortium that broke that specific deal, that specific condition.

Will the Prime Minister please explain how a minister can establish a specific government position and then go ahead and break it himself?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has confused the facts so much that it is a wonder he can really put a question together.

First of all, highways are a provincial jurisdiction. The provinces set the priorities as to where they are built.

In the past there have been different kinds of funding arrangements between the federal and provincial governments, but it was not until 1997 that the whole issue of tolls came into force. In fact, they were not contemplated in any cost sharing agreement before 1997 when New Brunswick decided to apply tolls.

We, of course, have responded to that by saying to them that the federal contribution should not be factored in as part of the tolling arrangement.

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I am just quoting what the former federal minister said. It is his condition. It is his policy. He said that the federal contribution must stay in that cost sharing agreement and then he led the consortium that took that share out.

There is not one cent of provincial money in that highway, even though the federal minister, when he was the minister, said it had to be there. He broke the agreement himself. He broke the agreement on behalf of his consortium and I do not understand.

I would like the minister to explain how there could be one policy for Canadians and one policy for Liberal ex-cabinet ministers.

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has taken great licence with what the auditor general said and he has made allegations about the former minister of transport, nothing of which stands up in public.

In fact, I challenged the hon. member yesterday to state this outside the House. He did not state this outside the House so that Mr. Young could have recourse to him.

Let me quote from the auditor general, because he is fond of quoting from the auditor general:

We found in all the negotiated agreements that the program objectives, funding levels and cost-sharing ratios to be maintained throughout the life of the agreements reflected the government's directives.

Those are the words of the auditor general. There is no wrongdoing.

Agriculture

[Deborah Grey, Reform, Edmonton North, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food just said “as I keep telling my cabinet colleagues”. The question is, how many times does he have to talk to them?

He also said to the leader of the New Democrats “If and when there is a program, it will be announced before Christmas”. That is cold comfort to every farmer who is in desperate straits right now.

Why is the government continuing to put this off? Is it if? Is it when? Why will it not be today to help our Canadian farmers right now?

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, the government is working very hard with the industry and everybody involved and, actually, I thought with the support of the opposition as well, and I appreciate that support.

We are working very hard, as I said. We realize the seriousness of the situation. If there is a program we will announce it as quickly as we possibly can.

[Deborah Grey, Reform, Edmonton North, AB]

Mr. Speaker, two minutes ago it was if and when there is a program. Now it is down to if there is a program.

When this minister talks about being a heavy hitter in cabinet who will get help for people in the agricultural industry right now, obviously it is either his inability or cabinet's refusal to come up with some program that people need now.

How in the world is the minister going to be able to stand up to the Americans and the Europeans when we need a long term solution to high foreign subsidies and high Canadian taxes?

When will the minister announce his program to help farmers?

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I am again amazed, but I am also pleased, and on behalf of Canadian farmers I thank members of the Reform Party for their new found support.

It was not that many months ago when they wanted to take hundreds of millions of dollars out of support to Canadian agriculture.

Again, I thank members of the Reform Party for their support to Canadian farmers.

2010 Olympic Games

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, if I understand the Prime Minister's reaction to the other Vancouver matter correctly, the man who has been playing the token French Canadian for the past 35 years would now like Quebeckers to pretend we do not mind having been betrayed, but that will not wash any more.

Has he not just admitted in his reply that his ministers took an active part in the Vancouver bid, contrary to the cabinet requirement of neutrality for all ministers?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I have served the people of Quebec well in this Parliament for 35 years.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Saint-Maurice, QC]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the BC delegation, which believed the members from their province could help them, the mayor of Quebec city felt that the separatist members—-

[The Speaker]

The hon. leader of the Bloc Quebecois.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, if he were more aware of the situation in Quebec, he would know that a conference was held with Québec 2010 reprresentatives in support of them.

But I will ask my question of the minister responsible for regional development in Quebec.

Is it not true that he received a call from the mayor of Quebec City and that he was shocked that two of his colleagues had broken the rule of neutrality which applies to all cabinet members, and that he is the one who called the Prime Minister's executive assistant to tell him they should not go to Toronto as the official presenters of Vancouver's candidacy, as the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans was supposed to do?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I will repeat again for the hon. member, who seems not to want to understand, that the Government of Canada, for which I am the spokesperson for sport, has never supported any one of the three bids.

Canada Pension Plan

[Diane Ablonczy, Reform, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister denied three times in this House that he or his office was involved in the firing of the chief actuary of the Canada pension plan.

The minister's officials have now admitted that they “suggested” to the actuary that his numbers should be changed. Six days after he refused to fudge the numbers he was fired.

Why did the minister allow his officials to intimidate the independent CPP watchdog?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, it is perfectly understandable that officials in the Department of Finance meet with officials from other departments and other sections of the Department of Finance all the time. There are ongoing dialogues.

That is what happened in this particular case. I simply repeat that neither myself nor my office was asked for an opinion on this matter. We did not give an opinion on this matter, nor would we had we been asked.

[Diane Ablonczy, Reform, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Dussault affair raises some very troubling questions for Canadians. They are watching the lengths to which the finance minister will go to keep his rosy projections from being debunked.

I ask the minister, is it now his policy to suggest, request and then demand that independent numbers be changed if they do not suit him?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the preamble to that question is simply untrue.

Professional Sport

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Mitis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, at a time when Campaign 2000 reminds us that there are more children living in poverty in Canada today than ever before, the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage just released a report recommending that the federal government pump hundreds of millions of dollars in hidden subsidies into professional sport.

Do we have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will deny any tax or financial relief to sports tycoons until his record on poverty is no longer as appalling as it is right now?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, we have just received from a parliamentary committee a report containing a number of interesting recommendations, which will be reviewed.

I ask that the people whose line it is that the contribution of members is important give us a chance to examine the excellent job done by members of this House, representing all parties in this House.

We do not want to put the report in the garbage as the hon. member for the Bloc did today.

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Mitis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I did not put it in the garbage, but on my desk.

Will the Prime Minister remind sports tycoons, team owners and the Liberal members acting as their lobbyists that they are bold as brass to be holding their hand out for hundreds of millions of dollars more, when they were not even able to put their own finances in order?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the chair of the committee, Dennis Mills, who worked so hard—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.