Debates of Feb. 16th, 1998

National Defence

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has the wrong focus on the program. We are attempting to save money for the Canadian taxpayers and to do it in a way that treats our employees in a fair and humane way.

In the case of Goose Bay, if we did not put this program into effect we would be too high in our costs. That means we would lose some of the air forces we have in foreign countries which are vital to the economic well-being of that community.

I know that concerns have been raised by people in that community. The hon. member knows that I have met with people from Happy Valley-Goose Bay in an effort to resolve them.

Income Tax

[Diane St-Jacques, Progressive Conservative, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, according to figures released by Statistics Canada last week, while wages have practically not increased since 1992, Canadians are paying 15% more in income tax.

This means less money left over at the end of the month to pay for groceries, clothing and housing. As a result, there are 1.5 million children living in poverty in Canada, or 500,000 more than in 1989.

Could the Minister of Finance help Canadian families by increasing the amount of the basic exemption, which would be a direct benefit to low income families and their children?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I remind the hon. member that, last year, the Minister of Human Resources Development proposed to the provinces and to this House—in fact, it will become effective in July—the national child benefit, specifically designed to help children living in the conditions described by the hon. member.

At the same time, the Prime Minister announced in June our plans to double the amount earmarked for the national child benefit by adding a further $850 million because we can clearly see how difficult a situation many Canadian families are in.

Computers For Schools

[Bonnie Brown, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Science, Research and Development.

The computers for schools program is supposed to prepare Canadian students for success in the knowledge based economy. I want to know when this program will benefit the students in my riding and those right across the country.

[Ronald J. Duhamel, Liberal, Secretary of State (Science]

Mr. Speaker, it has already started. Last Friday in Winnipeg at Grant Park secondary school the Prime Minister delivered the 50,000th computer. The Minister of Industry in fact has challenged the business community to provide 250,000 computers to schools and libraries by the year 2000.

Computers for schools, with the help of organizations such as Telephone Pioneers, has collected, repaired, upgraded, packaged and delivered $25 million worth of computers to schools throughout the country.

Revenue

[Howard Hilstrom, Reform, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, first the minister of Indian affairs failed to tell the House how and why the contents of a confidential letter of complaint were released. Now five years of personal income tax returns of Mr. John Thiessen of Winnipeg were released to the Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation without authorization, contrary to section 241 of the Income Tax Act.

I would like the Minister of National Revenue to tell all Canadians why personal tax returns are being released without authorization and if these are the only ones.

[Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the member that personal tax information is not released. In fact at national revenue we ensure that all information of taxpayers is kept confidential. No information is released. We value that confidence which we maintain. I want to assure the House it is something we value very much. We do not release the confidential information of taxpayers.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Claude Bachand, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

The federal government took part in two referendums in relation to the Manitoba Hydro project affecting the Norway House Cree. It so happens that the voter's guide, written in co-operation with the federal government, says very clearly that if the proposed agreement is approved, each voter will receive an amount ranging from $700 to $1,000.

Is that the federal government's new way of holding referendums, by buying votes in its favour?

[The Speaker]

My colleagues, I would ask you to be a little more careful about how you phrase your questions. I will allow the parliamentary secretary to answer if he so wishes.

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

Mr. Speaker, the member knows full well that this is an agreement between the federal government, the Manitoba government, Manitoba Hydro and the Norway House First Nations.

This means that his question is purely hypothetical, and I do not think this is appropriate here.

Railways

[Bev Desjarlais, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary explained the process for abandonment of rail lines of which most of us already are already aware. He did not answer my question.

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, all options including the railways must be available.

Will the Minister of Transport ensure that not one more kilometre of track will be torn up, allowing time for Judge Estey to report?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the railways have assured me that they are indeed very sensitive to the point raised by the hon. member.

It is very important that we allow Judge Estey the freedom to conduct his commission in an unfettered way. I am sure the result will be beneficial to everyone in western Canada.

Child Poverty

[Diane St-Jacques, Progressive Conservative, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in a recent interview conducted for

World Economic Affairs

, the finance minister stated that child poverty is a disgrace in this country and that a national effort is needed to solve this problem.

Will the Minister of Finance promise today that he will index the national child benefit? I should remind him that the number of children living in poverty has reached a record high of 1.5 million.

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the excellent work that was done over the years, we were able to inject $850 million. Together with the provinces, we set up a national child benefit system. The budget will increase by $850 million as of July 1, 1998, and by another $850 million during this mandate.

This is a lot more important than indexing the benefits. We are working on improving the system itself and not only on indexing the benefits. This is a much broader initiative.

Presence In Gallery

[The Speaker]

I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of His Excellency Vladimir Kuramin, Chairman, State Committee of the Russian Federation on Development.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[The Speaker]

My colleagues, some time before Christmas a question of privilege was raised in which the Minister of National Revenue was named, or at least his department was, and he is going to make a statement today.

Before I give him the floor I would like to point out to the House that this would seem to be a very long time for anyone to get back to the House with the other side of the story on a question of privilege. I would hope that we could cut this time down in future.

The hon. Minister of National Revenue, in response to a question of privilege.

Privilege

[Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to respond to a question of privilege raised on December 11, 1997 by the hon. member for Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough.

I thank the Speaker for reserving judgment on the matter raised and providing an opportunity for me to provide information regarding the matter of the payroll deduction tables which appeared on the Revenue Canada website prior to approval of the rates in Bill C-2.

It was not the intent of my department to compromise or negate the member's privilege to consider amendments to the proposed bill by publishing these new tables on its website prior to approval.

While it is true the payroll deduction tables were placed on the Revenue Canada website prior to the approval of Bill C-2, the release of these rates was clearly accompanied by an appropriate disclaimer indicating to employers that the tables were based on proposed legislation. The disclaimer noted:

This publication contains proposed changes to the Canada pension plan for 1998, as provided in Bill C-2. This bill is currently before the Senate of Canada and, if passed as proposed, will become law.

The payroll deduction tables were placed on the website in December as a public service to employers who need this vital information in order to prepare their payroll systems for the year that began January 1, 1998.

This information was particularly important for employers at that time because of the change in the Canada pension rate that was announced in November 1997. The rate change resulted in a delay of the production of the 1998 tables. Knowing that the printed version of the tables would not reach employers until January, Revenue Canada published the tables on its website and included an appropriate disclaimer.

The actions of my department in this regard do not constitute a contempt of the Parliament of Canada but rather provide a valuable public service for employers.

[The Speaker]

I want in no way to question the veracity on both sides but would like to satisfy myself. Because there was a disclaimer, as the hon. minister said, I will order my officials to download it and will get back to the House if necessary.

Government Response To Petitions

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to five petitions.

Copyright Act

[Steve Mahoney, Liberal, Mississauga West, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-358, an act to amend the Copyright Act.

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the bill is to amend the Copyright Act to allow educators in Canadian school boards to photocopy works for classroom purposes free of charge.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Petitions

[Bob Mills, Reform, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise today to present a petition signed by 72 people from B.C., Saskatchewan and Ontario.

The petitioners pray that parliament support the immediate initiation and conclusion by the year 2000 of an international convention which will set out a binding timetable for the abolition of all nuclear weapons.

I believe all of us would support the long term elimination of nuclear weapons.

[John O'Reilly, Liberal, Victoria—Haliburton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to present a petition under Standing Order 36 signed by 392 people from the riding of Victoria—Haliburton.

They call on parliament to amend the Criminal Code to ensure the right of all Canadians to die with dignity by allowing people with terminal, irreversible or debilitating illness the right to the assistance of a physician in ending their lives at a time of their choice, subject to six strict safeguards to prevent abuse and to ensure that the decision is free, informed, competent and voluntary.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure to present a petition signed by a number of Canadians including from my own riding of Mississauga South.

The petitioners would like to draw to the attention of the House that police officers and firefighters are required to place their lives at risk on a daily basis and that when one of them loses life in the line of duty the public also mourns that loss.

The petitioners therefore ask parliament to establish a fund known as the public safety officers compensation fund for the benefit of families of public safety officers killed in the line of duty.

[Keith Martin, Reform, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to present to the House a petition from Rena Harvey and a number of other constituents in Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca.

They call on parliament to enact legislation to repeal the Young Offenders Act and replace it with an act that will provide penalties for violent crimes committed by young people, will act as a deterrent to such actions and will provide safety and security to the general public.