Debates of March 13th, 1998

Federal Public Service

[Marcel Massé, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, our remuneration policy for senior public sector executives, as my hon. colleague has most correctly stated, is to increase their salaries by close to 8% over a period of 4 years.

In general, our policy is the same for the other classifications, that is to say about 2% yearly, for 4 years. The agreements with unions will vary according to the economic conditions of each branch.

As for the auditors, there are other compensations complementing the collective agreement. We are very pleased to have been able to reach an agreement.

[René Laurin, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the President of Treasury Board seems to be unaware that there is a shortage of hundreds of auditors across Canada, which represents a potential loss of billions of dollars in government revenue.

Since this problem is a result of the fact that the private sector pays auditors better than the public, what is holding the minister back from making a more decent offer?

[Marcel Massé, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, before reaching an agreement with the auditors union, we carried out market studies to compare public service pay levels with various other areas in Canada. We are paying equal or better than most, and the collective agreement reflects the information available to us.

Millennium Celebration

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I see that the Prime Minister has decided to become Canada's biggest party animal and is willing to spend $160 million to ring in the millennium. I think he wants to become Dick Clark, the king of the new year.

In the red book, the Prime Minister promised to limit spending on the millennium project, or the blowout, to $10 million which should have bought enough beer and pretzels even for the Liberals I would think. Now he has expanded that to $160 million of taxpayers' dollars.

I wonder why he does not just give taxpayers tax relief and leave that money in their pockets instead of spending it on the millennium party.

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the premise of the hon. member's question is wrong. The red book did not state that possible spending on millennium activities would be limited to $10 million. It spoke of only one commitment: to give $10 million to the Canada Council to commission works of art of a permanent nature to mark the millennium.

What we are talking about is about $2 per Canadian. It involves levering hundreds of millions of dollars from private organizations, businesses, non-governmental organizations and communities to help communities and organizations carry out activities they want to mark the millennium.

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, as usual with a Liberal, a million here and a million there, and pretty soon we are talking real change.

We assume that the heritage minister will be giving out more free flags as part of the millennium hoedown. Many Canadians are asking themselves which size of flag she will be giving out. Will she be distributing small desktop flags and will she encourage people to place them on their desks in an unobtrusive way which would not hurt anybody? Will she be doing that?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, this is remarkable. The Reform Party is now against the display of the Canadian flag.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Windsor West, ON]

Also, the Reform Party now opposes activities for example of the people of Calgary who have developed the Calgary 2000 project to mark the millennium. They asked to participate in our national program. What does the hon. member have against the people of the riding and the area of the Leader of the Opposition?

Scrapie

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

The financial health of sheep producers is being jeopardized by the inadequate compensation provided to those who have to destroy animals that have scrapie.

Can the minister give us the assurance that they will receive adequate compensation for the financial losses resulting from having to destroy sheep?

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

Mr. Speaker, on a regular basis we review the level of compensation for animals that have to be put down for reasons of disease and health and safety.

I have assured the sheep producers in Quebec and across Canada as well as the producers of all types of livestock that this review is taking place at the present time. I have even asked them all for more information so they can be very helpful in that process.

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

Mr. Speaker, does the minister realize that not stating a clear and definite position in a timely fashion jeopardizes the financial viability of a growing farm production?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the situation that individual producers may be put in when these types of activities are necessary for the health and safety not only of our livestock herds and flocks in Canada but for the health and safety of all Canadians. That is why I have asked the department, the food agency and all of my staff to work on this as expeditiously as possible.

Disaster Relief

[Charlie Penson, Reform, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, when Ontario and Quebec were hit by the serious ice storm in January, the federal government quickly designed a special program for farmers who were not eligible for disaster relief programs. However, when Peace River farmers were hit by severe weather conditions in two consecutive years and were not eligible under the criteria of disaster relief, no special program was made available to them.

Since the minister has moved beyond the existing disaster relief program in Ontario and Quebec, will he now design a special program for eastern and western farmers as well?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member and I have discussed this on a number of occasions in the past.

The reason the disaster funding assistance agreement has not been used in the situations in the province of British Columbia is very simple. The province of British Columbia has not asked the federal government to take part in that program.

If they ask to take part in that program, I told them very clearly we will quickly sit down and consult with them and work at that, as we have in the other situations.

[Charlie Penson, Reform, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, is that not interesting? That is so much baloney and the minister knows it.

In Quebec the minister moved unilaterally to put a program in for ice storm recovery in Quebec. Yet in Alberta, B.C., New Brunswick and Nova Scotia he did not do that. He moved outside of the disaster relief program. Will he not do it here on a special program for Alberta and B.C.?

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

Mr. Speaker, my apology. I was referring to British Columbia, but the Peace River as I know also covers part of the province of Alberta as well.

We did not move unilaterally in the ice storm situation, or in the Saguenay or the Red River situations. They were subsidiary agreements that were put in place in co-operation with those provincial governments when they called upon the DFAA agreement between the federal government and the provinces.

If the province of Alberta wants to come forward and ask to work through that agreement, we will be more than glad to sit down and talk to it about it.

Regional Development

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Beauport—Montmorency—Orléans, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State responsible for Regional Development in Quebec.

The federal government continues to foster duplication through its repeated intrusions in regional development and it does so without even taking into account the objectives set by Quebec regions. Yet, just yesterday, the Prime Minister said that the federal government was respectful of jurisdictions.

Instead of seeking visibility at any cost, will the minister responsible for regional development undertake to respect the strategic plans approved by all 16 of Quebec's regional economic councils by withdrawing and providing full compensation for Quebec?

[Marcel Massé, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure]

This is a concern to us because, naturally, like the provinces, we want the steadiest and most effective economic development possible.

In this case, the jurisdiction is shared by both levels of government, each having its own responsibilities. Hopefully the Government of Quebec will fulfil its responsibilities properly, and we will fulfil ours properly.

Employment

[Marlene Catterall, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the February job figures are very good news for this country, with unemployment dropping from 8.9% to 8.6% and 84,000 new jobs, nearly half of them going to our young people.

I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Development what the situation is in one part of our country that most needs employment, Atlantic Canada.

[Bob Nault, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, this is a great opportunity to say to the people of Canada that the economic program of the federal government is now starting to work full bore across the country.

Atlantic Canada and every single province had a reduction in their unemployment rate this month, a significant achievement considering the time of the year.

Under a Liberal government, before last month Nova Scotia had an unemployment rate of 11.2%. Now it is down to 10.5%. That is good news for Nova Scotia and good news for the people of Atlantic Canada. We want to say keep up the good work in Nova Scotia and across the country.

Light Stations

[John Duncan, Reform, Vancouver Island North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, why is the response of the federal government always to shut things down in British Columbia?

The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is closing light stations and shutting down programs to help save salmon stocks. Yesterday the plywood arrived to close down the light station at Pachena, the very light station that saved the minister and his sailboat.

When 80% of British Columbians want light stations to be staffed, why does the minister continue to shut them down?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I have to correct the preamble. No rescue was carried out on me or any boat associated with me by any light station anywhere in British Columbia or, in fact, the world. I have from time to time, in an extensive yachting background, sailed in the south Pacific, the Sea of Japan and many other areas, but never have I required the assistance of a lighthouse keeper. I have, however, talked to them frequently on the phone and often in person and on the radio.

Back to the issue. There is no decision—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Vancouver Island North.

[John Duncan, Reform, Vancouver Island North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, that is known as revisionist history. This minister hiked into the light station in order to sign the book and thank the people very much for what it they accomplished when he was in deep trouble on rough seas.

The minister is always talking about putting conservation first. How about putting Canadian lives first? Is the minister going to take responsibility for the next Canadian in trouble when there is no light keeper home?