Debates of Feb. 12th, 1998

Yves Fortier

[Michel Bellehumeur, Bloc, Berthier—Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.

In 1978, Yves Fortier, counsel for the federal in the reference to the supreme court, praised the merits of a unilateral declaration of independence as a solution to patriation, and I quote “In our opinion, proclaiming our Constitution independently of any other country would constitute a solemn declaration of autonomy”.

Does the minister agree with the words of Mr. Fortier, who is serving as his counsel in the reference to the Supreme Court of Canada?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, if this is a trick question it is not very difficult.

International law permits the unilateral elimination of any colonial vestige. However, Quebeckers in Canada today are not colonized, except in the heads of a few separatist leaders.

[Michel Bellehumeur, Bloc, Berthier—Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, does the minister endorse the remarks of his spiritual leader Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who said and I quote “Should the British refuse to patriate the Constitution of 1867, we would still have the option of holding a massive demonstration of national will, which would imply on our part a unilateral declaration of independence”.

Does he agree with these words, yes or no?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the member should have listened to the answer before posing his second question. That would have saved my repeating the fact that international law permits the unilateral elimination of traces of colonial relations, but Quebeckers in Canada are not colonized, except in the heads of members of a party which denies the rule of law and democracy for all.

Employment

[Alexa McDonough, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.

In the past six weeks more than 18,000 jobs have been wiped out; the latest, 700 at Inco. No wonder young people are worried about their future. No wonder when 48,000 fewer young people are working than this time two years ago.

How can the Prime Minister find it acceptable that 48,000 fewer young people are working today as a direct result of the Liberal government's policy?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that when we formed the government four years ago and a few months, there was 11.5 % unemployment in Canada. It was down to 8.6% two months ago. There was a slight increase last month because of the unfortunate incident in Quebec and in eastern Ontario with the ice storm.

We have many programs to help young people in Canada. The basic thing we have to do is restore the finances of Canada in a way that we can be competitive and create jobs. That is why we have done it and we have created in Canada more than a million new jobs in the last four years.

[Alexa McDonough, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, 48,000 fewer jobs for young people. Student protests in Quebec against escalating education costs are the latest eruptions of frustration and worry among Canada's youth. No wonder when average student debt loads have climbed above $25,000. No wonder when Liberal policies have caused tuition fees to jump 31% since this government took office.

Will the Prime Minister acknowledge today that a national system of grants must be at the heart of any serious commitment to providing the educational opportunities young people need in the new economy?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, first I have to say that education is a primary responsibility of the provinces. When I met with the first ministers in December we discussed the problem of young people finishing university with a difficult situation of debt they have accumulated during the time.

We have decided to work with them. It is also why we have decided with the millennium projects for Canada that the main one will be to establish a millennium scholarship program to help the young people of Canada to get the best education, because the level of unemployment is much lower for young people with a university degree than for those without.

Iraq

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence. First I want to assure the minister that we are not using scare tactics. This is a very serious situation in Iraq and we have many unanswered questions.

This government is undertaking a very serious responsibility when it sends Canadians into what might turn into harm's way.

Since yesterday what measures has the Minister of National Defence taken to ensure that the crew of the HMCS Toronto will be inoculated against Saddam's anthrax?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, there will be inoculations. An anti-anthrax serum will be sent to the HMCS Toronto . It will be docking in a few days in Crete.

It is expected that the first of the inoculations will take place at that time. There will also be antibiotics that will be put on board. A medical doctor will go on board the ship to ensure that every precaution is taken, even though there is a low risk of being in contact with anthrax while that ship is in the gulf. Nevertheless every precaution is being taken.

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, we have been in contact with the a company in Lansing, Michigan that manufactures the anthrax vaccine. We had to go to the Americans because the minister did not have the answers.

Is the minister not aware that it takes three injections and four weeks for the vaccine to take effect? Saddam Hussein is not going to sit on his butt for four weeks before he shoots the first missile.

What is the minister going to do to protect our troops and why are we sending our troops into danger unprepared?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, yes it does take three inoculations and three inoculations will be administered.

But the hon. member is wrong when she says that it does not have some immediate effect even with the first inoculation. It does. Even with the first inoculation, by and large, the serum will take effect. Antibiotics are also put on board. Between the two they will have the desired effect.

Olympics

[John Reynolds, Reform, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC]

Mr.Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.

Through a series of incompetent and unsettling events, Ross Rebagliati was stripped of his gold medal by the international Olympic committee. All Canadians who adhere to the spirit of fair play and justice rejoiced today in the reinstatement of Ross' gold medal.

Will the Prime Minister on behalf of all Canadians ask for an apology from the international Olympic committee for this unfortunate event which amounts to an insult to all Canadians?

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism)(Status of Women)]

Mr. Speaker, the fact that the appeals council has voted to reinstate the medal is in itself an indication it has realized that Mr. Rebagliati had done nothing to infringe on the rules of the medical council of the Olympic committee.

[John Reynolds, Reform, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I again ask a question of the Prime Minister.

Will the Prime Minister request that the Canadian Olympic committee begin, with the international Olympic committee, a process of review of not so much this matter but make sure that this unnecessary situation never happens again to our young athletes going to Olympics?

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism)(Status of Women)]

Mr. Speaker, there are some very clear rules in which many countries, including Canada, have signed on with regard to drug doping in sport.

Canada has the best record of any country in the world in strengthening and adding to that kind of a set of requirements.

Mr. Rebagliati did not do anything to oppose or to infringe on any of those requirements. We are dealing with a set of clear indicators and clear regulations agreed on by everybody.

I would like to congratulate Mr. Rebagliati for his fantastic performance.

Bill C-28

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

Mr. Speaker, under the current act, and in the opinion of a well-known tax consultant firm, shipping companies incorporated abroad and administered from Canada are protected from any challenge by Revenue Canada regarding their place of business and, therefore, the taxes they might otherwise have to pay in Canada.

However, the current legislation does not clearly protect holding corporations engaged in international shipping activities, as do the finance minister's companies. According to the explanatory notes, Bill C-28 will correct this situation.

My question is for the Minister of Finance. By protecting holding corporations in the Income Tax Act, by protecting his business, through legislative provisions, from any possible challenge by Revenue Canada regarding place of residence, is the minister not clearly and directly putting himself in a conflict of interest?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it was mentioned on a number of occasions, but I will say it again. Everyone knows the Minister of Finance was a very successful businessman who left the corporate world to come to serve Canadians.

As for the existence of a conflict of interest, the ethics commissioner said that everything was done according to the rules. The minister acted very responsibly. He made sure that the specific clause in the omnibus bill would be under the responsibility of the secretary of state, as is still the case.

I have absolute confidence in the finance minister's integrity and honesty.

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

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. The current act provides tax savings for shipping companies, but does not say that holding corporations in the shipping industry enjoy the same treatment. Under Bill C-28, holding companies will now be entitled to these tax savings.

Since the Minister of Finance owns such holding companies abroad, how can he continue to claim, through the Prime Minister, that he is not in a conflict of interest?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, when the finance minister took over his portfolio, a clear procedure was established. Whenever some issues may result in a conflict of interest, or in an apparent conflict of interest, the Minister of Finance always makes sure the issues are dealt with by the Secretary of State for Financial Institutions.

Everyone knows the rule. Again, the minister is an excellent Minister of Finance and he is not in any way in a conflict of interest.

Multilateral Agreement On Investment

[Charlie Penson, Reform, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, because the Minister for International Trade is not showing leadership and informing Canadians about the MAI, he is bungling this issue.

It is common knowledge that the trade minister was a big opponent to trade and investment when he was in opposition. Let us examine what he said in the free trade debate in 1992. He said it is a shame we have to rely on newspapers to begin to enlighten not only Canadians but elected Canadians.

What is clear is that this minister is not doing any better to enlighten Canadians about the MAI. Is this because he does not believe in free trade or is his heart not in it?

[Sergio Marchi, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, we welcome the member's second question in four months. If that is to be a sign of interest then clearly the questions about where people stand on trade, on investment and on job creation are pointed at the Reform Party.

The member will know that as soon as I became trade minister I wanted to engage in greater debate, not hide it. It was I who requested the committee to look into the MAI. It was the committee that made a report. We sent more information to the members of Parliament and engaged NGOs.

[Charlie Penson, Reform, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, considering he has only had two questions in four months one would think he would have a better answer.

If the minister would start listening to himself he might recollect what he said in 1992. During the free trade debate in 1992 he said this House should condemn the government for its failure to be completely open with Canadians about the principles and objectives of the NAFTA. That is exactly what we are talking about with the MAI.

Yesterday in the House when asked why he was not involving Canadians, he said we put it out to committee for its recommendation.

[Sergio Marchi, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, in four months one would think he would have prepared those two questions better or at least finished the second question.

I am not sure what the member's complaint is. We have engaged the Canadian public in a national debate. We want more debate and more information. The question that should be asked is what is the Reform Party doing. How many briefings has he had across the country? As opposition critic, has he triggered a national debate in this House? Has the Reform Party used opposition day motions? No, it has not. It is its own insecurity that motivates the two pathetic questions in the last four months.

Employment Insurance

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Human Resources Development promised a complete report on the effects on the public of his EI reform. He tabled the report this morning.

How useful is this report, when the people surveyed were unemployed in the summer of 1996, six months before the reform's main amendments took effect?