House of Commons Hansard #82 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was farmers.

Topics

Varennes TokamakOral Question Period

11:35 a.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC

Mr. Speaker, in this issue, the federal government is saying it wants to encourage the development and marketing of CANDU

reactors, which are so unsafe that Ontario Hydro is forced to close a number of its reactors and contemplate using highly polluting generating stations.

In the light of the agreements Canada signed in Rio and Kyoto, will the minister acknowledge that the federal government has to reassess its strategies in the energy sector?

Varennes TokamakOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, it first needs to be made clear that the hon. gentleman's references with respect to Candu are completely inaccurate and false.

The problem in Ontario was related to the management of Ontario Hydro. It had absolutely nothing to do with the technology of the Candu. In fact, the external consultants concluded that the Candu reactor technology is safe and robust.

With respect to the need to expand in terms of renewable energy, alternative sources of energy, co-generation projects and so forth, indeed those are very much a part of our agenda to deal with climate change—

Varennes TokamakOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for South Surrey—White Rock—Langley.

TransportOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Reform

Val Meredith Reform South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC

Mr. Speaker, yesterday for the second time in a year the same search and rescue Labrador helicopter had to ditch in the Strait of Georgia.

Fortunately for the six personnel aboard, the Labradors float better than they fly and no one was seriously injured.

Are falling helicopters and automated lighthouses true reflections of this government's commitment to west coast marine safety?

TransportOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

York Centre Ontario

Liberal

Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, the Labrador did indeed ditch but there is only minor damage. I am also pleased to say that nobody was injured. There is a full investigation now going on.

We make sure that any aircraft we put in the air is as safe as it possibly can be. There are incidents that occur but we cut down on the possibility considerably by the fact that we have a high standard of maintenance.

The hon. member should also recognize that we have decided to purchase new helicopters and some of these will be stationed on the west coast in B.C.

TransportOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Reform

Val Meredith Reform South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC

Mr. Speaker, words are cheap and when it comes to protecting Canada's west coast so is this government.

Falling helicopters, automated lighthouses, closing CFB Chilliwack, snubbing B.C.'s Seaforth Highlanders for not being Canadian enough are examples of how this government really feels about British Columbia.

Why does this government have more military personnel overlooking the Rideau Canal than it has on the west coast of this country?

TransportOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

York Centre Ontario

Liberal

Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, that is simply not true. We have highly professional and dedicated people in sufficient numbers to ensure that the kind of service that needs to be provided in British Columbia by the Canadian forces is present in that province.

HerbicidesOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Bloc

René Laurin Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Speaker, rutabaga producers have been using the herbicide DUAL according to the manufacturer's instructions.

However, agronomists have confirmed that the use of this herbicide was the cause of their loss of over half a million dollars.

What measures does the minister intend to take to prevent the use of this herbicide from continuing to cause considerable losses to producers, who believe in the effectiveness of government controls?

HerbicidesOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member did not make clear the specific herbicide he was talking about. We certainly know there is a registration program for herbicides to be used legally by producers in Canada. If there is a problem with the registration of a specific herbicide I would certainly be pleased to know that and I will work with the producers so they can have all the management tools they can possibly have to be efficient and profitable.

TourismOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

Liberal

Susan Whelan Liberal Essex, ON

Mr. Speaker, tourism is the major source of employment in all regions of our country. British Columbia especially benefits from visitors from countries in Asia.

What is this Liberal government doing, in spite of the Asian financial crisis, to encourage travel and tourism and to create jobs in British Columbia?

TourismOral Question Period

11:40 a.m.

St. Catharines Ontario

Liberal

Walt Lastewka LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, as members know, the Canadian Tourism Commission, in partnership with the private sector, has been working hard on tourism. Unfortunately some countries in Asia have had difficulty but countries like Taiwan and Singapore have held steady despite the financial crisis.

In addition, there have been projects approved in British Columbia. The latest project I know of is the Anderson—Knowles agreement in the city of Prince Rupert to the tune of $250,000. There is a Canadian Tourism Commission project of $1.25 million over three years for promoting tourism in British Columbia.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Reform

Darrel Stinson Reform Okanagan—Shuswap, BC

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we asked the Indian affairs minister to appoint a judge to look into the tragic deaths on the Tsuu T'ina reserve near Calgary. She ignored our suggestions. She said the government already had the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, and it did not have to investigate any more. That commission produced 400 recommendations but the report has been on the shelf gathering dust.

What specific recommendations from that report is the government applying to the Tsuu T'ina reserve?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Hamilton East Ontario

Liberal

Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, obviously the member should take the time to read the government's response to the royal commission. We are working very hard with all of the players, including the leadership of the national organization and the regional organization.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

An hon. member

More money for the chief.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

Sheila Copps Liberal Hamilton East, ON

The member yells out “more money for the chief”. I find it passing strange that in the Reform Party's last document on aboriginal peoples it planned on cutting $1 billion from programming that was going to help with housing, help with fetal alcohol syndrome and help with a number of the social problems they are facing. The Reform Party did not support the recommendations.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Reform

Derrek Konrad Reform Prince Albert, SK

Mr. Speaker, this standoff and shooting, the Bruce Starlight affair and the poverty on the Tsuu T'ina reserve are symptoms of ongoing problems that need a solution now.

My question is for the Minister of Indian Affairs. If she will not appoint a judge, what specific recommendations from the royal commission will be used to solve the current crisis facing people on the reserve? Will she act before the next tragedy occurs?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Hamilton East Ontario

Liberal

Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, this is the sad thing about the Reform Party. When there is a human tragedy it tries to exploit it for political purposes.

I refer the Reform Party to an editorial in the Toronto Star where it says: “It can be a short, frightening step from a police shooting on a native reserve to an eruption of violent anger. That is why it is heartening to see Ottawa and Alberta responding quickly in this week's fatal shooting of a woman and her son”.

The Reform Party would be well advised to look at the broader issues and to try and work with aboriginal people instead of pointing the finger at a chief and individual and cutting a billion dollars of programming from aboriginal peoples' housing and social delivery.

Disability PensionsOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

Mr. Speaker, this government is treating people living with disabilities in a heartless manner. Bill C-2 will ensure that fewer and fewer Canadians receive disability pensions.

Implementation of these regressive policies will ensure that thousands of Canadians will find themselves forced to wait close to two years for a final decision on their applications for disability pension. Enough is enough.

My question is for the Prime Minister. When will this government stop taking advantage of the most vulnerable in society, and start speeding up the process for obtaining disability pensions?

Disability PensionsOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, in the last Parliament a very distinguished initiative was led by a member of this government who is now the solicitor general in producing a detailed analysis of many of the issues affecting disabled Canadians.

The results of that report were in evidence in the 1997 budget. They were in evidence again in the 1998 budget. The government takes those issues seriously. Many, many disabled organizations in this country have applauded these initiatives on behalf of disabled Canadians.

National DefenceOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

NDP

Gordon Earle NDP Halifax West, NS

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence.

The alternative service delivery process of the Department of National Defence has wreaked havoc on the community of Goose Bay, Labrador. Will the minister place a moratorium on any further ASD activity until there has been an audit by the auditor general and a thorough assessment by the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs of the social and economic impact on the communities where ASD has already taken place?

National DefenceOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

York Centre Ontario

Liberal

Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, I do not agree with the preamble to the question. What is at stake here is the survival of Goose Bay and we have been able to save it. We have been able to cut our costs down to make the operation more efficient and effective and at the same time to treat people in a fair and humane way. That is what this is about. We have less resources now in national defence. We want to make sure that we use those resources for our core functions and that we use those resources in the most efficient and effective way. That is what we are doing here and that is what we will continue to do in other parts of the country.

We will consult with our employees. We will consult with the unions. We will make sure we do it in a fair and humane way.

HighwaysOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Progressive Conservative

André Harvey Progressive Conservative Chicoutimi, QC

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

I know the minister is involved in drawing up a new national highways policy.

I would like the minister to confirm whether there will be a federal-provincial conference in connection with this new national policy. I would also like him to take a few seconds to indicate the importance he attaches to it.

HighwaysOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Don Valley East Ontario

Liberal

David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has contributed to the construction of highways since the first world war.

As the hon. member knows, Canadian highways are a provincial responsibility. Discussions are going to be held with my provincial counterparts on a plan for continuation of funding. In May, a meeting will be held in Edmonton to discuss this.

HighwaysOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Progressive Conservative

André Harvey Progressive Conservative Chicoutimi, QC

Mr. Speaker, in a speech last November 17 in Toronto, the minister stated that he was in favour of new major national toll-free highway projects and an examination of the potential for constructive collaboration between the federal, provincial and private sector.

I would like the minister to indicate to me if, for instance, he considers it important to upgrade the highway between the metropolitan Quebec and Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean regions, as a major pilot project, thus allowing us to link two large and important regions of this country? Unfortunately, the Government of Quebec is still turning a deaf ear to any new approach.

HighwaysOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Don Valley East Ontario

Liberal

David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, I am well aware of the very specific concerns the hon. member has about highway 175 in his riding.

Provinces have priorities, the province of Quebec in this case, but I am sure that partnerships in highway construction will be considered.

I believe it is a good idea to involve the private sector in their construction, and I am pleased that the hon. member supports the concept of partnering with the private sector to build highways.