House of Commons Hansard #87 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was plan.
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in the House yesterday, this matter is still under discussion with the British government and until that matter is finalized we are not in a position to announce a decision one way or the other.
Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC
Mr. Speaker, what is so disappointing here is that the health minister seems to not care. He just goes back on his own words.
In November he told the Ottawa Citizen that he did not want to see hepatitis C victims spend their lifetime in litigation.
A few weeks ago he said all victims would receive “compassionate and fair and appropriate compensation”. The minister broke those promises, and all the empty sound bites in the world will not change that.
Just when did he sell out on his principles and was it worth it?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, all the health ministers in the country took those same principles to heart as they worked for months toward this compensation package.
As a result of our work and the agreement among all governments over 22,000 Canadians have been spared litigation. Over 22,000 Canadians are going to be the beneficiaries of a compensation offer that totals $1.1 billion.
For them and their families that is very significant evidence of compassion on the part of governments.
Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC
Mr. Speaker, I asked the minister if he was proud of the fact that he abandoned those people who now will spend their lifetime in litigation, the people who are not being compensated in his package. His package is wrong. He knows it. Other ministers of health in the provinces now know that too.
Is he now saying that he does not care about those excluded hepatitis C victims? Is he saying that he does not care if they spend their lifetime in litigation?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, as I have explained, all the governments of Canada brought those same principles of compassion and fairness to the table. We looked at the history of the matter. We proceeded on what we believe is sound public policy.
For example, in the Vancouver Sun this week some of these points are made very elaborately confirming the wisdom of the decision of all the health ministers and all the governments of the country supporting it and saying the position is fully justified. Across the country evidence can be seen of people who have thought about this issue agreeing with the position taken by all the governments of the country.
René Canuel Bloc Matapédia—Matane, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
The Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans harshly criticized the federal government's management of the entire industry. In the meantime, the people in the fishing industry are very anxious and concerned.
I ask the minister to tell us when and more importantly how he plans to decide what is surplus in the fishing industry.
David Anderson LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. I have made a series of decisions and statements. Some aspect of almost every one of my announcements concerns fishing and the need to conserve stocks.
I assure him that I will reply in detail to the recommendations of the committee, and he will see what I want to do about each recommendation.
Karen Redman Liberal Kitchener Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence.
As part of a new United Nations peacekeeping mission in order to contribute to the stability of central Africa, the Government of Canada has just announced that it will deploy Canadian troops in support of this operation.
Will the minister advise this House as to the nature of the Canadian forces contribution to this UN mandated mission?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, Canada has again been asked to participate in peacekeeping by the United Nations. The United Nations pays great tribute to this country's involvement in peacekeeping by asking us to do so. This is a great tribute to our forces.
Our forces will be providing some 45 personnel, 25 of whom will be signals personnel who will be able to manage the communication system on this mission. They will be part of a 1,350 troop mission to help bring peace and security into the central African republic.
Myron Thompson Reform Wild Rose, AB
Mr. Speaker, the family of Connie and Ty Jacobs broke their silence about the tragic shooting two weeks ago on the Tsuu T'ina reserve. Yesterday they went public asking for help. Connie's sister, Cynthia Applegarth, said “As long as there is poverty on reserves and no economic development you will have deaths, suicides and murders”. She wants an independent inquiry into the social, economic and democratic conditions on the Tsuu T'ina reserve.
Why will the Indian affairs minister not listen to Connie's grieving family?
Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, these questions have been asked repeatedly this week. The hon. member should listen to the answer from the government in spite of the heckling from the Leader of the Opposition who is so undisciplined this morning.
I want to tell the hon. member that the government has taken this issue and issues involving aboriginal Canadians very seriously. He knows of the RCMP investigation. He knows of course of the province's inquiry. He knows that the council of elders can advise the inquiry and he knows that it is led—
Myron Thompson Reform Wild Rose, AB
Mr. Speaker, the government is ignoring the people. It is not the inquiry we are talking about. We are talking about the conditions on the reserve.
Connie Jacobs probably did not donate a lot of money to the Liberal Party, nor golf with the Prime Minister, nor fly with him across the country on trade missions. I do not think she ran in the federal Liberal election.
Chief Roy Whitney does not want an investigation. He is the close friend. He does not want an investigation into the economic, social and democratic conditions on his reserve. Of course not.
Why is the minister listening to Chief Whitney instead of Connie Jacobs' family?
Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I am a little disappointed in the hon. member taking an unfortunate incident such as this and linking it to such things as political contributions or otherwise. The misfortunes of other people should not be abused by the hon. member across. He knows this as well.
We have been doing a lot of work with respect to the conditions of the aboriginal communities in Canada. The hon. minister today is meeting with aboriginal communities and continues to do excellent work in trying to promote the well-being of aboriginal Canadians.
All the Reform Party wants to do is cut $1 billion for aboriginal Canadians.
Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health is wrong about the health ministers conference call on Monday. It is our clear indication that this meeting has been established to talk strictly about whether or not all the provinces are still on the same page with respect to the serious issue of compensation. It is clearly a concern that is growing as more information is made available showing that this unjust compensation package is based on false information.
Is the Minister of Health now prepared to go back to the drawing board, re-open discussions with the provinces and come up with a fair and humane compensation package?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, the people who will be speaking on the phone on Monday are the same people with whom I sat at the table representing governments across Canada who agreed that the approach we are taking to compensation is the right one. Every provincial government stands with us. We stand with them. This is the right thing to do.
Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, given that these discussions will be taking place on the compensation package, it would be helpful for the Minister of Health to address the real question about whether or not 1986 makes sense at all in terms of liability. We do know as previously mentioned there was a study, a report in 1981 showing that surrogate testing was recommended and the department of health and the Red Cross turned it down because of expense.
Is it the minister's position that the victims who were abandoned back then due to the cost of prevention should be abandoned now due to the cost of compensation?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, it is possible to find reports, whether here or in other countries, of isolated suggestions of tests before 1986. There is no question about that. It is referred to in the Krever chronology.
The point is it was in early 1986 that experts agreed it was incumbent upon those responsible in this country to respond and to put the systems in place. They chose not to do so and the consequences were tragic. It is for that reason we have chosen that year.
There is broad support in many circles for that approach. I refer to the Saskatoon Star Phoenix editorial of this week which said that the health ministers, who had to evaluate the Krever “recommendations in the context of their ramifications on the entire health system, made a difficult but justifiable decision”.
Hepatitis COral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
The hon. leader of the Progressive Conservative Party.
Elsie Wayne Progressive Conservative Saint John, NB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Veterans Affairs.
Last Saturday I had the pleasure of meeting with some members of the Merchant Navy Association in my riding. These men and women along with all merchant navy vets risked their lives during World War II to supply our troops on the front lines with the necessities of battle.
The minister keeps saying that the merchant navy vets are equal under Bill C-84 but there are 40 restrictions applied to them that are not applied to the other vets. Will the minister correct this injustice by enacting legislation that would grant these veterans full veteran status under the act and make them equal?
George Proud LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for her question.
It was the present Minister of Veterans Affairs and other members of the Liberal Party along with Conservative members who brought legislation forward which gave the merchant seamen veteran status under the act. I say to her that they did receive that and they will continue to receive it. There will be further legislation coming later in the year and what that entails I do not know as yet.
Elsie Wayne Progressive Conservative Saint John, NB
Mr. Speaker, there are 40 restrictions so they are not totally equal. The men and women of the merchant navy have become so disillusioned that they are planning a hunger strike on Parliament Hill for May 12 if they are denied again what is rightfully theirs.
Why now are we failing to help those who gave us freedom? These men and women are requesting a small compensation settlement for the many years in which they were not recognized. Is the minister's plan to wait until they are all gone or will he act immediately to correct this injustice?
George Proud LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the legislation that gave the merchant seamen veteran status came into force in 1992. Therefore everything that was in place then they are eligible for. All of the members who were merchant seamen with high seas voyages qualify for every compensation that is available to every veteran in Canada.
Sarkis Assadourian Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, the use of child labour is a scourge that steals the innocence of childhood and prevents children in many nations from the possibility of an education and ultimately a better life for the future.
Can the Minister of Foreign Affairs share with the House an explanation of what this government is doing to ensure that Canadian companies do not participate in or benefit from the labour of children forced by circumstances to abandon their childhood?