House of Commons Hansard #53 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was spending.

Topics

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

The Speaker

The member for Skeena has the floor.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Reform

Mike Scott Reform Skeena, BC

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Starlight is also wondering how to explain to her children why their former friends at school are now taunting and shunning them as a result of this. She is also wondering what will happen if she is fired from her job at the band office as a result of this blatant betrayal of confidentiality.

Will the minister assure this House here and now that Mr. Starlight's legal costs will be compensated as well as any loss of income suffered by Mrs. Starlight due to this betrayal of confidence?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Pierrefonds—Dollard Québec

Liberal

Bernard Patry LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Speaker, I just want to tell the hon. member—

<—that the department is not paying for Mr. Whitney's legal costs. This is a decision by the band council.

International LawOral Question Period

February 5th, 1998 / 2:20 p.m.

Bloc

Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC

Mr. Speaker, for several months now we have been hearing the intergovernmental affairs minister proclaiming far and wide that Quebec cannot unilaterally declare its sovereignty.

However, four years ago in Saint-Malo, the prime minister said, and I quote “Any advances made in international law have come about through unilateral decisions”.

Since the prime minister recognized that, in international law, the principle of effectivity is what counts, why is the government asking the supreme court to interpret international law, when the prime minister has already answered this question himself four years ago?

International LawOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Saint-Laurent—Cartierville Québec

Liberal

Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Speaker, given the alarming decline in turbot stocks, we believe that what Canada did was consistent with the principles of international law that allow it to take emergency action to prevent the complete destruction of this essential resource.

If the Bloc Quebecois wants, at all costs, to link its attempt to secede with the turbot war, then there is no hope. First Mr. Parizeau compared Quebeckers to lobsters, and now the Bloc Quebecois is confusing them with fish.

International LawOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Bloc

Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC

Really, Mr. Speaker. The learned professor has just stepped out of the classroom, has he not? Now he is venturing into burlesque, and I admit it suits him well.

Everyone, including the prime minister, understood yesterday that it is established facts that matter in international law. In other words, international law recognizes facts.

Can the prime minister or his minister explain to us, with a little more gravity, why he thinks that, in international law, established facts apply everywhere but in Quebec?

International LawOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Saint-Laurent—Cartierville Québec

Liberal

Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Speaker, I thank the leader of the Bloc Quebecois for his question and I am going to answer it very calmly.

I find it very interesting that the leader of the Bloc Quebecois is admitting that his party now espouses the theory of effectivity, when before that it was self-determination. He has probably been coached by his colleague who specializes in international law and he knows what the theory of effectivity is all about.

I cannot defend in this House something that is before the court, but we could debate the political implications of a government trying to take effective control of territory outside the law. That would be a very interesting debate.

International LawOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Bellehumeur Bloc Berthier—Montcalm, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs has always maintained in the House that, in democracy, governments always act within the law.

Today, the minister has said, after hearing about certain statements made by his prime minister, that governments sometimes take action that is plainly outside the law.

In the face of these blatant contradictions, are we to understand that the intergovernmental affairs minister says whatever he wants, whenever he wants, solely to justify his government's political actions?

International LawOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Saint-Laurent—Cartierville Québec

Liberal

Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Speaker, it is too perfect. In no time at all, they are back to their old form, burlesque.

International LawOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Bloc

Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC

Pray, do continue, my good fellow.

International LawOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Bellehumeur Bloc Berthier—Montcalm, QC

He has nothing to say.

International LawOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Liberal

Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC

Mr. Speaker, what can I say to such a question? Sometimes governments do things that are challenged in law by other governments, and that generally leads to difficulties. Things are obviously much easier when the people concerned are separated by an ocean.

But if an attempt is made to do something as unforeseen and without precedent as seceding within a democratic framework with no legally recognized framework for doing so, people will be placed in a very difficult situation.

International LawOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Bloc

Pierre Brien Bloc Témiscamingue, QC

Mr. Speaker, the minister just put his political arsonist's suit back on again.

Given the federal government's actions, such as the unilateral patriation of the Constitution and the unilateral decision made in the turbot war, are we to understand that there is a double standard, that is one set of rules for this government and a different one for Quebec?

International LawOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Saint-Laurent—Cartierville Québec

Liberal

Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Speaker, I explained that, in our view, as regards the turbot issue, we acted in compliance with the principles of international law.

As for the Constitution of Canada, it is recognized as being legal everywhere in the country. In fact the PQ government just used it for the purpose of making an amendment.

BankingOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

NDP

Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the finance minister accused the NDP of being lobbyists for the big banks. I think the minister should look in the mirror.

Meanwhile the monster merger partners are rushing to the altar having signed a prenuptial agreement imposing hefty penalties if either partner gets cold feet. By the time the minister consults Canadians, the partners will be on their honeymoon.

Why will the minister not give Canadians a real say and establish a parliamentary committee now?

BankingOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a strange sight to see day after day members of the NDP standing up and speaking for their new found friends in the banks.

All I can really say to the NDP is that the banks may have signed a prenuptial agreement, but I do not understand why they want to be the midwife.

BankingOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

NDP

Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS

Mr. Speaker, the minister still insists on his pathetic strategy of waiting eight months for the task force to report. He looks like Neville Chamberlain trumpeting the virtues of waiting while his foes make busy their preparations. The minister needs to acknowledge that the world does not stand still, not even for him.

Why do we not, immediately following the budget, strike an all-party committee and allow Canadians to voice their concerns?

BankingOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, we are not going to allow the banks to push the schedule ahead of the principles which Canadians want to have established in this particular case.

The task force has been established. There will be a parliamentary committee which will consider it. It is the Government of Canada that will set the schedule, not the banks nor their friends in the NDP.

Tuition FeesOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Jean Charest Progressive Conservative Sherbrooke, QC

Mr. Speaker, today I just met with representatives from the Canadian Alliance of Students' Associations.

Every time I meet students, I come to the same conclusion. Tuition fees have never been so high, while funding has never been so low, following the Liberals' savage cuts to health and post-secondary education.

I would like to know if the government intends to increase the former Deputy Prime Minister's salary, as she requested yesterday, or if it will first take measures to reduce the debt load of all students in Canada?

Tuition FeesOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Papineau—Saint-Denis Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Conservative leader for his question.

I also met with representatives of the students' associations yesterday. We have been working in close co-operation with these associations since November, and we had a very successful workshop with the banks.

My colleague, the Minister of Finance, also met these representatives yesterday afternoon. I can assure you that, following the measures already announced in the 1997 budget, which include better repayment schedules, we are now considering a number of options, because we are perfectly aware of the difficult situation in which students currently find themselves. We want to encourage students and help them stay in school and in university for as long as possible.

Tuition FeesOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Jean Charest Progressive Conservative Sherbrooke, QC

Mr. Speaker, when I met today with the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, they had the same thing to say as all other student groups. The tuition fees have never been higher and funding for post-secondary education is lower because of the savage cuts by this government to the tune of $6 billion.

Yesterday the Prime Minister compared himself to a bad NHL hockey player. We know he can skate but the Liberals cannot score. I would like to know what this government is going to do to diminish student loan debts in this country. If the millennium fund is the answer, then it is on the wrong track. We want to know what the government will do to diminish the heavy load of debt that students are carrying in the country.

Tuition FeesOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Papineau—Saint-Denis Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance and I have spent a lot of time with the student associations in the last few weeks and months.

We began to address this situation in the 1997 budget. The 1998 budget might contain some important elements.

It is interesting to see that the Conservative leader has rejected the millennium fund as not helping hundreds and thousands of students, without even seeing it. In addition to the millennium fund, we are going to address the structure of the Canada student loans program. We are investigating several options that will reflect student needs in this country.

ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Reform

John Reynolds Reform West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Two landed immigrants from Haiti have been sentenced in a Montreal courthouse to 18 months of community service for having repeatedly gang raped an 18 year old woman. Canadians are outraged with this lenient sentence.

Will the minister take immediate steps to deport these individuals?

ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Westmount—Ville-Marie Québec

Liberal

Lucienne Robillard LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, first of all we must be perfectly clear. Where Canadian citizens are concerned, there is no question whatsoever of deporting them to another country. If it is a matter of—

ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.