House of Commons Hansard #121 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was agreed.
Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Mitis, QC
Mr. Speaker, canvassing door to door is one thing, but using the $20 million of the CIO in the campaign is something else.
Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Mitis, QC
This government is arrogant. It thinks it has a monopoly on the truth. In a democracy, its not uncommon to have different takes on the same reality. Infallibility is to be found in Rome, not in Ottawa.
Will the Minister of Public Works confirm that his government once again intends to exceed the spirit of the legislation on political party funding, as happened in the 1995 referendum campaign with Option Canada?
Alfonso Gagliano LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, we have no intention to exceed any legislation, electoral or other.
What we are saying is that, as the Government of Canada, we are entitled, and Canadians are entitled to know the facts as they are and not the versions the separatists want them to hear.
So if they spread untruths, we will clarify things. That is what we are saying.
I would like to tell the member that if she wants to tell me about the honeymoon of the Bloc Quebecois and the Reform Party, I would be happy to spread that around Canada.
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC
Mr. Speaker, not only is the Minister of Public Works and main organizer of the Liberal Party in Quebec responsible for the CIO, but now he is also co-ordinating all government publicity.
What is the reason behind this odd co-incidence, which means that the main organizer of the Liberal Party in Quebec now has responsibility for the entire federal government propaganda machine?
Alfonso Gagliano LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, I see that separatist Bloc members are beginning to get worried even though the election campaign is not yet under way in Quebec. Can you imagine what they will be like when it begins?
As president of the cabinet communications committee, I co-ordinate the government's activities and information and ensure that all ministers of the Canadian government speak with one voice. It is not a propaganda machine. Propaganda is part of the mentality of the separatist Bloc members who want—
Canada Information OfficeOral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
Order, please. The hon. member for Verchères now has the floor.
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC
Mr. Speaker, does this mean the main organizer of the Liberal Party in Quebec is telling us that Ottawa does not trust Jean Charest any more than it trusted Daniel Johnson and that it prefers to run the next election campaign in Quebec itself?
Alfonso Gagliano LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we have great confidence in Jean Charest. It was the separatist Bloc members who began attacking Jean Charest, even while he was still a member in this House, as soon as he announced his intention to run for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Quebec and to become the next premier of that province.
We have nothing to learn from these members, who are here for one reason only, and that is to break up Canada.
Bill Blaikie NDP Winnipeg—Transcona, MB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister.
The post-TAGS package that has been offered by the Liberals and that has been made public in recent days shows that the government just does not seem to get the severity of the crisis, of the social catastrophe, that is facing our coastal communities. Many thousands of Canadian families and their communities are facing a form of extinction.
When will the government appreciate the full gravity of the situation? When will it commit the kind of political will and resources that it has not yet being willing to do?
Or, is this most recent proposal just as trial balloon sent up to make Brian Tobin look like a hero when he eventually negotiates an increase in this inadequate sum?
The Atlantic Groundfish StrategyOral Question Period
Bonavista—Trinity—Conception Newfoundland & Labrador
Liberal
Fred Mifflin LiberalMinister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows that the government is not in the habit of responding to media speculation. The hon. member also knows that members on this side of the House are working very hard and very assiduously with the provincial governments to come up with a program.
The government is working flat out to finalize a program to restructure the fishery and to reorganize the program in such a way that those who are in need will get the necessary adjustment programs.
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
Mr. Speaker, that is why, with remarks like that from the veterans affairs minister, the people of Atlantic Canada have no trust in the government.
The government has had six years to come up with a comprehensive package for the people on the east coast and those in Quebec.
Why is the government abandoning its responsibility for the people on the east coast? Why, in God's name, will it not do something for those people now?
The Atlantic Groundfish StrategyOral Question Period
Bonavista—Trinity—Conception Newfoundland & Labrador
Liberal
Fred Mifflin LiberalMinister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)
Mr. Speaker, I assume with that rhetoric there is some emotion. I know there is a lot of emotion; I live in Atlantic Canada and I have relatives in the business.
The government's record for looking after those in the fishery is pretty good and I expect it will continue to be in the future.
Scott Brison Progressive Conservative Kings—Hants, NS
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the share value of Canada's dollar hit record lows.
Our floating exchange rate is being used by this government as a camouflage for flawed domestic economic policies. One of the forces exerting downward force on the Canadian dollar is that 20% of Canada's debt matured this year and yet this government has yet to commit to firm debt reduction targets.
When will this government commit to those firm debt reduction targets that would send out the appropriate message?
Tony Valeri LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, there are a number of factors that have been impacting on the performance of the dollar recently, lower commodity prices and the uncertainty about economic developments in some Asian countries.
However, let us be clear that the underlying fundamentals are behind a Canadian economy that remains strong. The OECD, for example, estimates that Canada will have the best fiscal performance in the entire G-7. Output and employment growth have been robust and inflation continues to be low. We are on a track that will continue to see this country grow right into the next millennium because the fundamentals are right.
Scott Brison Progressive Conservative Kings—Hants, NS
Mr. Speaker, this government's leadership is sounding very similar to the former leadership in Indonesia, blaming the guys in red suspenders for the weakness in the Canadian dollar.
I would ask this government to do what it has done over the past four years and take advice from a Conservative because this government has used Conservative policies, including free trade, the GST and the deregulation of financial services in transportation, to reduce the deficit.
I now beseech this government to again take advice from a Conservative and provide this country with the leadership it needs. We need reduced taxes and we need a commitment to lower debt to provide the strength for the Canadian dollar in the long term.
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, if we took advice from the Conservatives we would still have a $42 billion deficit. If we took advice from the Conservatives we would still have unemployment at least 3% higher than we have today. If we took advice from the Conservatives we would have record high interest rates and inflation.
Canadians say to the Conservatives no thank you, they do not need any more of that kind of advice.
Art Hanger Reform Calgary Northeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, in the videotape of Private Dickey's interrogation or interview by military police officers she was told that the investigation would be dropped or suspended unless she came up with more evidence of sexual abuse.
What kind of investigative unit would ask the victim to go out and gather her own evidence in order to bring her attacker to trial?
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the investigation continues as confirmed by the chief provost marshal, the head of the national investigative service. Why does the hon. member not let the investigation continue and at the end of the investigation questions of that sort, if necessary, can be gone into further?
Art Hanger Reform Calgary Northeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, the hon. Deputy Prime Minister should have informed the defence minister of that caution before he spoke out to the media.
This investigation sucks. I was an investigator with the police department for 12 years and the investigation conducted by the NIS is shoddy at best. Victims of sexual assault need to know that their complaint is going to be handled fairly and professionally.
How can any victim of sexual assault be convinced that their complaints will be properly—
National DefenceOral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
I urge all hon. members to be cautious in their use of language both in the questions and in the answers.
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I am sure that when the hon. member was a police officer conducting investigations for 12 years he did not engage in a debate with third parties and the press about how he was doing his work.
I ask the hon. member to apply to this situation the same approach he took in conducting his investigations, not conducting and debating them with third parties but carrying on his work so that the investigation would not be prejudiced.
Why is he asking in a way that is aimed at prejudicing the investigation instead of letting it come out with a fair and reasonable conclusion based on the investigation?
Yvan Bernier Bloc Bonaventure—Gaspé—Îles-De-La-Madeleine—Pabok, QC
Mr. Speaker, this morning, we read in the papers that the government is about to announce a $550 million program to replace TAGS.
This paltry measure represents only 25% of the previous program and is considered definitely insufficient by angry fishing communities.
Is the deputy prime minister aware that a mere $550 million to replace the Altantic Groundfish Strategy will not nearly be enough to placate the angry and dispirited fishers from the Magdalen Islands, from the Gaspé area and—
Atlantic Groundfish StrategyOral Question Period
The Speaker
The hon. Minister of Veterans Affairs.