House of Commons Hansard #30 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was trade.
Joe McGuire LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, our government is on record as saying that one of our first priorities is to reduce international trade subsidies and domestic subsidies. That is what we are doing in Seattle today and what we will continue to do.
Howard Hilstrom Reform Selkirk—Interlake, MB
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals seem to think that the millennium round means that they have a thousand years to negotiate. Farmers will not survive on Liberal promises.
The Prime Minister has had since 1993 to negotiate reductions in foreign farm subsidies. He has not even tried. Why is the Prime Minister willing to sacrifice thousands of farmers by waiting another five to ten years hoping for subsidy reductions?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, in my capacity as Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board, what the hon. gentleman should know is that the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Minister for International Trade, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and myself have raised this issue with the Europeans repeatedly, including commissioner Fischler, and with the United States, including the trade representative Charlene Barshefsky and secretary Glickman. We have also raised it with the Argentinians, the Brazilians and the Australians at the OECD.
If the hon. gentleman wants an all out assault by Canada on the subsidies of foreign countries, that began a long time ago and we will continue until we win.
Pierrette Venne Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Mr. Speaker, on September 25, 1985, upon learning that he was being investigated for services rendered by Lavallin but not declared in his election expenses return, former minister Marcel Masse resigned, stating as follows “The possibility that I might be charged casts doubt on my honesty, which would reflect on the government”.
My question is for the Prime Minister. How can the Prime Minister tolerate standards of honesty that are not just as high for his Minister for International Trade as they were back then for Marcel Masse?
Minister For International TradeOral Question Period
Glengarry—Prescott—Russell Ontario
Liberal
Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that the standard of honesty is much higher among Liberals than among Progressive Conservatives. I am sure the member opposite knows this, given the caucus to which she once belonged.
Now, on a much more serious note, with respect to the allegation made by the member in the House, if she believes it to be well founded, she can of course inform the Commissioner of Canada Elections. That gentlemen may, if he wishes, conduct an investigation and, should he feel the matter to be a serious one, request the assistance of the authorities, if he deems it necessary.
Sophia Leung Liberal Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence.
This past summer, four ships packed with illegal migrants landed in B.C. What measure is the minister taking to ensure that the B.C. coast is properly patrolled in an effort to deter future human smuggling?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, the men and women of the Canadian forces are patrolling the shores and waters around our country daily. In fact, our country has more water around it than any other country in the world. We do have a very effective patrolling system using naval vessels and Aurora surveillance aircraft. All of these were used to assist the department of immigration with respect to this matter of the smuggling of immigrants.
Furthermore, we used our facilities in Esquimalt to house these people when they arrived in Canada.
Dick Harris Reform Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, the $95 billion projected tax surplus clearly shows just how far the finance minister is prepared to go with his insatiable tax appetite.
It clearly shows just how much financial harm he is prepared to inflict on Canadian workers and their families in his insatiable tax grab as he continues his six year pillage of their paycheques. The Vikings had nothing on the finance minister.
Considering that the finance minister has more money than he needs right now, when will he give a tax break to Canadians? When will he give it?
Jim Peterson LiberalSecretary of State (International Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, we have cut taxes consistently. Reform has called for $52 billion tax and debt reduction measures in the third year out. Eleven of Canada's top economists on the other hand have said that surplus will only be $13 billion. Reform is 400% off target. It does not take political opponents to marginalize the members of the Reform Party, they do it to themselves.
Dick Harris Reform Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, $13 billion? Well there must be some new spending programs we have not found out about yet, but we thank the minister for his little warning.
Gerald's recent paycheque of $4,300 was deducted by $2,100, 48% by the finance minister as he continues building his tax surplus on the backs of Canadian workers.
How can the finance minister stand in the House and talk about tax cuts when his record of six years of tax increases stares everybody in the country in the face?
Jim Peterson LiberalSecretary of State (International Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, why does the hon. member not go out and talk to Raymond, Elise, Mary, William, Wayne and the 1.7 million other Canadians who did not, but do today thanks to our sound economic policies, have pay stubs.
Dennis Gruending NDP Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK
Mr. Speaker, the government's efforts to get the European and American governments to reduce their agricultural subsidies so far have failed.
On the eve of the Seattle meeting of the WTO, it has become clear that European governments are in no mood to take any action on subsidies.
My question is for the Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board. Will the government let farmers pay the price by themselves during a waiting game on European subsidies, or will the government provide the real support Canadian farmers need now to get through the winter?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, I am happy first of all to welcome the hon. gentleman to the House and congratulate him on his election victory in Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar.
Second, let me confirm that the government has a multifaceted approach to this problem. It is a serious problem that all of us should treat seriously. In part the answer lies in the aggressive fight that we are fighting and have fought previously in the world trade circles to ensure that the trade-distorting subsidies of other countries are brought down as rapidly as possible.
In the meantime we need to keep working on strengthening our farm income safety nets. We have put in a long term way, $1 billion into those safety nets. Another $1 billion—
AgricultureOral Question Period
The Speaker
The hon. member for Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar.
Dennis Gruending NDP Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK
Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for his kind words.
The facts remain that the government has slashed agriculture supports more deeply than required under past trade agreements. In fact it cut 40% more deeply than it had to.
Now we see that the Europeans will not budge from their position of keeping subsidies in place. The government has a clear responsibility to give our farmers a level of support that is perfectly legal under trade rules and absolutely necessary to save thousands of Canadian family farms.
Will the government take up its responsibilities to Canadian farming communities with a meaningful package of emergency assistance, or will it continue to let farmers hang out to dry in the chill wind of the trade fight over agricultural subsidies?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, as I was beginning to say at the end of the previous answer, first, we have put together a safety net package with the provinces that totals $1 billion a year ongoing. On top of that, in 1998 and 1999 we have added more than $1 billion more to strengthen that safety net program.
In addition, in provinces like Saskatchewan we have topped up the NISA program by $75 million. We have triggered available payments of about $435 million. If the emergency program is fully participated in by the provincial government, $585 million more will be made available to Saskatchewan farmers.
Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS
Mr. Speaker, first, on behalf of the Conservative Party I would also like to welcome the new members to the House.
My question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. The southwest Nova Scotia lobster fishery is under way and with it further recognition of the government's continuing incompetence to deal with the fallout from the Marshall decision. The minister has been saying for months that consultations are under way, yet his chief negotiator is a bust. Today the Acadia band has called off its self-imposed agreement for a six boat limit because of the DFO agreement.
This is a clear question for the minister. Will the minister ensure that his DFO officers will enforce the regulations, seasons and conservation measures for all commercial fishermen?
Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, as usual the hon. member does not have his facts right.
I was encouraged by the community based solution where the commercial fishermen and the Acadia band had agreed to the fishing limits and the six units. Unfortunately, I understand now that the Acadia band felt there was a misunderstanding and they want more access to the fishery. I will certainly be looking into the situation. We have a federal representative who is out talking. It is unfortunate, but the fact is the courts have confirmed that as Minister of Fisheries and Oceans I can and will regulate the fishery to make sure we have an orderly fishery.
Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS
Mr. Speaker, the confusion arises out of the minister's own department. It is clear that those parties involved have no faith whatsoever in the federal negotiator.
There is a simmering crisis on the east coast. The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans muses publicly about spending as much as $500 million over the next five years to buy out licences, yet there is no faith in the federal negotiator or in the minister who ignored earlier efforts by natives to try to settle this matter.
How many months will the fishermen be expected to wait while the government embarks on token consultations and stall tactics?
Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is quite wrong. There is tremendous support for the federal representative, Mr. MacKenzie. He is doing a tremendous job. He is out talking and the talks are going very well.
The Conservative Party's only solution to this whole problem was to use the notwithstanding clause. That is the only solution it has come up with. That shows it is bankrupt of ideas. That party will go back to two seats if it does not come up with constructive solutions.
Larry McCormick Liberal Hastings—Frontenac—Lennox And Addington, ON
Mr. Speaker, this week in Seattle, Washington ministers of the 135 member nations of the World Trade Organization will launch the next round of trade talks on agriculture.
WTO critics complain that the WTO favours big business interests and undermines the survival of the family farm which is very important to all of us. What are these talks going to do for the Canadian family farm?
Joe McGuire LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, Canada's agricultural industry, especially western Canada's agricultural industry, depends on international trade rules that all countries abide by. Canada is in Seattle to put those agreements in place so our farmers will be competing against farmers, not against foreign treasuries.
Randy White Reform Langley—Abbotsford, BC
Mr. Speaker, Corrections Canada has no prisons in Price Edward Island. The government and Corrections Canada have over 100 facilities in the country in which to research drugs. The commissioner of corrections a few weeks ago told me personally that drugs in prisons were not as big a problem as I make it out to be.
Why is the solicitor general going to build a $2.5 million facility in his riding to research drugs in prisons?
Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated from the time I was appointed solicitor general, I intend to fight drugs and alcohol in penal institutions across the country. With today's technology, institutions can be created anywhere in the country. When the director of Correctional Service Canada indicated he would like to build it in Price Edward Island, I certainly agreed.
Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health has announced the creation of the Canadian Health Network.
This is an Internet-based information service focussed on prevention. We are told that it will have three operations centres: Vancouver for the west, Toronto for central Canada, and Halifax for the maritime provinces.
Can the Minister of Health confirm that the Canadian Health Network will not have any operations centre in Quebec and that, incredible as it may seem, the web server for Quebec will be in Toronto?