Debates of Oct. 29th, 1999

Canada Elections Act

[Antoine Dubé, Bloc, Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, subsequent to the Chief Electoral Officer's appearance before the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, Mr. Kingsley spoke of his displeasure at seeing this bill retain governmental appointment of returning officers.

My question is for the leader of the Government in the House. How can the minister explain his double-speak, saying on the one hand that the purpose of his bill is equity and transparency, while on the other hand maintaining government control over the appointment of the main officials involved?

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

Mr. Speaker, first of all, the hon. member opposite should realize that the system for appointing federal returning officers is the same as the one in place in all provinces. Quebec and the other provinces all have the same system.

The system is an excellent one. It has produced some excellent people who have directed this country's electoral system. Furthermore, in its 1991 report, the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform, or Lortie Commission, did not recommend the change proposed by the hon. member across the way.

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Cumberland—Colchester.

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker—

[The Speaker]

You know what, Bill? You are too small and I missed you.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Excuse me, it is Friday.

Trade

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

I know I am inconspicuous, Mr. Speaker. I will just have to eat more. I will have to do something about that at lunch.

My question is for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Trade, who I know is dying to be asked a question. What is the government's position going into negotiations in Seattle?

Everyone knows that Canada has now had its ability to legislate in the area of environment challenged by chapter 11 of the NAFTA. We have worries on the water front and on a number of other fronts.

Why does the government persist on going into these negotiations without asking, that whatever agreements it is a part of that there be no more chapter 11 investor state dispute mechanisms and, on top of that, that it seek to get rid of that in the NAFTA?

[Bob Speller, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for International Trade Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, as he was also part of the standing committee report, the Government of Canada, his caucus, our caucus and the House of Commons went across the country asking for Canadians' views on Seattle.

We are taking forward the views of exactly what we heard from Canadians across the country who told us that the most important thing for them was to make sure we had a rules based system, that for a country the size of Canada, and with the importance of international trade to our economy, that we had a system in place that was negotiated with the bigger countries in the world but that Canada could—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Cumberland—Colchester.

Airline Industry

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I think my question is quite appropriate for the Deputy Prime Minister.

On the Onex notes under issues, risks, political, it discusses the need to change legislation in order to remove the 10% voting ownership restriction. It says “Seeking to do so may result in serious political debate in the House of Commons. Our timing of seeking approval during the summer recess will be helpful in curbing that debate”.

Was the reason we came back to help Onex curb the debate in the House of Commons? Was that why we were delayed so long? Was it in order to help that one bid?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Absolutely not, Mr. Speaker. To show our open approach to public debate on this matter, as soon as we got back we asked the transport committee to hold hearings. They are holding hearings. I hope the hon. member will participate in the hearings because the recommendations of the committee are and will be very important to the government.

Trade

[Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of International Trade tell the House about the latest trade figures and about his plans to boost even further Canada's position on the international trade scene?

[Bob Speller, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for International Trade Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, the good numbers in imports and exports month after month are really a true reflection of the importance of international trade agreements to Canada.

Our latest figures from August showed merchandise trade exports reaching $31.2 billion, up some 12.3% over the same period from last year. Exports to the U.S. were up 3.8%. Exports to Japan were up 4.6%. Our trade surplus of $22.1 billion already exceeds last year's export total of $19.4 billion.

Those numbers reflect the importance of international trade agreements and agreements with other countries.

Fisheries

[Jim Gouk, Reform, West Kootenay—Okanagan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Marshall decision is wreaking havoc in fishing communities on the east coast. The government claims it has the situation in hand but in actual fact it is getting much worse. It is at the point of violence now in Newfoundland and west coast natives are now stating that the Marshall decision gives them rights in B.C. to fish for salmon out of season and sell their catch commercially.

The supreme court needs to stay the flawed decision of Judge Binnie and clarify the Marshall decision.

How much damage has to be done before the Liberal government will take decisive action, not just hollow talks, to end this?

[Lawrence O'Brien, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is fully in control of the issue.

We believe in co-operation. We believe in dialogue. We believe in a balanced approach. We believe in treaties. We believe in the laws of the country that prevail. At the end of it all this will come together and we will have a policy that is conducive to all Canadians.

Canada Elections Act

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Mitis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, contrary to what the House leader has just said, in Quebec, returning officers are appointed by the director general of elections following a province wide competition.

Why is the government taking so long to respond to the request of our chief electoral officer and do the very same thing— appoint them following a competition rather than as political appointments?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to hear the sovereignists talk about putting an end to political partisanship, they who let go representatives abroad for having refused to take a sort of oath of loyalty to separation.

I would like to tell the member opposite and all the others that we have an excellent system for appointing returning officers. There are fine people doing this job across the country. Many have been recommended by members of this House representing various regions. These are excellent people, and I do not think we should discredit them. Finally, the process has worked in the past, so well, that—

[The Speaker]

I am sorry to interrupt the government House leader.

The hon. member for Halifax West.

Visible Minorities

[Gordon Earle, NDP, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Human Rights Commission points out that there was a decrease of 501 visible minorities in permanent public service jobs in 1998. Out of 28 executive positions filled from outside the public service, a grand total of zero were visible minorities.

Earlier this week the treasury board president told me that she is responding to the crisis by setting up yet another board. More bureaucracy, less action.

Why not simply hire more qualified visible minority Canadians at all levels of the public service and begin to rectify the situation today?

[Lucienne Robillard, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, we have been working for a number of years to increase the number of people of visible minorities working in the public service, but we have noted that the increase over the past ten years has been very gradual.

Accordingly, we have set up a task force. We have not added to the bureaucracy. These people are volunteers from outside government, people well aware of the problems. They are going to help us draw up an action plan to increase the proportion of visible minorities more quickly so as to be representative of the Canadian population.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Gilles Bernier, Progressive Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the band members of the Tobique First Nation are fed up with the inaction of the former and current Indian affairs ministers on the serious financial situation at Tobique.

Two months ago I wrote on behalf of band members asking that third party management be established at Tobique. Does the minister plan to act or is he paralyzed with the fear of starting some kind of domino effect?

[David Iftody, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, we are always very concerned about financial management of the bands. That is why we have in place a number of features within the department. We are actively pursuing a number of them.

We are working very closely with a number of bands in Saskatchewan and Ontario, and indeed in the Atlantic region, to address these issues. I will take this case under advisement and report back to the member on the particulars of this matter.

Government Response To Petitions

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Parliamentary 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 four petitions.

Committees Of The House

[Lawrence O'Brien, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 109 I have the honour to table, in both official languages, copies of the government's response to the 30th report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts on chapter 4 of the April 1999 report of the Auditor General of Canada entitled “Fisheries and Oceans: Managing Atlantic Shellfish in a Sustainable Manner”, presented in the House on June 2, 1999.