The governments of Canada, all of them, have agreed that the appropriate rationale in terms of assisting those who were infected with hepatitis C is to look to that period when something could have been done to prevent it. That is the reason we will be providing, by way of an offer to settle the outstanding claims, over $1 billion for the benefit of over 22,000 Canadians who might have been kept healthy.

Employment InsuranceOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Bloc

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development.

There are 2.8 million people on welfare in Canada in 1998. La Presse , in reporting the remarks of the chair of the National Council of Welfare, rightly called this a “national disgrace”.

Will the minister admit that, by denying hundreds of thousands of workers access to employment insurance benefits, his reforms contribute significantly to this national disgrace?

Employment InsuranceOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Papineau—Saint-Denis Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development

Mr. Speaker, first of all I want to thank the National Council of Welfare for the excellent work it has done. It has been a great advisor to the Canadian government and we appreciate its contribution.

Its report will be an invaluable tool in ensuring that our government continues to serve Canadians well, as we plan to.

I am pleased to see that the number of welfare recipients has been decreasing steadily since 1995. Things are certainly looking up.

Employment InsuranceOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Bloc

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

Mr. Speaker, how can the minister say he is pleased with having 2.8 million welfare recipients?

Is it not a national disgrace as well to have a minister sitting on a EI fund surplus that will reach $20 billion in 1998, when thousands of unemployed workers who no longer qualify for employment insurance end up on welfare?

Employment InsuranceOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Papineau—Saint-Denis Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development

Mr. Speaker, we care about children who are living in poverty in this country.

Earlier, we heard members of the Bloc Quebecois mention that many welfare recipients are in fact single mothers. It is precisely to help these families that we set up the national child benefit, to which we will allocate $850 million this year and another $850 million thereafter, for a total of $1.7 billion.

Hepatitis COral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Reform

Reed Elley Reform Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC

Mr. Speaker, I simply want to know why this Prime Minister thinks some victims' lives are worth more than others. I want to know why he is helping some of the dying but ignoring the rest.

Tens of thousands of people who contracted hepatitis C from the blood system are now being abandoned, but every single Canadian who contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion is being fully compensated, as they should be.

Both of these groups are suffering and dying because of their blood. Why do all AIDS victims get compensation but not all hepatitis C victims?

Hepatitis COral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, the chronology of the tragic events which led to the hepatitis C infections through contaminated blood is now very clear. It is a sad history.

One feature of that history which I have been stressing, which was very influential on governments, was that during the four-year period from 1986 to 1990 many of those infections could have been prevented had those responsible for the system acted as they should have.

The federal government is contributing $800 million and the provinces are contributing $300 million to a fund totalling over a billion dollars to assist and to aid those who were infected in that period.

We believe this is good public policy. We believe it is the responsible way—

Hepatitis COral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Nanaimo—Cowichan.

Hepatitis COral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Reform

Reed Elley Reform Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC

Mr. Speaker, the government did not use those kinds of excuses when the AIDS victims were asking for compensation.

People who contracted AIDS from blood transfusions are being paid, even if they contracted AIDS before the AIDS test was implemented in 1985. The government did not use legal technicalities then.

Innocent Canadians are dying because of the government's blood system. It is a tragedy and we need to help them.

I have a very simple question. Why is this government setting up two tiers of victims in this country?

Hepatitis COral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member would look at the history of the matter he would see that the facts themselves speak clearly for distinguishing the period 1986 to 1990.

I might add for the hon. member's benefit that we are offering compensation not only to those who were contaminated with hepatitis C during that period, but also to those who may have contracted HIV, either through a spouse or a parent, as a result of contamination through the blood system.

All governments in this country believe this is the right and responsible way to act.

Copyright BoardOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Mitis, QC

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

The latest decision of the Copyright Board threatens the livelihood of creators, according to the headline on the SOCAN magazine. This is the first time since the establishment of this board that a majority decision by it has cut into the gains made by artist management collectives.

Will the minister acknowledge that creators are today paying the price for his appointing to the board people who knew nothing about copyright?

Copyright BoardOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley LiberalMinister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, this is a quasi judicial independent board, which has a very good record in copyright matters. We have faith in it.

Copyright BoardOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Mitis, QC

Mr. Speaker, it did have a good record until the arrival of the two new commissioners.

Under the Copyright Act, the minister must appoint a judge to chair the board. The position has been vacant since October 4, 1994.

Why is the minister not complying with the act and filling the vacant position?

Copyright BoardOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley LiberalMinister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, up to now it was not necessary. It is true that with the passage of the Copyright Act there are new responsibilities and we will consider appointing a judge to chair the board.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Reform

Mike Scott Reform Skeena, BC

Mr. Speaker, when the minister of Indian affairs is asked about the tragic shooting of Connie and Ty Jacobs on the Tsuu T'ina reserve she personally attacks whoever asks the question.

I want to assure the minister that I spoke with Connie's sister and brother yesterday and they are adamant. They want a full, independent, public inquiry into all of the conditions on the Tsuu T'ina reserve. They do not want the Assembly of First Nations, the band or the chief to hijack this investigation.

Will the minister listen to Connie's family and grant their request so they can have peace of mind?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Fredericton New Brunswick

Liberal

Andy Scott LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I think it would be beneficial to this process if the members of the Reform Party placed the interests of the truth ahead of their own political agenda.

We have an inquiry in Alberta. We are engaged with the AFN in this exercise on a daily basis. We are making some progress in the interest of calm and in the interest of the truth and good relations between all parties affected.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Reform

Mike Scott Reform Skeena, BC

Mr. Speaker, talk about ducking responsibility. The minister listens more to her political friends than to grassroots aboriginals.

This is a wealthy reserve. It spends more than $20 million a year for 1,000 people. But they still do not have money for the basics. Basic housing is substandard and the social conditions are heartbreaking. Only an independent inquiry can tell us whether or not the money on this reserve is being spent wisely.

That is why Connie's family wants a truly independent inquiry and not a cover-up.

Is the minister going to accede to the family's wishes and grant that independent inquiry?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Fredericton New Brunswick

Liberal

Andy Scott LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I think it is obvious now what the Reform's agenda is. It is to confuse the issue.

We have an investigation into a tragic shooting which we all feel badly about. It is very important that we not confuse that with other issues the Reform would like to put in play to confuse the issue, which is not in the interest of all the parties affected.

Official LanguagesOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Louis Plamondon Bloc Richelieu, QC

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

In his last report, the commissioner of official languages once again used bilingualism as an excuse to gloss over the growing erosion of French speaking communities outside Quebec.

How does the government square such a report from the commissioner of official languages with the strong criticism of a number of well known individuals, including the editorial writer of Le Droit , who reminds readers that the assimilation of francophones is continuing everywhere outside Quebec and that, in the meantime, the Minister of Canadian Heritage is doing nothing but promoting bilingualism?

Official LanguagesOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Glengarry—Prescott—Russell Ontario

Liberal

Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite has a selective memory and is not doing a very good job of quoting the report.

I too would like to quote from the report. The commissioner tells us the following “There were nevertheless some major milestones for the communities in 1997, especially developments in school governance, the opening of school and community centres in nearly all provinces and the development of community radio stations”.

Training For Young PeopleOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Roy Cullen Liberal Etobicoke North, ON

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development.

In last September's throne speech, the government promised to develop a plan to match the training given young Canadians to the training required in the future by high-growth industries.

Will the minister tell the House about the progress made in this regard?

Training For Young PeopleOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Papineau—Saint-Denis Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development

Mr. Speaker, the government has taken action to prepare young Canadians for the jobs of the knowledge-based economy towards which we are headed.

In the budget we launched the Canadian opportunities strategy precisely to expand access for Canadians to the skills and knowledge which they will need to succeed in the future. For example, we will offer the Canada millennium scholarships. We have increased assistance for advanced research. We are helping post-secondary graduates to manage their student debt loads.

My department is working with Industry Canada and the software industry to increase the number of students who will get the information they need to succeed.

BankingOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

NDP

Lorne Nystrom NDP Qu'Appelle, SK

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

The Ontario minister of finance has approved tough new regulations banning tied selling in the mutual fund industry in that province, overriding the lobby of the Canadian Bankers Association.

Mike Harris is not exactly a raving lefty who reads copies of Karl Marx every night before he goes to bed. I ask the Minister of Finance, why does he not at least be as progressive as Mike Harris and show some real leadership in this country by bringing in legislation to enforce a ban on tied selling in the banking industry?

BankingOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I would suggest to the hon. member that he might want to lend him his copy.

The issue of tied selling, as the hon. member knows, has been referred to the House of Commons finance committee. It held hearings yesterday and it is holding hearings today. We look forward to its report.

BankingOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

NDP

Lorne Nystrom NDP Qu'Appelle, SK

Mr. Speaker, it is a question of leadership, which is something this minister thinks about an awful lot.

For example, we have a banking ombudsman who is selected, directed and paid by the big banks in this country. It is like putting the fox in charge of the chicken coop.

I want to know if the minister can show some real leadership and bring in legislation for a truly independent banking ombudsman so people who have grievances about banks in this country have an independent body to go to.