Debates of Oct. 28th, 1999

Geneviève Jeanson

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of my constituents, a young lady who has brought honour, fame and pride to her home town of Lachine and in doing so has become an instant role model for all young Canadians.

I am, of course, referring to Geneviève Jeanson. She is quite a champion in the cycling world, in fact a two-time champion. Geneviève's exploit is a Canadian first in the history of road cycling: two junior cycling championships within the same week. Without a doubt, this is the sporting event of the year.

Geneviève's excellence, maturity, tenacity and great self-discipline are clear proof that one can go far without having lived long. We thank Geneviève for her presence in the gallery today to share her great success with us.

I invite all of my colleagues to give her a very warm welcome.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

French Language Television In Ontario

[Eugène Bellemare, Liberal, Carleton—Gloucester, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to read an excerpt from a telegram sent to TV Ontario in 1994.

It reads “Thank you so much for the essential role you play in the preservation and promotion of the French language. My sincere congratulations to you, on behalf of the Government of Quebec”. The telegram is signed Jacques Parizeau.

Today, the Bloc Quebecois is opposed to Ontario French language programming being broadcast in Quebec. What a contradiction.

Jon Sim

[Peter MacKay, Progressive Conservative, Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the House with extreme pride to congratulate Jon Sim, of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.

As a rookie member of the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League, Jon accomplished something only few Canadians could dream of: He played for a Stanley Cup winning team.

The people of Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough were honoured by his presence this summer, along with the Stanley Cup. It was an extremely exciting and extraordinary day of celebration that brought the entire community together. The citizens of New Glasgow lined the streets in his honour for his homecoming parade.

His family, friends and all Nova Scotians are proud of Jon and his historic feat.

In a fitting tribute, the Glasgow Stadium raised Jon's jersey in recognition of his great accomplishment.

A product of the Pictou county minor hockey system, Jon has gone on to make a name for himself as a tenacious and talented athlete.

On behalf of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada and the people of Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, I wish to extend best wises and congratulations to Jon Sim, a Stanley Cup champion.

Poverty

[René Canuel, Bloc, Matapédia—Matane, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is a source of dishonour for our society that, while our economy is in an excellent condition, poverty is increasing.

This contrast has a direct impact not only on people's physical and psychological health, but also on the chances for success in adult life of the child victims of this poverty.

Instead of putting an end to the considerable waste engendered by duplicating provincial programs, this government has taken advantage of the opportunity of the throne speech to infantilize the provinces and to make children the first victims of the increased federal visibility thus achieved.

Visibility is this government's middle name; it would rather make use of its spending power to gain visibility than to address the problems relating to poverty.

I beg this government to repair the damage it has done to social programs by giving funding back to the provinces and respecting their areas of jurisdiction.

Week Without Violence

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this past week was the YWCA's fourth annual week without violence.

In Canada this international event is exclusively sponsored by Clarica. In my riding of Kitchener Centre, the Community Safety and Crime Prevention Council joined with the YWCA of Kitchener—Waterloo to host a community leaders breakfast.

I commend these groups for their commitment to raising awareness about this important issue. Under the banner of “Share the Image of a Violence Free Society”, they have released a series of postcards in the Waterloo region with thought-provoking quotations and pictures.

Violent acts take place against all members of our society, in our homes, on our streets, in our schoolyards and even in the workplace.

Organizations such as the YWCA provide programs teaching men and women to express their feelings in a productive manner.

I encourage all members of the House to work with their communities to find local solutions to addressing violence, for, to quote Carl Bruehner, children “...may forget what you have said but they will never forget how you made them feel”.

Agriculture

[David Iftody, Liberal, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers are not being left alone to face the current income crisis.

The government has moved to the aid of Canadian farmers by providing $1.5 billion over two years through the agricultural income disaster assistance program, or AIDA.

So far 16,000 farmers across the country have received over $200 million in aid. This amounts to an average of $15,000 per farmer. However, we need to do a lot more.

Today Liberal MPs from Manitoba met an all-party delegation where we discussed changes to the AIDA program with the intention of getting urgently needed resources to the family farms. Over the next few weeks, we will be working closely with that same delegation to ensure that urgent resources move quickly to those farms in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Canadian Coast Guard

[Mark Muise, Progressive Conservative, West Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, while the Canadian Coast Guard continues to review its program for the purpose of reducing its budget deficit, West Nova fishers are left pondering whether Yarmouth's emergency helicopter service will still be operational in the future.

With the fishery being the cornerstone of West Nova's economy, it is imperative that the emergency service be available in a time of crisis.

A defence department review concluded that Canada's search and rescue operations were seriously impacted by the government's cutbacks. In particular, the report made reference to the erosion of support services provided by other departments, including Fisheries and Oceans.

Further exasperating this situation is the government's cancellation of the EH-101 which forced Canadians to absorb $500 million in penalties, a huge sum of money that could better have been spent on search and rescue programs.

It is time that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans immediately commit to maintaining this essential service.

Tuition Fees

[Charles Caccia, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the recent throne speech, the Canadian government committed itself to working together with its partners to remove all unjustifiable barriers to mobility within Canada.

However, the Quebec government is discriminating against university students from outside the province who want to pursue their education in Quebec by imposing higher tuition fees on them. That barrier must absolutely be eliminated in order to promote Canadian unity through exchanges involving young Canadians.

I therefore urge the Government of Canada to begin a dialogue with the provinces, and particularly Quebec, to remove this barrier that impedes young Canadians' mobility from coast to coast.

Homelessness

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the homelessness minister's claim in question period yesterday that everything was fine with emergency shelters is dead wrong.

Advocates across the country have confirmed to me that we face a desperate shortage of emergency shelters and another winter of death on the streets. I cannot believe that after spending this summer on a cross-country tour the minister is in denial about the extent of Canada's homelessness emergency.

The minister says her staff has been in touch with every community she visited, but the fact is shelters in Toronto and elsewhere in the country are already turning people away, even before winter moves in.

The Liberals have to face reality and take decisive action immediately. We need both a short term emergency solution to prevent death in the streets, and a national housing strategy for long term solutions.

It is a disgrace that despite having more than 100,000 homeless people Canada remains the only industrialized country without a national housing strategy.

Agriculture

[Howard Hilstrom, Reform, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the government is in denial about the severity of the farm crisis. As usual, the Prime Minister's response is don't worry, be happy. Imagine, Mr. Speaker, if all your expenses went up but your income went down 107%. That is what happened to Saskatchewan farmers and it is happening to Manitoba farmers.

We are not just talking about the average business that is in trouble. We are talking about Canada's national food supply. Why will the Prime Minister not help our farmers through this winter?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government, along with the provincial government, put $900 million on top of the program we had this year.

I met with the Premier of Saskatchewan and the Premier of Manitoba this morning. We looked at all elements of it and we looked at if we could adjust some of the programs, but it is a complex program and difficult to manage.

At least we are not like the Reform Party. We do not have in our program that there will be absolutely no subsidy for the farmer. At least we really care about the farmer.

[Howard Hilstrom, Reform, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, if the government would listen to Reform today, farmers would have the support they need.

Thousands of farmers have lost their farms and thousands more are hanging by a thread. These farmers are suffering through no fault of their own, but the Prime Minister still does not care or help would be there today.

If floods wiped out half the businesses in Shawinigan and if foreign subsidies were killing the other half, would there be help for Shawinigan today?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I am saying that $900 million on top of what we are spending is quite a lot of money for us, especially as we have some programs that are still there, and the Reform Party wants to cut them.

The difference between our position and their position is billions of dollars of help for farmers. They have the nerve to get up and tell us that we are doing nothing when they would do nothing at all for them.

[Howard Hilstrom, Reform, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, feeble attempts are not enough. Farmers are judging the government by its actions. They are judging by results. AIDA has been a complete waste of time.

Farmers want to see the Prime Minister fighting American and European subsidies. They want to see input taxes slashed. They want to see emergency compensation coming to help. Farmers need help now.

If the government does not step in, thousands of more farmers will be made homeless just before Christmas. Why is the Prime Minister refusing to help these farmers make it through the winter?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I have already said, and I repeat it today, that each time I had occasion to talk with the Americans I told them they were wrong to have this policy of subsidy.

Not only that. We are pushing to have it on the WTO agenda in Seattle next month. So we have been there all along, but the problem at this moment is that we have a very serious program with new money. I have Reformers in front of me who said to the people who voted for them in the last election that there would not be any subsidy for them if they formed the government.

[Gerry Ritz, Reform, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, western farm families have their backs against the wall this fall because of weather and foreign subsidies. These are hardly programs or conditions which they have any control over.

The government is in a position to help. The Prime Minister could put his foot down for once and fight those foreign subsidies. The finance minister could announce some tax cuts on inputs. The agriculture minister could start by announcing assistance for farmers that actually gets to them.

Why will the Prime Minister not take any concrete action to assist farmers?

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

Mr. Speaker, I guess the hon. member must have been away for a while.

We announced $900 million of new money last spring. That is on top of the $600 million that we have there each year. That is on top of the contributions of the provincial governments as well, for a total in the years 1998 and 1999 of $3.5 billion.

[Gerry Ritz, Reform, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, just a few minutes ago the Prime Minister categorized the AIDA program as complex and difficult to manage. That is their best shot at this program.

The agriculture minister used to be a farmer, yet he shows very little compassion for farmers. His best advice is for them to quit and retrain, a TAGS program for farmers. We know how well that worked.

Only 15% of the money is getting out there to farmers. If AIDA had worked, the premiers of Manitoba and Saskatchewan would not need to be here today. Why is the AIDA money sitting on the cabinet table instead of on the farmer's kitchen table?

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

Mr. Speaker, I might remind the hon. member that the money would have been out there sooner, but over 50% of the applications did not come in until after August 1.

If the applications do not come in they cannot be dealt with. We are dealing with them at the rate of 1,500 applications a week. Over $220 million has been put out to farmers already.

I assure the hon. member and the House that the $900 million in the AIDA fund will go to farmers. The applications are indicating that it will. They say $900 million is not meaningful. I think $900 million is meaningful. It is even more meaningful when the $600 million of provincial money goes with it, to make $1.5 billion.

Air Transportation

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since the Air Canada affair first came up, the Minister of Transport has described himself as a neutral observer. He has stated that there was never any meeting between himself and Onex officials.

But we now know that, on the eve of Onex's bid, one of his deputy ministers, Louis Ranger, met with Onex officials.

Did this deputy minister not act as an emissary for the minister, and deliver the following message “Make your offer and, if the regulatory framework is not suitable, we will see that it is changed”?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, on June 23, the president of Air Canada informed me of the bid to acquire Canadian International Airlines' foreign routes. He did so out of courtesy.

The same thing happened the day before Onex officially announced its bid. Mr. Milton observed the same courtesy two weeks ago, when Air Canada made its offer. There is nothing unusual in that.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is a very courteous man, who also has some good friends.

Speaking of good friends, we know that one of his friends, Mr. Schwartz, is no amateur when it comes to finance. There is no way he would have spent all that money, time and energy promoting his offer over a two month period if he had not had the promise, or guarantees, which boils down to the same thing, that the legislation would be amended in his favour.

Will the minister finally admit that he and his officials opened the door to Onex, failing which Mr. Schwartz would never have gone ahead with his offer?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, there was no promise from the Canadian government. I said the same thing yesterday.

With all due respect, I suggest that the hon. member put his questions to Mr. Schwartz at the committee meeting next week.

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Beauport—Montmorency—Orléans, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport keeps telling us that he did not have talks with Onex regarding the Air Canada/Canadian Airlines issue.

How can he explain that Air Canada's chief executive officer, Mr. Milton, told the transport committee yesterday that, in June, the Minister of Transport alluded a couple of times to a takeover of Air Canada and Canadian Airlines by an independent investor?