Debates of Nov. 5th, 1999

Remembrance Day

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

Mr. Speaker, last year a member of this House said publicly that we should do away with Remembrance Day. When I heard that I decided to send a letter to the natural resources minister of New Brunswick asking him to ban hunting on November 11 to remember the supreme sacrifices made by our veterans so that we can enjoy the freedom which today we sometimes take for granted.

It really does not matter whether they ban hunting for a whole day or for a half day until noon, our hunters can take to the woods but at the 11th hour on that day the intent is to lay down the weapons and pause for two minutes to remember those Canadians who did so much for us. Without them, we might not have the hunting season at all and we might not have a country called Canada.

From the goodness of my heart I hope that all Canadians, young and old, will not forget to take two minutes just to remember. We will not forget.

Government Grants

[Diane Ablonczy, Reform, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, a near bankrupt company in the Prime Minister's riding was up for sale. He urged the human resources department to sweeten the deal with a $1 million subsidy.

Quelle surprise, Placeteco's buyer turned out to be a friend of the Prime Minister, the friend who bought land from his golf course, gave his campaign $10,000 and got a CIDA contract for $6 million. When the Prime Minister was pressuring HRD to sweeten the Placeteco deal, did he know that the interested buyer was his friend, Claude Gauthier?

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

Mr. Speaker, let me again confirm to the House that the appropriate approval process was undertaken on this project.

The department of human resources analysed the opportunity, the information was provided to the stakeholders, the stakeholders agreed that the investment should be made, and no moneys flowed until that appropriate approval process was completed.

[Diane Ablonczy, Reform, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I notice that the question was not answered. The government's idea of appropriate certainly would not be that of taxpayers.

Human resources documents confirm the Prime Minister's direct intervention to sweeten the Placeteco deal. There is a clear history of business and political links between the Prime Minister and Placeteco's buyer. An illegal trust fund was used to deliver the cash to the Prime Minister's friend.

Now we find out that still another friend and patronage appointee of the Prime Minister, Gilles Champagne, administered the trust fund for a handsome fee. Do the Prime Minister and the government see nothing wrong with such blatant pork-barrelling?

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

Mr. Speaker, let me say again that the appropriate approval process was undertaken. Indeed an administrative error was made by the department in administering the funds.

In May of this year that was recognized. In June a directive was issued to deal with it and the trust funds have been closed.

[Diane Ablonczy, Reform, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is amazing how the stars line up for the Prime Minister's friends: illegal trust funds administered by old buddies and a $1 million grant to boost the value of a company which ends up being bought by another buddy, a business associate.

This is public money we are talking about. Does the minister care enough to get to the bottom of this and clean up this mess by an independent inquiry?

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

Mr. Speaker, indeed we have responded to the issue. The appropriate approval process was undertaken. The administrative error has been identified and has been dealt with. The trust funds have been closed.

What we are very proud of is today's labour numbers which indicate that Canada's unemployment rate is at 7.2%, the lowest in a decade. That is because of the approaches of the country to the issue of employment in Canada.

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there is a very disturbing pattern here. Illegal trust funds administered by the friend of the Prime Minister, millions of dollars of public money funnelled to people with close business ties to the Prime Minister, government contracts given to a man who bought the Prime Minister's land, a trust fund administered by the friend of the Prime Minister, and an RCMP investigation into an unregistered lobbyist who is a friend of the Prime Minister. All roads lead to the Prime Minister's riding.

Why will not the human resources minister do the right thing and launch an independent inquiry to look into the mess that is happening in the Prime Minister's office?

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

Mr. Speaker, we have done the right thing. The appropriate approval process was undertaken. We identified that there was an administrative error and that has been dealt with.

Most appropriate, we are happy with the reduced unemployment rate in Canada of 7.2%, the lowest in a decade.

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley, BC]

Is that not nice news, Mr. Speaker? An illegality becomes an administrative error.

The Prime Minister says he is just the little guy from Shawinigan and he is just doing his job as a regular MP, but these sorts of things do not happen in my riding. They do not happen in the Deputy Prime Minister's riding. They happen in one place and one place only, the Prime Minister's riding.

It is not about jobs because 53 jobs disappeared after this deal went through. It is not about helping out businesses; it is about helping out friends.

The minister should be more worried now about her implication in this deal as well. Why has she been called in to justify what is going on in the Prime Minister's office? If she will not do it for taxpayers, why does she not call an inquiry—

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister for Human Resources Development.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am here to confirm, not justify, that the appropriate approval process was undertaken. I am here to confirm that, yes, there was administrative error and it has been dealt with.

I am here to confirm that the trust funds have been closed. I am also here to confirm that there are people working in this riding who would not be working without the support of this government.

Audiovisual Productions

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

Mr. Speaker, a number of people working in the audiovisual sector have revealed that, in addition to the use of other people's names, the practice of overbilling is very widespread. This information is coming out in dribs and drabs because those who know about these deplorable practices are afraid to speak out.

What does the government intend to do to give witnesses the protection they are asking for?

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, the members opposite know very well that the Minister of Canadian Heritage has asked the RCMP to look into this matter.

For the umpteenth time, if they have any information, we urge them to pass it on directly to the RCMP.

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

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, that tape is getting a bit worn.

Honest craftspeople have said that only an independent investigation will shed light on the dubious practices they have witnessed in their industry. They are the ones with the facts. They are the ones who want to testify.

Can the Deputy Prime Minister tell us whether the government intends to respond to these people's concerns and launch an independent investigation into the audiovisual industry throughout the country, yes or no? That's it, that's all.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, the investigation being done by the RCMP is an independent investigation. I hope that the member opposite will agree.

The members opposite, or anyone with information can feel perfectly comfortable passing it along to the RCMP, which will see that this investigation is properly handled.

Ageism

[Maurice Dumas, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, a federal court judge ruled that the Old Age Security Act discriminates against women.

However, the judge refused to eliminate this discrimination, saying that this was up to the lawmakers.

My question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development. What is she waiting for to assume her responsibilities and eliminate this discrimination?

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the judge in this case concluded that the exclusion of separated spouses from the spousal allowance benefit is a reasonable limit on the constitutional equality rights of the charter. He has left further action to parliament.

I am looking forward to reviewing in detail the judgment and we will move from there.

[Maurice Dumas, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government routinely refuses to assume its responsibilities, preferring to hide behind the courts. This time, the judge himself has thrown the ball back into parliament's court.

How will the minister defend these women, who are victims of discrimination?

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

Mr. Speaker, again, as I said, I will review the judgment that has come out in this case and we will take steps from there.

Y2K

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence.

I am sure he will know that one of the more overriding concerns of people about the Y2K problem is not the fact that their water or hydro might be shut off, but whether or not we risk the possibility of an accidental nuclear war thanks to a malfunctioning of nuclear systems or computer systems that regulate nuclear weapons systems.

Could the minister tell the House whether he is aware of any attempt through NATO, or any other organization, to achieve a de-alerting of nuclear weapons for the new year that would prevent this problem?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, Canada does not have that kind of weaponry so we are not directly involved, but, yes, there have been numerous discussions at NATO over the last year to two years with respect to this matter. I know that extra precautions have been taken in this regard for all systems relevant to the military.

The United States has particularly paid attention to the nuclear systems possessed by the Russians. I know that extra precautions have been taken in that regard. I think we can be fully confident of these efforts. They are not de-alerting, per se, but they are ensuring that—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Winnipeg—Transcona.

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

Mr. Speaker, I wonder whether the Canadian government would be prepared to take the position that de-alerting would be a good thing to do. In fact some groups have called for the removal of nuclear warheads as a further precautionary measure.

Could the minister tell us what precautionary measures have been taken and why de-alerting is unacceptable to the Canadian government?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member is raising another issue of nuclear disarmament. Of course we all want to work ultimately toward nuclear disarmament. I think that is what a lot of people are continuing to be concerned about.

In terms of Y2K I believe from the information that is available to me that certainly the Canadian government has wanted to ensure, through its membership in NATO where these discussions have come up, that all these systems are safe. I believe they are.