Debates of Feb. 12th, 1998

Iraq

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, the defence committee had a briefing this morning, so there is every bit of information flowing to hon. members opposite.

The hon. member, just like his colleague, has it wrong in terms of the three inoculations. It is a series of inoculations. The protection starts with the very first one and builds with subsequent inoculations. Meanwhile, until the last inoculation has been given to them, they have antibiotics to cover the situation.

Furthermore, on the ship they will have protective clothing, masks and full outfits. They also have the ability to seal off the ship if there is any exposure.

There is lots of protection.

[André Bachand, Progressive Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian troops going to Iraq are not prepared. That is clear. Nor do I believe the minister is prepared to face up to the situation.

There is talk of an anthrax vaccine, we are starting to get information, but it is coming from the United States. It is like the story of the helicopters.

Does the minister find it normal for helicopters to be sent to Iraq that require 30 hours of maintenance after an hour of flight time? Had the government been ready, we would have bought helicopters ages ago and saved Canadian taxpayers $500 million in the process.

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the hon. member, having not been able to make his case about our Canadian troops, is now going back to the helicopter issue.

Let me say this on the matter of our personnel. They are properly protected. I have gone over this matter very carefully with Canadian forces doctors within the last hour and every day this week. I can tell the House they are properly protected. For hon. members to suggest otherwise is scaremongering. It is irresponsible.

Ice Storm

[Eugène Bellemare, Liberal, Carleton—Gloucester, ON]

Mr. Speaker, families and the owners of small business that were hard hit by the recent brutal ice storm are now concerned about their financial obligations.

Has the minister taken steps to convince financial institutions to show some flexibility and understanding in dealing with the problems of the victims of the storm, and if so with what result?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the member's question is a very important one. I am pleased to inform the House that I have spoken directly to the Canadian Bankers' Association and the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

I asked both to be flexible and compassionate in this exceptional and disastrous situation. Both indicated that was their intention.

All those with problems in this regard I would ask to contact us or their members of Parliament, because we wanat to monitor this situation.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Grant McNally, Reform, Dewdney—Alouette, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it appears as though the Prime Minister and the government just do not understand the seriousness of the breach of trust that occurred in the ministry of Indian affairs.

If they really want an independent investigation, that person must report directly to Parliament. What they are telling aboriginal people and Canadians is that independence is not important. It looks simply like damage control.

When will the investigator report to Parliament, not to the minister?

[Bernard Patry, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the member that the report should be released within the next 10 days to two weeks.

Asbestos

[Pierre De Savoye, Bloc, Portneuf, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Trade.

Representatives of the three unions for the asbestos workers of Thetford Mines and Asbestos have just learned of the federal government's intention to pursue diplomatic exchanges with France instead of immediately filing a complaint with the WTO.

Does the minister not realize that his decision not to file a complaint with the WTO only makes it harder and harder to stop the movement to ban asbestos, which is gaining momentum in Europe?

[Sergio Marchi, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, the government has worked very hard and very seriously on the asbestos issue. We want to submit the case to the WTO at the right time.

The French government has now promised to send a representative next month. At the same time, the Government of Great Britain has also promised a consultation process. As an initial position, we think that a negotiated agreement is very advantageous for workers as an alternative possibility.

Transport

[Bev Desjarlais, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport has asked for a review of the grain handling and transportation system from farmer to port. If this review is to have any credibility, producers must have all options of grain transport available to them.

Will the Minister of Transport halt the elimination of one of these options? Will he ensure that not one more kilometre of track is torn up, allowing time for Judge Estey to report?

[Stan Keyes, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for her question. It is an important issue to this government, to her, and to constituents across Canada, especially in western Canada.

The hon. member will know that the rail lines in this country have to submit five year plans before they do anything with any rail line anywhere in Canada. If the hon. member wants to familiarize herself with the process, she will learn whether or not a particular rail line will be closed down. Then when the decision is made, if a decision is made, on a rail line abandonment, that procedure, that process takes an entire three-year period before that track is torn up.

Iraq

[Bill Matthews, Progressive Conservative, Burin—St. George's, NL]

Mr. Speaker, last week the Minister of National Defence informed the House that the Prime Minister and the government were waiting for Saddam Hussein to come to his senses. I would suggest that the revelations of the last couple of days require that the minister come to his senses as well.

Anthrax is a biological weapons agent. Anthrax vaccine takes 28 days to take effect from the date of inoculation.

I want the minister to guarantee to members of this House and guarantee to members of the Canadian public that the HMCS Toronto will not be allowed within the anthrax danger zone within 28 days of inoculation.

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, the risk is low for the HMCS Toronto in the gulf. However all precautions as I have indicated to this House have and will be taken.

It is not true what hon. members are saying about these inoculations. The first inoculation has in 85% of individuals an effective factor and until the subsequent inoculations are taken there are antibiotics that will cover the situation quite adequately. The medical doctors of the Canadian forces and I have discussed this matter. I am quite satisfied that our troops are properly protected.

Research And Development

[Alex Shepherd, Liberal, Durham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Industry.

Granting councils like the Medical Research Council and NSERC are the basic foundations of research in Canada. Their funds have been reduced considerably over the last number of years.

What is the minister doing to strengthen the granting councils to ensure Canada's competitiveness in a changing world?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot recently from some of the granting councils and their users about the crisis of funds.

I am pleased to point out that in last year's budget we introduced the Canada Foundation for Innovation, an $800 million fund to support research and development in Canada's universities and teaching hospitals. We added $47 million per year to the networks of centres of excellence, made it a permanent program. We added money to IRAP, as we promised again in the red book.

There is no doubt of the important and essential role that Canada's research granting councils are playing.

I am confident that the Minister of Finance will find a way to relieve some of their pressure in due course.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, very slowly we are getting information from the aboriginal affairs ministry about the type of investigation into the leak from the department.

We now know who the investigator is. We now know that he will report within 10 to 15 days. For the credibility of the investigation, will the parliamentary secretary assure the House that that report will be tabled in the House and not just to the aboriginal affairs minister?

[Bernard Patry, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, I would simply like to reassure the member that the report results will once again be sent to the department, in accordance with the Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act.

We are going to release it as soon as possible.

Business Of The House

[Randy White, Reform, Langley—Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the government House leader what the nature of the business of the House is for the remainder of this week and next week, seeing that we now know when the budget is due.

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, this afternoon we will complete the report stage of Bill C-4. The divisions requested will be deferred to the conclusion of Government Orders at 6.30 p.m. or thereabouts on Monday.

Tomorrow will be an opposition day.

On Monday the business to be called will be second reading of Bill C-21 respecting small business loans. This will be followed by second reading of Bill C-20, the Competition Act amendments.

On Tuesday the House will consider third reading of Bill C-4, the wheat board legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to designate next Wednesday as an allotted day.

Next Thursday we will consider second reading of Bill C-19 respecting the Canada Labour Code. We will then complete any of the previously mentioned bills that are still outstanding. We will then proceed with several other second readings such as Bill S-4, Bill C-6, Bill C-8, Bill C-12 and Bill S-3.

Finally, I expect to be asking next week to extend the regular sitting time next Wednesday on the allotted day for the convenience of the party whose motion we will be discussing on that particular day.

[Chris Axworthy, NDP, Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the government House leader could indicate whether it is in the government's plans in the next short while for this House to have the opportunity to vote on Canada's participation in the war in Iraq.

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as far as I know there is no war in Iraq at the present time.

I wish to indicate to the House that this item was dealt with last week pursuant to an order of the House. There is no further business to be announced on that issue at this time.

Privilege

[Lorne Nystrom, NDP, Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to seek your guidance, Mr. Speaker, about an incident that occurred shortly before question period.

I do not know whether it is a threat or some tasteless humour, but after I spoke in the House before question period I received a picture from an anonymous Reform MP. It is a picture of a mean looking bird of prey chewing the head off another bird of prey under which it says “how Reformers deal with the NDP”.

I would like to ask your guidance, Mr. Speaker, as to whether or not that person could identify himself or herself or whether the Leader of the Opposition could help me to identify that person. It is one thing to have a debate in the House but it is another thing to be tasteless and have this kind of a note sent across the way.

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Qu'Appelle approached the Chair earlier and showed me a piece of paper on which was the bird that he had referred to. There was no name on the paper.

Colleagues, I understand that this paper was delivered by one of our pages. Our pages should never, never be used to carry this type of trash. I would hope, my colleagues, that in future this would not occur. Quite frankly, in the name of our pages here who are part of this House of Commons, I do not want them to be used that way.

The hon. member has a grievance. He does not have a point of privilege. I would hope this would not occur again.

The House resumed consideration of Bill C-4, an act to amend the Canadian Wheat Board and to make consequential amendments to other acts, as reported (with amendment) from the committee; and of Motions Nos. 42, 43, 44, 46 and 48.

Canadian Wheat Board Act

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Brandon—Souris had the floor. My colleague, you have eight minutes left in your remarks.