Debates of Oct. 20th, 1999

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, this government is well aware of the funding problem with the RCMP. That is why the treasury board conducted a review in co-operation with the RCMP.

I can also tell my hon. colleague that had he listened to the Speech from the Throne, he would have also heard that this government is even further committed to supporting the RCMP and law enforcement agencies across the country.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister has just said that this a great day for swindlers, crooks, thieves and con artists. It is open season.

When the police admit that they lack the financial resources to enforce our laws, what signal does this send to criminals? Swindle the public and if they are caught, nothing will happen.

If that is the best answer the solicitor general can give to resolve this problem, perhaps he should step aside and let someone else come in and do the job decently.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, unless I am mistaken, my hon. colleague has a hearing problem. That is not what I said at all. I said that this government is committed to the RCMP and law enforcement across the country. I said that had he listened to the Speech from the Throne, he would understand how committed the government is.

Air Transportation

[André Bachand, Progressive Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, now that all the players in the airline industry affair have put their cards on the table, and so that consumers in this country do not become the real victims of this war for the skies, will the Minister of Industry promise not to extend the suspension deadline so that the Competition Bureau can do its work and protect the interests of Canadians?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, our use of a section 47 order in council was a success. Shareholders now have a number of proposals to consider. We will consider the facts when it becomes necessary to do so, in other words at the end of the 90-day period.

[André Bachand, Progressive Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, one has to wonder if there has not been preferential treatment in this affair. What we are asking for is that consumer protection come first. It is time this government put individual citizens back at the centre of the decision-making process in all its undertakings.

Will November 9 mark the end of the suspension, at which time the Competition Bureau can resume its function and study the matter fully?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, the member may think the Competition Bureau does not have a role to play. That is not the case. The Competition Bureau continues to play a key role in analyzing this matter. It is now in the process of responding to a request from the Minister of Transport and its role will continue during and after the 90-day period.

Pensions

[Gurbax Malhi, Liberal, Bramalea—Gore—Malton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development.

At the end of September the federal government announced that old age security benefit rates for October, November and December 1999 will be $417.42 per month.

Can the minister explain why the old age security benefit has been increased only slightly despite a rise in the consumer price index?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, under the old age security program, benefits are indexed quarterly against the CPI. There is a slight delay between any increases in the CPI and the changes to the old age security benefits. I can assure the hon. member that the August and September increases in the CPI will be reflected in the January 2000 cheques.

Aboriginal Affairs

[John Cummins, Reform, Delta—South Richmond, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Indian affairs minister has said that the impact of the Marshall decision extends to other resources. He said, “Treaties are obviously an opportunity to share resources”.

The 1760 treaty imposed restrictions on the Mi'kmaq's right to trade. It even required that they provide hostages as a guarantee that they would live up to the terms of the treaty, a treaty which did not mention fish or access to any other resources.

The Marshall decision cries out for clarification. Why will the minister not join the West Nova Fishermen's Coalition in seeking clarification of this confusing decision?

[Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member would read the supreme court judgment, he would see it clearly says that there is treaty right for fishing, gathering and hunting. That is pretty clear in that judgment. It also says this treaty right is a regulated right and not an unfettered right.

Certainly we are working with all the groups to make sure that we have a resolution that we can all live with. That is why we have a federal representative working with all the groups at this time.

Organized Crime

[Pierrette Venne, Bloc, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the president of the Canadian Police Association sounded an alarm, criticizing the lack of resources for conducting the necessary investigations into death threats against parliamentarians and private citizens. The Government of Quebec, for its part, has increased the resources available to fight organized crime.

What does the minister intend to do about the glaring lack of resources for fighting organized crime?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I believe I just responded to that question.

The treasury board conducted a review. This government is fully aware of the funding problem. My hon. colleague should realize that the Speech from the Throne indicated quite clearly that this government has a strong commitment to law enforcement agencies. It also deals with the SQ and other police forces across the country in order to combat organized crime.

Airline Industry

[Jim Jones, Progressive Conservative, Markham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in addition to the European Union probing Canada's airline mergers, the United States also is concerned about its impact under the Canada-U.S. open skies agreement. Why can the government not be clear with Canadians on this question?

My question is for the industry minister. Is he going to extend section 47 beyond the 90 days? Yes or no?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, the order under section 47 is in effect. The question of whether it would be renewed or extended is premature.

International Development

[Mac Harb, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as a result of the economic downturn of the early 1990s, Canada's contribution to international development assistance declined to below our traditional level of contribution. As a result of the better economic situation now, can the minister assure the House of her commitment to increase Canada's contribution to international development assistance?

[Eugène Bellemare, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, for 50 years Canada has contributed substantially by progress to the improvement of living conditions in developing countries.

The government remains committed to international aid. It pledged that it would be increasing international development assistance as stated in the Speech from the Throne. There is always more to be done in developing countries and the government is committed to doing more.

Devco

[Michelle Dockrill, NDP, Bras D'Or, NS]

Mr. Speaker, this Liberal government has wreaked havoc on Cape Breton miners and their children, including Billy Martin of Glace Bay who has worked for Devco for 26 years and will not qualify for a pension.

I would like to ask the minister about Billy's kids and all the other miners' children whose parents have had their lives ripped apart by this government. Chris, Jason and Billy Junior are watching today. I want the minister to tell them what this government is going to do for them and all the other children whose parents will not get a pension from this government.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, in addition to the human resources package announced at the time of the announcement of the Phalen mine closure, we also indicated that there were two other equally important components in the package. One was the attempt to privatize the Prince mine with the objective of maintaining up to 500 jobs in the coal mining business on Cape Breton Island. The other was $68 million for an economic development fund to find a new and more viable economic future for the people of Cape Breton.

Aboriginal Affairs

[John Cummins, Reform, Delta—South Richmond, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Marshall decision of the supreme court leaves little but confusion in its wake. Who the decision applies to and the place of currently licensed fishermen and non-status natives in the new fishery are much open to question. The minister suggests they negotiate compromises to settle these issues, but rejects outright that non-status natives are covered by the treaty.

Does the possibility the courts could make non-status natives have access to treaty rights influence the government's negotiating decisions today?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, I answer in my capacity as the federal interlocutor for Metis and off reserve Indians.

The supreme court judgment in the Marshall case was not totally precise in defining exactly who all the potential beneficiaries of the historic treaties would be.

On Friday the Government of Canada announced that we were appointing a federal representative to negotiate and discuss with all of the affected parties. Obviously we will want to ensure in the course of those discussions that the appropriate representation of aboriginal people in the Atlantic region is consulted about this matter so that all the views and all the relevant information can be on the table, rather than speculating in a vacuum.

Genetically Altered Foods

[Hélène Alarie, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since 1994 the government has had in its possession several surveys carried out on its behalf indicating that 80% to 95% of Canadians support or demand the labelling of genetically altered foods.

Surveys by other organizations have confirmed this.

My question is for the Minister of Agriculture. Why does the minister continue to ignore the clear wishes of the public and refuse to provide it with accurate labelling information on genetically altered foods?

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I remind the hon. member that just three or four weeks ago the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors as well as the Standards Council of Canada, the Consumers' Association of Canada, processors and producers began work on a set of criteria that could be used for the labelling of genetically modified food in Canada.

Persons With Disabilities

[Wendy Lill, NDP, Dartmouth, NS]

Mr. Speaker, we learned yesterday that the provincial government in Nova Scotia stopped a $700,000 program to improve access to public buildings for persons with disabilities. This coincides with news federally that the request for a permanent subcommittee on the status of persons with disabilities has been turned down. In light of the draconian cuts by the Nova Scotia government, we need strong federal leadership more than ever to ensure the rights of the disabled.

Without a committee to deal exclusively with the critical issues of the disabled, how can the minister assure us that these issues will not go right back to where they were before, and that is at the bottom of the heap?

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, questions about how committees are structured in the House are handled by House leaders at House leaders meetings that are held every week. The hon. member knows that and she should raise it with her own House leader.