House of Commons Hansard #16 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was treaty.
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, this is interesting because if I recall rightly, yesterday the same member was asking the Minister of Finance for tax cuts. Today he is talking about the need for benefits. Is it possible that he supports our approach of 50% for tax cuts and debt reduction and 50% for investments?
Leon Benoit Reform Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, last November immigration official Dale Lewis ripped Adnan Khan's four year old child from him at gunpoint even though Adnan had legal custody of the child. Lewis did this after only one hour of investigation based on information from only one source, the estranged wife. He has since admitted under oath that he should not have done it and that he had not done a proper investigation.
Why is the minister allowing her department to continue with hearings months after her own official has said there is no case?
Elinor Caplan LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, as the member and all members of this House know, I cannot comment on individual cases because of the individuals' right to privacy in the legislation which gives them that protection. If the member would like to give me the details of this case I would be happy to look into it.
Leon Benoit Reform Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, the minister knows about this case. I am not talking about what is going on in the hearing. I am talking about the minister's department ignoring the IRB's request in this case. Her own official, Dale Lewis, broke the law. He deliberately ignored a summons to appear before the IRB and others have now indicated that they will not appear either. The minister's own department does not respect the process.
Will the minister instruct all individuals who have been ordered to appear to be at the IRB hearing tomorrow, or will she continue to allow her department to operate outside the law?
Elinor Caplan LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I will repeat once again that I cannot discuss individual cases in this House or publicly.
I will tell the member that the Immigration and Refugee Board is an independent quasi-judicial body. I respect its independence and I will not interfere inappropriately in cases. I will undertake to the member to look into his allegations if he will give me that information.
Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC
Mr. Speaker, the federal government has put no money into the construction of social housing for the past six years, no new money, despite what the Minister of Labour would have us believe.
We know that there is a desperate need. Several thousands of families can wait ten years or more for proper housing.
My question is for the Minister of Labour, who is also responsible for the homeless. When does she intend to answer these thousands of men, women and children, who are living in desperate conditions because the federal government cut social housing construction?
Alfonso Gagliano LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada contributes annually nearly $2 billion to social housing. We have invested $300 million in the RRAP program, and I would remind the hon. member that Quebec in fact receives over 30% of the funds in this program.
We are continuing to work with the provinces to find solutions. I am working with my colleague, the Minister of Labour, who is working on and co-ordinating the whole issue of the homeless. We will continue as we did last year by investing $50 million more in the programs, and we will continue to tend to these programs.
Gurbax Malhi Liberal Bramalea—Gore—Malton, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Co-operation.
Millions of people have been affected by the latest super cyclone to hit India's coast in Orissa, causing the worst flooding in 100 years of history. The unofficial death toll is set at more than 3,000 and many more are without food and shelter.
Can the minister tell us what Canada is doing to help the victims of this terrible storm?
Maria Minna LiberalMinister for International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to the families and the people of India for their tragic loss.
As a result of the Red Cross appeal that was issued recently, I am announcing today a $150,000 relief fund. As well, we are monitoring the situation hourly and daily to see what is needed in addition to that and we will be responding.
John Reynolds Reform West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC
Mr. Speaker, the possession of child pornography is still legal in British Columbia. Judges across Canada are now delaying trials on the possession of child pornography until after the supreme court makes a decision. The minister at one time said that she would not let this case get to the Supreme Court of Canada.
How many years do our children have to wait to get protection? Will the minister do the right thing now and invoke the notwithstanding clause?
Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, this case will be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada in January. We will be there to intervene on behalf of the Attorney General of British Columbia in support of our child pornography law in relation to possession. We believe that law is constitutional and we will be in the Supreme Court of Canada in January to make that argument.
John Reynolds Reform West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC
Mr. Speaker, we know also that children are being left unprotected. We also like this law as the minister does, but the courts do not so far. Sixty-three members of her own caucus have asked the government to invoke the notwithstanding clause. Her own parliamentary secretary has asked the Prime Minister in a letter to invoke the notwithstanding clause. Three hundred thousand Canadians have signed a petition.
When is the government going to not wait for the supreme court? Let it know right now that parliament rules the country and we do not stand for child pornography.
Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, no one in the country stands for child pornography. One of the things the hon. members on the other side of the House forget to tell people is that all our sexual assault laws as they relate to children remain in full force and effect. All our laws in relation to the production, publication, distribution, sale and importation of child pornography remain in full force and effect. Maybe these people should stop misleading the Canadian public.
Child PornographyOral Question Period
The Speaker
I would urge all hon. members to stay away from the word “misleading”, please.
Louise Hardy NDP Yukon, YT
Mr. Speaker, the throne speech noted the particular vulnerability of the environment in the north and that the proposed diamond mine in Northwest Territories would drain a lake at the headwaters of the Coppermine River. The Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board, along with aboriginal groups and environmental organizations, have asked that this be put to a thorough environmental assessment panel.
Will the minister act in the long term interests of the community and the environment and submit this to a panel for assessment?
Paddy Torsney LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I can confirm that the minister has received comments from concerned individuals and has received the comprehensive study report. He is going to make a decision shortly and we will all be informed of that.
Peter Mancini NDP Sydney—Victoria, NS
Mr. Speaker, it is an unusually warm day here in Ottawa as our climate continues to change. It may be the gas emissions coming from the Reform Party.
Two years ago in Kyoto, Canada agreed to greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. This week, Canada is behind closed doors in Bonn promoting instead unlimited emissions trading, particularly exchanging Candu nuclear technology for credits with developing countries.
My question is for the Prime Minister. Why is the Canadian government—
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, Canada has engaged the active assistance of provinces, environmental organizations and the private sector all across the country in developing a Kyoto implementation plan. That work is going forward with a great deal of vigour. We are working on areas like energy conservation, energy efficiency, diversity among our energy sources, CO2 sequestrations, carbon sinks, new science and technology and international mechanisms like trading, the clean development mechanism and joint implementation projects.
Canada will be a responsible environmental citizen.
Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS
Mr. Speaker, contrary to answers given earlier by the minister, internal documents confirm that assurances were sought to seal the Onex deal.
In an August 11 memo entitled “Project Peacock”, Onex states that it will proceed only if the government supports its initiatives and if the new airline will not be burdened with cumbersome regulatory requirements.
Given the process is obviously in full throttle and even Buzz Hargrove is now on side, it is clear that those assurances were given. Will the minister now tell the House when those assurances were given?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, to repeat, and I will repeat it slowly, no assurances were sought and none were given.
Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS
Mr. Speaker, this is starting to sound like airbus with evidence. It smacks of political interference. Internal documents show that Onex “would require clear indications of support from the government prior to proceeding with the transaction”. Well, it is proceeding.
I ask the minister again, with the 10% rule suspended and the suspension of the Competition Act checked off Gerry's wish list, when did Onex receive the assurances from political friends that the government would support no burdensome regulations? When did those assurances comes in?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has his facts all wrong. As we have said, we are prepared to consider raising the 10% limit if parliamentarians believe it is in the best interests of a viable, stable industry.
Last week I went to committee and outlined the way ahead. I said that any merger that comes forward as a result of this process will be subject to the Competition Bureau. I hope the hon. member will deal with those facts truthfully.
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
The minister of finance from Ontario has recently complained that in spite of a large influx of immigrants to the area there has been no help from the federal government. Could the minister of immigration please help clarify the situation for them?
Elinor Caplan LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I am thankful to the finance minister and even to the member for St. Paul's for giving me the opportunity to clarify this.
In the last budget, the funding formula for transfers under the CHST was changed from the Mulroney formula to one of per capita which includes all new immigrants, all refugees and all refugee claimants.
As a result of the new funding formula, Ontario will receive $4.4 billion for health care over the next five years and an additional $962 million in unconditional, no strings attached funding that could be used for immigration, housing and other important purposes.