House of Commons Hansard #122 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was competition.
Rob Anders Reform Calgary West, AB
Mr. Speaker, when Trudeau gave the west the finger at least he had the courage to do it in person.
When this Prime Minister gave Albertans the Trudeau salute by appointing another unelected hack to the vacant Alberta Senate seat, he did it from the golf course.
Why did the PM not have the courage to be in Alberta when he sabotaged democracy instead of slapping us in the face from an Ottawa golf course?
Jean Chrétien Liberal Saint-Maurice, QC
Mr. Speaker, at one time we had a chance in the House and in the nation to vote for an elected Senate. The people who opposed the Charlottetown accord were those on the side of the House who refused to support an election of the Senate. I have to respect the constitution and I will not—
The SenateOral Question Period
The Speaker
We want to listen to the questions and the answers.
Jean Chrétien Liberal Saint-Maurice, QC
Mr. Speaker, I named a gentleman who, in the words of the premier of Alberta, Ralph Klein, is a fine Canadian who has done a tremendous amount for world peace and he is an impeccable parliamentarian.
I am very proud that Doug Roche will be in the other house.
Pauline Picard Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, after permitting a glimmer of hope of a settlement of the hepatitis C matter, last week the Minister of Health closed the door on any further federal involvement in compensation.
How can the minister accept his government's coming up with $750 million for used submarines, nearly a billion dollars for renovations to the Parliament buildings and not one cent for the victims of hepatitis C?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, that is not true. Last Friday, we proposed specific measures with $525 million of federal money to help people who contracted hepatitis C from a blood transfusion.
This was the federal government's proposal to the provincial ministers, and I am awaiting Mr. Rochon's response.
Bev Desjarlais NDP Churchill, MB
Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Prime Minister.
Last night talks with the public service alliance broke down because the government demanded rollbacks and concessions in return for pay equity.
Human rights are not negotiable. Pay equity is not a bargaining chip, it is a legal right under the Human Rights Act.
When will the government stop violating the human rights of Canadians?
Marcel Massé LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the basis for the conciliation board was established and negotiations on pay equity have not been interrupted. Tomorrow there is a meeting between the union and the government on pay equity.
I agree that a negotiated settlement would be the best way to solve that problem. I ask my colleague to plead with the union to offer to workers the offer we have left on the table.
The union has refused to propose to its employees—
Gilles Bernier Progressive Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
Mr. Speaker, generally, when the Prime Minister sees fit, in a matter of great importance, to become involved in an area that comes under the responsibility of one of his ministers, he consults the minister in question in order to determine the best way to proceed.
My question is for the Solicitor General. Did the Prime Minister consult him before ordering the RCMP to violate the constitutional freedom of expression and assembly of a group of students during the APEC summit last year?
Andy Scott Liberal Fredericton, NB
Mr. Speaker, again the hon. member opposite shows a tremendous misunderstanding as to how this works.
The reality is that the security questions are handled by the RCMP specific to the kinds of questions that are being investigated by the public complaints commission. The public complaints commission is going to get to the bottom of this. That is what parliament has mandated it to do and I have every confidence it will do it well.
John Harvard Liberal Charleswood—Assiniboine, MB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board.
I am sure the minister has heard through the media the American allegation that the so-called subsidized Canadian grain has flooded U.S. markets. It is further alleged that this is disrupting American grain prices and hurting American farmers.
Is there a scintilla of truth to these allegations?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, the allegations are not true. There has been no export subsidy with respect to Canadian grain since the western grain transportation act was repealed in 1995, and the volume flows are completely normal, in the range of 1.6 million tonnes or so which has been the long term average.
What is interesting and really intriguing in this cross-border controversy is that both the governor of North Dakota and that state's major farm organization have publicly applauded the Canadian Wheat Board and are looking for ways to join forces with the Canadian Wheat Board in tackling global markets.
Diane Ablonczy Reform Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have just received some very alarming news. The top independent watchdog for the Canada pension plan was secretly fired just weeks before his major three year review of the Canada pension plan is due.
Why did the government fire Canada's top CPP watchdog? What is it afraid of?
Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, first of all, there was nothing secret about this. The office of the superintendent of financial institutions has stated that there were management differences between him and the chief actuary. Those are matters internal to the public service and to OSFI. That is what happened.
Antoine Dubé Bloc Lévis, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec, the City of Montreal and business leaders agree: the Montreal Convention Centre needs to be expanded and renovated. The project has been at a standstill for nearly a year now, because a response from the federal government is still not forthcoming.
Can the secretary of state responsible for regional development in Quebec tell us what is keeping him from responding to the consensus in Quebec?
Martin Cauchon LiberalSecretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)
Mr. Speaker, obviously, the question of the Convention Centre is an important one to the government.
The economic fallout from the Convention Centre is recognized by this side of the House, where we are working like mad to make it possible for some form of agreement to be reached on the matter of the Convention Centre.
While addressing the question of the Montreal Convention Centre, however, it must also be kept in mind that there are other requests from pretty well all over Quebec and Canada. As a result, this request has to be looked at from a national point of view.
It is unfortunate that the Government of Quebec had a so-called infrastructure program that they did not make use of for such an important project.
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on the APEC summit.
According to a memo written by Canada's ambassador to Indonesia, our Minister of Foreign Affairs apologized to Indonesia's foreign minister for the anti-Suharto poster campaign in Canada, saying that it was “outrageous, excessive and not the way Canadians behave”.
Will the minister now apologize to Canadian students and indeed to all Canadians—
Apec SummitOral Question Period
The Speaker
The hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Lloyd Axworthy LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, one thing the hon. member conveniently forgets is that during the APEC conference this government provided substantial financial support for the people's summit where all kinds of groups that had opposition to APEC had an opportunity to come together to voice their concerns. Ministers met with that group. They passed on the message to the leaders of APEC so that full open discussion could take place.
It is about time the hon. member started recognizing the truth.
Gilles Bernier Progressive Conservative Tobique—Mactaquac, NB
Mr. Speaker, I have been a member of this House for one year now, and I am proud of it.
Whenever we put a question to the solicitor general, we always get one of three answers: either it is before a committee, under investigation or before the courts.
My question is an easy one. Did the Prime Minister consult the solicitor general before ordering the spraying of students with pepper gas, or did he simply bypass him because he knew those actions were illegal?
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation SummitOral Question Period
Fredericton New Brunswick
Liberal
Andy Scott LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, it would seem to me that members who are representative of the political party that established the public complaints commission should understand its purpose.
I think all of the questions being put are being put specifically around this particular incident which is being investigated right now. It would be completely inappropriate to discuss any of the details around that investigation.
Peter Adams LiberalParliamentary 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 29 petitions. >
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, words cannot capture the shock that all Canadians felt when they learned that Swissair flight 111 had crashed into the ocean near Peggy's Cove bringing a sudden tragic end to the lives of over 200 people, including two of our fellow Canadians.
In one brief instant, a place known the world over for its great beauty was transformed into the site of an unspeakable tragedy. If words cannot express our emotions, they certainly cannot hope to express the pain of families and relatives suffering the loss of a son, daughter, father, mother, husband or wife.
We cannot bring them back to life, but I want the grieving to know that the Government of Canada is doing all it can to get to the bottom of this tragedy. We will spare no effort. We will solve this mystery and put to rest their burning questions. We cannot end their suffering. But I want to say how deeply proud Canadians are regarding the way the people of Nova Scotia reached out to them, the hard work put in by our incredible search and rescue teams, and the way the people around Peggy's Cove without hesitation got into their boats and went out to see if there was anything they could do, hopeful at first, only to find out that the victims were, in the end, in the hands of God.
We can be most proud of the comfort that Nova Scotians offered to the suffering families when they came to Peggy's Cove to mourn. They opened their hearts and their homes. They offered helping hands and a friendly ear. Mostly they were just there, perhaps feeling that what they could not do for the victims they could do for the families.
On behalf of the people of Canada I attended the memorial service in Halifax. I saw firsthand how moved the families were by this. One could tell even in their sadness that they knew everything humanly possible had been done. They will take this precious memory back to their homes.
I would like all members to join me in saluting this heroic and compassionate effort.
Preston Manning ReformLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness that I rise today as well to join with the government in extending our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those who perished on Swissair flight 111.
I think I echo the sentiments of all members that when these tragedies occur what we are primarily conscious of is that there simply are no words to say to people who have experienced that kind of tragedy.
What we can do, as the Prime Minister has said, is try to identify the cause of the accident so that perhaps similar tragedies can be averted in the future.
We would like to express our gratitude also to everyone who was involved in the search and rescue operations at Peggy's Cove. The search and rescue teams showed extraordinary bravery, compassion and professionalism that has made all of us and indeed all Canadians proud of their efforts.
We all hoped on the night of September 2 that survivors would be found. We now realize that the investigation and salvage will continue for some time.
Our thoughts now turn to those conducting the investigative aspects and operations and pray that they will have the strength and courage to carry out a very difficult operation and that they will find out exactly what happened to cause such a tragedy. We admire the investigative people as well for the strength, caring and compassion that they have shown, and not just toward the victims of this tragedy but also toward each other.
I want to thank all the search and rescue and investigative people on behalf of all Canadians but particularly on behalf of the victims and their families whose lives have been so tragically altered by this disaster.