House of Commons Hansard #5 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was national.
Elinor Caplan LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the question because it gives me an opportunity to correct the record.
Ms. Mawani has served for 10 years as chair of the IRB. The House will note that this government was elected for the first time less than 10 years ago. It is true that her appointment is coming to an end and that there is a review under way for a successor.
David Price Progressive Conservative Compton—Stanstead, QC
Mr. Speaker, here is the minister's opportunity to keep at least one election promise, an open and accountable government. Maybe the minister will let the committee do this job as parliamentarians working within a parliamentary democracy for a change.
Elinor Caplan LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to point out to the hon. member that I had the opportunity to meet Ms. Mawani for the first time shortly after my appointment, when we discussed, appropriately, the procedures and policies of the board, which is an arm's length, quasi-judicial institution.
I want to say to the hon. member and to all Canadians that competence is the first criteria with this government's appointments.
David Pratt Liberal Nepean—Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Natural Resources.
Quite recently I attended a meeting at Nepean City Hall where a number of citizens expressed concern about the safety of transporting a MOx fuel sample through their communities. What is the federal government doing to address these concerns and to ensure that those who live along the transportation route will not be subject to unnecessary risk?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, our approach to MOx fuel testing is a foreign policy initiative to help, if we can, rid the world of nuclear weapons.
A proposed testing of a very small amount of plutonium oxide is fully governed by Canadian laws to protect health, safety and the environment. Let me emphasize that this is a test only.
With respect to transportation, plans have been published, local officials have been briefed, public open houses have been held and a 28 day public comment period has just concluded. Transport Canada will review all of that input to satisfy itself that the public interest is properly safeguarded.
Garry Breitkreuz Reform Yorkton—Melville, SK
Mr. Speaker, the health minister has rejected the standing committee's recommendations to establish a national registry for organ transplants. The minister's office said it did not have time to fully explore the financial implications of such a proposal. That is not unusual for the minister when it comes to setting up registries. His gun registry is already 300% over budget.
Can the minister tell us whether the $275 million his government has spent on a gun registry would have been better spent on an organ donor registry that would actually save lives?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, the member can always be relied upon to get his facts wrong, always. It is no surprise that he would ask the question he has just put.
The committee did not recommend a national organ donor registry; the committee recommended a national effort by all governments working together to increase the rate of organ donation in this country by taking specific concrete steps.
We have accepted those recommendations. We are working to achieve them. The provinces have agreed that it will happen. By November we will have a working plan to make sure it does.
Once again the Reform Party is completely out to lunch.
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Indian Affairs intimated last week that the Marshall decision went beyond the issue of fishing rights for native peoples and included all natural resources, namely forestry, the gathering of wild fruits and the extraction of natural resources.
My very simple question is for the Deputy Prime Minister. Is the government's position the one put forward by the minister?
Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development is meeting with the aboriginal communities from Atlantic Canada right now. We are doing what we said we would do, which is to have a dialogue and make sure that we talk.
The supreme court ruling clearly said that there is a treaty right for fishing, for gathering and for hunting. We respect that right. Now we need to make sure that we get around the table and start working with the parties that are affected, including the provincial governments, to come to a long term solution.
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the minister responsible for homelessness if she thinks we will face another winter of deaths on the streets because of a lack of action by her government on housing.
After her cross-country tour Canadians have a right to know what she will recommend in her report and why her report is not public.
After all the fanfare last spring the government now seems intent on clawing back people's expectations.
What are her recommendations and what action will the government take to end homelessness?
Claudette Bradshaw LiberalMinister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, as I have explained to the hon. member on several occasions, the responsibility that the Prime Minister gave to me was to co-ordinate the issue of homelessness because of all the reports that were coming in to our offices. It is not a task force report.
What the staff and I are doing is taking all of the recommendations that were received and I will be presenting to caucus and to our members the recommendations I received through reports coming in as well from my trip.
I have to say that the support I received from cabinet and caucus members—
André Harvey Progressive Conservative Chicoutimi, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health.
The cuts in health care have created totally unacceptable problems.
Could the minister tell us whether the fact that people are obliged to wait two, four, six and eight weeks for operations is in accordance with Canada Health Act?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the hon. member that, a few months ago, in the budget for this year, we increased transfers to the provinces by $11.5 billion, and the provinces promised that the additional funds would be used for health.
It is now up to provincial health ministers to use this money and to reorganize health care services to ensure that the services are available to the public.
Aileen Carroll Liberal Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, ON
Mr. Speaker, I understand that endangered species legislation will be brought forward this session as was mentioned in the throne speech. Can the minister assure us that critical habitat will be protected within this legislation?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to assure the hon. member that the endangered species legislation or species at risk legislation will be brought forward during this session. I trust it will be passed before June of next year. It is critical that this legislation include provisions for habitat because habitat is the critical factor for probably 75% of the endangered species recovery program. Without the habitat we do not have the species.
I can assure the member that we will be bearing her remarks and her proposal in mind when this legislation comes forward.
Garry Breitkreuz Reform Yorkton—Melville, SK
Mr. Speaker, last week in the House the solicitor general declared: “Fighting organized crime is the number one law enforcement priority of the government”. The Canadian Police Association recently referred to organized crime in Canada as an epidemic.
If fighting organized crime is the number one priority of the government, can the solicitor general please explain why it spends hundreds of millions to register shotguns owned by duck hunters rather than improving public safety by giving the RCMP the resources it needs to fight organized crime?
Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, and I am pleased my hon. colleague is well aware, this government has indicated that it will give the RCMP the tools to do the job. For example, we gave CPIC $115 million to make sure it was brought up to date. We put $18 million into a DNA databank. I am very pleased the opposition has come to realize that this government is fighting organized crime.
Pierre De Savoye Bloc Portneuf, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government has known since at least last March that it must appoint a new CEO of the CBC, the most important cultural institution in Canada and in Quebec.
But, since that time, the position has been filled only on an acting basis, apparently because the Prime Minister is under political pressure.
My question is for the Deputy Prime Minister. Does the minister agree that, for the good of the CBC, it is imperative that a transparent selection process be put in place to pick this important cultural steward and that competence be the sole criterion?
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, an appointment will soon be made and I hope that the hon. member will be satisfied with our competence-based appointment.
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Co-operation. Last month at the time of the devastating earthquake in Taiwan, many countries, including the United States, Germany, Japan and Russia immediately sent search and rescue teams. Why did the Liberal government refuse to send Vancouver's respected urban search and rescue team both to help in the rescue and to get badly needed experience? And, why did the Government of Canada not strongly refuse China's outrageous interference with the delivery of humanitarian aid at this time of need in Taiwan?
Maria Minna LiberalMinister for International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, aid to Taiwan was not affected at all by China. We acted immediately with respect to financial aid, which we distributed to a number of local organizations in Taiwan as well as to the Red Cross.
With respect to the issue of search and rescue, directly supporting development of the search and rescue team has not been part of CIDA's practice in the past. However, as the new minister I have actually reviewed this policy.
We are in the process of communicating with the Vancouver search and rescue team. I am hoping that if there is any need in the future we will be in a position to deploy them.
Derek Lee 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 response to 11 petitions.
Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-7, an act to amend the Criminal Records Act and to amend another act in consequence.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform the House that this bill is in the same form as Bill C-69 in the previous session at the time of prorogation. I request that it be reinstated to the stage it had reached at prorogation, pursuant to order made Thursday, October 14, 1999.