House of Commons Hansard #106 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was equipment.
Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Education should be urged to return to the table with the Minister of Human Resources Development, since we have just said that the proposal by the official opposition in the National Assembly was very interesting, very promising.
What is most important, after all, is that governments think about helping students.
Werner Schmidt Reform Kelowna, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Financial Institutions.
The year 2000 millennium bug is a potential time bomb for the Canadian economy. The chief economist for Deutsche Morgan Grenfell has indicated that a global recession is likely to result from the millennium bug to about a 60% probability.
I do not believe that either the Secretary of State for Financial Institutions or the Minister of Finance has a plan to protect the Canadian economy. If he does, will the Secretary of State for Financial Institutions or the Minister of Finance—
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Industry has been somewhat preoccupied with this issue. A report that deals with the issue has come from the standing committee.
All government departments are working on their own plans. The plan I am responsible for at the Department of Transport is well under way. I can assure Canadians we will have very safe skies in the year 2000. The hon. member should realize that the government has the matter well in hand.
Eric C. Lowther Reform Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, a lot of world leaders are preoccupied but they have a plan for this situation. The Toronto Stock Exchange is requiring that businesses be year 2000 compatible in order to be listed. World leaders know this is a serious problem. Experts are saying that without work on this issue the Asian financial sector may collapse.
Canadians are wondering why the finance minister is hiding from this issue, why his head is in the sand. Why is he leaving Canadians vulnerable? Where is the Canadian plan?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I think I answered the question in the first reply. The government has been seized with this issue for the past couple of years. Interdepartmental committees have been working on it, as have committees with the private sector and various industries. We have been looking at this. We consider it to be a priority of this government to work with all sectors of the Canadian economy to make sure there is no disruption in any industry when the year 2000 turns.
Francine Lalonde Bloc Mercier, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
On May 7, the minister announced the creation of an Internet site that is merely a collection of existing programs, plus three round tables, as part of the 1998 Multimedia and Info-highway International Market, which is currently under way in Montreal.
When will the government finally follow up on the report tabled by the Information Highway Advisory Council and set up a $50 million fund for the production, distribution and marketing of Quebec and Canadian multimedia products?
Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, first I want to thank the hon. member for her question. We really care about the multimedia issue because it is really important for us, in Canada, to have good content in both official languages. This is why we will proceed very soon with other initiatives.
Second, it would be nice for those who are asking for French language content that Quebec start by authorizing Télévision française de l'Ontario to broadcast in Quebec, since it provides a French language multimedia content across Canada.
Judi Longfield Liberal Whitby—Ajax, ON
Mr. Speaker, forest fires are raging in Alberta, forcing people to flee their homes and businesses. We know how valuable the Canadian Armed Forces were to the flood victims in the Red River and the Saguenay, and to those in eastern Canada affected by the recent ice storm. Can the minister of defence tell this House how the armed forces are helping the people of Alberta?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, once again the Canadian Armed Forces are coming to the aid of fellow Canadians. Some 56 troops including 17 reservists are now taking trucks into the forest fire area to transport firefighters. There are some 600 firefighters and some 24 forest fires in that area of Alberta. They are helping in that effort. They will continue to help in that effort as long as those fires are burning. We want to help fellow Canadians and the people of Alberta.
John Reynolds Reform West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
On Tuesday in answer to my question concerning a Vancouver immigration consultant who faces 18 criminal charges, the minister said that she had mechanisms in the Immigration Act to deal with this individual. Will the minister immediately seek an injunction to stop this evil man from the further counselling of unsuspecting would be immigrants via the Internet? Will the minister immediately bring in legislation to license all immigration consultants?
Lucienne Robillard LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, there are two completely different issues here. First, there is the case of the individual involved. As you know, I never publicly discuss the details of an individual's case.
The second issue concerns immigration consultants. As you know, this is a matter of provincial jurisdiction. However, we are working with the provinces to try to find a solution.
We are also looking at the recommendation made in an independent report to find a solution to the issue of regulating immigration consultants.
Deepak Obhrai Reform Calgary East, AB
Mr. Speaker, recently the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism jetted 20 British Columbians off to China at a cost of $300,000. Why? So they could learn Mandarin Chinese. This is yet another example of wasteful spending.
Does the secretary of state not feel that one can learn this language by taking a course in Vancouver which, after all, is home to over 250,000 people of Chinese heritage?
Hedy Fry LiberalSecretary of State (Multiculturalism)(Status of Women)
Mr. Speaker, it always amazes me that these questions have such little depth and breadth of the understanding of the issues.
First and foremost, these are students who are going to work in the tourism industry. The values of understanding a proper tourism industry are not just linguistic. There is a need to understand the culture of the places from which the people come and the needs of the people who travel. The only way they can learn that is to go to work in the hotels in those countries so they can understand how to best supply what is needed for a proper tourism industry.
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
The minister last April signed an MOU with the Government of B.C. promising full consultation on the B.C. salmon fishery. Today a group of B.C. fishers stripped and performed the full Mifflin, accusing the minister of stripping the shirts off their backs.
Why is this minister showing contempt for the Government of B.C. and B.C. fishers by failing to consult with them as he promised to do in the MOU on the proposed salmon licence buy-back?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, the demonstration in front of my office was certainly more revealing than many.
I point out to the hon. member from the NDP that we do have an MOU with the province of British Columbia. It is working well. All information that should be exchanged is being exchanged, at least from the federal government to the provincial government.
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Speaker, the B.C. government has said that it is not getting anything on the buy-back.
British Columbians learned from a leaked federal document this week that Liberal negotiators are prepared to surrender to the U.S. and sell out Canadian interests at the Portland salmon treaty talks.
If we are to avoid desperate fishers once again blocking ships this year, will the minister finally show some guts, denounce this document and stand for B.C. before we see a repeat of the desperate situation on the east coast cod fishery?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is clearly unaware that we have a Canadian delegation which includes people from the Canadian government, the British Columbia government, industry, aboriginal fishers and other sports and recreation people.
The document in question has not been seen by me or my colleague, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. It is an internal assessment of American attitudes within the delegation. It is as much a document of the province of British Columbia as it is a document of the federal government. In fact, it is neither. It is an internal delegation of a Canadian team Canada approach.
The suggestion that somehow or other it is part of some federal change of position is totally false and untrue.
Jim Jones Progressive Conservative Markham, ON
Mr. Speaker, many experts consider Canada to be a leader in the year 2000 problem from a global perspective. This problem is immediate, urgent, underestimated and spread worldwide. Currently every company and government is going at it on their own.
My question is for the Deputy Prime Minister. At the upcoming G-8 meetings will the Canadian government propose to take the lead and set up a global Y2K battle plan?
Marcel Massé LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure
Mr. Speaker, as my hon. colleague mentions, this is a problem that is worldwide. It is a problem that the Canadian government has been looking at carefully.
We have a program for the various institutions that depend on the Canadian government. Internationally we have been discussing this at the G-8. An international group will be put together to look at the various questions coming from the Y2K problem. We are presently working with international organizations, such as the World Bank, to deal with the problem.
Jim Jones Progressive Conservative Markham, ON
Mr. Speaker, today's Y2K report states that Canada's major trading partners, specifically the Asian market, are falling far behind in the year 2000 implementation. The Prime Minister should also be aware that in the last two days the Canadian dollar dropped by more than half a cent largely due to the problems in Asian markets.
Will this government push in the G-8 meetings that all countries, regardless of economic or commercial interest, focus on making the Asian market aware of and comply with this immediate deadline?
Ronald J. Duhamel LiberalSecretary of State (Science
Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge the industry committee's report today and thank all members for having brought forward this unanimous report.
It is much appreciated by all.
I want everyone to know that the government has indeed shown leadership. The Prime Minister has alerted all of his ministers, the private sector and his colleagues internationally. We are working together.
It is very important that we recognize that this is simply not a Government of Canada challenge. It is a challenge for all levels of government, the private sector and, indeed, all of us. We have a common objective with a common goal and we must work together to achieve it.
Maurizio Bevilacqua Liberal Vaughan—King—Aurora, ON
Mr. Speaker, last week's massive mudslides devastated the region of Sarno, Italy. As a result, 143 are dead, 136 are missing and 1,500 people are homeless.
My question is to the minister of defence. What is this government going to do to help those individuals and those communities who are trying to keep their lives together?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, we have received a request from the Italian government to provide earth-moving and excavating equipment, specifically 10 Bobcats. In fact, we are going to send these over to Italy together with Canadian forces personnel to operate them. They will be arriving with three Hercules aircraft, taking both the people and the Bobcats, plus a backhoe and four CF personnel to operate it.
We will be arriving in Italy this Sunday.
Gary Lunn Reform Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Mr. Speaker, it is fine for the minister to stand up and make jokes about what is revealing. He just told the member for Burnaby—Douglas that he is unaware of documents that department officials are talking about with respect to the treaty with the U.S.
This minister is unaware of the extinction of our fish stocks in Atlantic Canada. He is unaware of what is going on in B.C. with our fish stocks out there that are facing extinction.
Is the minister going to stand and fight for B.C. or is he going to watch our fishermen and fish stocks out there become extinct as well?