Debates of May 8th, 1998

Information Commissioner

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

Mr. Speaker, no name has been offered. How does no name having been offered constitute a lack of consulting with whomever? No name has been offered, so none has been offered in contravention of anything. In terms of any conversation held between House leaders, if I were to put the conversations of members across the way on the floor of this House right now it might not be a pretty sight. I wonder who would lose in the process.

[Grant McNally, Reform, Dewdney—Alouette, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the government House leader is obviously squirming about something. I have no idea what he is talking about.

What we are talking about is the process. Why is there not a search committee? Why not have the best person for the job? Why will he not change the process when this is the time he can get the best person for the job?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is changing his tune. He is saying that the system of appointing officers of this House should be changed. When did he and his colleagues ever advocate such a change in the past? When did he ever produce legislation, a private members' bill or any other initiative?

I think people should watch out before they talk from both sides of their mouth.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

[Yves Rocheleau, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

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

The negotiations between the CBC and the 1,400-member CBC communication workers union are stalled. They have been under way since March 1995. Some union members have been without a collective agreement for more than two and a half years. The points in dispute are job security, wage increases and private sector use of CBC premises.

Will the Minister of Labour respond favourably to the union's proposal of a conciliation commissioner, in order to provide these employees with a collective agreement at last?

[Brenda Chamberlain, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, we continue to work with the parties. At this time I will have to take the matter under advisement and get back to the member.

Extradition

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canada regards itself as a humanitarian nation. It brings into this country in excess of 200,000 people on an annual basis. Regrettably among them are a small number of war criminals and fugitives from justice. I ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice just how Bill C-40 will address this problem?

[Eleni Bakopanos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, this week the Minister of Justice on behalf of the government tabled in this House, and we announced officially, a new extradition act.

The bill overhauls extradition laws in Canada and brings us in line with the 21st century. Most importantly the proposed legislation will prevent Canada from becoming a safe haven for fugitives who want to avoid facing the judicial system in countries where they commit crimes. Also, cross-border crimes will be more easily covered by this bill, crimes such as telemarketing fraud, computer crimes and transnational organized crime.

Railways

[Lee Morrison, Reform, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

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

A consortium of private companies wants to build an $11 billion high speed rail system in southern Ontario and Quebec. It is not necessary to read very far into their announcement before discovering that this happy little group expects the people of Canada to pay for the railway on which they want to run their trains.

Will the minister assure the House that this government will not commit to providing public funding for private profit?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, this report was received yesterday by us and by the Ontario and Quebec governments subsequent to discussions a number of years ago.

It is an interesting proposal. It does entail the expenditure of public funds. As the hon. member knows full well, I have been on the public record as saying that VIA Rail, the passenger service, should seek funding from the private sector for its capital needs.

The hon. member is a member of the transport committee that is studying this very issue. I would ask him and his colleagues to look at the proposal and give us advice. In the meantime I am reviewing it and I will be discussing it with my colleagues.

[Lee Morrison, Reform, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, if the transport committee is so important, it is a pity that these people did not bring it up when they appeared before the transport committee a few weeks ago.

If this product is so financially attractive, the six companies involved certainly have the clout to raise the money but they prefer to have taxpayers take two-thirds of the risk.

Two of the consortium members, Bombardier and SNC-Lavalin, are renowned for their taste for Liberal pork. If this is such a good project, why do they have to come to the public trough?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member raises certain questions. I suggest that he have the committee call the consortium before the committee and ask these questions of the consortium. Some of the questions he has raised we will be asking as a government.

We are working together on finding a solution for passenger rail that will find financing for its capital needs. I fail to see why the hon. member seems so spooked by a proposition by private sector companies to do something government is asking them to do to help with the financing of passenger rail.

Education

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, skyrocketing tuition fees and deregulation are causing a two tier educational system in Canada. The Americanization and privatization of post-secondary education are directly the result of gutted federal funding.

When will the government stand up and stop the bleeding of post-secondary education? When will the government make clear that a two tier system is unacceptable in Ontario or anywhere in Canada?

[Ethel Blondin-Andrew, Liberal, Secretary of State (Children and Youth)]

Mr. Speaker, the government has successively in various budgets, especially in the last budget, gone through extraordinary efforts to deal with debt relief for students. It has also promoted a number of granting systems such as Canada student grants and the millennium scholarship.

Many initiatives have been undertaken in the budget to help students with the costs that accrue for post-secondary education.

We have gone to extraordinary measures. If that is considered bleeding, I do not know what else we can do to ameliorate the situation.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the millennium fund does not even come close to repairing the damage. Tuition fees are out of control and students are facing crushing debt because the government has failed to set standards for accessibility.

Will the government act now to stop a two tier system and to set a national standard for accessibility for education?

[Ethel Blondin-Andrew, Liberal, Secretary of State (Children and Youth)]

Mr. Speaker, I suggest the hon. member speak to her colleagues in the Government of British Columbia to deal with the issue of skyrocketing tuition fees.

I think it can be said that the government's commitment is real. We have gone through extraordinary efforts to deal with the costs related to post-secondary education in the budget and in many other measures the government has undertaken.

Fisheries

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister of fisheries. As the minister knows, the communities of Canso and Mulgrave, Nova Scotia, are anxiously awaiting a decision with respect to shrimp quotas.

The Canso Trawlermen's Co-op and the ACS company of Mulgrave submitted proposals for shrimp quota. The quotas could very well determine the survival of these communities.

Delegations from both groups travelled to Ottawa. Although the minister was unavailable, DFO officials were briefed on their dire situation.

Time is running out. Could the minister tell us when he plans to announce a decision with respect to the northern shrimp quota?

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

Mr. Speaker, the northern shrimp issue is complicated. I should say the good news is that there is more shrimp available this year than last. In one area at least, area 6, it is substantially higher.

The problem side of this is that the requests of those who wish allocations, including the communities to which the hon. member referred, far exceed the shrimp available.

It will be a very difficult decision. It will probably be made within the next four to ten days. I assure the member that the representations made by the people in his province, as well as the other provinces of Atlantic Canada, will be taken into consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would turn the minister's attention now to area 18 and the crab fishery in Nova Scotia.

I have been informed that due to the soft shells of the crab this year fishermen have been forced to comply with a 48 hour notice to close the fishery in this area.

By confining fishermen to an area that is insufficient and by adding new licences, DFO has put the future of this fishery in peril.

Is the minister prepared to redefine this area and address the concerns of the fishermen in area 18?

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

Mr. Speaker, the issue with respect to the crab fishery that the hon. member mentioned is one of conservation.

We have concerns with conservation because the biomass of crabs has declined quite dramatically. We expect that there will be a turn up in some two to three years.

In the meantime we have to take conservation measures. When it is necessary to take these measures quickly we know they may disrupt the fleet. We know it may be difficult for adjustment, but the member must remember that the fish come first.

Youth

[Mac Harb, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State (Children and Youth).

While Canada's unemployment rate continues to drop many people remain concerned about the high unemployment rate among youth and about providing young Canadians with the opportunity to access quality education.

Could the secretary of state tell the House what she is doing to assist young Canadians?

[Ethel Blondin-Andrew, Liberal, Secretary of State (Children and Youth)]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Ottawa Centre for this very important question.

The member will know that in April alone 26,000 jobs were created for young people, 66,000 since January.

We continue through the Canadian millennium scholarship fund, Canada student study grants, tax relief, tax measures, EI premium holidays and increased funding for SchoolNet.

Health

[Keith Martin, Reform, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, last October 9, I introduced in the House Motion No. 222 which was designed to revamp the organ donor system. It will save lives, and it passed unanimously.

Last year, however, 122 people died while waiting for a transplant. Still, the Minister of Health has done nothing to ensure that this motion is adopted in whole or in part

The minister has the opportunity to take the necessary steps. Will he promise this House to implement the motion before the end of the year? People's lives are at stake.

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I greatly appreciate the initiative taken by the hon. member last year. I am very pleased to discuss it with him, as I am aware of his interest in the subject.

There are things that can be done by the federal and provincial governments. While I cannot point to any specific change that has resulted from the motion, I certainly would be happy to discuss with the hon. member specific things he would like to see the federal government do and engage in a dialogue with him because I agree with the objective of his motion.

Drinking Water Management

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the export of drinking water has been the object of intense debate in Quebec, but there is unanimous agreement that Quebeckers must be the ones to decide on management of this resource.

Last Monday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs stated his intention of using certain laws to reverse a provincial decision in this matter.

Does the Minister of the Environment acknowledge that drinking water management is a provincial area of jurisdiction, as are all natural resources?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the hon. member that Canada has a role to play in terms of a decision regarding the export of drinking water.

At the present time Canada opposes large scale exports of water. The matter in question in Ontario has been referred to the International Joint Commission and we will await the results of its findings.