House of Commons Hansard #102 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was workers.
Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS
Mr. Speaker, British Columbia is prepared to do its part for all victims of hepatitis C, if the federal government will put in more money. Other provinces are waiting for a signal from Ottawa to do the same.
Is the federal government prepared to send this signal now? Is it prepared to guarantee today to the forgotten victims that its wallet will be open in Toronto?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I have made it very plain that I would be very happy to meet my counterparts.
We are now trying to set a date for next week. We intend to find out the positions of all the provinces ahead of time, I hope.
My objective as the representative of the Government of Canada is to see whether a consensus can be reached among all the governments at the negotiation table.
Rick Borotsik Progressive Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Mr. Speaker, the news just does not seem to get any better for the Minister of Health, does it?
The minister has stood in this House for the last five weeks and talked about an arbitrary cut-off date of 1986. Reports now are that federal regulators were aware as early as 1981 that in fact there was a problem with the system. The Krever report says compensate all the hepatitis C victims.
Will the minister finally accept responsibility to compensate all the victims and stop hiding behind the provinces?
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, he should explain why, in spite of Mr. Krever's findings in his report, he said the provinces should do the compensating.
I do not think the hon. member should try to pursue his leadership campaign in this context.
Rick Borotsik Progressive Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Mr. Speaker, if I had any aspirations I certainly would do a much better job than the Minister of Health in leadership campaigns.
Before meeting with the provinces the Minister of Health had better ask for authority from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance to get the right direction when dealing with the provincial health ministers.
Do you have a contingency plan? Are you going to meet the provinces as a eunuch or are you going to have the opportunity to develop certain financial contributions to the hepatitis C victims?
Hepatitis COral Question Period
The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)
Before the hon. Minister of Health responds, please address the questions through the Chair.
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, we have already made clear that we are going to the table next week to determine whether there is a new consensus. In terms of leadership, the member should bear in mind that if it were not for this government and the leadership of the Prime Minister there would not be compensation in place for any victims.
It was this government that started that process, it was this government that brought the parties to the table, it was this government that produced the agreement to compensate 20,000 victims.
Chuck Strahl Reform Fraser Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, Jeremy Beaty, the president of the Hepatitis C Society, received a call from the health minister's office the other day, from the minister's top political adviser. Unfortunately it was not to tell him there would be more money on the table. Mr. Dossetor, the health minister's top adviser, phoned Mr. Beaty and asked him not to be at the upcoming meetings for the discussions on money. He bullied him and tried to intimidate him into not going to those meetings.
Why did the minister allow that to be done? Why will he not let Mr. Beaty be at all of the upcoming talks?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, the member is quite wrong. It does a grave disservice to Mr. Dossetor to suggest such a thing.
In fact what has happened is that as Minister of Health of Canada and following on the resolution adopted by this House the other day, I have written to all ministers of health in Canada. I have urged them to accept that representatives not only of the Hepatitis C Society but also of the hemophilia society be received by the ministers when we meet next week. I have every confidence that the ministers will agree with that suggestion and will receive those representatives.
Chuck Strahl Reform Fraser Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, that is certainly not what Mr. Beaty says. Mr. Beaty says that Mr. Dossetor phoned him and tried to intimidate and embarrass him, that he tried to tell him not to come to these meetings and please do not ask to be at the money portion of the talks.
The health minister knows these talks are about the money. Why did the health minister instruct Mr. Dossetor to tell Mr. Beaty to stay home, not to bother to come to those discussions because he would not be able to talk about the money part of those discussions?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, let us stick to the facts. The facts are that as minister I have written to Mr. Beaty and the representatives of the hemophilia society. I have told them that I have asked the ministers to agree that victims will be received next week when the ministers meet. That is the right thing to do. It follows on the resolution the House has adopted. I have every confidence that the ministers will agree to receive those representatives next week.
Maurice Dumas Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, last Friday, the Minister of Health announced, which was somewhat presumptuous on his part, that the hepatitis C matter was closed.
Pressure from the victims, the Canadian public and the provinces seems to have got him thinking. We are now told that he will not arrive empty-handed at the health ministers meeting.
What is the federal government prepared, in concrete terms, to offer hepatitis C victims not covered by the existing agreement?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, we agreed with the provinces, including Quebec, on a particular approach to compensation.
Now Quebec has changed its position, and Ontario as well. This has prompted us to suggest that another ministers meeting be called to see if the various governments can reach a new consensus.
I will be at the table next week to determine whether all the provinces can once again—
Hepatitis COral Question Period
The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)
The hon. member for Argenteuil—Papineau.
Maurice Dumas Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, since he can easily afford it and since he is primarily responsible for this tragedy, will the minister admit that his government must also play a major part in compensating all victims of hepatitis C?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I am sure that the hon. member is fully aware of the fact that we have already contributed a large share of the compensation paid to the victims infected between 1986 and 1990.
Next week, we will see if a consensus can be achieved among the various governments. I will be there to make that determination.
Ken Epp Reform Elk Island, AB
Mr. Speaker, an access to information commissioner is supposed to be an advocate of openness, someone who will fight against Liberals who want to shred documents and hide facts. The last thing we need is a political Liberal patronage appointment. That is like putting Mr. Fox in charge of chicken coop security.
There should be an open competition for this job. Why is the Prime Minister ignoring Canadians who want facts and instead looking for the Liberal with the largest paper shredder?
Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, let me say that I am a little bit more than disappointed with the remarks by the hon. member.
Any discussion that takes place in camera between House leaders is never revealed on the floor of the House. I am sure that the hon. member's House leader will have a few words with him later in that regard behind the curtains.
Meanwhile I would suggest to the hon. member no nomination has been formally offered. None has been made.
Ken Epp Reform Elk Island, AB
Mr. Speaker, I received no information from my House leader from a meeting. This is an issue of accountability and openness. Instead of huddling in secret with his patronage advisers, the Prime Minister should publish the job description, specify that applicants have a record of impartiality and fairness and have an open competition. Will he do it and if not, why not?
Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, it gets even worse. Now the hon. member is accusing career civil servants of being political hacks of the government and presumably thereby accusing other people with similar qualifications which is the first thing wrong. Second, the hon. member should know, if he has even read one sentence of the act, it is an appointment of this House offered by the government but appointed by a vote of this House. One would think that this House must be democratic.
Monique Guay Bloc Laurentides, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Co-operation.
At the World Food Summit, Canada made a commitment to actively promote food security and fight world hunger. Yet, for the last ten years, CIDA has continued to cut its support for agriculture, food and nutrition.
Can the minister explain why CIDA has cut the funding of the agriculture, food and nutrition programs for the 24 least developed nations by close to 80% since the early 1990s, despite Canada's commitment at the Rome Summit?
Diane Marleau LiberalMinister for International Cooperation and Minister responsible for Francophonie
Mr. Speaker, we continue to want to help those less fortunate. It should be pointed out that CIDA has tried to do more with much less.
The report card on CIDA's programming is very good, and we should be proud of the work the agency has done with much less money.
Monique Guay Bloc Laurentides, QC
Mr. Speaker, if we are to believe the minister, everything is always perfect and never less than wonderful.
Is the minister aware that by reorganizing CIDA by geographic region rather than by sector of activity, she is weakening professional services in agriculture, leading to the poor results we are now seeing?
Diane Marleau LiberalMinister for International Cooperation and Minister responsible for Francophonie
Mr. Speaker, I will say it again. When a department goes through difficult years like those we have just seen, with the cuts we sustained, CIDA has done its utmost to address the problems of the most disadvantaged. The reports from our programs are excellent.
That having been said, we are going to keep on trying to meet all the challenges throughout the third world.
Grant McNally Reform Dewdney—Alouette, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's office is looking for a new information commissioner. We have just heard an answer from the government House leader.
So far in the process there have been no advertisements, no job description, no search committee. This is supposed to be about openness and transparency.
Why is the government so focused on putting in a political appointment rather than doing a search for the best person for the job?