Debates of May 11th, 1998

Millennium Scholarships

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

Mr. Speaker, all of Quebec agrees that the federal government has no business interfering in education and that it should let Quebec administer the federal millennium scholarships program itself, according to its own priorities.

But, once again, the federal government is sticking to its guns and trying to impose its scholarship program.

How does the Minister of Human Resources Development explain the government's refusal to make any change whatsoever in the millennium scholarships program, although that is what everyone in Quebec is asking it to do?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I think that this legislation offers tremendous possibilities and that the Bloc Quebecois opposition has not even begun to take a serious interest in what these possibilities could be at the present time.

What I can say is that, one month ago, at the request of Premier Bouchard and the minister, Mrs. Marois, negotiations led by my deputy minister were begun. We are negotiating in good faith and in the firm belief that, within the existing framework agreement and legislative provisions, we can find solutions that are consistent with the interests of young Quebeckers wishing to attend university.

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

Mr. Speaker, how can the minister claim to be acting in good faith when he is stubbornly ramming his bill through and not giving an inch in negotiations? Is this not more like hypocrisy than good faith?

[The Speaker]

I ask you, dear colleagues, to be very careful in your choice of words, and the word hypocrisy is not allowed. The hon. Minister of Human Resources Development.

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, understandably, when they run out of arguments, they have to resort to this sort of abusive language.

We know that the millennium will be here in a year and a half. We are proud to have a government that has decided to celebrate the knowledge and skills of young people so that they can function in the knowledge economy. We wish to do this as an adjunct to the excellent work being done by the Government of Quebec with its loans and grants programs. We are going to implement the program without any duplication and ensure that our young people have access to the best options possible for the economy of the future.

Access To Information

[Ken Epp, Reform, Elk Island, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's information commissioner should be the person who ensures access to information requests are processed in a timely, comprehensive manner; no illegal shredding, no whiteouts, no lost documents. This person should be independent minded and should not be a hand picked Liberal appointee.

Why not produce a job description, advertise it and open it up to anyone who wishes to apply and who can meet the standards?

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, no candidate's name has formally been offered yet for the position of access to information commissioner. The hon. member knows it.

Anyone can apply for the position. If the hon. member has a name to offer we would be quite willing to hear it.

The hon. members across ask what the job description is. I find it unfortunate that they did not bother to read the act.

[Ken Epp, Reform, Elk Island, AB]

Mr. Speaker, what we need is openness and accountability, something this government promised and has not delivered.

Can anyone in this country apply and does that person have to be a Liberal appointee and have connections to the bureaucracy in order to be appointed?

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Of course, Mr. Speaker, anyone can apply. That is obvious.

The problem is that the people across in the Reform Party have not read the act and they admit not even knowing what the job is about.

Varennes Tokamak Project

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Industry. The Varennes tokamak research team has just received the Canadian Nuclear Association's 1998 award of excellence for its exceptional contribution to the development of nuclear fusion science and technology. Yet, tokamak is struggling to survive, for lack of federal funding.

Why is the federal government not maintaining its $7.5 million contribution, so as to ensure the survival and development of this project of the future?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has contributed some $90 million to this project in Quebec since 1981. In 1996 when the decision was taken not to proceed with fusion work the government undertook a lump sum payment of $19 million to discharge its further obligations with respect to the project. That additional sum of money was paid in 1997.

Immunization

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Co-operation.

A report this morning from the World Health Organization identifies immunization as a key factor for increased life expectancy. This reinforces the goal set at the world summit for children in 1990 to immunize every child against diseases such as polio and measles. What is Canada doing to support global immunization efforts?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister for International Cooperation and Minister responsible for Francophonie]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has been a key supporter of global immunization. This morning I announced a five year, $50 million international immunization initiative.

We are working with the Canadian Public Health Association, Rotary International, UNICEF and the World Health Organization. Canadian vaccines as well as Canadian made syringes will be used as part of our initiative to help all children become immunized.

The Senate

[Bill Gilmour, Reform, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we had a lame duck question from a Liberal to a Liberal. I thought this was question period, not the time to make announcements.

[The Speaker]

Colleagues, if we begin to comment on the quality of members' questions, I would urge you to stay away from comments like that, as all they do is incite one another.

[Bill Gilmour, Reform, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, an Angus Reid poll released today shows that the majority of Canadians want the Senate changed.

Only 11% of Canadians are satisfied with the Senate as it is; over 84% want change. Alberta is taking a lead by electing a slate of senators in October. Ontario and B.C. have senate election bills pending. Clearly Canadians are not happy with an unelected, unaccountable upper chamber.

What concrete steps is this government prepared to take to give Canadians a Senate that works?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the people who answered the poll were very disappointed to learn that the Reform Party supports efforts by the provinces to elect senators who would then be appointed and then be totally unaccountable. Surely the Canadian people deserve something better than that.

[Bill Gilmour, Reform, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, that has to be a Liberal answer. We have had 131 years of a system that does not work. Let us try something that will work.

The polls also show that only 14% of Canadians think the Prime Minister should replace Andrew Thompson's seat by an appointment. The Prime Minister has promised Senate reform. He has produced 28 straight partisan appointments.

My question is regarding the Ontario seat of Senator Thompson. Who will fill that vacant seat, the Prime Minister's choice or the choice of the people?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Reform Party had a chance to bring about a real reform of the Senate when the Charlottetown accord was before Canadians. Instead it voted against the Charlottetown accord and caused any real reform of the Senate to be put off indefinitely. Reformers should look at themselves in the mirror and see where the blame lies.

Poverty

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister. The finance minister talks about growing economic optimism but a National Council of Welfare report shows devastating growing poverty. Poverty is up by 17% and child poverty has reached a high of 21%. These millions of Canadians are not optimistic, they are desperate.

Will the Prime Minister heed the warning of the national council and stop this growing inequity and set real targets to eliminate poverty?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I have looked in a preliminary way at the report and it points to a problem we are already beginning to work on.

In the last budget of the Minister of Finance, 400,000 low income Canadians were taken off the tax rolls completely. Millions more low and middle income Canadians are having their taxes reduced. We are increasing by $850 million the child tax credit which is aimed at helping lower income Canadians.

These are just a few examples of our efforts to deal with the issue of poverty, particularly child poverty.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the deputy prime minister spouts empty rhetoric while children go hungry.

The truth is that federal support for welfare, health and education has been slashed by $3 billion since 1996 and poor people are paying the price. They are standing in food lines, living in shelters and raising kids on welfare rates that keep them in poverty.

Will the government replenish transfers to the provinces and ease the suffering of the poorest of Canada's citizens?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, the very first gesture of this government was to restore the Canada health transfer by $1.5 billion. That was a very welcome gesture.

Second, this year and in the coming two years we will be investing $1.7 billion in the national child benefit to fight child poverty. We are also increasing deductions for child care and we have increased tax relief for low income Canadians. I could go on.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

[Peter MacKay, Progressive Conservative, Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS]

Mr. Speaker, a political staff member of the minister's office has been directly involved in the commission of a criminal offence and nobody in this government is taking any responsibility for it.

The Liberal code of ethics claims transparency and accountability, which have surely been trampled in this case.

What is the President of the Treasury Board doing to prevent Jacques Roy or any other member of his staff from using confidential information to raise money for the Liberal Party in the future?

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

Mr. Speaker, it was at the request of the government that the RCMP made a thorough investigation.

The government has co-operated fully with that investigation. The RCMP received all the facts. It charged only one individual. That individual has pleaded guilty and has been sentenced.