Debates of March 31st, 1998

Banking

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I simply point out that there were no ombudsmen in individual banks until this government took office. There was no national ombudsman until this government took office. The industry committee which has been very active in monitoring bank activities did not play that role until this government took office. We do not have to take a back seat to anybody in terms of our control of what the banks are doing.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Myron Thompson, Reform, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, according to Elections Canada the Tsuu T'ina reserve donated more than $19,000 to the Liberal Party over the past four years. That is money that should have gone to housing or health care or to fight illiteracy. Instead it went to the Liberal Party fundraisers.

While people live in poverty on this reserve, does the minister think that is the best way to spend $19,000?

[The Speaker]

The way the question is phrased I find it difficult to find it tied to the administrative responsibility of the government. However, I saw a minister rising. If he wants to answer the question he may.

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, this is a very serious and tragic situation. I do not think it does getting to the truth any good by trying to wrap it in other issues, as is attempted by the hon. member.

The fact is we are working with AFN on other justice issues. We will continue to do that. It should not be confused with the issues the member is putting forward.

[Myron Thompson, Reform, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is Elections Canada that is telling us about the money. I think it is part of us.

The Indian affairs minister looked the other way when Bruce Starlight rang the alarm bell. She is now looking the other way while the Jacobs family is crying out for help. Things are desperately wrong on the reserve and giving $19,000 to Liberals instead of fixing the real problems of poverty is just plain wrong.

Will the minister launch an investigation now on the conditions of the reserve?

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, an investigation has been commenced in the province of Alberta. We are dealing with the AFN to deal with the broader issues.

I implore the hon. member to be an agent for the positive in this, not an agent for the negative in the interests of reconciling our communities as the minister has led since the RCAP response.

Hepatitis C

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the medical community recognizes that those affected with hepatitis C are the sickest of the sick. These individuals will suffer greatly along with their families. The reality is they will die through no fault of their own.

Knowing this, why would the Minister of Health use such a small timeframe for compensation when he knows full well the problems started years earlier than 1986?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the question in this difficult case is in which period should government step in and take the extraordinary step of compensating those harmed through the operation of the system.

The answer to that question is in that period during which this was not simply an unforeseen risk but during which something could have been done and was not done, that is the period for which compensation should be offered and that is the position of the governments of this country.

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the West Germans have been aware of a process to secure blood safety prior to 1986, and it has been brought to our attention. In the meantime Canada was purchasing contaminated blood products for our people from the U.S. prison system.

Justice Krever stated in his report: “Compensating some needy sufferers and not others cannot, in my opinion, be justified”. I do not think there is anyone in this House who could justify what this government is doing. It cannot be justified.

With this in mind, why is the minister refusing to—

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Health.

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I believe we have explained the rationale and the approach that governments have taken and it is clear from the record.

Medical procedures and forms of treatment bear with them an inherent risk. When people go into the hospital for an operation sometimes things go wrong and they are harmed.

What differentiates the period for which we are offering assistance is that something could have been done at that time and was not. That is the difference between the years 1986-90.

Canada Foundation For Innovation

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Thornhill, ON]

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

A number constituents, researchers and professors have contacted me regarding research in Canada. The Canada Foundation for Innovation was announced as a huge boost to research in Canada. We have heard little since that announcement.

Can the minister tell this House the status of that foundation and this government's support for research in Canada?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to say that not only is the foundation established and functioning but it is receiving applications for the first competitive set of grants. We expect the first announcements to be made by early summer.

This will be a major incentive to universities and teaching and research hospitals across Canada to not only take advantage of the foundation for innovation and its assistance in upgrading and building research infrastructure but also to make use of the $400 million that has been made available to the university research granting councils to further support the performance of international quality research in this country.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Jay Hill, Reform, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the minister for that paid political announcement.

The Indian affairs minister always digs in her heels when we bring problems to her attention. For example, when Bruce Starlight's letter about the Tsuu T'ina reserve was leaked by her department she delayed for weeks and weeks before finally calling in an investigator and paying Starlight's legal fees. The same thing is happening here again. The minister is ducking her responsibility while the solicitor general talks about being engaged to the AFN.

The Jacobs family very clearly does not want the AFN involved in this.

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, when we are talking about the issues of welfare reform, about providing infrastructure, housing, sewer and water, about providing access to education and access to economic development to first nations communities, we are talking about the work of the royal commission. We are talking about gathering strength.

This government's response is to that grassroots report that is so very important which I would suggest the member read.

When talking about the tragedies that occurred on the Tsuu T'ina reserve, the death of Connie Jacobs and her son and the investigation that is essential to be undertaken to satisfy the questions the family has—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Berthier—Montcalm.

Justice

[Michel Bellehumeur, Bloc, Berthier—Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the leniency of the Minister of Justice, Joseph Lagana, Jean Lamarche, René Rodrigue, Domenico Tozzi and Raymond Boulanger now belong to the quick release club.

These gentlemen are all important drug dealers and money launderers who have been released after serving only one-sixth of their sentence.

What is the minister waiting for to propose passage of a money laundering bill, as the Bloc Quebecois has constantly been demanding, one goal being to prohibit any release of these major criminals until they have served their full sentence?

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I bring to the member's attention not only that we are committed to bringing forward legislation with regard to money laundering but also that during the course of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act review, which is forthcoming, we will have an opportunity to discuss accelerated review as well.

Health

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, if this government has learned anything from the blood tragedy surely it is to prevent history from repeating itself. Yet it seems to be business as usual in the Department of Health. We have more evidence of drug safety being compromised, scientists pressured by the pharmaceutical industry and now serious allegations of wrongdoing in the health protection branch.

Why is the Minister of Health presiding over a department which is an accident waiting to happen and what steps is he taking to address these very serious concerns?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to respond to such undifferentiated generalities, but I hope the member will know, among other things, that a science advisory board chaired by Dr. Roberta Bondar, a distinguished Canadian scientist, working with 15 or 20 other scientists at the top of their fields is now looking at the scientific capacity in Health Canada, including in the health protection branch.

We are committed to the safety of the public. We shall do what is required to ensure we have the scientific expertise to ensure that the highest standards of quality permeate every aspect of health care.

Light Stations

[Bill Matthews, Progressive Conservative, Burin—St. George's, NL]

Mr. Speaker, safety and lives in Newfoundland and Labrador are as important as safety and lives in British Columbia.

Tourism, historic sites, culture and heritage are as important to Newfoundland and Labrador as they are to British Columbia.

I would like to ask the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, the minister responsible for the coast guard, if he will apply the same decision to the 24 light stations in Newfoundland and Labrador as he recently applied to the 27 in B.C. Will he announce that light keepers at the 24 stations in Newfoundland will remain in place? The minister cannot blame this one on the Conservatives being in power. He made the announcement.

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

Mr. Speaker, I welcome the question because certainly the issue of saving life at sea is an extremely important one and I know the member speaks with conviction. I would remind him, however, the program did begin when a certain senator from British Columbia was responsible for it at that time.

I will apply exactly the same criteria with respect to the Newfoundland and Labrador light stations with respect to staffing as I did on the west coast. I point out that there has been a long trend with respect to this. Two hundred and twelve of the two hundred and sixty-four light stations we had twenty-five years ago have currently been destaffed—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Bramalea—Gore—Malton.

Internships

[Gurbax Malhi, Liberal, Bramalea—Gore—Malton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, 12 Canadian organizations will place some 85 young Canadians in international internships in Europe.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for International Trade outline what international issues these projects will deal with and explain how these internships will benefit both the participants and Canada?

[Julian Reed, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague is referring to that part of the national youth employment strategy which was referred to by the hon. Minister of Human Resources Development a few minutes ago.

There are 12 projects that are international in scope and they are necessary to give practical skills to young people to compete in an international market. We are currently conducting an evaluation of that program which is one year old. We find that 60% to 70% of the interns—