Mr. Speaker, on September 13 the Baker family in my riding learned of the disappearance of their father, Roy Baker, in the jungles of Gabon, Africa. I have since met with his daughters, Anne and Rebecca Baker.

Could the Minister of Foreign Affairs reassure the Baker family that everything is being done to try to locate Mr. Baker?

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Edmonton Southeast Alberta

Liberal

David Kilgour LiberalSecretary of State (Latin America and Africa)

Mr. Speaker, we were informed the day after Mr. Baker's tragic disappearance. An official was sent from our embassy in Libreville to arrange the search. Our ambassador in Gabon has spoken to everybody, including the president, about the case. I, personally, have spoken with the family on several occasions.

Unfortunately, three months have gone by. However, we feel that the Government of Gabon is doing everything it can to try to find this citizen of Canada.

RcmpOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Reform

Eric C. Lowther Reform Calgary Centre, AB

Mr. Speaker, here is an interesting one. The RCMP headquarters has directed all detachments to crack down on grey market satellite TV viewers and dealers. Canada Customs, on the other hand, is collecting duties from the import of grey market equipment. People are taxed on the way in and then they are charged for possession, all because the government wants to know what they are watching on TV.

Why is the solicitor general directing the RCMP to spend scarce resources to crack down on channel surfers instead of trying to catch real criminals?

RcmpOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Cardigan P.E.I.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, as I have said a number of times in the House, and I will repeat, I do not direct the actions of the RCMP. I do not run the internal affairs of the RCMP.

RcmpOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Reform

Eric C. Lowther Reform Calgary Centre, AB

Mr. Speaker, if the solicitor general does not, then I wonder who over there does.

Why is this government concerned about what is going on in the living rooms of the nation? It is hard to explain the justification for the RCMP spending scarce resources—and we have heard about them today—on tracking down wayward TV watchers when it cannot afford to track down murderers.

Why is the government more interested in cracking down on what Canadians are watching on TV than cracking down on real criminals?

RcmpOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Cardigan P.E.I.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, what the RCMP is concerned about in this country and what it should be concerned about is public safety.

If there is any allegation of wrongdoing in this country, the RCMP—

RcmpOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

RcmpOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

The Speaker

Order, please. We of course want to hear the question and common courtesy says that we then have the right to hear the answer. The hon. solicitor general has the floor.

RcmpOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated previously, the RCMP always looks into any allegation of wrongdoing that takes place in the country. That is exactly what it is supposed to do because public safety is the number one issue for the RCMP and for this department.

HousingOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister responsible for housing.

Experts tell us that mould in leaky condos is putting people with weak immune systems at risk, including the elderly and young children. Still, the federal government is stonewalling the Barrett commission in its efforts to find a solution to this disaster.

We know that the federal government has provided funding to aboriginal communities faced with the same problem. Why is the minister denying help to people who are at risk in B.C.? Why is the minister doing nothing while children and elderly people are slowly being poisoned by dangerous mould spores in leaky condos?

HousingOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel Québec

Liberal

Alfonso Gagliano LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we have been very active on this file.

CMHC has been doing research and trying to help. We offered financial help to all the owners of the condos to renew their mortgage and apply for a second mortgage. We offered the government of B.C. $75 million. It did not want to take it and that is its business. We have definitely tried to help everybody and we will continue to do so. We have invested quite a lot of money in the RAP program to help with the leaky condo situation.

Merchant MarinersOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Gordon Earle NDP Halifax West, NS

Mr. Speaker, merchant mariners have been denied justice from the government for far too long.

It seems to many that the government is in a terrible and tragic waiting game, knowing that with the advanced age of so many Canadian merchant mariners, the longer it waits to provide compensation the more merchant mariners will die.

Will the minister announce a just settlement negotiated with merchant mariners before the end of this century?

Merchant MarinersOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Gander—Grand Falls Newfoundland & Labrador

Liberal

George Baker LiberalMinister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)

Mr. Speaker, I am doing exactly what the standing committee unanimously, with representatives from each political party, including the hon. member, asked me to do, which is to consult with these veterans. There are meetings ongoing today. That is exactly what we are doing. We are respecting the power and the independence of our standing committees. Who gave us that new power and independence? It was our Prime Minister.

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Charlie Power Progressive Conservative St. John's West, NL

Mr. Speaker, again we hear of a lavish dinner and cruise aboard a Canadian coast guard vessel, this time the Sir Humphrey Gilbert . The guests were none other than Premier Tobin and his Liberal colleagues. The operating cost of the vessel, the cost of the prime rib, the salmon, the booze, including the four cases of expensive wine, were all paid for by the good old hospitable coast guard, on behalf of the Canadian taxpayer of course.

Could the minister tell us who authorized the ex-captain Canada to have his own private cruise ship?

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Vancouver South—Burnaby B.C.

Liberal

Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, from time to time the coast guard provides services for a community, and in this case the premier of the province—

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

Order, please. The hon. member for St. John's West.

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Charlie Power Progressive Conservative St. John's West, NL

Mr. Speaker, no matter what the minister says, these two parties in question have cost the Canadian taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. A fisheries and oceans memo says that the moneys to pay for these parties are hidden in the ship's budget. A disgraceful pattern has emerged outlining blatant and deliberate misuse of coast guard vessels and funds.

I ask the minister to support my request of today to ask the auditor general to investigate this reckless spending in the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Vancouver South—Burnaby B.C.

Liberal

Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, if anybody would know about wasting money it is that party, the Conservative Party, which left a $40 billion deficit that we had to clean up.

With regard to Mr. Tobin, this is the Premier of Newfoundland on behalf of his people requesting an opportunity to be transported on a coast guard vessel. We believe in working with provincial governments. That is what—

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

Order, please. The hon. member for Beauce.

Rail TransportationOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Liberal

Claude Drouin Liberal Beauce, QC

Mr. Speaker, I have heard rumours of a schedule change for VIA Rail that would have an impact on rural and isolated communities.

Could the Minister of Transport reassure the House in this regard?

Rail TransportationOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Don Valley East Ontario

Liberal

David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. I am pleased to announce that there will be no changes to VIA Rail's schedule, as was rumoured, except for the new service between Montreal and Toronto.

Public SafetyOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Reform

Grant McNally Reform Dewdney—Alouette, BC

Mr. Speaker, the solicitor general tells us that public safety is his number one priority. His actions say otherwise.

Melvyn Adams brutally murdered Sandy McGillvary's father over 15 years ago and has also threatened Sandy. He has been moved to Ferndale, the walkaway prison in the same neighbourhood as Sandy. If safety is this solicitor general's number one priority, why is he moving a cold-blooded convicted murderer into the same neighbourhood as his victim's family?

Public SafetyOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Cardigan P.E.I.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, when individuals are convicted in the courts and sentenced to a federal institution they are assessed as to where they should serve their sentence. They can start their sentence in a maximum security institution, then could be moved to a medium and then possibly to a minimum. This is how the process works.