House of Commons Hansard #6 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was quebec.
Hélène Alarie Bloc Louis-Hébert, QC
Mr. Speaker, does the Prime Minister realize that, if the safety of genetically altered foods cannot be guaranteed, this industry will lose the trust of consumers at home and abroad?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, the regulatory and approval processes that are used to determine the safety of food applications in Canada are based on science, the best science available today.
The science process is approved by the World Health Organization, by the FAO and by all international bodies. It is peer tested science and we use it to judge the safety of any applications. Nothing is approved unless it passes that stringent safety assessment.
Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC
Mr. Speaker, access to information is a fundamental right of all Canadians.
I have in my possession a letter from the information commissioner which reveals that the Minister of National Defence routinely delayed release of access by several months so that his staff could prepare speaking notes for the minister.
Why did the Minister of National Defence put his own political interests above the legal rights of all Canadians?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure that people get the access to information they are entitled to just as quickly as they can.
I only asked that I be informed so that I could respond to any concerns that might be raised by members of the House or by the public. I certainly have made it very clear to the Department of National Defence and to all my staff that access to information regulations are to be fully followed and information is to be provided as quickly as possible. That is being done.
Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC
Mr. Speaker, the minister told his executive assistant to tell departmental officials not to respond to access requests until the minister's spin doctors were finished with them.
The information commissioner said in his letter to me that this action was improper interference. Improper interference is very serious for a minister of the crown.
I will ask the minister again. Why did he put his own political interests above that of the right of Canadians to access to information? Why?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, the member has it all wrong. If the member wants the letter from me to the department and to my staff indicating exactly the opposite, I am quite happy to provide it.
Caroline St-Hilaire Bloc Longueuil, QC
Mr. Speaker, federal public servants have been waiting 15 years for pay equity.
In 1993, the Prime Minister promised to honour the decision of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. The government certainly has the money to pay its employees. Finally, today, the Treasury Board lost its fourth legal appeal. Enough is enough.
Will the President of the Treasury Board formally undertake today to stop using the courts and to pay public servants without further delay?
Lucienne Robillard LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure
Mr. Speaker, I formally undertake to respect the principle of pay equity.
That having been said, we must be allowed the time to go through the decision carefully in order to understand the impact and to conduct the necessary consultations. However, I can tell public servants that they will hear what this government plans to do in a few days.
Raymond Bonin Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
Mr. Speaker, as host country for the 8th Sommet de la Francophonie, Canada welcomed heads of state and of government from more than 40 countries.
Can the Secretary of State for the Francophonie tell the House to what extent Canada took advantage of the summit as a forum for getting certain countries to make commitments relating to human rights?
Ronald J. Duhamel LiberalSecretary of State (Western Economic Diversification) (Francophonie)
Mr. Speaker, Canada was able to exchange views on a number of issues such as democratization and the respect of human rights.
As well, Canada saw that its concerns and intentions relating to these issues were raised in the Moncton declaration.
Canada has shared the parallel summit's documentation with all delegations that were in attendance. I can assure my colleagues that Canada had a hand in the progress of democracy at the Moncton Summit.
John Nunziata Independent York South—Weston, ON
Mr. Speaker, here we go again. Cable TV rates are going up again. Rogers Cable has announced an increase of $1.90 a month, well in excess of the rate of inflation. This is what happens when we have a monopoly: consumers get hosed, consumers get gouged.
My question is for the minister responsible for the CRTC, the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Will she step in and block this unconscionable increase? Will she go to bat for consumers and ensure that cable companies do not willy-nilly increase rates to the detriment of consumers?
Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, first, I thank the hon. member for his question. Second, as a lawyer the hon. member will know that there is a process for objection to rate increases and I encourage him to follow the legal process.
John Nunziata Independent York South—Weston, ON
Mr. Speaker, the minister is responsible for the CRTC. The CRTC has a track record of supporting cable companies over consumers.
I am asking the minister to use her authority as the Minister of Canadian Heritage to stop these unconscionable increases in cable TV rates.
Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, as a lawyer the member will know that in fact the CRTC is a quasi-judicial body and as such it would be very inappropriate for me to interfere with it.
Leon Benoit Reform Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, after processing only four of the six hundred migrants who arrived on our shores this summer, the IRB has denied all four refugee claims and then released them. I want to repeat that. It has deemed they are not refugees and then released them.
It would seem that the government is determined to assist the efforts of organized crime by releasing claimants whether or not they are refugees. How could the minister allow bogus refugees to be released in Canada, knowing that they are likely to disappear?
Elinor Caplan LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I want to make it very clear to this member and to everyone that I deplore human smuggling. I am very concerned about the welfare of the people who are in the hands of those smugglers.
The IRB is an independent quasi judicial process. It has assured me that it will accelerate the determination procedure. The department is making arguments to detain those individuals on the grounds that there is fear of flight until we have their identity and know who they are, or if there are criminal proceedings. That is the law.
Leon Benoit Reform Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, the government should be taking control of this issue. Already one of the four bogus refugees has disappeared and the rest are sure to follow. The minister thinks it is okay to detain claimants until they are deemed not to be refugees and then let them go.
This does not make sense to me. It does not make sense to most Canadians. Can the minister explain how this makes sense to her?
Elinor Caplan LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, unlike the Reform Party, the government is determined to enforce the charter of rights not just for some of the people some of the time, but for all of the people in Canada all of the time. Part of that procedure is to allow the IRB to do its work and make its decisions.
The department will continue to argue before an adjudicator to detain when we believe the detention is warranted. However, it is a quasi judicial, independent body and we will not interfere with its process.
Dick Proctor NDP Palliser, SK
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
The minister seems to be sending out conflicting signals as to whether or not there will be any additional funding over and above the AIDA money for hard-pressed prairie farmers. For example, last week following the meeting with the counterparts from Saskatchewan and Manitoba, the hon. minister hinted that the generous support payments in Europe and the United States could result in some new money for Canadian farmers.
Will there be any new money before Christmas for prairie farmers to help them through the worst financial crisis in more than 60 years?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, I made a number of changes to the net income stabilization account program and to the crop insurance program. We have also made some changes to the agricultural income disaster assistance program as time has gone on.
The hon. member knows that I have had discussions with the safety net advisory committee. We are looking at some more possible changes to that program as time goes on.
Dick Proctor NDP Palliser, SK
Mr. Speaker, this issue is really of critical importance everywhere in rural and urban Manitoba and Saskatchewan. It is sufficiently important that two agriculture ministers were here last week to meet with the minister. It is important enough that the premiers of Manitoba and Saskatchewan are expected to be here next week to press the case.
This issue goes far beyond partisan politics and deserves a clear, straightforward answer. Will any new moneys be made available for prairie farmers before the end of this year, yes or no?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is obviously not listening. I just said that we have been consulting with the two new recently appointed ministers and the other provincial ministers and with the safety net advisory committee. We are looking at possible changes that, if made, will certainly assist farmers before Christmas, as the AIDA program is already doing. We are making it as flexible and innovative as possible.
Elsie Wayne Progressive Conservative Saint John, NB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Veterans Affairs.
It is time for justice for the merchant mariners. The merchant navy suffered the highest loss of life ratio versus any arm of the armed forces in World War II. If they had received a $1,000 benefit in 1946 it would be worth $21,000 today.
When will the minister deliver a fair and dignified compensation package to the merchant mariners so they will not be forced into another hunger strike?
George Baker LiberalMinister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)
Mr. Speaker, I have discussed the matter with the Merchant Navy Coalition, the Merchant Navy War Veterans Association, the Royal Canadian Legion and the National Council of War Veterans Associations.
This is under discussion, as all matters are under discussion concerning veterans, because we want to maintain our international standing as giving the best services to our veterans compared to any nation in the world.
Elsie Wayne Progressive Conservative Saint John, NB
Mr. Speaker, I have heard that old tune before from the previous minister.
The press reported last week that the government is considering a compensation package of only $5,000 to $14,000 per merchant mariner. This $5,000 amounts to 25 cents for each day these men have waited for the last 54 years. It is an insult to them.
Will the minister inform the House today that he will give $20,000 compensation packages to the merchant mariners?