Debates of May 13th, 1998

Workforce

[Beth Phinney, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for the Status of Women. The recent census has shown that women are now occupying 22% of the top well paying jobs in Canada. Between 1990 and 1995 the number of men in these occupations dropped by 5% while the number of women increased 26%. Does this mean that we are finally closing the gender gap in the paid workforce?

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism)(Status of Women)]

Mr. Speaker, the census did show that women are making small gains in the highest paying jobs in this country. But it also showed that women are still stuck in the lowest paying jobs in terms of clerical, retail and nanny jobs. That is why the 1998 budget looked to the issue of increasing access for women to education and training.

The millennium scholarship will help, plus $3,000 a year for low income persons with dependants, as well as increasing tax credits and deductions for persons who are attending part time university and training to be able to access this. This means women and so I think we are on the right track.

National Hockey League

[Jim Abbott, Reform, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in spite of the U.S. control of the NHL, our Canadian teams are doing us proud. But when we asked what this government was prepared to do in order to bring protection under NAFTA, it said it could not be done.

An international trade lawyer in committee yesterday said that it could be done. Why will the government not give us the tools to get the job done the same way that our players are getting the job done for our proud cities?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am most impressed with the Preston come lately approach of the Reform Party. It has taken quite a while for the Reform Party to realize that this is a genuine concern of Canadian people.

We welcome all the submissions to the committee being chaired by the hon. member for Broadview—Greenwood who is doing a noble job. We will continue to examine each and every one of them and we await his report.

Millennium Scholarships

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

Mr. Speaker, despite the smooth talk of the Minister of Human Resources Development, the government seems determined to bulldoze ahead and impose its millennium scholarships program.

What is the minister's reaction to the comment last week by his former boss, Claude Ryan, who said, and I quote “This is a case where there could be no doubt that Quebec's jurisdiction takes priority. Quebec should therefore be permitted to exercise its right to opt out, with full financial compensation”? What does he say to that?

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

Mr. Speaker, what I can say is that we want to work with the Government of Quebec. That is why we are now in the process of conducting negotiations.

We are not negotiating in public, as members opposite have regrettably begun to do.

As soon as the Quebec Liberal Party introduced a resolution in the National Assembly, it was rejected out of hand by the Bouchard government, which did not even want to look at the promising initiative undertaken by the Quebec Liberal Party through Mr. Gautrin's resolution.

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the House the Minister of Health said he shares my concern about any unlicensed or unsafe blood product on the market.

I know he has been preoccupied with the preparations for tomorrow's meeting. I certainly hope he has been busy convincing the Minister of Finance that he needs more money for compensation for all hepatitis C victims. But any possibility of unsafe blood products on the market today demands urgent attention.

What has the minister done since these incidents were brought to his attention on Monday?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I have conferred with officials. I have made sure they went over the questions asked by the member yesterday and the day before. In fact, my staff has seen a draft response which will be worked on further.

I would be happy to arrange a briefing between the member and the appropriate officials if she would like to have that done because the matters she raises are important. I assure her we will deal with them on that basis.

Points Of Order

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

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I want to protest in the strongest terms the actions of the chair of the justice committee yesterday to bring a report before the House this afternoon.

The committee adopted this report with only one opposition member present and no notice was given of the intention to proceed in this manner at yesterday's meeting. The chair and the Liberal members at the committee knew full well that the opposition members were intending to attend the briefing that was called by the Minister of Justice.

Members of the Liberal caucus were given an advanced briefing of the same material at 1 o'clock yesterday, while the opposition members were not provided the same information until 3 o'clock. This activity, I suggest, created a planned conflict for the justice committee.

The agenda of the justice committee could have been adjusted and the Liberals' intention, therefore, to adopt the report with a full committee would have been much more advisable.

The Minister of Justice certainly should have been and I suggest would have been aware of this conflict and resulting fiasco for the opposition. The contempt that she showed for the House of Commons by failing to make her policy statement here in the House as a ministerial statement rather than a statement to the press is an attempt to manipulate this House.

I would suggest that a warning to the minister, the parliamentary secretary and the chair of the justice committee is in order. All of those individuals have to depend on the goodwill of the House, including the opposition and the second House of Parliament, if there is to be a successful disposition of legislation.

I urge the government to use this coming week to reflect on this point and I serve warning that the insults shown to the opposition and the amateur attempts to manipulate the House will result in the undermining of the government House leader, which might lead to unforeseen consequences for future good workings in this parliament.

[Randy White, Reform, Langley—Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague's comments. We had a short discussion regarding this with the House leaders yesterday and I think it is appropriate in this House that we start acknowledging and respecting our colleagues.

I believe that when these ministers have points to make or reports to table they should be tabled in this House prior to them going out and worrying about their media friends. They should be here giving every consideration to their colleagues and tabling reports prior to media events or any other such events because these kinds of issues are important to all of us.

[The Speaker]

My colleagues, indeed, these types of points have been raised before.

The hon. member for Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough mentions something that took place in the committee and I firmly believe that he does have a grievance. However, I think that particular point should be settled in the committee.

With regard to other statements being made, the House does not have any rules governing this particular way of disseminating information. However, I would encourage ministers and, indeed, all members when they bring reports, if it is at all possible, that we, the collective parliamentarians of Canada, should have access to these documents as quickly as possible. I understand that sometimes that cannot be done when the House is not sitting. I understand that. But where it is possible I would urge ministers to consider doing just such a thing in the future.

Government Response To Petitions

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to two petitions.

Committees Of The House

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 33rd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the selection of votable items, in accordance with Standing Order 92.

This report is deemed adopted on presentation.

Canada Water Export Prohibition Act

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-404, an act to prohibit the export of water by interbasin transfers.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is very timely in that we have heard that a entrepreneur in Ontario wishes to export water from the Great Lakes to Asia. This bill would prohibit the export of water by interbasin transfer specifically. It points out that water is one of Canada's most valuable natural resources and that Canada is committed to preserving water resources within its boundaries for future generations. Basically, this bill would prohibit anyone from exporting water using interbasin transfers.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Petitions

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today. The first comes from a number of Canadians, including those in my riding of Mississauga South.

The petitioners would like to draw to the attention of the House that managing the family home and caring for preschool children is an honourable profession which has not been recognized for its value to our society. They also agree with the National Forum on Health which suggests that the Income Tax Act discriminates against families who choose to provide care in the home to preschool children.

The petitioners therefore call upon parliament to pursue initiatives to eliminate tax discrimination against families who decide to provide care in the home to preschool children.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is also from my riding of Mississauga South.

The petitioners draw to the attention of the House that the Food and Drugs Act is designed to protect Canadians from potentially harmful effects related to food and drug consumption; that the consumption of alcoholic beverages may cause health problems; and specifically, that fetal alcohol syndrome and alcohol related birth defects are 100% preventable by avoiding alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The petitioners therefore call upon parliament to require health warning labels to be placed on the containers of all alcoholic beverages to caution expectant mothers and others of the risks of alcohol consumption.

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

Mr. Speaker, due to the negligence of this government in dialoguing with Canadians on the MAI, I have two petitions to present to this House.

The petitioners are requesting that parliament impose a moratorium on Canadian participation in the MAI negotiations until a full public debate on the proposed treaty has taken place across the country so that all Canadians may have an opportunity to express their opinions and decide on the advisability of proceeding with the MAI.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege for me to present a petition today on behalf of 29,500 people from all provinces and territories in Canada.

The petitioners point out that in Canada individuals convicted of causing pain and injury to animals face a maximum penalty of six months in jail, a two year prohibition from having custody or control of an animal and/or a maximum fine of $2,000, but they are not ever aware of this penalty being imposed at its maximum. They point out that a number of states in the United States have now made cruelty to animals a felony offence and punishment varies from one year in jail to up to 10 years of hard labour with fines going as high as $100,000.

They point out a number of horrid situations that have occurred in our country regarding cruelty to animals. They are asking the Government of Canada to impose harsher penalties for serious offences against animals and to establish an educational program for judges to help them understand society's abhorrence and condemnation of acts of cruelty to animals.

I present this petition with a great deal of pride.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have a petition containing approximately 3,200 names of people from right across the country indicating the petitioners' abhorrence of cruelty against animals.

They are asking for the enforcement of harsher penalties for serious offences against animals and the establishment of an education program for judges to help them understand society's abhorrence and condemnation of acts of cruelty to animals.

[Reed Elley, Reform, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to present on behalf of 113 constituents in my riding of Nanaimo—Cowichan a very timely petition considering the events that have occurred in the House.

They ask that the Parliament of Canada significantly amend the Young Offenders Act, not tinker with it but truly amend it, to publish the names of violent young offenders and to increase the maximum three year sentence for all offences except murder to seven years.

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition signed by hundreds of people from across the country who are concerned about the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

The petition is calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons. In particular they are asking that parliament support the immediate initiative and the conclusion by the year 2000 of an international convention which will set out a binding timetable for the abolition of all nuclear weapons. I table this petition today on their behalf.

[Howard Hilstrom, Reform, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, today I am presenting a petition on behalf of the family of Jeff Giles and all of the people of Manitoba. This petition arose out of the senseless murder of a wonderful young man during an armed robbery in Winnipeg.

The petition, signed by over 11,000 Manitobans, cries out for parliament to change the Bail Reform Act, to lengthen mandatory sentences and to do everything possible to return a sense of safety to our communities.

[Angela Vautour, NDP, Beauséjour—Petitcodiac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present a petition signed by some 3,200 people concerned about cruelty to animals.

These people want the government to impose greater penalties and to set up information programs for judges so they will understand exactly what the problem of cruelty to animals entails.

[Jake Hoeppner, Reform, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present.

I have 1,800 signatures on the brutal murder of Jeff Giles. The petitioners pray that government will amend the Criminal Code so that violent crimes result in stiff sentences and that those guilty of violent crime are not eligible for parole or conditional release of any kind.

[Jake Hoeppner, Reform, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, in another petition the petitioners pray that parliament fill future vacancies in the Senate through elections.